A T-Rex, Trivia, and Twilight, in This Week’s Recommended Events

Close Your Eyes

Monday 23 & Sunday 29, AFS Cinema

Spanish cinema contains some of the most eerie, beautiful, and passionate offerings in film history, for the most part criminally underseen by mainstream American audiences, aside from the great Pedro Almodóvar. Víctor Erice should be known on par with Almodóvar, having directed Spirit of the Beehive, a lyrical 1973 reflection on the Franco era through a child’s eyes, which launched the career of Ana Torrent, the magnetic actor who went on to star in surrealist master Carlos Saura’s Cría Cuervos, and in adulthood, Alejandro Amenábar’s terrifying Thesis. Close Your Eyes sees Torrent star in Erice’s swan song, released just last year, which aptly follows an aging filmmaker recounting the memories of his final, unfinished project.   – Lina Fisher

LBJ Conversations: John Bucy and Gina Hinojosa

Monday 23, UT Campus

Anyone who missed early September’s TribFest or just didn’t get enough civic engagement that weekend will be psyched to hear that Texas Tribune co-founder Evan Smith is moderating a convo with two stellar state legislators. Rep. John Bucy’s House District 136 covers parts of Austin, Round Rock, and Cedar Park, and Rep. Gina Hinojosa’s HD 49 covers a strip of Central Austin from Duval Road down to William Cannon. Both Democrats and native Texans, the pair are also passionate about public education, which is sure to be a hot topic next Lege session and possibly at this conversation. Registration required!   – Kat McNevins

“The Thing That Comes”

Monday 23, AFS Cinema

You: a person who has not seen “The Thing That Comes,” a short film by Deborah Valcin, member of film collective Black Film Geniuses that is made up of up-and-coming Black women filmmakers. Future you: possibly a person who has seen “The Thing That Comes,” which follows a powerful witch named Celeste attempting to date non-magical dudes, who are often a little freaked by her incredible powers. Definitely you: a person who enjoys free things, which this screening is when you RSVP in advance.   – James Scott

Odd World Presents: Tammy and the T-Rex

Tuesday 24, We Luv Video

Austin has entered a cinematic renaissance in the past few years, with the community stepping up to save the old I Luv Video collection and Hyperreal Film Club opening a brick-and-mortar theatre. We Luv Video, in the old Vulcan space on North Loop, houses not only a new video store, but also, if you didn’t know, a screening space in the back, offering underground and esoteric picks for the Austin cinephile. This month’s installment of the Odd World series is, in WLV’s words, “quite possibly one of the greatest 'bad’ movies ever made” – Tammy and the T-Rex, which stars Paul Walker as a sex-crazed robotic dinosaur who has been eaten by lions and Denise Richards as his girlfriend Tammy. And that’s not all – this is no regular cut, but in fact the recently discovered “gore cut,” which re-inserts all the violence cut to get a PG-13 upon release. Add in free beer from St. Elmo Brewing and you’ve got yourself a helluva Tuesday evening, bud.   – Lina Fisher

Fairy Crafting Circle

Tuesday 24, the Tiny Minotaur

Snip snip! Patrons of this magical tavern gather to work on their projects. Perhaps your own works might benefit from this space’s magical aura – an energy that elevates and engages your most creative instincts – in which case you’d better pop in. Working around other crafting creatures often spurs one to bring your project to life, but of course, there’ll be no animated non-living objects. At least not on a weeknight.   – James Scott

Bike Night

Tuesday 24, Circuit of the Americas

Bicycle races are coming your way! Well, not a race exactly, but a chance to ride your bike on the COTA track. Cyclists of all ages and skill levels are invited to pedal a few laps at this recurring event that offers bikers a chance to imagine they are actually racing a Formula 1 vehicle – except, you know, a lot slower. The night kicks off at 6pm with a refreshment pit stop along the track. Views of the sunset from the observation deck cost extra, but offer an excuse to catch your breath.   – Hasina Shah

