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 June 30th
Summer Kids Camp: How To Train Your Dragon 3D
Alamo Lake Creek 10:40am
When it comes to quality family films, Dreamworks has long had to reside in the cold shadow of Pixar. Time after time they have finished a distant second in this race as Pixar’s win streak rose to the utterly ridiculous level. But How To Train Your Dragon is THE film that casts a speck of doubt on Pixar’s unquestionable supremacy. Full of stunning effects, wonderful voice acting, and legitimately heart-lifting moments that don’t feel forced, How To Train Your Dragon is an absolute triumph.
Summer Kids Camp: The Muppet Movie
Alamo South Lamar 10:50am
It’s time to get up early. It’s time to bring the kids. It’s time to pay no money to see one awesome Muppet adventure. Bursting with more huge celebrity cameos than you can shake a banjo at, The Muppet Movie is among the greatest family films in existence.
Summer Kids Camp: Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Alamo Village 11:00am
Britain’s favorite cheese-loving klutz and his faithful canine companion are back, and this time…it’s feature-length! When the villagers’ prized vegetables turn up brutally munched, the two best/only exterminators in town are called in. But what they discover is a nightmare of the most adorable persuasion.
Team America: World Police Quote-Along
Alamo Ritz 7:00pm
In celebration of our nation’s birthday, the Alamo spotlights all the best aspects of America: making fun of celebrities, absurd levels of action violence, and puppet sex. As much as you might want to, as much as Matt and Trey’s marionette masterpiece may tempt you, it is simply not safe to quote this movie at work. Therefore, come to the Alamo Drafthouse and shout encouragement to the World Police as they show the terrorists their game is through.
The Justin Timberlake Sing-Along
Alamo Ritz 9:45pm
Don’t be so quick to walk away, this sing-along in particular promises to rock your body so please stay. With your help, and the utter pop majesty that is JT, we can once and for all bring sexy back. Get your tickets early or cry me a river because you were left out of all the fun.
Grease Sing-Along
Alamo Lake Creek 7:00pm; 10:00pm
If you love the 50s, if the idea of poodle skirts and jukeboxes really revs your engine, then why not come together like rama lama lama and ding a de dinga a dong and sing along with your favorite moments from this musical smash hit? Complimentary combs and candy cigarettes will complete the illusion that you’ve traveled back in time to the 50’s…as represented in the 70s.
Alamo Survivor’s Tip: The Team America: World Police Quote-Along is not only the perfect way to celebrate the 4th of July, but also is one of the rare films that works both as fodder for quote and sing-alongs. If you’ve never been to either, this is the perfect introduction.
Friday July 1st
Summer Kids Camp: How To Train Your Dragon 3D
Alamo Village (thru 7/7) 11:00am
Rolling Roadshow: The Last Picture Show
Royal Theater, Archer, TX 9:15pm
“Archer City and the restored Royal Theater on South Sycamore Street are the inspiration for author Larry McMurtry’s semi-autobiographical novel The Last Picture Show and director Peter Bogdonovich’s 1971 film of the same name. Shot in gorgeous black-and-white at a time when it had been completely phased out of practice, the film explores the restive lives of youth in a small Texas town in the 1950s and launched the careers of Cybil Shepard, Jeff Bridges, Randy Quaid and Cloris Leachman. We will be screening the film on the vacant lot adjacent to the Royal Theater, the "last picture show" from the film. Some folks will actually be able to sit inside the Royal to watch the film as the outer wall and roof of the theater was destroyed in a fire in 1965.”—OriginalAlamo.com
Saturday July 2nd
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.
Sunday July 3rd
An Evening with Renee Fleming
Alamo South Lamar 4:50pm
“The Waldbühne Concert given by the Berliner Philharmoniker marks the end of each season, and each year audiences at these prestigious are regaled by some of the greatest opera singers of our age. One recent high point in the history of the Waldbühne concerts was undoubtedly the appearance of the charismatic American soprano Renée Fleming, with her soft-toned but richly coloured voice.
