The Alamo Drafthouse has quickly garnered a reputation as one of the greatest movie theaters in the history of mankind…or at least the history of movie theaters. With their signature events, ample food and drink selection, and strict no-talking policy, they make obsolete all tawdry multiplexes and completely redefine the movie-going experience. Here’s what they’re up to this week!
Thursday November 3rd
Shaun of the Dead Quote-Along
Alamo Ritz 7:00pm
"Now you can quote along with all of your favorite British-accented zombie fighters as The Action Pack presents the Shaun of the Dead Quote-Along. We’ll have all of our favorite lines subtitled karaoke-style so that they pop up on the screen in white seconds before the character says the line, then highlights in yellow along with the dialog so we can all yell out, 'She’s so DRUNK!' when Shaun and Ed first discover the zombie in their backyard. PLUS! We’ve ordered a full crate of inflatable cricket bats from England so that every time Shaun whacks a zombie to make a break for it, you can live out that excitement in the theater. Whack the person next to you and get whacked right back. Use your brains! Your delicious, scrumptious brains…"—Henri Mazza via Drafthouse.com
Action Pack: Tombstone
Alamo Lake Creek 7:00pm
"Typically The Action Pack likes to stick pretty close to our Michael Bay and AHNULD Schwarzenegger roots but we just love this movie too much to not want to try and recreate our own shoot-out at the OK Corral with an all out shoot-along screening of Tombstone, where everyone is being handed a 6-shooter and a ton of caps to gun fight along with every bad ass moment on the screen. So come on, why wouldn't you wanna see the most star-studded cast of roguish outlaws and strapping law men duking it out in one of the most famous showdowns in gunfight history?"—Drafthouse.com
Michael Jackson Sing-Along
Alamo Ritz 10:00pm
"MJ may be gone, but his legend is eternal. This was our very first music video Sing-Along ever, and it’s still one of the best. Because, as we know, Michael didn’t make music videos, he made short films. Say, say, say what you want, but we’ll be getting our Thriller on, asking Annie if she’s okay, and rocking with you all night. If you’ve never been to one of The Action Pack’s Sing-Alongs before, this is the show to get started with. We’ll have a moonwalking contest before the show, select members of every audience will get flashlights to shine around the room every time Michael lights up a piece of sidewalk during ‘Billie Jean,' and when they dance under the water from the fire hydrant during ‘The Way You Make Me Feel,’ we’ll make you feel the spray But be warned, Sing-Alongs aren’t just sitting in the theater and cozily watching your favorite artists’ videos. In the past, the audience has been known to stand up and leave their seat behind entirely, and always seem to wannabe starting something. And we never stop 'em."—Henri Mazza via Drafthouse.com
Alamo Survivor’s Tip: I have been twirling my handlebar mustache patiently waiting for Tombstone to be canonized in the annals of the Action Pack. One of the greatest westerns ever made, it’s high time it became an interactive experience. I’m your huckleberry.
Friday November 4th
Labyrinth Sing-Along
Alamo Ritz (thru 11/5) 7:00pm
"Come on people – do I really need to say anything more than that to convince you that this LABYRINTH SING & QUOTE-ALONG is not to be missed, no matter what the goblins tell you they’re going to do to your little brother? David Bowie, Jim Henson, and Jennifer Connely created an unsurpassed work of young adult cinema in the 1980s, and somehow it’s never been properly celebrated until now. We’ll have subtitles on the screen for all of our favorite lines and every single song, so the whole crowd can yell them all out in unison. We’ll also have an assortment of goodies in your prop bag, including bubbles to transport us to the magical land of Sarah’s dreamy ball, balloons to pop around the theater while we sing the fireys’ song, and best of all – Whoopee Cushions to fart along with the Bog of Eternal Stench. Smells bad!! Suffice to say, if you miss this show, you most definitely have no power over me. YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!"—Henri Mazza via Drafthouse.com
YE-Z In Love Sing-Along
Alamo Ritz (thru 11/5) 9:50pm
"Jay-Z and Beyonce married and created a harmonious union of love and incredible music. And when they're not collaborating on a track they're collaborating in the sack as they await the 9 month bundle that will no doubt be a super human of musicality. Jay may be married to Beyonce but he has been bromancing all over the world and going H.A.M. with his boy Kanye. And with that we bring you Ye-Z in Love: The Beyonce/Jay-Z/Kanye West Sing-Along where we jam all our favorites music videos from each artist and as many collaborations into two hours as we possibly can. As always, we will have ALL of the lyrics up on the screen for you to sing-along to, light up rings, and so much more! Slap on some shudder shades and grab a bottle of champagne, but I don't think anything can get you ready for this jelly."—Greg MacLennan via Drafthouse.com
The Late Show: The Fly
Alamo Ritz (thru 11/5) 11:30pm
"While all of today's remakes and reboots are worth little more than an eye roll of disdain and a groan of defeat at having another cinematic love grossly defiled by the paws of Hollywood, we can all collectively say a prayer of thanks to our heathen gods that somebody green lit David Cronenberg's 1986 update of the quaintly creepy Vincent Price movie from 1958. While the latter is fun '50s cheese, it's entirely forgettable; but the former, well… not only did it give a generation of kids gooey nightmares about fly spit melting faces and Gina Davis giving birth to a giant maggot, it also proved that Mr. Jeff Goldblum was a bankable star (something the producers were iffy on at the time). Oh, and it probably also gave more than a few of us highly unrealistic expectations about how clever, handsome, and athletic eccentric scientists really are, but that's another story…"—George Bragdon via Drafthouse.com
Alamo Survivor’s Guide: It should be everyone’s mission in life to see each and every David Cronenberg film on the big screen. The Alamo Drafthouse is helping you on your way by presenting one of his absolute best in glorious 35mm. If you miss it, you’re going to get the urge to pull out all your teeth and fingernails.
