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You either had your Jamie Lee Curtis-is-hot awakening in True Lies or in this genius caper of a movie. Because in the end, we are all just like the film’s hapless protagonist John Cleese – smitten by the inimitable allure of Curtis’ Wanda. When her attempted robbery goes awry, she enlists an unwitting Cleese (playing solicitor Archie Leach, no relation to Cary Grant I swear) to help recover her loot. Add in a smidgen of fellow Monty Python alum Michael Palin being as affable as ever, plus the bonus of Kevin Kline simply being his wonderful self, and baby, you’ve got a good time going. – Cat McCarrey

After almost 20 years of stage silence, local love hasn’t waned for dream-pop pioneers the American Analog Set. To give that love right back to the city that birthed them, the band will perform Magic Hour. What the heck is Magic Hour, you ask? According to the message the band graciously left on their official website, “It’s you. And you’re sitting in a comfy theatre and witnessing us wander effortlessly through the songs that made us what were are … or were … and still are? Yes, that’s it.” Made of “pure legacy material,” per frontman Andrew Kenny, Magic Hour features set design by Lisa Laratta. – Cy White

Many – including herself – consider Roxy Castillo a local legend: She rules the wrestling scene, the burlesque stage, and now she’s conquering all the stand-up spaces.

Presented by local recovery org Austin Round Up, this bingo night won’t be a drag – but there will be a queen: local star Chique Fil-Atio.

Concert season is getting underway and Austin Cantorum is joining storytellers from Testify for an evening of bedtime stories, sung and declaimed. Cantorum will deliver vibey, majestic choir music from Craig Hella Johnson, J.S. Bach, Eric Whitacre, and more. The storytellers will present four personal, handwritten stories in between, which – warning! – are rated PG. Cantorum is also holding a book donation drive as part of the show to benefit the Women’s Storybook Project of Texas. Bring a new copy of your favorite storybook to donate to families in need. – Brant Bingamon

Back for its second year, Austin Women in Jazz have upped the ante. Grammy-nominated Maysa showcases her 30-plus-year career with the signature voice fans of jazz-soul legends Incognito are known for. On night one, violinist Chelsey Green, along with her Green Project, have helped reconceptualize the popular understanding of violin and viola. Christie Dashiell has already begun to make an impact on the scene, having performed at the White House and the Kennedy Center. Of course, no celebration of jazz elite would be complete without the legendary Pamela Hart. WIJ promises “an evening of undeniable talent with jazzy and soulful melodies that will leave you spellbound.” – Cy White

So many conservatives across Texas have been spending their precious time on Earth getting upset that anyone can pick up a book they like and check it out at the library. What a bunch of fools! Celebrate your ability to read and read whatever the hell you want with Austin Public Library. Starting Banned Books Week in style, this event features readings from local authors, a panel led by Spike Gillespie, live music, and on-site activities from local lit lovers like Book Arts Center, Typewriter Rodeo, Reverie Books, and The Beautiful and Banned podcast. Long live the library, baby. – James Scott

The “best Batman” debate rages still, with Snyder freaks stumping for Batfleck, Burton boys high on the current Keaton-aissance, and Nolan lovers still going gaga over the gritty and grim Bale. Sorry to say that this argument is basically coughing baby vs. hydrogen bomb: the late Kevin Conroy, voice of Batman in the animated series and throughout the Arkham Asylum games, blows those other bats outta the cave. Don’t believe me? Check out this animated classic while it’s screening at Alamo, then. Harkening to his Forties roots, this Batman tale has him delving into his past in ways deeper than a strand of broken pearls – all animated in the gorgeous Art Deco-esque style of Batman: The Animated Series. – James Scott

Comedian Becky Robinson went viral for her character “the Entitled Housewife,” who is an archetype well-known to anyone who’s been to Tarrytown – or at Snooze during weekend brunch. But she’s got more than one character in her comedy tool belt, which bursts with all sorts of hilarious archetypes. In this new variety show, she’ll be bringing all those many miscreants out to charm and entertain on the She Gone Tour – so get a “heavy pour” and be there on time to tee off. – James Scott