Thanks to Specticast, the Alamo Drafthouse can now offer its patrons an opportunity to experience the incomparable performances of the Berliner Philharmoniker on the big screen in gorgeous HD. It’s almost as great as being there, you know, if you can’t make it abroad for every performance.”—OriginalAlamo.com
Stag! Live Sketch Comedy
Alamo Ritz 7:00pm
“Summer is the time for big ass sequels, so STAG COMEDY is back with an all-new sketch comedy explosion! Created by Joe Parsons of MASTER PANCAKE THEATER, Stag Comedy Episode 4: Sweaty Meringue features a seamless mix of live and video sketches. Their last two debuts sold out, so this time they’re kicking down your door with two shows! That’s twice the amount of violent lawyers, street gangs, dino-ducks, helpful wrestlers, AND FUN. So join Joe, David, Mac, Ximena, Dave, and Andrew for the funniest show(s) of the year.”—OriginalAlamo.com
Monday July 4th
Summer Kids Camp: Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Alamo South Lamar (thru 7/7) 10:45am
Team America: World Police Quote-Along
Alamo Ritz 7:00pm
Music Monday: Blank City
Alamo Ritz 9:45pm
“Blank City is an artist’s history of New York in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, when No Wave was the buzzword and low rent was the means of survival. In Downtown Manhattan, artists were living in abandoned, burnt down apartments and forming a community inspired by this dangerous wasteland. This documentary uses firsthand interviews and archival footage to tell the story of musicians like Patti Smith, Television, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, The Contortions, The Bush Tetras, and Sonic Youth and filmmakers of the “Cinema of Transgression” like Jim Jarmusch, Steve Buscemi, Richard Kern, Amos Poe, James Nares, Eric Mitchell, Susan Seidelman, Beth B, Scott B, Charlie Ahearn and Nick Zedd. Definitely a must see documentary for those interested in independent art.”—OriginalAlamo.com
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 July 5th
AFS: Even The Rain
Alamo South Lamar 7:00pm
“An international film crew begins recreating some of the early episodes of the Spanish conquests in the New World. Since there are no surviving Tainos whom Columbus first encountered in the Caribbean, then Quechua-speaking people of Cochabamba, Bolivia will have to suffice. But in the middle of the filming a real-life drama is unfolding as the people of Cochabamba struggle to regain their water rights from an international corporation. Daniel, the young man playing Hatuey, leader of an early rebellion against the conquistadores, also leads the community in the struggle for water. The film brilliantly interweaves parallels from the 16th and 21st centuries, showing how the exploitation continues – once for gold, now for water.”—OriginalAlamo.com
Terror Tuesday: It’s Alive
Alamo Ritz 9:45
As if you needed another reason to think twice about procreating, infamous schlock-slinger Larry Cohen brings you this charming tale of a mutant baby with a taste for murder. It may very well be the most pro-choice horror films ever made and will make it impossible for you to remain in the same room as an infant ever again.