Saturday November 5th
UT Football
Alamo South Lamar & Lake Creek 11:00am
"The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is the premiere spot for watching UT Longhorn football in Austin. We feature the games on our movie screen with state of the art video projection. With the *possible* exception of live in the stadium, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is the best spot for the serious football fan. All eyes in the auditorium are focused on the movie screen, where the action on the field will be larger than life! This show is free, but you can guarantee yourself a seat by purchasing a $5 Food/Beverage voucher here. Doors open one hour before kick-off!"—Drafthouse.com
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Alamo Village 11:55pm
'Thrill to all the cheap laughs, cheap women, and cheap production values of one of the world’s premier bad movies. Watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show in-and-of-itself is an event, but it takes on a whole new life when witnessed within the walls of The Alamo Village with loads of audience participation, dressed-up patrons, and general wickedness that has become a vital component to the film’s meteoritic rise to cult film legend." —Drafthouse.com
Sunday November 6th
Cine Las Americas: Los Colores De LA Montana
Alamo Village 7:00pm
"Far in the mountains of Antioquia, Colombia, Manuel (Hernán Mauricio Ocampo) turns nine years old. His father gives him a soccer ball for his birthday with which he'll be able to play at being the goalie at a soccer tournament with his friends Julián (Nolberto Sánchez) and "Poca Luz" (Genaro Aristizábal). The dream of the tournament quickly vanishes when the ball falls on a mined field. While the ball lies there, unattainable in plain sight for days on end, life in the community of La Pradera slowly disintegrates, ravaged by the power struggle between the guerrilla, the army, and the paramilitary groups. The three friends devise different ways of recovering the ball, but the armed conflict turns play into a dangerous reality, threatening with a sudden end their childhood innocence and driving them apart."—Drafthouse.com
Labyrinth Sing-Along
Alamo Lake Creek 7:00pm
TV at the Alamo: Hell on Wheels
Alamo Ritz 9:30pm
"Hell on Wheels tells the epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on a Confederate soldier (Anson Mount) who sets out to exact revenge on the Union soldiers who have killed his wife. His journey takes him west to Hell on Wheels, a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot of a town that travels with and services the construction of the first transcontinental railroad, an engineering feat unprecedented for its time. The series documents the railroad's engineering and construction as well as institutionalized greed and corruption, the immigrant experience, and the plight of newly emancipated African-Americans during Reconstruction. Hell on Wheels chronicles this potent turning point in our nation's history and how uncivilized the business of civilization can be."—Drafthouse.com
TV at the Alamo: AMC’s The Walking Dead
Alamo South Lamar & Lake Creek 9:45pm
"Season One of The Walking Dead established the series as yet another top-notch program from AMC right along with Breaking Bad and that other one with Christina Hendricks. The show has already taken huge U-Turns from the plot of the graphic novels and proved that it is capable of making its own compelling and exciting character-driven storylines, so the anticipation of season 2’s upcoming 13 episodes is huge. Where will they go next?! Come watch it with your fellow zombie fans in the fortified safety of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema."—John Gross via Drafthouse.com
Monday November 7th
Music Monday: Fix: The Ministry Movie
Alamo Ritz 9:15pm
"An unprecedented, all-access look at the pioneering ‘90s industrial band and its founder, Al Jourgenson -- a polarizing figure equally reviled for his temperamental, drug abusing ways and celebrated for his game-changing approach to making music. Love 'em or hate 'em, Al and the gang cut quite a swath in their day, selling millions of records and inspiring the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Korn, and even Jane's Addiction. Featuring interviews with members of the aforementioned groups, plus Tool, Korn, Motorhead, Melvins, The Jesus Lizard, Jane's Addiction, Dead Kennedys, Skinny Puppy, and Amen."—Drafthouse.com
The Big Lebowski Quote-Along
Alamo South Lamar 9:45pm
If you love the Cohen Brothers’ tribute to shiftless losers with mad bowling skills and penchants for Creedence Clearwater Revival, this is the place to be. All your favorite one-liners from The Dude will flash across the screen to prompt your collective vocal worship of this masterful comedy.
