UK grime dirties up Red River, Explosions in the Sky take to the airwaves, and a local drummer makes his bid for "News of the Weird"'s Least Competent Criminals.

BY CHRISTOPHER GRAY

Texas Platters

Explosions in the Sky

All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone

Michele Solberg, Suzanna Choffel, Lisa Richards, Greezy Wheels

Christopher House Songs, Shudders & Rings, Mad Mad Love, String Theory

Leatherbag

Nowhere Left to Run

Sparkle Motion

Sparkle Motion

Storyville

Live at Antones

Sleep Good

Far From the Sea

The Lovely Sparrows

Pulling up Floors, Pouring on (New) Paint

Sparrow House

Falls

Full Stride

Full Stride

Brent Fariss & Bill Thompson

August - September

screens

Just in Time for Nader '08

Henriette Mantel and Steve Skrovan on An Unreasonable Man

BY SHAWN BADGLEY

Ways to Spend Your Time and Money in the Next Couple of Weeks

Including the Animation Show, Oscar parties at the Alamo, and Third Coast Activist Research Night

BY MARC SAVLOV

'SXSW Presents'

Reel Shorts

TV Eye

The Black Donnellys knock off Studio 60

BY BELINDA ACOSTA

Screens Reviews

Bambi vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business

David Mamet

Alfred HItchcock: The Early Years of the Master of Suspense

Lions Gate and StudioCanal have beaten Criterion to the punch with this intriguing if uneven collection

Film Reviews

Amazing Grace

Unfortunately, what makes British abolitionist William Wilberforce a great man is also what makes him dull: his single-minded righteousness.

The Astronaut Farmer

This note-perfect film by the Polish brothers almost could be a relic from another age, an inspirational drama about staying true to one’s dreams no matter the social, economic, or emotional cost.

Bridge to Terabithia

This excellent screen version of the Newbery-winning novel is not about fairies and enchanted forests but about kids who feel as though they don't fit in.

Factory Girl

Sienna Miller nails Edie Sedgwick's gamine naivete in this biopic, but the film feels far too pat for its own good.

Ghost Rider

The movie adds little to Marvel's source material, but to be fair, there wasn't a surfeit of originality in the comic book to begin with.

Starter for 10

This British coming-of-age drama and romantic comedy is fairly predictable, although the charming actors manage to keep the story’s characters just this side of stereotype and mediocrity.

Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls

Despite the fact that Tyler Perry relies on contrivances and sentimentality, he manages to spin a good yarn in the process.

An Unreasonable Man

This documentary is a far cry from the dry polemics one might expect from a survey of Ralph Nader's career as a consumer activist and political candidate.

arts & culture

Touched by Fire

For half a century, Ishmael Soto has used flame to transform copper, clay, and bronze into works of wonder

BY ROBERT FAIRES

ProArts/ACC: Keeping Boyd's dream alive

To honor a man whose name was synonymous with community, ProArts Collective and Austin Community College have jointly established the Boyd Vance Scholarship Fund

BY BARRY PINEO

Amparo Garcia-Crow: Write this way

Playwright and screenwriter Amparo Garcia-Crow appears to be on a roll, given the way her recent work has been garnering attention from coast to coast

BY ROBERT FAIRES

Bach Vocal Music: His wondrous way with the human voice, exhibits A and B

Bach is in the air most splendidly this week, in concerts by La Follia and UT's Chamber Singers that testify anew to the composer's magnificent way with the human voice