Cover Story
Matthew Monagle’s Top 10 Films of 2021
1) Pig Nic Cage remains a generational talent. 2) C’mon C’mon Movies about family that aren’t also about parenthood are a rare and wonderful breed. 3) The Green Knight Dev Patel’s ability to subvert his own stardom onscreen is reaching Jake Gyllenhaal levels. 4) The Last Duel Even in his 80s, Ridley Scott has lost…
Zach Theatre Cancels Christmas Carol Performances
Show plans to return Dec. 29
One in a Crowd: Spiral
Local doc featuring Michelle Trachtenberg needs finishing funds
Save the Date: Texas Film Awards Returns in 2022
Celebration of Lone Star filmmakers heads downtown
R.I.P., John Mueller; Farewell to Contigo; Garbo’s Lobsters On; Trudy’s Says Howdy to Seafood; the Garrison Brothers Are Convivial Steak Holders
All the news that’s fit to get your taste buds quivering
Remembering Legendary Pitmaster John Mueller, 1969-2021
The brisket king was part of a Central Texas BBQ dynasty
Austin FC Recruits Familiar Face in Ethan Finlay
Veteran winger explains why joining ATXFC was an easy decision
Richard Whittaker’s Top 10 Films of 2021
The Chronicle‘s Culture desk editor makes his list
AFS Announces 2021 Short Film Grant Recipients
Ten projects get an important boost from the filmmaker fund
Red Rocket
Simon Rex gets under the skin of this year’s most fascinating scumbag
Nightmare Alley
Guillermo del Toro goes into the dark of greedy souls in this noir remake
Drive My Car
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s second masterpiece in a year finds the pain of love
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn
Sex and satire in this Romanian polemic comedy
The Lost Daughter
Olivia Colman is coiled and complex in this portrait of motherhood
Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1
High-stakes and danger in India’s wood smuggling underground
Community Events
Local events, volunteer opportunities, fitness classes, and more
Steve Davis’s Top 10 Films of 2021
1) Spencer Pablo Larraín’s superbly unconventional drama about an institutionally trapped Princess Diana. 2) The Killing of Two Lovers In his near-perfect solo directorial debut, Robert Machoian masters slow burns and long takes. 3) The Power of the Dog Jane Campion rightfully reclaims her status as a premier filmmaker in this uneasy psychosexual Western. 4)…
Qmmunity: Looking Back on 2021 Through a Queer Lens
This year’s biggest LGBTQIA stories
The Luv Doc: Top 10 Austin Bachelors of 2021
The real lede, of course, is … celebrities!
Free Will Astrology
Your weekly horoscope, December 17-23
Sarah Jane’s Top 10 Films of 2021
1) C’mon C’mon Gorgeous film from Mike Mills with terrific performances all around. NYC looks stunning. 2) Judas and the Black Messiah Daniel Kaluuya is a powerhouse in Shaka King’s amazing look at the life and murder of Fred Hampton. 3) The Power of the Dog Campion’s film is full of great performances. It’s a…
Top 10 Local Political Quotes of 2021
Some spoke truth to power and others introduced foot to mouth
The Top 10 Austin Food & Drink Stories of 2021
Another up-and-down year in Austin food
Jay Trachtenberg’s Top Books of 2021
In a lost year, retrospectives and reprints with new context were comfort reads
Josh Kupecki’s Top 10 Films of 2021
1) Drive My Car No other film this year has enthralled, surprised, and moved me more. A wholly generous and unforgettable gift to cinema. 2) All Light, Everywhere Mapping the flaws in our perception, and the ethically questionable uses of them, Theo Anthony’s doc is eye-opening. 3) The Green Knight “Great wonder grew in hall,…
Headlines
Matter of Time: The University of Texas at Austin Health Services has notified Austin Public Health of preliminary lab results indicating the presence of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in Austin. If the lab results are confirmed by genetic sequencing (which takes several days), they will be the first cases of Omicron identified in Austin. Public…
Crucial Concerts for the Coming Week
Paul Wall, Why Bonnie, Jim Keller, El Combo Oscuro, and a Punk Rock Lottery lead our recommended shows
The Austin Chronicle Top 10 Films of 2021
Jane Campion’s stunning high plains drama The Power of the Dog takes a bite out of our critics
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: A Hard Restart
The biggest news stories of the year
What We’re Listening to Right Now
Ayo Tamz, Blushing, Whookilledkenny, Chief Cleopatra, and more have us dialed in
The Best Dark Beers in Austin
It’s the best time of year for dark roasty ales
Jenny Nulf’s Top 10 Films 0f 2021
