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 February 9th
Moulin Rouge Sing-Along
Alamo Ritz 7:00pm
“Baz Luhrmann has given us a gift that will never stop giving and no matter how many times I’ve seen this movie in a theater, it never fails to give me goosebumps all over. So the Action Pack is putting its heart on its sleeve this February and inviting you to belt out all your favorite tunes, quote your favorite lines and flash your diamond rings while you shake your maracas at the Moulin Rouge Sing-Along. We’ll have props for everyone to interact with the film as well as an IN THEATER Can-Can competition before the show. The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and to be loved in return! Love is a many splendored thing! Love is like oxygen! So come out and take a deep breath of love this February at the Alamo Drafthouse.”—Greg MacLennan via Drafthouse.com
Man on a Mission: Richard Garriott’s Road to the Stars
Alamo Lake Creek 7:00pm
“Many children dream of following in their father’s footsteps – but what if that path leads to outer space? Man on a Mission follows fantasy video game designer Richard Garriott on his lifelong quest to become America’s first second-generation astronaut. The sweeping tale includes rarely seen footage from Owen Garriott’s early missions and unprecedented access to Richard’s training in Star City, Russia, as well as his launch from remote Kazakhstan. Culminating with exclusive personal footage of his 10-day mission on the International Space Station, viewers share an awe-inspiring journey that is literally out of this world. At once an intimate look at the process of becoming an astronaut and a profound statement on man’s future in space, the film reveals a formerly top-secret world known only by a select few--until now.”—Drafthouse.com
Love Bites Sing-Along
Alamo Ritz 10:15pm
“For [some] of us, Valentine's Day is a time to remember how we didn't even get the little ‘I choo-choo-choose you’ cards in our paper mailbox at the end of our desk in elementary school, even though it was a CLASS ASSIGNMENT to find one special thing about all of your classmates and write it on a Valentine. Seriously, Mrs. Shellhouse's third grade class? You can't find ONE THING to write on a Valentine to me? Fortunately, there is an entire genre of music made just for our pain, and it just happens to also be the most badass music ever: POWER BALLADS. When metal went glam, and glam boys needed radio hits to afford the fancy hair product they'd grown addicted to, they slowed it down a bit for the ladies and created the anthems that would become theme songs for an entire generation. We update this show a little bit every year, and this seventh year of LOVE BITES will prove to be the greatest yet. We'll hold lighters in the air and sway, we'll pound our fists at the sky in defiance of those who would dare not love us, and we'll do it all with teased hair and animal print tights on.”—Henri Mazza via Drafthouse.com
Friday February 10th
Master Pancake: The Notebook
Alamo Ritz (thru 2/11) 7:00pm; 10pm
“Master Pancake whips out their giant Sharpie and scribbles all over The Notebook, the romantic movie sensation of the decade. For some of you, this is your chance to see without shame that movie everyone's been telling you about. For others, it's an excuse to see America's dreamiest bohunk, Ryan Gosling, in action. And this time he's dressed in old-timey 1940's outfits! Do want! Whatever your reason for coming, Master Pancake will turn this into a hysterical night you won't soon forget.”—Drafthouse.com
Studio Ghibli Retrospective: Spirited Away
Alamo South Lamar 7:20pm
“The Alamo Drafthouse is proud to present a retrospective series of select Studio Ghibli titles this February. See newly struck 35mm subtitled prints of such classics as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and more. This series has taken audiences by storm in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Toronto and now we’re bringing it to you.”—Drafthouse.com
The Late Show: Scott Pilgrim vs The World
Alamo Ritz (thru 2/11) 11:40pm
“Scott Pilgrim's life is so awesome. He's 23 years-old, in a rock band, ‘between jobs,’ and dating a cute high school girl. Everything's fantastic until a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. But the path to Ms. Flowers isn't covered in rose petals. Ramona's seven evil exes stand between Scott and true happiness. From the ever-changing tint of Ramona’s candy-colored locks to the unmatched video game graphics, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is a ton of fun to watch.”—Drafthouse.com
Love Bites Sing-Along
Alamo Village Midnight
Alamo Survivor’s Tip: Later this month, Studio Ghibli will be releasing The Secret World of Arrietty, an animated adaptation of The Borrowers. The Drafthouse’s Studio Ghibli retrospective is the perfect preparation, and you’re not going to find a better place to see both.
