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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

Nearly 10 years after the rapper first emerged on the scene, Abhi the Nomad is taking his final bow. His show at the Parish will be his last in Austin before taking an indefinite hiatus from music. At 31, Abhi Sridharan Vaidehi – the man behind the sobriquet – is exiting a music industry he believes has been rocked by streaming services and TikTok attention spans. Vaidehi has made vital contributions to a blossoming Austin hip-hop scene. Catch the Nomad who found a home here before he heads out on tour one last time. – Abby Johnston

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.

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

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

In a sea of big-budget summer blockbusters, take solace on the beaches of Matt Farley’s two no-budget features: Local Legends and Local Legends: Bloodbath. As the man behind multi-medium empire Motern Media, Farley and creative partner Charlie Roxburgh use family, friends, and favors to patch together cult classics such as the ones WLV’s showing. First in the series, Local Legend is described by WLV as “a fictionalized auto-biopic” with Farley typecast as a comedian trying to put together a show. 2023 follow-up, Local Legends: Bloodbath, bears a more ominous description by the creator himself: “A businessman eliminates distractions for an artist.” Yeah, I think we know what “eliminates” means in a movie called Bloodbath. - 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

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

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

Art and music? Name a more iconic duo. For this exhibit, a dozen local artists created pieces inspired by a song, musician, or style of music associated with the Lone Star State. Influences could range from Selena to Willie to Beyoncé, from Houston rap to Tejano to blues. Come see what inspired participating artists Amitai Plasse, Billy Ray Mangham, Carl Block, Denise Elliott Jones, Greg Barton, Jess Wade, Jamie Lea Wade, Karen Woodward, Liz Potter, B Shawn Cox, Sylvia Troconis, and TVHeadATX. – Kat McNevins

It’s always special when a movie comes home, but home means something really special for this Austin-made bittersweet comedy from UT grads Aaron Brown and Lenny Barszap. Home Free is inspired by their real experiences as undergrads when they became friends with the Professor, a charming man of intellect, kindness, and wisdom who was experiencing homelessness. That friendship was a quick education in how people can drop out of society so fast and yet retain their value as human beings – and now they’ve retold that story as a touching college comedy that’s equal parts Animal House and The Lady in the Van. Join post-screening Q&As with the cast and crew, who are putting their money where their mouths are, as part of the proceeds go to The Other Ones Foundation, organizers of the Been There music festival, to help people experiencing homelessness and unemployment. – Richard Whittaker

That's right: Cap City Comedy Club, the longtime cornerstone of Austin's comedy scene for nearly four decades is at a new venue in the Domain. And here's Valerie Lopez with a closer look at what's in store for the scene via the venue. Click for details!

The California-based artist, known for combining visual art and industrial design, uses media including photography, sculpture, simple machines, and more to explore both the art world and corporate culture and other themes during this exhibition’s six-decade span. While tackling often serious subject matter, Cheng’s work retains a sense of playfulness on display at the Jones Center. Get a first look of the collection at the public opening reception Friday at 6pm. – James Renovitch