Smoke Signals

Tuesday 24, Hyperreal Film Club

A coming-of-age film with a screenplay by Sherman Alexie should signal greatness to anyone who has read his seminal Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Even if you haven’t, Smoke Signals offers a classic setup for a bildungsroman – a cross-country road trip undertaken by teens Victor and Thomas, who leave their Coeur d’Alene reservation in Idaho for Phoenix to retrieve Victor’s problematic father’s ashes. Thomas thinks of Victor’s father as a hero, and Victor resents him for abandoning the family, introducing friction as the boys work through their identities. Emily Basma writes for Hyperreal, “[Smoke Signals] will break your heart and make you laugh, all while wrapping you in the warmth of the western sun and lulling you to sleep with the rhythms of a bus on the road.”   – Lina Fisher

Mitchell S. Jackson’s Fly

Tuesday 24, Black Pearl Books

Calling all lovers of basketball and fashion! A cross section that’s way more prevalent than one might think. If you haven’t checked out Fly by Mitchell S. Jackson, it’s about damn time. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author brings his unique point of view to an examination of how NBA players don’t just have moves on the court, but on the street with their signature styles. Tracking basketball’s influence from the NBA’s roots in 1949 to today, Jackson expertly extols culture through the lens of sports fashion. His talk at Black Pearl Books is not to be missed.   – Cat McCarrey

Black Futures: Documenting and Preserving Black Histories

Tuesday 24, Carver Museum

Have you ever made a time capsule? Why’d you do it? It’s just a box filled with old collectibles, one childhood journal, and your first dollar, placed under dirt and rocks. Probably not the best way to preserve your history, so the Austin Public Library is holding a free interactive workshop on historical preservation. Eventgoers will learn and discuss the importance of preserving Black history and leave with their own archival kit and knowledge to safely store their own stories for generations to come. Because you don’t want a worm reading your diary before your grandchildren.   – Amaya Austin

Kids Create: Lucha Libre Masks

Wednesday 25, Twin Oaks Branch Library

Steeped in a history and tradition far too long-running for me to comfortably dig into while writing a Calendar event listing, lucha libre is a style of Mexican professional wrestling. While there is much more to the sport, what most folks know of lucha libre is the masks – those powerful accessories which can signify any number of important story beats in a wrestler’s narrative. Introduce kiddos to this important piece of wrestling and Mexican culture at this creative workshop, where 5- to 12-year-olds can design their own paper luchador masks. This is a no-needles match, so let’s keep foreign objects out of the ring.   – James Scott

Small Business Connection Conference

Wednesday 25, Palmer Events Center

As they say, we like to Keep Austin Weird, and there’s nothing weird about giant corporations! That’s why we love small businesses and the local ecosystem they sustain. The city wants to grow this ecosystem, so they’re putting on a morning conference to connect small businesses with resources and each other. Expand your network, get lots of info to spur your development, and get a free light breakfast and lunch (and they say there’s no such thing). Practice the ABC’s of business: Always be connecting!   – Kat McNevins

Trivia 512

Wednesday 25, Radio Coffee & Beer

We really have no shortage of trivia events in this town full of smarties, but what grabbed my attention with this one was the quality of the prizes. First place gets $125 to spend at happenin’ host venue Radio, plus $15 to whiskey distillery Still Austin, and second place wins $75 at Radio and $15 at Still. Third place is even a good prize: a bag of high-quality Radio coffee beans and a koozie. So dust off the ol’ brain, grab some buds, and head over to Radio on Wednesdays to give it a go. Fuel up beforehand with a 5-7 happy hour and discounted burgers, fries, and chicken sandwiches from Shortwave.   – Kat McNevins

“Crysis” by Chandrika Metivier

Wednesday 25, the Jones Center

Sipping cocktails on the rooftop of the Contemporary is an ideal evening activity. But it’s even better when accompanied by mind-blowing art. That’s what you can expect from Chandrika Metivier. They’ve crafted a performance based on the Obie-winning play TELEPHONE (2009) by Ariana Reines, inspired by The Telephone Book by Avital Ronell. It uses a fictional patient of Carl Jung, who believes they’ve internalized telephones, to explore connections and communication through generations. There will be music, impeccable installations, and creative energy galore.   – Cat McCarrey