Saturday February 11th
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Alamo Village Midnight
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.
Sunday February 12th
Stag! Live Sketch Comedy
Alamo Ritz 7:00pm
“Everyone knows laughter is the best aphrodisiac. What? You didn’t know that? Well don’t worry, you nervous ignoramus, because STAG COMEDY returns to the Ritz this February with an all-new love potion of sketch comedy. Created by Joe Parsons of MASTER PANCAKE THEATER, Stag Comedy Episode 5: Ghostly Do-Gooders features a seamless mix of live and video sketches. Stag’s Alamo shows keep selling out so, like it’s our anniversary weekend, we’re doing it twice. Two shows in February means two chances to catch all the dead bros, paranoid sea captains, weird workouts, wish-granting monkey paws, and assorted Stag mayhem. “It’s like Spanish fly with jokes,” you’ll no doubt say. So join Joe, David, Mac, Ximena, Dave, and Andrew for the funniest shows of the year!”—Drafthouse.com
Love Bites Sing-Along
Alamo Lake Creek 7:00pm
Moulin Rouge Sing-Along
Alamo Ritz 9:45pm
TV at the Alamo: AMC’s The Walking Dead
Alamo South Lamar 10:00pm; Lake Creek 9:00pm
“Season one and the first half of season two 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 conclusion 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
The Late Show: Scott Pilgrim vs The World
Alamo Ritz 10:30pm
Monday February 13th
Big Screen Classics: Gone with the Wind
Alamo Village (thru 2/16) 7:00pm
“The highest grossing film of all time? E.T.? Nope. Star Wars? Guess again. Avatar? Uh-huh. No, Victor Fleming’s technicolor adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s great American novel Gone with the Wind is the original and still reigning ultimate blockbuster. The legendary story of the trials and tribulations of the beautiful and tempestuous Scarlett O’Hara during one of the most turbulent periods in American history is the very epitome of a Big Screen Classic: unforgettable characters in a captivating story, surrounded by magnificent scenery meant to be experienced larger-than-life on the glorious big screen. And so it is with great pride that we present this stunning new digital restoration for Alamo audiences to feast their eyes upon. Lovers of cinema, as God as our witness, you’ll never have to go hungry for this classic again!”—Drafthouse.com
Best in Show w/All-You-Can-Eat Hot Dogs
Alamo Ritz 7:30pm
“Christopher Guest has made some remarkable contributions to the satirical faux-documentary genre but none have quite as many adults with braces as Best in Show. This movie rips back the curtain on the oddball canine enthusiasts who enter highly competitive dog shows with an ensemble cast of amazingly gifted improvisers including Glee’s Jane Lynch and the incomparable Fred Willard. This screening will feature all-you-can-eat-hot dogs (!!) and plenty of raucous laughing when Willard suggests that the hounds improve their chances of winning by wearing Sherlock Holmes hats and smoking little pipes.”—John Gross via Drafthouse.com
Music Monday: High Fidelity
Alamo Ritz 10:15pm
“Lovers of music, vinyl, lists, and John Cusack, celebrate V-Day a little early with us as we screen this gem from way back in the impossibly futuristic-sounding year of 2000! The aforementioned Mr. Cusack stars as Rob, a Chicago record store owner who's obsessive about his vinyl collecting and compulsive about his list-making. Thirtysomething and still struggling to come to terms with growing up, Rob gets dumped by his smart and successful girlfriend for being so damn stunted. And so Rob takes us through his top five worst breakups and then tries to reconnect with each to find out what went wrong. In between that and trying to win Laura back, Rob and his record store cohorts listen to and discuss and a lot of fine tunes. Adapted from Nick Hornby's well-loved novel, this celluloid mixtape of comedy, drama, and pop music also features a pretty fine supporting cast including Joan Cusack (natch), Lili Taylor (reunited from their Say Anything days!), Lisa Bonet (!?), and Jack Black in his least obnoxious role ever.”—Drafthouse.com
The Big Lebowski Quote-Along
Alamo South Lamar 10:30pm
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 February 14th
The Princess Bride Quote-Along & Feast
Alamo Ritz, Lake Creek (thru 2/15), South Lamar (thru 2/16) & Village 7:00pm