Alamo Survivor’s Tip: If there is one actor who can personally guarantee that your attendance at Terror Tuesday is worthwhile, it’s Michael Moriarty. This will be the third film to feature Moriarty that I will have seen at this Alamo signature event. And having seen It’s Alive, I can assure you he will be every bit as hysterically unhinged as he was in Troll and Q: The Winged Serpent
Wednesday July 6th
Dionysium
Alamo South Lamar 7:00pm
“The Dionysium offers a unique, innovative program of debate, lecture, declamation, theatrical presentation and music in a salon-like atmosphere on the first Wednesday of every month at the Alamo South Lamar. Audiences enjoy offerings not to be found elsewhere in Austin, including the recitation of famous speeches, participatory discussion in a formal, moderated context, and the opportunity to participate in the recreation of Ancient rituals.”—OriginalAlamo.com
Grease Sing-Along
Alamo Village 7:00pm
Girlie Night: Troop Beverly Hills
Alamo Lake Creek 7:25pm
“You know how most girls dabble in Girl Scouts but never make it past the Brownie level because you actually have to work to earn patches and the uniforms are, let's be frank, kind of heinous? Well, I actually stayed in my troop until I was in the eighth grade, which yes, was incredibly lame. You know why? Because there was a part of me that secretly hoped and wished and prayed that Phyllis Nefler would show up with her flaming red hair and crazy harlequin pastel dress and take charge of my troop so we could earn patches in Shoe Shopping and Diamond Inspection and go camping at the Beverly Hills Hotel and make fondue because AWESOME!!!!!”—Sarah Pitre via OriginalAlamo.com
Team America: World Police Quote-Along
Alamo Village 10:00pm
Weird Wednesday: Avenging Disco Godfather
Alamo Ritz 10:30pm
“The late Rudy Ray Moore created a stage persona straight out of the gaudy style of the Chitlin' Circuit entertainers of his youth and combined it with the folk poetry of the black south. It served him well as a stage comic and when he took it to the screen in the film DOLEMITE he became an underground hero. After the admittedly rough first movie with its hilariously poor kung fu sequences, his subsequent films had slightly better production values. They also got really, really weird.”—Lars Nilsen via OriginalAlamo.com
Houston
West Oaks
Team America: World Police Quote-Along
7/2 10:00pm
Big Screen Classics: Full Metal Jacket
7/3 6:30pm
One of the greatest war movies ever made returns to the big screen. Along with showcasing entirely new facets of the horrors of the Vietnam War, Stanley Kubrick’s military masterpiece launched the careers of Vincent D’Onofrio and Hollywood’s go-to drill sergeant R. Lee Ermey.
Only at the Alamo: Anime
7/5 7:30pm
The Alamo Drafthouse provides a welcome haven for fans of Japanese animation. Samurai swords must unfortunately be checked at the door.
Only at the Alamo: A Very Special Episode
7/6 7:30pm
Sitcoms are a strange animal. They create worlds in which a girl can have two dads, where former football stars could adopt tiny little black kids, and fresh princes can live in Bel-Air. And yet, despite this disconnect from reality, it seemed every sitcom had that “very special” episode wherein they touched upon, often very inappropriately, serious issues. Come enjoy all the hilarious discomfort!
Mason Park
Free Family Fun: How To Train Your Dragon 3D
6/30 thru 7/1 11:00am
Horror Remix: Beast
7/2 10:00pm
As it turns out, humans kind of suck and have done an immaculate job of lording their superior intellects and general overall dominance over the lesser creatures of this planet. Thank goodness for horror films, particularly those of the animal attack persuasion, to take us down a peg. Come observe humans getting torn to little pieces by fangs and claws for two entire hours!
Team America: World Police Quote-Along
7/3 7:30pm
Summer Kids Club: Ponyo
7/4 thru 7/8 11:00am
All throughout the summer, the Alamo is offering kids, and parents, the chance to catch quality family fare on the big screen just as they were intended. Based on The Little Mermaid, Ponyo is a wild, beautiful fantasy directed by the celebrated Hayao Miyazaki.
San Antonio
West Lakes
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
6/30 10:30pm
Only at the Alamo: Anime
7/5 7:30pm
Team America: World Police Quote-Along
7/6 7:30pm; 9:45pm
Park North
Team America: World Police Quote-Along
7/5 7:00pm; 9:45pm
Stone Oak
Team America: World Police Quote-Along
7/4 7:30pm; 10:15pm
The Justin Timberlake Sing-Along
7/6 7:00pm
Winchester, VA
Only at the Alamo: Shrek Forever After
7/1 11:00am
Only at the Alamo: Independence Day
7/3 8:30pm
The need for Roland Emmerich’s documentary about America’s greatest victory over alien tyranny has never been direr. What do you mean it’s not real? Fine! This is the film so epic that it leveled entire cities and Bill Pullman’s career all at the same time! Come watch a jiggy pop star and the most neurotic actor’s in cinema take down a horde of evil aliens with a computer virus…and a wheelbarrow full of catch phrases.