With Peter Bradley

Wednesday 25, AFS Cinema

Generally speaking, octogenarians have earned the right to say whatever the eff they want, but Peter Bradley has put the work in, too. The acclaimed abstract painter blazed trails in the art world, and opened doors that were not always welcoming to him; he’s credited with curating one of the first integrated art shows in America. Alex Rappoport crafts an intimate portrait of the artist, observing him still at work in upstate New York well into his 80s, an experience the filmmaker can speak to when he’s in attendance at Wednesday’s screening.   – Kimberley Jones

Percival Everett Reading & Booksigning

Thursday 26, Hogg Memorial Auditorium

“I do not view the work as a corrective, but rather I see myself in conversation with Twain.” That’s how author Percival Everett describes the relationship of his latest novel, James, to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which Everett has reimagined by centering the perspective of the enslaved Jim. “This is Everett’s most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful,” wrote The New York Times’ Dwight Garner in a rave; the Booker Prize committee agreed, shortlisting the book on Monday. Everett’s Austin stop is free and open to the public, but waitlist only at this point. Good news: You can also livestream the event; just head to the John L. Warfield Center for African American Studies’ YouTube channel and click the “Live” tab.   – Kimberley Jones

Dive: After Dark – SHOWGIRLS

Thursday 26, Swan Dive

What’s better than a Nineties camp classic that aged horribly being turned into an aerial show? Yeah, I’m drawing a blank, too. Inspired by Showgirls, the “erotic drama” that ruined careers but made some of the most iconic fashion choices, visionary pole and aerial dancer Lil Debbie brings a new dimension to the simple story of a small-town girl wanting to make it big as a dancer in Vegas and all the intrigue that goes into that. Taking to the sky on dancing silks will add an extra layer of camp and ostentation that probably would’ve fit onscreen back in 1995. Obviously, this ain’t a show for the kiddos: 21 and up.   – Cy White

TAYO NA Sa Sabado Nights Launch Party & Vendor Market

Thursday 26, Peached Social House

From the eye of local Filipino American photographer Joi Conti, and the collective vision of Conti, art director Travis San Pedro, and graphic designer Lisa Crawford, comes TAYO NA Sa Sabado Nights, a 40-page editorial magazine meant to spotlight about 30 Filipino artists and makers from Austin. To launch the special publication, Conti and her team conceived of a vendor market to bring Austin’s Filipino creative community even further into the public consciousness. “TAYO NA ('Let’s Go’) is more than a printed publication,” organizers state on the event page. “It’s a heartfelt story through the lens of Joi Conti.”   – Cy White

Twilight Saga Trivia

Thursday 26, Vintage Bookstore and Still Austin

Whether you’re Team Edward or Team Jacob (I’m the latter; don’t come for me), there’s a place for you at Twilight trivia. There’s even a choice of locations! You can enjoy wine at Vintage Bookstore while buzzing in with which werewolf tribe lives in Forks. Or sip a snifter of whiskey at Still Austin while you desperately try to remember every single Volturi member mentioned in the books. Whichever venue you choose, make sure to hold on tight, spider monkey. This event will sparkle like Edward in the sunlight.   – Cat McCarrey

Allysen Hooks Projects

Thursday 26, Canopy Projects Gallery

I simply don’t understand dancers. How do they move like that? I snap 15 joints just crawling out of bed. Yet, somehow contemporary dancers can twist and mold their bodies for a performance. The new, all-female contemporary dance collective debuts at the Canopy Projects Gallery. There, you can watch a free show and indulge in the provided hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Something worth getting out of bed for, even with the snaps, crackles, and pops.   – Amaya Austin

David Cross: The End of the Beginning of the End

Thursday 26, Paramount Theatre

With a CV longer than a CVS receipt, it’s tough to imagine anyone not being familiar with David Cross. Besides a storied acting career (Arrested Development, Todd Margaret) and groundbreaking work in sketch comedy (Mr. Show, The Ben Stiller Show), he’s been doing stand-up for several decades and is starting to get pretty good at it! Cross’ smart comedy intersects politics and satire like no other, but is reminiscent of late greats like George Carlin and Bill Hicks. Last year’s Worst Daddy in the World almost literally killed me, when he got to the punchline about how parenthood has changed the way he reacts to the news (I won’t spoil it for you). Maybe The End of the Beginning of the End will finish me off!   – Kat McNevins

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Want to see all of our listings broken down by day? Go to austinchronicle.com/calendar and see what's happening now or in the coming week.