1
1
Latest News
2
Downtown pizza joint to close after 20-plus years, report says
3
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ dominates box office, makes representation history
4
Whataburger, meet Pluckers. This Twitter user’s suggestion made Texans miss something...
5
‘Disenchantment’ gets a smart start — just don’t expect ‘The Simpsons’
From our Columnists
Peter Blackstock
The Voice: Kevin Galloway sings a sweet new tune beyond Uncle Lucius
Deborah Sengupta Stith
The glow is bright again for Austin’s Ghostland Observatory
Gary Dinges
Dinges: ‘Bobby Bones Show’ heads to Canada
Seven movies all parents should watch with their teens
My wife went on a four-day out-of-state retreat recently, leaving me at home with our 15-year-old son. We had lots of free time, because it was summer break, so I decided we should binge on a little movie tutorial. I wanted to expose my son to the movies I regard as essential viewing because of their cultural and historical relevance. Here are the seven movies we watched, all of which I think every...
Webb Report: This story has Mexican free-tailed bats, FDR and bombs
Uncle Sam wants you. You already knew that. But for a brief time, he also wanted your favorite flying Austin mascot. According to a Washington Post article published last month, the U.S. military once recruited hundreds of Mexican free-tailed bats in a plot to blow up Japanese cities during World War II. These bats (the largest urban colony of which famously lives in present-day Austin) were meant...
Former Jefferson Airplane singer Marty Balin sues hospital over botched surgery
A founder of the Jefferson Airplane lost part of his tongue and his left thumb during a botched surgery in New York, according to a lawsuit filed late Thursday. >> Read more trending news Marty Balin filed a suit in the Manhattan Federal Court, claiming his vocal cords were paralyzed and he lost half his tongue in a tracheotomy after open heart surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital...
Aretha’s voice was the sound of an America we’re still trying to become
Somebody somewhere once asked the human embodiment of American soul music how she would define American soul music. Aretha Franklin replied, “Being able to bring to the surface that which is happening inside.” Sounds about right. That ability — to externalize humanity in melody — made Franklin one the most pivotal vocalists of the 20th century, the same way it made her rendition...
Six more Asian stories that Hollywood should turn into movies
We hear the expression “representation matters” all the time, and it’s still worth repeating. As a Korean-American, I grew up yearning to see actors who looked like me. On the rare occasions I saw an Asian celebrity, I adored them unflaggingly. Still, I can count those figures on one hand: champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, the yellow Power Ranger, Lucy Liu in the 2000 movie...
Irish comic’s memoir offers insight on moving to, working in US
Irish comic and writer Maeve Higgins gathers essays about her experiences living and working in the United States in “Maeve in America: Essays by a Girl From Somewhere Else.” In this sharp and readable book, Higgins tells the story of how she came to America as an adult still learning how to go about “the endlessly tricky business of being a regular human being.” In &ldquo...
Aretha Franklin biopic: 'Aretha was adamant that it be Jennifer (Hudson)' playing her
When producer Harvey Mason Jr. spoke by phone last week to Aretha Franklin, one of the topics they covered was the movie planned about her life. » RELATED: The 'Queen of Soul,' Aretha Franklin, dies at 76 Now, as Mason mourns Thursday's death of the legend who became his friend, he is committed to carrying...
12 fascinating Texans and where to find their graves
As one is often reminded, Texas is a really big place. As a result, it has generated a whole mess of incredibly interesting people. A lot of them are no longer alive. Here is where to find the graves of 12 fascinating Texans from throughout history. Davy Crockett Larger than life for virtually his entire existence, Crockett was a Tennessee congressman, a near-mythical outdoorsman who inspired a TV...
Saturday events continue with Cedar Park Rodeo, Aparna Nancherla
Art Jill Lear + Katie Maratta at Gallery Shoal Creek. Locale — a sense of place — dominates in parallel exhibitions showcasing Lear, who is focusing on the language and essence of trees, and Maratta, who creates “horizonscapes” focusing specifically on Texas. Lear has taken inspiration from historical tree sites in Louisiana, while Maratta created her signature piece for the...