“This thoroughly tongue-in-cheek, forever quotable, swashbuckling fairytale is by far one of our all time favorite movies. How can it not be? The Princess Bride gives us a dread pirate, insanity-inducing cliffs, fire swamps, a reluctant princess, a wily Sicilian, a six-fingered count, mawwiage, Rodents of Unusual Size, tiny Fred Savage, fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, miracles and--most importantly--TRUE LOVE! We love this movie every bit as deeply as Westley loves his Buttercup, and so when we discussed launching our very own Alamo Signature Wine collection, we immediately knew that we had to start by featuring none other than The Princess Bride. We partnered with the good people at Helms Workshop to produce artwork for two varietals, and this February we are pleased to introduce the world to The Bottle of Wits, featuring an Inconceivable Cab and the As You Wish White!”—Drafthouse.com
TV at the Alamo: Glee
Alamo Village 9:30pm
“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: The Burning Moon
Alamo Ritz 9:30pm
“It's Valentines Day. A time for Satanism. Disembowelment. Sexual assault. Brains splattered across a studded codpiece. By the time this anti-human masterpiece debuted, shot-on-video horror was a decade-old art form. The largely American, welfare-caliber subgenre had been pioneered by fun loving splatterfans and/or frugal fad-riders, most of whom were initially able to turn their quickie stab-by-numbers productions into profitable ventures thanks to a burgeoning independent VHS market. Few titles aimed above the waistline, and fewer still took themselves seriously enough to carry any impact.”—Zack Carlson via Drafthouse.com
Love Bites Sing-Along
Alamo Lake Creek 7:30; Alamo Village 9:45; Alamo Ritz 10:30pm
Alamo Survivor’s Tip: If you have never attended an Alamo feast event before, or even if you have, send your four fastest ships to the Drafthouse’s box office, or just go online, and get your tickets for the Princess Bride Quote-Along and Feast. It will make the perfect Valentine’s Day date and the food is unbelievable. The seared ROUS is a steak revelation and the miracle-pill-sized truffles will haunt your dreams. Don’t be a brute, take your twue wuv to this storied event.
Wednesday February 15th
Action Pack: The Last Boy Scout
Alamo Ritz 7:00pm
“One’s a deadbeat private detective, the other’s a disgraced former NFL quarterback. But when they team up together there’s no murder they can’t solve or pro sports corruption they can’t unearth. Long before Shane (Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) Black was writing and directing Iron Man 3, he was turning out action movie gems for the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson. Black was hot off of Lethal Weapon 2 just as the stars of Tony Scott (Top Gun), Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans aligned, and the world was blessed with The Last Boy Scout. They truly don’t make them like this any more, and so The Action Pack is loading up the pyro rig and inviting you out for an evening of in-theater explosions, violence, friendship and topless dancers. Not to mention the fact that we’ll be giving every audience member a gun and a handful of caps to unload at the bad guys. If you run out of caps, you can always jam a palm into your neighbor’s nose because the goal of this game... is to survive.”—Greg MacLennan via Drafthouse.com
Weird Wednesday: Shanty Tramp
Alamo Ritz 10:00pm
“A rural southern gothic that really kicks you in the teeth. As if William Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams and Harry Crews went on a sloppy, bitter three-day drinking jag and this was found next to the typewriter by the Creole maid who came in to clean up all the vomit and spilled bourbon. You'd better believe there's enough incest, religious mania, dark secrets and Protestant guilt here for a hundred regular movies. But this is no regular movie. The story of a scheming no-good [tramp] who brings nothing but trouble everywhere she goes. She causes the downfall of a crooked revival preacher, falsely accuses an honest black man of rape, and generally destroys the moral fiber (however loosely woven) of a small southern town. A kind of minor masterpiece with exceptional performances, direction, photography, and script. From the director of Olga’s House of Shame.”—Lars Nilsen via Drafthouse.com
Alamo Survivor’s Tip: The Last Boy Scout is one of the most underrated action films of all time. Don’t shoot yourself in…the foot. Run, don’t walk, to this week’s Action Pack, double time!