Tuesday November 8th
The Austin Matrix: Austin Free-Net Fundraiser
Alamo South Lamar 6:00pm
"The Austin Matrix is a short film created by volunteers and staff to promote Austin Free-Net, a local nonprofit working to bridge the digital divide. By demonstrating the difficulties of searching for jobs without computer skills and Internet access in a humorous, geeky way The Austin Matrix will show the difficulties many in our community face and how Austin Free-Net can help. Following the premier of the short, we will play the full-length feature film, The Matrix, starring Keanu Reeves. The event will feature a raffle and costume contest."—Drafthouse.com
Girlie Night: When Harry Met Sally
Alamo Ritz 7:00pm
"For me, the real question of When Harry Met Sally isn't 'Will sex ruin a friendship?' The big question is actually, 'Why can't this movie be my life?' Sure, it takes Sally an hour and a half to order a sandwich, and Harry is a bit of a talker, but together, these two share one of the greatest love stories in cinematic history. The witty banter! The New York autumn! The classy Harry Connick Jr. soundtrack! Don't even get me started on the old couples talking about how they first met, because even after a hundred viewings, I still tear up over 'nine extra floors.' This Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron masterpiece takes romance to the next, hilarious level, and we'll celebrate (and envy) it at Girlie Night. Pull on your days of the week underpants, add some pepper to your paprikash and let's all have what she's having!"—Sarah Pitre via Drafthouse.com
AFS Essential Cinema: Caravaggio
Alamo South Lamar 7:00pm
"Forever dallying with the buttons of British censors, experimental filmmaker Derek Jarman had already shocked audiences with his film about gay icon St. Sebastian (1976), the first (the only?) film with subtitles in Latin, and his audacious, if culturally skewed, version of England’s punk heyday (Jubilee, 1978). But first and foremost Jarman was an artist, so it is no surprise that he was inspired by one of the most homoerotic artists of the Baroque period, Michelangelo Amerighi da Caravaggio, a worthy successor to that other, earlier Michelangelo. Notorious for profligate living and ambi-sexual relationships, Caravaggio was nonetheless a remarkable painter who used light creatively, made skin glow, and crafted unusual compositions which seem like hyper-sensual photographs. Caravaggio, whose barely documented life still remains the subject of conjecture and fiction, enjoyed the company of the outcasts of society, whom he used as models for historic, religious, and wealthy figures, similar to the interests of Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini. But Jarman refuses to leave his characters trapped in the late 16th century and allows them accessories of the 20th century and its accompanying music. In this faux bio-pic the images are powerful and occasionally beautiful, time is extremely fluid, the story is almost inconsequential, and the filmmaker’s enjoyment is evident throughout."—Drafthouse.com
TV at the Alamo: Glee
Alamo Village 9:45pm
"We’ll be showing every new episode of the season where you can get giddy with your fellow Gleeks weekly. So start practicing your Schuester dance moves, warm up your vocal chords to out-sing Rachel, and get fabulous like Kurt, 'cause we’re bringing the Glee."—Drafthouse.com
Terror Tuesday: Shock Waves
Alamo Ritz 9:45pm
"Easily the finest water-breathing albino nazi zombie movie in the history of the genre. Unstoppable ancient ham John Carradine gets all salty and shirtless for his role as a cruise ship captain that beaches a boatload of tourists on the shores of a remote island populated by Peter Cushing and a bevy of blonde, blue-eyed walking corpses. Turns out they were a not-so-failed Third Reich experiment dubbed the Death Corps, a top secret race of indestructible nazi storm troopers. These aquatic Aryan a-holes spend the next 80 minutes stalking and murdering every stereotype available within 100 miles of the archipelago. The image of the Death Corps rising from the water will be burned into your psyche for eternity, no foolin'. In fact, director Weiderhorn was so impressed with these sequences that he reused them in his 1984 opus Meatballs II."—Zack Carlson via Drafthouse.com
Wednesday November 9th
The Best of Sex Ed w/Owen
Alamo Ritz 7:00pm
"A rip roaring collection of some of the most bizarre sexual education films from the 1930's to modern day. Learn how premarital sex can lead to heartache, insanity, and explosive car accidents. View the creative ways Disney animates syphilis. Hum along with the '70s classic ballad ‘VD is for Everybody!’ Groove to the hard core abstinence rap. Seriously, this stuff is amazing! Owen Egerton will introduce the films and keep the night rolling. So get your ass down to the Alamo Ritz November 9th 7pm and re-educate yourself on the birds and the bees!"—Drafthouse.com
Labyrinth Sing-Along
Alamo Lake Creek 7:00pm
Labyrinth Sing-Along
Alamo Village 7:00pm
Iron Chef: Planes, Trains, & Automobiles
Alamo South Lamar 7:00pm