For Saturday fun, turn to food events like Taste of Taiwan
Dining Bee-yoncé Brunch at Trace. In honor of National Honey Bee Day, Trace at the W Austin is once again hosting a themed brunch. What better way to try and save the bees than with a party centered around the ultimate Queen Bee? Enjoy your favorite Beyoncé beats by DJ Kid Slyce along with specialty cocktails like the Spilled Tea, Rose One Drunk in Love and the Sorry I Ain’t Sorry...
Celebrate bats, beasts and mutant turtles this weekend with the family, Aug. 17-19
Guess what? It’s still going to be hot this weekend with temps hitting 100+. Make the best of it by exploring these family
events: Katherine Van Hook, 10 hung out at the Austin Bat Fest in her bat hat. American-Statesman 2007 FRIDAY “My Little Pony: The Movie,” 3:30 p.m. Friday, Carver Branch.
library.austintexas.gov Early Learner Playtime. ...
Willie Nelson’s heartwarming message about Aretha Franklin
Singer Aretha Franklin was the undisputed “queen of soul,” and after news of her death at 76 broke Thursday, the king of the outlaws paid his respects. On Franklin’s death, country music star and Austin icon Willie Nelson tweeted, “Whether it was Gospel, Blues, Jazz, R&B, Pop,or Civil Rights, Aretha Franklin was the greatest gift and the voice of a generation...
Austin Restaurant Weeks run through Sept. 3
The next couple of weeks in Austin will offer diner a chance to eat out at some of Austin’s top restaurants while supporting
the community.
Austin Restaurant Weeks
began Aug. 16 and runs through Sept. 3, with more than 80 restaurants in the area serving fixed menus with a portion of proceeds
directly benefiting the Central Texas...
Victorious ‘Hamilton’ hits the heights this Austin arts season
Guess what? As foretold more than a year and a half ago, the disembarkation of Broadway’s monster hit, “Hamilton,” is still the biggest news of the 2018-2019 Austin arts and cultural season. Season tickets for the series are long gone. Single tickets for this show, which plays May 28-June 16 at Bass Concert Hall, will go on sale at a date, as yet unannounced, in spring 2019. Meanwhile...
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ an uneven but vital milestone
Before it whisks you off on the sunniest, most extravagant Singaporean holiday imaginable, “Crazy Rich Asians” begins on a curiously dark and stormy night. When Eleanor Young (a mesmerizing Michelle Yeoh) arrives dripping wet at an exclusive London hotel, the snob at the front desk declines her booking and advises her to stay elsewhere (“May I suggest Chinatown?”). He&rsquo...
‘Alpha’ is simple but will melt any dog-lover’s heart
You know Sheila the She-Wolf from “Glow” on Netflix? “Alpha” would be her favorite movie. She’d watch it every day on a VHS tape, memorizing each line of Cro-Magnon dialogue, fashioning her costumes in tribute to the fur-trimmed Hot Topic looks sported by the characters, adopting a Czech wolf dog like the one in the movie. It’s sweet, really, to imagine the kind...
‘Blaze’ is a terrific portrait of the artist as a poetic screwup
Let the word go forth from this time and place: Ethan Hawke, director of the excellent Blaze Foley biopic “Blaze,” is apparently extremely good at getting stunning performances out of non-actors. Ben Dickey, a 40-year-old musician from Arkansas, has been feted at Sundance and South by Southwest for his performance as Foley in “Blaze,” but nothing quite prepares you for seeing...
Movies in theaters, 8/17/18
OPENING THIS WEEK “Crazy Rich Asians” Grade: B. Review page 25 “Blaze” Grade: B+. Review page 24 “Alpha” Grade: C. Review page 26 “McQueen” Grade: B+. Review page 27 NOT REVIEWED “Mile 22.” R. 95 minutes. CIA operative James Silva is the leader of a small but lethal tactical command team on a dangerous mission transporting a foreign intelligence...