Many moons ago, the Chronicle held an Adult Spelling Bee each year, with drinks flowing and fun words to spell that often leaned toward the risqué. For grownup word nerds, there was nothing better! Dance Waterloo now offers a site-specific dance performance celebrating “the words that stump us all,” presenting “a delightful fusion of movement and education.” Put your thinking caps on, because a Community Spelling Bee is on the agenda for each performance! – Kat McNevins

Local treasure David DiDonato is known for many things, among them being a world-record holder for longest guitar solo (close to 26 hours!) and his performances of original soundtracks to eerie silent films like Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. DiDonato closes the first installment of We Luv Video’s Artist in Residency program, which aims to spotlight local artists across mediums who celebrate film, with one of his finest works: an original soundtrack to the stylized 1927 German sci-fi thriller Metropolis, composed between 2014 and 2018. DiDonato passes the residency torch to Rome Prize winner Abinadi Meza, a globe-trotting local sound artist and experimental filmmaker. – Kat McNevins

South Austin sweethearts can get their fill of drag and dining with host Malibu Imported and her cast featuring Kiki Divine, Tiffany Epiphany, and Mz. Cookie Dlux – with special guest Jesse B Darling (SATX).

Can you imagine anything cuter than a dog parade? How about a parade made up of just adorable Shiba Inu dogs? The Japan-America Society of Greater Austin raises awareness of its outreach with a fun day for all ages, including Shiba face origami, a “Shiba’s Got Talent” exhibition, lessons on how to speak Japanese to your dog, and tasty snacks from Asahi Imports. All canine guests must be leashed, and all parade participants must be registered, but all the Shibas will be awarded “because they are the much loved DOGE,” according to JASGA. – Kat McNevins

IT’S TIME! The most wonderful time of the year, at least for fans of fringe films. Fantastic Fest is a haven for film lovers, featuring the freaky, the frightening, and the far-out. This is the single best place to be ahead of the curve with that strange little movie everyone will be buzzing about next year. It’s a delicious mix of whimsical weirdness, offbeat oldies, and the truly terrifying (literally, they’re showing Terrifier 3). Whether you’re a card-carrying cult member with access to the whole week, or just perusing for a screening of something memorable, there’s a part of the fest for you. It’s a true Austin treasure. – Cat McCarrey

Girls only want one thing, and it’s to solve a nuclear fish conspiracy. Presented by Austin Asian American Film Festival, this month’s edition of Queer Cinema: Lost and Found pulls from the catalog of multimedia artist Shu Lea Cheang. Her Nineties experimental film classifies as in the “eco-cybernoia” genre, which makes sense given that its InfoNation write-up claims first dibs on the term “hacktivism.” Yet the story in Fresh Kill focuses just as much on the lesbian parents at its center, whose concern for their daughter after she consumes contaminated fish is what motivates their takedown of megacorp GX. See it in glorious 35mm with surround sound blaring Vernon Reid’s soundtrack. Plus: director Cheang in attendance. – James Scott

When else can one be weird than on Saturday freakin’ night at live-action role-playing tavern the Tiny Minotaur? And where else would you even wanna be, then, when you know that this drag show has far-out featured performers like Gabriela Belmont, Sir Beau Elliot, and Gothess Jasmine navigating the cosmos? Plus special guests Bat Widow and Traumada come along for the ride. As the Minotaur says: “In The Rift no one can hear you scream …with pleasure.” Costumes encouraged; non-members welcome with a $15 ticket price. Members get in for $5. – James Scott

Trinidad-born artist Nicole Awai’s work centers around “the ooze.” What is the ooze, you ask? Both material and metaphorical, it encompasses the viscous media Awai uses, like synthetic polymers, and evokes the blurred boundaries of cultural, historical, and personal identity that she references in her work. “Awai’s practice ‘overflows’ traditional boundaries as it often interweaves elements from her Caribbean heritage with broader themes of globalization and diaspora,” writes Phillip A. Townsend, curator of UT’s Art Galleries at Black Studies. Awai’s work has referenced history ranging from Civil War monuments at UT-Austin and Grand Army Plaza in New York to Trinidadian folklore about the La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles, all while “foregrounding the transformative potential of the ooze,” writes Townsend. – Lina Fisher

