It's Time to Party With Holiday Lights, Gremlins, and More Events

The Polar Express Movie Party

Through December 16, Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter, Mueller, Lakeline

Where are we going? Why, to the North Pole, of course! This is the Polar Express... movie party. Experience this Christmas classic – aka the film that brought “uncanny valley” into popular parlance – Drafthouse-style with Santa hats, bottomless popcorn, sleigh bells, and commemorative train tickets to bring the adventure to life. There are both matinee and evening screenings across three locations, but be sure to reserve your (actual) ticket now before they get grabbed up. If you’re still on the fence, take Tom Hanks’ advice. “One thing about trains: It doesn’t matter where they’re going. What matters is deciding to get on.”   – Amber Williams

Klaus

Monday 9, Alamo Drafthouse Village

The greatest Christmas animated movie began with a little snow-white lie. Director Sergio Pablos omitted mention to Netflix that he wasn’t telling the origin story of Santa Klaus as a 3D animation. But maybe it was up to them to realize that he was going to recount that wonderful tale in some of the most beautiful, painterly 2D animation in decades, as unwilling postman Jesper Johansen (Jason Schwartzman) cons surly old carpenter Klaus (J.K. Simmons) into making toys for the kids of remote Smeerensburg, and inadvertently helps the magic fly. Beautiful, funny, with one of Norm MacDonald’s most lovable performances as mischievous ferryman Mogens, don’t miss this rare big-screen showing for this seasonal delight.   – Richard Whittaker

Elf Pub Run

Monday 9, Paramount Theatre

Hear, hear! Elf turns 21 this year. Celebrate with hundreds of Buddys at the Elf Pub Run, an event going for at least 10 years itself! Before settling in with popcorn for the movie, guests will dash over from the historic Paramount Theatre to the equally historic Scholz Garten, notable for its longevity as Texas’ oldest restaurant, serving beers and hearty German fare since Reconstruction. Arrive decked out in your finest fashions from the North Pole to join the costume contest, and be ready for prizes, hijinks, and spreading cheer for all to hear.   – Kat McNevins

Macabre

Tuesday 10, Alamo South Lamar

No one directs gory action like Timo Tjahjanto, the jaw-smashing genius behind The Night Comes for Us and The Shadow Strays. Same goes for Kimo Stamboel when it comes to grisly horrors like The Queen of Black Magic and Dancing Village: The Curse Begins. But the Indonesian experts in violence started their career getting blood-spattered peanut butter in each other’s disemboweled chocolate as the Mo Brothers. Macabre is their international breakout, a class-conscious riff on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre that’s both packed with brains and prepared to spill some gray matter too.   – Richard Whittaker

60th Annual Trail of Lights

Through December 23, Zilker Park

Kicking off this Tuesday is a tradition Austinites always “light up” for. See dazzling electric light displays alongside loved ones – or maybe a person you’re trying to buddy up to so you can betray them later? Your choice, TBH. In addition to their illuminated offerings, the Trail of Lights Foundation and sponsor H-E-B also spotlight local musicians with a lineup including Tone Royal, Chief Cleopatra, Como Los Movies, and more. Attend on the free weekdays (Dec. 10-13, 16-18) or pay the weekend price ($8 for general admission, $25+ for the “platnium” tickies). Bonus: That blessed little train the Zilker Eagle will be running during special holiday hours. Toot-toot!   – James Scott

Broadway’s Peter Pan

Through December 15, Bass Concert Hall

Hundred and twenty-two years on, and all it takes to make us all fly is a little bit of fairy dust. JM Barrie’s beloved Peter Pan has enchanted children of all ages ever since he appeared in his 1902 novel The Little White Bird, but he’s always soared highest onstage. This is a new production of the 1954 musical, and so not to be confused with the 1950 musical, the 1953 Disney version, the plethora of pantomimes that fill British stages every holiday season, or Peter and Wendy, the original 1904 stage version penned by Barrie himself.   – Richard Whittaker

200 Cigarettes

Tuesday 10, Hyperreal Film Club

Wow: That’s a lotta cigarettes. Though when you remember this 1999 comedy stars smoker royalty Ben Affleck and Courtney Love, 200 doesn’t actually appear to be that many tobacco sticks. Hyperreal invites all cool kids to light up – well, metaphorically – for this NYE romp that criss-crosses stories of twentysomethings on the edge of the new millennium. This movie is total Carys-bait, aka a primo pick for newly crowned Music & Culture Editor Carys Anderson, which actually means that any and all hip young persons would be fools to skip out on it.   – James Scott

Gremlins Movie Party

Tuesday 10 - Wednesday 11, Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane, Lakeline, Mueller

Two Christmases ago, when I held the family remote hostage so I could put on this holiday horror comedy, my grandma betrayed her interest in the fate of the Mogwai. Despite claiming to not want to watch the movie at all, when gremlin Stripe hops into the pool, my grandma breathlessly asked me: “How are they going to get rid of all those gremlins?” Well, Grandma: That’s basically what the whole dang movie is about. Bring with you to these upcoming movie parties the spirit of Grandma Eileen, and find out exactly how they get those gremlins gooified.   – James Scott

The Princess Switch

Wednesday 11, Hyperreal Film Club

“Sneakernight” siren Vanessa Hudgens has had a career most would kill for: a teen star sparkling in Disney Channel Original Movie smash hit High School Musical; a staple in mid-tier family action films throughout the 2000s; and now she’s secured herself as queen Christmas movie. Netflix hit goofy gold with Hudgens, who plays the film’s mirror-image holiday protags Stacy and Lady Margaret. These same-faces get – you guessed it – switched and end up falling for their respective hot-guy second-stringers. Enjoy this gas-leak of a holiday flick and feel the memory of Hudgens saying we should just let old people die of COVID float right out of your head.   – James Scott

White Christmas

Thursday 12, Paramount Theatre

They do NOT make ’em like this anymore. Nonstop musical numbers; incredible costumes; and quick banter between hotties that always clicks, never clacks. Though I admit that high-school James didn’t care for the old-school cinematic sheen, I have changed my heart. When you catch this seasonal showcase for Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, I predict your own heart will shift as well.   – James Scott

Sound Unseen Festival

Thursday 12 - Saturday 14, AFS Cinema

Launched in 1999, Minneapolis-founded music and film festival Sound Unseen celebrates a quarter century locally with three days of documentaries about trailblazing artists. On Day 1, Linda Perry: Let It Die Here celebrates the decade-spanning rock and pop hitmaker, while Bastards of Soul uncovers the story of the tragedy-struck Texan band on Day 2. Saturday wraps with the conference's usual ATX short film showcase, plus two more rock docs: Takin’ Care of Business, about songwriter Randy Bachman, and Bloody & Bruised: The Untold Story of the Back Room, the notorious East Riverside club.   – Carys Anderson

Daft Punk & Leiji Matsumoto’s Interstella 5555

Thursday 12 - Sunday 15, All Alamo Drafthouses

French dance/electronic music superduo Daft Punk released sophomore album Discovery in 2003 along with visual accompaniment Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem by anime master Leiji Matsumoto (Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999). With newly restored animation, the film tells the story of an evil human abducting an alien band, soundtracked by hits like “One More Time” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” A rarity in theatres, this special screening also includes several of Daft Punk’s most iconic music videos from directors like Spike Jonze (“Da Funk”) and Michel Gondry (“Around the World”).   – 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.