Houston
Girlie Night: Thelma & Louise
2/9 7:30pm
“Usually at Girlie Night, we swoon over epic romance and giggle over our cocktails. But this month, we’re unleashing our inner badass along with the ultimate renegades: Thelma & Louise! Role models of feminism and straight up awesome, these two ladies showed us all that women should never be underestimated, especially when they’re driving a ‘66 Thunderbird convertible. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis make the ultimate pair of feisty gals-turned-outlaws, drawling their way through a spree of terrible men, Wild Turkey and wilder times. Together, we’ll fist pump through the ultimate road trip as Thelma and Louise teach us how to school sexist pigs, take control of our lives and go out in a blaze of glory. And speaking of glory, need I remind you of a young Brad Pitt’s shirtless appearance in this film? Hot damn!”—Sarah Pitre via Drafthouse.com
Only at the Alamo: Wizards
2/11 7:30pm
“This year marks the 35th anniversary of one of Bakshi’s most memorable films, Wizards. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Wizards is the tale of a group of faire folk who must fight an evil sorcerer who has matched his own magic with ancient unearthed Nazi technology. In this mindtrip of an animated film, you’ll get magic, dark evil, giant monsters and some of the trippiest animated sequences you’ve ever seen. Brains will melt, imaginations will be stoked and Houston audiences will, at least for one more Saturday evening, realize the power contained in one of Ralph Bakshi’s brushstrokes.”—Robert Saucedo via Drafthouse.com
TV at the Alamo: AMC’s The Walking Dead
2/12 7:00pm
The Princess Bride Quote-Along & Feast
2/14 7:00pm
Only at the Alamo: Anime
2/14 7:30pm
The Alamo Drafthouse provides a welcome haven for fans of Japanese animation. Samurai swords must unfortunately be checked at the door.
Moulin Rouge: Sing-Along
2/15 7:30pm
Hecklevision: Burlesque
2/9 7:00pm
“The Action Pack presents Burlesque in HECKLEVISION. Nominated for one Razzie and somehow three Golden Globes, The Action Pack is taking aim at Cher, Christina Aguilera, the eye-liner wearing pretty boy Cam Gigandet and America’s favorite supporting actor Stanley Tucci (Sorry Stanley...we still love). Not since Glitter has a movie been as cliche-ridden and predictable with such a sense of overall cheesiness. And when a movie achieves all these cornerstones of the well-worn craft of awful, we feel it our duty--nay, obligation!--to ridicule it in a public forum with our texting devices.”-- Greg MacLennan via Drafthouse.com
Love Bites Sing-Along
2/11 7:30pm
TV at the Alamo: AMC’s The Walking Dead
2/12 7:00pm
TV at the Alamo: Comic Book Men
2/12 9:00pm
“AMC's new unscripted one hour series, Comic Book Men, dives deep into fanboy culture by following the antics in and around our good friend and master fanboy Kevin Smith’s New Jersey comic shop, Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. The six part series documents the daily banter of the Stash staff and customers as they geek out over mind-blowing pop culture artifacts and the legends behind them. Comic Book Men features Secret Stash employees Walt, manager and de-facto leader; Mike, a comic book virtuoso; Ming, the store’s technical expert and go-to whipping boy; and Bryan, who doesn’t actually work at the Stash, yet can always be found perched on a stool behind the front counter. As the team buys, sells and discovers the treasures of the comic collecting world, they share all the juicy details with Kevin through their outrageous podcast, which is woven throughout the series. The Secret Stash is not only a place for these comic book men to buy and sell, but it’s also a refuge for many to hang out and be part of a community that loves comics.”—Drafthouse.com
The Princess Bride Quote-Along & Feast
2/14 7:00pm
Only at the Alamo: Troma Wednesdays
2/15 7:30pm
“We've teamed up with the fine folks at Troma Entertainment to bring Houston audiences a weekly injection of the bizarre with free screenings of films from Troma's catalog. That's nearly 40 years of independent film — featuring everything from horror to sci-fi to fantasy to the just plain nasty. Class of Nuke'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown — Tromaville Tech College is built on the site of the destroyed Tromaville Nuclear Facility in this 1991 comedy starring Lisa Gaye, Brick Bronsky and Leesa Rowland. When a group of students discover an issue with the subhumanoid slaves (they are prone to spontaneously melting), they must join up to save the slaves and the day from a giant mutant squirrel.Drafthouse.com