After a summer hiatus due to how freakin’ hot this dang state is, Best of Austin winner Eastside Pop Up links up with fellow BOA title holder the Little Gay Shop to host another market. This means gathering their “Pop Market Pals” in secondhand shop Top Drawer Thrift’s parking lot so you can shop local artists, makers, and vintage sellers all while celebrating the eve of autumn’s start. Top Drawer will also be open, so you can dig through their many trinkets. Just don’t buy too many coats. I’ve got a feeling that sweater weather’s still a month or so off – unfortunately! – James Scott

In what quickly has become an annual fall tradition, the historic farm honoring the 1800s hosts a celebration of the mighty gourd, with hundreds of pumpkins and holiday decorations on view as you stroll through to the Village with games and treats.

Interviewing Matt Pike once, this Willie Nelson adherent since 1975 singled out the term “stoner rock” for gnashing derision. “I agree with you 100%,” he replied in a semi-rant. High on Fire isn’t among the three-dozen-plus doom tokers over two days on the Far Out Lounge back 40, but here the one-hitter heavies rule. Friday: Madison, Wisconsin, inhalers Bongzilla, Polish water pipers Belzebong, local lords Tia Carrera, and all-star aggregate Legions of Doom (the Skull, Trouble, Saint Vitus) headline. Saturday: 30-year-old Swedish genre kings Dozer host fellow countrymen Truckfighters, plus Gallic heavy psych act Mars Red Sky and desert OGs Fatso Jetson. Pass the dutchie. – Raoul Hernandez

If you have a dachshund and you’re not attending this annual meetup, you’re clearly depriving your dog of a sense of community and camaraderie. Now, assuming you and your wiener dog are ready to party with 200 diminutive pals (based on last year’s attendance) be ready for vendors, drinks, pup portraits, and more. Stick around for the group photo and to show off that contented smile you earned by helping raise money for the Central Texas Dachshund Rescue. : – James Renovitch

Only the most autumnal drag artist will win the over-$500 prize package, but everyone’s invited to live, laugh, love at this holiday-spiced competition. Bubu and Cupcake host, and interested competitors should send in apps ASAP.

One thing I’ve loved about newer theatre or museums is the space given for land acknowledgement – statements about the ancestral roots of the space being used. Space that was not always ours, but taken. The Blanton’s latest exhibit tackles that question, but pushes the boundaries. It’s not just about what Native America was, but what it can be. Curator and lauded artist Wendy Red Star has assembled nine other Native artists to create a rich exploration of what life in America is today. Shown through a variety of mediums, something is guaranteed to resonate with the audience. Whether it’s the photos, paintings, videos, or multimedia works is up to you. – Cat McCarrey

There was a time, not so long ago, when science was seen as entertainment. No, not Ancient Greece when philosophers would turn experiments into public spectacle, or the Victorian era when lectures on new theories would fill auditoriums. It was the 1990s, when everyone owned a copy of A Brief History of Time on their nightstand, quarks were cool, and Tom Stoppard could write a play about chaos theory and the heat death of the universe, and it would be universally regarded as one of the greatest works of 20th century drama. Eros and Thanatos push and pull in this poetic tale of love and research. – Richard Whittaker

Owner, director, and master printer of Flatbed Press, Katherine Brimberry wears many hats. On top of all these hats is her artist hat, which you’ll be hard “pressed” to ignore once you’ve enjoyed her newest exhibit of prints and mixed media works. “Chronicles: A Retrospective” shows off Brimberry’s cornerstone status in Texas printmaking, with gorgeous landscapes and intriguing visuals abounding. From her own artist statement: “When I place found objects into visual relationships with landscape details,: I intend to create an enigma. The viewer, who without the benefit of the history of the objects, is presented this mystery and can find and assign meaning. My underlying intention is creating images that spark epiphany about time and space, life and death, past and future.” Check out the show’s opening on Sat., Aug. 24, and see a retrospective of Brimberry’s collaborative pieces over at St. Edward’s Fine Arts Gallery on Aug. 30. – James Scott