"There have been many great Christmas films to come out of Hollywood, for sure, but there is only one Thanksgiving classic: the John Candy and Steve Martin-powered Planes, Trains, & Automobiles. The late, great John Hughes directed this home-for-the-holidays travel comedy misadventure so it's not too surprising that it is an all around perfect movie, and of course it gave popular culture the line ‘Those aren't PILLOWS!!!’ to quote for generations. And against the backdrop of this perfect comfort movie centered around America's great comfort food holiday, Alamo Executive Chef John Bullington will square off against Chef Drew Curren of 24 Diner in an Iron Chef contest for ultimate comfort food supremacy! No matter how this battle royale turns out for the chefs, there's no doubt the audience will be the ultimate winner this night."—Drafthouse.com
Weird Wednesday: Teenage Mother
Alamo Ritz 10:00pm
"Over the years of doing Weird Wednesday writeups I've spilled a lot of fancy adjectives like astonishing, devastating and mind-blowing, but when it comes to Teenage Mother, there just aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe the intense, at times overwhelming, strangeness of it all. It follows in the tradition of "white-coaters", the trade name for sexploitation films that purport to have social value as instructive medical tracts. These movies played in mainstream theaters throughout the country for many years. Nudity was shown (often in scenes of childbirth) but there was enough pseudo-educational padding to make it legal. Teenage Mother was way late in the game, the trend had been over for ten years or more when it was made, but it tops all the other films in its absolutely craven and mock-innocent eagerness to deliver weird sex thrills. The plot is about a progressive Swedish high school teacher who begins work at a small-town American high school. Her modern ideas about sexuality create controversy (sexy controversy!) in the community and when called upon to resign she's forced to defend herself the only way she knows how, by playing a graphic clinical film of a forceps-assisted birth at a PTA meeting. It's really uncalled for, but you have to admire her resourcefulness. Audiences invariably howl and hide their eyes for long stretches of this movie. It's pretty special. With Fred Willard in his first role!"—Lars Nilsen via Drafthouse.com
Alamo Survivor’s Tip: Really can’t say enough about the comedy of Owen Egerton. Last week he gave us his brilliant, hysterical commentary on Halloween 4, and this week he turns his comedy microscope on the Petri dish of classic (read: ill-advised) sex education films. Beware, the laughter will be contagious.
Houston
Houston Comedy Film Festival Shorts 3
11/3 7:15pm
"Sometimes, it's fun to poke fun at popular television and films in order to generate a good laugh. If you've ever seen Black Swan then you are going to love Brown Duck. If you've ever seen True Blood then you're going to really laugh at director Brenton Stumpf's Vampire Film. If you've ever posted an ad on Craig's List for a roommate and a zombie shows up, then What's Life Got to do with It will be a film that you can really relate to. Hair Rules is a 45 minute mini-feature that will definitely keep you laughing, make sure to watch the trailer. Texas directors Trish Needom, Steven Katz and Don Worley will also show off their latest comedy offerings."—Drafthouse.com
Houston Comedy Film Festival Shorts 4
11/4 7:15pm
"We have a saying at the Houston Comedy Film Festival, 'On Fridays, the films get gradually more offensive as the night goes on.' This year is no exception, so be ready for a little blood, sexual content, profanity and other edgy comedy content that is not intended for the network television audience. If you are easily offended, then you probably shouldn't attend. For those of us that like to get loose on a Friday night, you've come to the right place."—Drafthouse.com
Houston Comedy Film Festival Double Feature
11/5 3:00pm
"The Houston Comedy Film Festival will present two feature films on Saturday. Swooped directed by Shaun Paul Costello and Joe Gariffo is a funny film about two best friends that struggle with the ancient philosophical concept known today as 'Bro's before Ho's.' The Truth About Average Guys, directed by Ken Gayton, is about a guy that tries to get the attention of his dream girl, who has a mentally challenged sister, by having his friend pretend to be mentally challenged as well and go on a double date."—Drafthouse.com
Only at the Alamo: Just Like Us
11/5 7:30pm
"Egyptian-American comedian Ahmed Ahmed, in his directorial debut, takes audiences on a journey through the Middle East — exploring the current state of comedy in places like Dubai, Lebanon, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. In this very funny, very social relevant documentary, Ahmed is joined by some of the top young stand-up comedians working today (including Whitney Cummings from NBC's Whitney) as he shines a light on the misconception that Arabs have no sense of humor — when in fact they laugh, and are, just like us."—Drafthouse.com
TV at the Alamo: AMC’s The Walking Dead
11/6 7:00pm
Only at the Alamo: Just Like Us
11/6-11/7 10:00pm
Only at the Alamo: Anime
11/8 7:30pm
The Alamo Drafthouse provides a welcome haven for fans of Japanese animation. Samurai swords must unfortunately be checked at the door.
