Austinite Mike Judge, creator of that cultural zeitgeist and all-around-super-cool-guy, got his start on the art house circuit with traveling animation compilations and in turn has cultivated The Animation Show, a blitzkrieg of independent animation talent, the 4th annual edition of which will have its world premier tonight at the Alamo Drafthouse. Featuring a wide range of styles and narrative structures, including repeat appearances of some jail-bait bunnies, a Teletubby like crotch-cruncher and a couple of wacky, half-witted Australians, our eyes were glued to the screen for the full hour and a half....

In case you hadn’t noticed, the watery pummeling we have been subjected to of late mercifully subsided, and the giant death ball in the sky has returned to rid the earth of its perpetual moistness. Hooray! We can get back to the business of summer, which is of course, sweating while walking, sweating while driving and sweating while watching movies on big blow-up outdoor screens. Wednesday night, all of this can be yours thanks to......

Seattle's Aqueduct have been doggedly honing an indie/laptop pop sound for several years. Essentially a one-man studio band, David Terry channels influences ranging from a suburban Oklahoma upbringing to fandom of Guns 'N' Roses and The Princess Bride into his catchy, lo-fi home studio creations. Live, the band is a very different animal: at SXSW two years ago, they simply demolished the crowd with a blend of original tunes, rap covers, an Aqueduct theme......

Ah, the sweet smell of college freshmen. School's back in session, summer is almost over (in theory), and it's a few weeks before the holiday movie rush begins (Exhibit A: this week's slim pickin's). *Trust the Man We’ve got one word for the entire cast of this movie: yum. The Wicker Man God bless Nic Cage. He tries, ya know? What a trooper. The Quiet This film is receiving fairly poor reviews, which is......

Despite Austin's population of just 700,000, there is no denying that we have become the regional hub for film and television production in the Southwest. In fact, no fewer than six films shot in Austin will hit screens between now and Thanksgiving. If you're curious about what those trucks near the Capitol building and at Texas Chili Parlor have been up to, or simply want to support locally made films with your movie dollars......

Winning auction bid for a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar custom painted with Butthead's face and autographed by Beavis and Butthead-creator Mike Judge: $3,550...

The SIMS Foundation is a local nonprofit dedicated to providing low-cost counseling and other mental health services to Austin-area musicians and their families. They're currently running a special online auction over on eBay, to help raise funds for the organization. Check out awesome, custom-designed Gibson Les Paul electric guitars like: Mike Judge's portrait of "Butthead" Bob Schneider's abstract, "Rock, Sex, Drugs, and Roll" Billy Gibbons' (ZZ Top) "Gold Signature" Robert Hurst's "Jimmy Page Tribute"......

Wanna fight a dragon or bareback ride a nuclear missile into outer-space? Well, if you've got the money, Austin Studios now has the goods you need to fulfill your green screen fantasy. A new 40-by-20 foot blue screen wall has been added to Stage One at Austin Studios. The wall is composed of a curved screen incorporating floor and wall, thereby making it appear as one seamless unit. Austin Studios' director of operations Rachel Blackney......

Cinephiles rejoice! The Austin Film Festival kicks off this Thursday, featuring a bevy of shorts, documentaries, advance screenings and parties! Of course, the festival is not just about watching movies; it’s also a fantastic opportunity for you wannabe filmmakers to hear from a slew of panelists about the craft of filmmaking and the industry in general. Among the distinguished panelists at the screenwriters’ conference are Judd Apatow (40-Year-Old Virgin, Freaks and Geeks, The Larry......

George W. Bush: aka Dubya, President of the United States, dumbass Owen Wilson: aka The Butterscotch Stallion, screenwriter, asslicker, and Movie Star Wes Anderson: writer/director of the best films ever(Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, etc), wears cool glasses Sandra Bullock: aka Mrs. Jesse James, producer, movie star, nice gal Matthew McConaughey: bongo player, weed smoker, movie star, hunk Marcia Gay Harden: character actress, Oscar winner Benjamin McKenzie: stud, lead actor of the O.C. Molly Ivins: whip-smart......