San Antonio
Blood Thirsty Thursday: The Fly
2/9 8:00pm; 10:45pm
“Blood Thirsty Thursday brings you the best in Slasher and Horror movies and this month we are proud to presnt The Fly! It’s been twenty-five years since David Cronenberg co-wrote and directed The Fly, a rare remake that equals (and even surpasses, some might say) the original film it’s based on. Celebrate the birthday of Brundle-Fly with a big screen presentation of this modern-day classic. Prizes from FANGORIA and RUE MORGUE!”—Drafthouse.com
Spurs Game
2/11 7:00pm
“Come see the San Antonio Spurs on the biggest Sony HD screen in town! Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Enjoy $3 domestic draft special and full at your seat service throughout the game!”—Drafthouse.com
TV at the Alamo: AMC’s The Walking Dead
2/12 7:00pm
Only at the Alamo: Anime
2/13 7:30pm
Spurs Game
2/14 6:30pm
Only at the Alamo: The Wedding Singer
2/14 7:00pm
“Spend this Valentine's Day with Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Billy Idol and a whole lot of hair mousse! Yes, the year is 1985 and romance is in the air as the man who makes his living playing wedding receptions falls in love himself. Let the Alamo take care of all of your V-Day evening needs with this fun romantic comedy!”—Drafthouse.com
Big Screen Classics: Gone with the Wind
2/12 5:30pm
Girlie Night: Thelma & Louise
2/9 7:00pm
Free Family Fun: Shrek
2/11 11:30am; 2:15pm
“Join us as we bring the big green guy back to the big silver screen for a day of free family fun! Shrek barreled onto the scene in 2001, changing the landscape of family films and fairy tales for good. He's a curmudgeonly, good-hearted Scottish ogre voiced by Mike Myers, and he just wants to be left alone! But after the physically inadequate Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) exiles all of the fantasy creatures out of the kingdom and into Shrek's swamp, Shrek agrees to go on a risky, adventurous mission to bring back Farquaad's intended bride, Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), in exchange for getting his swamp back. Accompanied by an annoying talking donkey named Donkey, voiced by Eddie Murphy, Shrek begins to fall for Princess Fiona and realizes Farquaad's intentions aren't as innocent as they seem. Shrek is a hilarious, exciting and visually sensational blast, entertaining for kids and adults alike. The show is free and all ages are welcome!”—Drafthouse.com
Love Bites Sing-Along
2/12 7:00pm
Food & Film: True Romance Beer Dinner
2/15 7:00pm
“Join us for the great Tarantino love story True Romance, with an expert pairing of food and beer selections from the great Louisiana brewery, Abita. We'll see pimps, Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette, Elvis and MORE, along with all the glorious violence for which Tony Scott and Quentin Tarantino are known. If you've never seen this tribute to heart-stopping action and heart-melting romance, now is the time! And if it's your favorite Christian Slater movie of all time (perfectly understandable), you'll want to see it again on the big screen and take part in the amazing food and drinks we'll be dishing out!”—Drafthouse.com
I Am Bruce Lee
2/9 & 2/15 7:00pm
“A compelling and visually stunning uncovering of Bruce's life, his enormous impact, and his ever-expanding legacy in the world of martial arts, entertainment and beyond-- despite his tragic and sudden death at the age of 32. Featuring interviews with people who knew Bruce intimately, along with a broad array of international icons including basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, acclaimed actors Mickey Rourke and Ed O'Neill, world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, mixed martial artist and Haywire actress Gina Carano, Taboo of pop music group Black Eyed Peas, and UFC's Dana White and world champion Jon Jones. The interviews will be combined with rarely seen archival footage, classic photos, and cutting edge visuals and graphics to tell Bruce Lee's story in a way never seen before.”—Rotten Tomatoes via Drafthouse.com