Nippon Love and Laughter: Hula Girls
11/9 7:00pm
"NIPPON~Love and Laughter—Featuring films from Japan
Wednesday, November 9th at 7pm: Hula Girls: Young women in a small Japanese town look to revive their home's declining fortunes by building a Hawaiian village tourist attraction. FREE admission."—Drafthouse.com
Rush: Time Machine
11/3 7:00pm
"Live In Cleveland is an evening with Rush performing their classic hits and features the legendary Moving Pictures album live in its entirety. Released in 1981, Moving Pictures was their most successful album to date, certified 4x Platinum and features some of Rush's most well known songs and perennial radio favorites, including 'Tom Sawyer,' 'Limelight' and the Grammy®-nominated instrumental 'YYZ.' Captured in April at Cleveland's Quicken Loans arena during the renowned trio’s extensive Time Machine world tour, TIME MACHINE 2011: Live In Cleveland marks the band’s first live concert filmed in the United States."—Drafthouse.com
Only at the Alamo: Just Like Us
11/4 7:00pm
Labyrinth Sing-Along
11/5 2:00pm
TV at the Alamo: AMC’s The Walking Dead
11/6 7:00pm
TV at the Alamo: Glee
11/8 7:00pm
Only at the Alamo: Just Like Us
11/8 9:00pm
San Antonio
Labyrinth Sing-Along
11/6 4:30pm; 7:30pm
TV at the Alamo: AMC’s The Walking Dead
11/6 7:00pm
Only at the Alamo: Anime
11/7 7:30pm
The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along
11/5 12:30pm; 10:00pm
"We've got to find Jack! There's only 11 months left until next Halloween! Halloween may have come and gone but it's never too late to start preparing for next year. And the best way to start preparing? By visiting Jack Skellington, the King of Pumpkintown of course! Let us follow Jack as he discovers Christmas Town, a place where smiling children throw snowalls instead of heads. It's peculiar isn't it? We've known we wanted to do a Nightmare sing-along for a while now, but we weren't sure what season worked best. Is it a Halloween movie? A Christmas movie? Should we put it in around Thanksgiving and split the difference? In the end, we decided we didn't really care and we don't need a reason to celebrate the greatest Halloween/Christmas hybrid movie of all time. Oh, how HORRIBLE THIS November WILL BE! All the beloved songs will be subtitled on the screen for your singing pleasure and The Action Pack will be handing out all sorts of delightfully awful goodies that'll make you belt out 'WHAT...IS...THIS!?'"—Greg MacLennan via Drafthouse.com
Action Pack: The Running Man
11/7 7:00pm
"Set in a totalitarian future society, AHNULD Swarzennegger stars as Ben Richards who has been falsely imprisoned for a massacre he didn't commit. After some careful planning and skull-cracking, Richards finds himself on the lamb before being apprehended and cast on The Running Man, the TV show of the future wherein convicted felons are provided with a chance at freedom provided they can outrun and outlive their heavily armed and completely badass stalkers. Who would host such a macabre and awesome show, you ask? None other than the Kissing Bandit himself, Mr. Richard Dawson."—Greg MacLennan via Drafthouse.com
TV at the Alamo: Glee
11/8 7:00pm
Action Pack: The Running Man
11/6 7:00pm
Action Pack: YE-Z In Love Sing-Along
11/9 7:00pm
Girlie Night: When Harry Met Sally
11/9 8:30pm
