In his first-feature film Brick, director Rian Johnson set own to make a noir detective film. But he was tired of seeing the same old characters playing out similar storylines. He wanted to bend the genre, so it would still look and feel like a noir pic, but with a different sensibility. Enter, high school. Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has just received a disturbing call from his distressed ex-girlfriend Emily (Emilie de Ravin). She's... more ›

Austin's own Sound Team was one of the best acts we caught at ACL this year - despite the blistering temperature and sporadic dust tornadoes, they played an unceasingly energetic set that made us (nearly) forget about our impending heat strokes. Live, theirs is synth-happy dancerock constructed from the supple layering of their dual keyboard/guitars, toe-tappingly catchy drum beats, and Matt O.'s big, blaring vocals. Their studio work is something you'll have to experience... more ›