Film Flam

Local web-platform Tugg Inc. announced today a partnership with The Weinstein Company.

Founded by Nicolas Gonda and Pablo Gonzalez, Tugg is a kind of theatrical-on-demand service that allows individuals to choose from a library of titles and then program that film at a local theatre; the show becomes locked when enough people commit to buying a ticket. (Sound confusing? Our June 22 profile of the company, “The Way We Watch Now,” should help clear things up.)

The Tugg library, which already boasts some 500 titles from microindies to silent masterworks, will now include offerings from The Weinstein Company. That means with a couple clicks of your computer and the power to persuade your pals to the cause, Inglourious Basterds, The Fighter, or Clerks 2 could be coming to a theatre near you.**

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The Austin Film Critic Association announced today four new members today: Debbie Cerda (Slackerwood), Britt Hayes (ScreenCrush), Jonathan Hogberg (DVDActive), and Matthew Odam (the Austin American-Statesman). High-fives to the new kids, who’ll be joining existing AFCA members from such outlets as Ain't It Cool News, the Austin American-Statesman, The Austin Chronicle (yup, I’m one of ‘em), Fandango, FEARNet, Film.com, Film School Rejects, Hill Country News, Hollywood.com, Horror's Not Dead, KOOP Radio, MSN Movies, Movies.com, Slackerwood, Smells Like Screen Spirit, Spill.com, Twitch, and YNN Austin.

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Ron Deutsch’s Chef du Cinema series – which pairs cooking class with classic cinema – will feature Roman Polanski and Robert Towne’s terrific Seventies noir Chinatown on Aug. 18. The four-course menu will include  Shrimp & Watercress Steamed Wontons with Orange-Soy Dipping Sauce; Chinese Seaweed & Minced Pork Soup; Soy, Honey & Coriander Grilled Tuna with Jasmine Rice and Orange-Ginger Chinese Broccoli; and Chinese Toffee Apples with Ice Cream. The class will be held at Central Market/Austin, 4001 North Lamar, on Saturday, August 18th at 6:30pm. Tickets are $50, and you’re going to want to buy them in advance. More info to be found at Ron’s site here, and check out the Chron's recent chat with the chef here.

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**This post has been amended; it initially included Bully as an offering, but that is not yet one of the Weinstein Company titles available in the Tugg library.