McQueen documentary is the best of many fashion movies this year
There are two Alexander McQueens in “McQueen,” the fascinating documentary portrait of the acclaimed fashion designer, who committed suicide in 2010 at the age of 40. One is the eternally boyish McQueen we see on-screen, in both archival footage of media interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses of his creative process. That McQueen — “Lee,” as this product of London&rsquo...
Like cats? Get paid to live on a Greek island ... (seriously, you must REALLY like cats)
On the Greek island of Syros, you can contemplate the philosophy of Pherecydes. You can gaze out upon the Aegean Sea and ruminate on ancient piracy and modern maritime commerce. And you can get paid for it. Paid for it, that is, if you don’t mind taking care of a few (dozen) cats. Yes, “God's Little People Cat Rescue” has listed a job on Facebook that could be heaven-sent...
Just after $10M price tag made public, George Strait home 'off market'
Who bought George Strait’s home? The enormous Santa Fe-style home overlooking the posh community of The Dominion on the northwest side of San Antonio had been on the market since November. But it was only this week, the San Antonio Express-News reported Tuesday, that it finally had a public asking price: $10 million. Now the Zillow listing for the 11-bedroom, 9-bathroom...
Minecraft convention Minefaire coming to Austin in September
Minecraft fans rejoice! The largest convention for a single video game is coming to Austin Sept. 15-16. Minefaire is expected
to bring 15,000 people to the Austin Convention Center to celebrate the game. What’s the big deal about Minecraft? If you have a kid in elementary school, you know. See a video of the convention: Here are some of the things you can expect to see at Minefaire...
FREE ADOPTIONS: Saturday’s ‘Clear the Shelters’ event aims to do just that
You’re looking for a friend. They’re looking for a home. Sounds like the perfect match. KXAN will host its annual “Clear the Shelters” initiative this Saturday, and there is no shortage of participating shelters, adoptable pets or (hopefully) Central Texans looking for a cat, dog, kitten or puppy. KXAN reports that six area shelters will be participating in the national...
The glow is bright again for Austin’s Ghostland Observatory
Eight years after Ghostland Observatory’s last album, “Codename: Rondo,” was released, the Austin dance duo is back. “See You Later, Simulator,” a festival-ready collection of sweaty bangers woven with soaring electro-pop aspirations, drops Sept. 7. The band embarks on a national tour that kicks off in Tulsa on Sept. 27 and runs through mid-November. Austin audiences...
There’s a Beyoncé-themed brunch in Austin this weekend
Do you like brunch? You love it. Do you like cocktails? You live in Austin; you are half human, half cocktail. Do you like Beyoncé? You are legally obligated to pay fealty to our nation’s monarch, yes. All of these things that you love will combine to form a zeitgeisty Voltron on Saturday, when downtown Austin restaurant Trace hosts its second-annual Bee-yoncé Brunch...
‘The Meg’ takes big bite out of box office
Warner Bros.’ over-the-top sci-fi thriller “The Meg” took an unexpectedly massive chomp out of the North American box office over the weekend with $44.5 million in ticket sales, according to figures from measurement firm ComScore. The PG-13 film, about a giant prehistoric shark that terrorizes beachgoers, more than doubled analysts’ projections of $18 million to $22 million...
Fall TV: Julia Roberts, reboots and efforts at diversity
What’s the television industry’s top summer destination? A hotel in which 200-plus U.S. and Canadian entertainment reporters and critics gather for an early look at next season’s shows and the chance to question the actors, writers and producers who create them. The Television Critics Association’s just-ended biannual conference was both a micro look at programming and a macro...
How ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ could help change stereotypes about Asian men
This week, the highly-anticipated “Crazy Rich Asians” movie will hit theaters. The film, based on a novel of the same name by Kevin Kwan, has generated widespread excitement, particularly among Asian-Americans. It’s the first Hollywood studio film in 25 years to feature Asian-Americans in leading roles (the earlier movie was “The Joy Luck Club.”) It has an all-Asian cast...
Author brings ‘Beowulf’ to the suburbs in spot-on retelling
Maria Dahvana Headley, a writer of juvenile fiction and fantasy, steps into the adult world with “The Mere Wife,” a spot-on reimagining of a classic of Old English literature. Think “mere” as sea, as in the Old English, and not just as some dismissive term. Think of the world as the author of “Beowulf” did, where sea caves shelter monsters and great mead halls harbor...
New Oscars category sets up cynical tug-of-war between art, commerce
Well, as the kids say these days, that escalated quickly. When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its decision to add an award for best popular film on Wednesday, the predictable howls went up throughout the Film Twitterverse. The best hot take might have come from Rob Lowe, who called the new category “the worst idea the Academy has had since they asked me to sing with...
Weekend events continue with opening of Ransom Center art exhibit
Art “Ed Ruscha: Archaeology and Romance.” This Ransom Center exhibit looks at the American artist’s process of book design and production via photographs, drawings and prints alongside archival production materials, preliminary sketches and notebooks. Ruscha’s work explores themes such as the manufactured romance of Hollywood. Opens Saturday. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday...
Want free fun in Austin? Enjoy it with Movies in the Park, more events
Sunday Tumble, a Science Party for Kids. Conduct cool science experiments and other fun activities with Lindsay Patterson and Marshall Escamilla, hosts of the Tumble Science Podcast for Kids. BookPeople will also be sharing neat science books from the shelves to check out. 2 p.m. Sunday. BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar Blvd. 512-472-5050, bookpeople.com. Monday Pints & Poses at the Hyatt Regency Austin....
From YMCA’s Splash Bash to Vista beer debut, Saturday events for all
Recreation Splash Bash at the YMCA. Bid summer goodbye with the annual Splash Bash at the TownLake YMCA this weekend. The free community event will include a pool party with free snacks, games, giveaways, music and a bouncy house. The event will also provide a first look at YMCA Camp Moody, which is being developed along Onion Creek and will have an eight-lane natatorium. 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Free...
Actress Jennifer Garner, daughter rescued from shipping channel while kayaking in Sweden
Actress Jennifer Garner took to Instagram this week to poke fun at herself after she got lost while kayaking in Sweden. >> Read more trending news Garner and her 12-year-old daughter, Violet, took to the waters while vacationing in Stockholm when something went wrong. Garner admitted they ended up in a shipping lane and had to be rescued. “On a pre-middle-school sneak away with my...
Texas history museum names new director you might know
You might already know the newly appointed director of the
Bullock Texas State History Museum. That’s because hyper-competent
Margaret Koch has already twice served as the museum’s interim director as well as its director of exhibits and deputy director. The Bullock Texas State History Museum names Margaret Koch as director. Contributed Koch previously...
Austin musician bringing old songs to a new generation
All his life, Walter Tragert has channeled music. He’s wrangled a living from it for 30 years and partnered with some of Austin’s finest musicians, including Scrappy Jud Newcomb and the late Ian McLagan. His solo outings (the 1996 CD “Heavy Just the Same,” 2004’s “Lousy with Desire” and the 2012 recording “A Single Drop of Rain”) have showcased...
A Guy Fieri ‘convention’ is coming to paint Austin in donkey sauce
The world will eventually come to end. When the ground beneath our feet has turned to ash the color of lead, and when poisoned air grasps at our throats with its choking skeleton grip, will you be able to remember a town that once bloomed with flavor? You might, as there is a Guy Fieri convention coming to Austin this fall. That’s according to Do512, where a posted event called &ldquo...
Oscars new popular film category meant to boost ratings, deny ‘Black Panther’ ‘best picture’ nod, critics say
Big changes are coming to the Academy Awards, including the addition of a popular film award category and the promise of a shorter ceremony in an effort to combat declining viewership and criticisms that the awards are out of touch with the mainstream. But the Wednesday morning announcement was also met with immediate backlash online, raising questions about what the new category would mean for a...