1) Drive My Car Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s deeply moving sonata about how painful it is to love sometimes, especially those now gone. 2) Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy My second Hamaguchi, a triptych of shorts, explores raw honesty amongst broken and lost people. 3) The Power of the Dog A triumph of pacing and storytelling, simply…
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: Killer Cop Faces Murder Charge
March 10: Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor is indicted for first-degree murder in the 2020 killing of Michael Ramos
Top 10 Arts Stories You Cared About the Most
From racist comedy to new books, returning theatre, and new textile joy, the most read stories about the Austin arts scene in 2021
Trace Sauveur’s Top 10 Films of 2021
1) Licorice Pizza PTA does coming-of-age in a way only he can. Hilarious, perceptive, and achingly real. 2) The Souvenir: Part II Joanna Hogg astounds with her continuing self- reflexive investigation of her personal and artistic past. 3) Titane A radical body-horror spectacle to totally melt your face off. 4) Red Rocket Simon Rex gives…
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: Winter Storm Uri Wracks Austin
Feb. 14: For the first time ever, the National Weather Service issues winter storm warnings for the entire state of Texas
10 Perfect Patio Cocktails in Austin
Sun, sip, repeat
Marc Savlov’s Top 10 Films of 2021
1) Pig Nic Cage spellbinds in this slow-boil stew of friendship, loss, and the possibility of redemption. Quoth Styx: “Babe, I love you.” 2) The Mitchells vs the Machines I laughed so hard I cried. Absolutely the kind of wackadoodle (animated) movie we need right here, right now. 3) Titane Ducournau’s outrageous body-slash-psychological horror show…
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: Whole Lotta Lege News, Mostly Bad
May 30: Texas House Democrats walk out en masse at the end of the regular session, thwarting (for a while) not only “election integrity” legislation but also a ban on trans student athletes
The Best Outside-the-Box Barbecue (and Barbecue-Adjacent) Dishes in Austin We Ate This Year
Brisket tacos, nanner pudding, and mutton cooked low and slow
In My World of Disorder, the Top 100 Austin Records of 2021
Kevin Curtin ranks his favorite local releases of the year
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: Voters Resurrect Camping Ban
May 1: Austin voters approve Proposition B, a citizen initiative from Save Austin Now to restore some criminal penalties for camping in public and panhandling
Brenner’s Top 10 Breads of Austin
Because every week is bread week
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: Manley Finally Finds the Exits
Feb. 12: Austin Police Chief Brian Manley announces his retirement
Our Favorite Comfort Food Fixes in Austin
When it’s someone else’s turn to make the meal, these restaurants delivered comfort on a plate (or bowl)
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: Abbott’s Anti-Mask Moves Spur Revolts
July 29: Gov. Greg Abbott issues executive order GA-38, which prohibits local governments from mandating face masks to combat the spread of COVID-19
Faster Than Sound: Musical Top 10s of 2021
One writer’s favorite Austin-sourced albums, songs, and such from the last 12 months
Old Tensions Flare Anew at End of Mayor Pro Tem’s Term
Clashing symbols at City Council
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: D.A., C.A. – Knock Off the Cophead BS
Aug. 3: The district and county attorneys challenge Austin police intransigence and dishonesty as they attempt to reduce the number of arrests for minor crimes
Local YouTube Project Proves There’s Still a Creative Community
Austin Sunset brings back the wild days of public access for filmmakers and artists
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: Abortion? No! Frivolous Lawsuits? Sure!
September 1: SB 8 goes into effect, prohibiting abortion care after embryonic cardiac activity can be detected (around six weeks)
Five Things That Are Worthy of Your Generous Support
Local arts organizations need your help when it comes to end-of-year giving
Election 2022: We Got Ourselves Some Contests!
Filing has now concluded for the March 1 primaries
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: Save Austin Now Learns How It Feels to Lose
Nov. 2: By a more than 2-to-1 margin, Austin voters reject Save Austin Now’s second ballot initiative of 2021, a measure to increase the size of Austin’s police force
The Verde Report: Top 10 Defining Moments of Austin FC’s Season
The highs and lows of the squad’s Q2 debut
We Have an Issue: It’s Been a Year, All Right
It’s the Top 10s issue; plus, meet the new Food Editor
Public Notice: Top 10 Stories of 2021
Some top topics on the community news front
Austin’s Best Food and Drink Events This Week
Dinner parties, farmer’s markets, beer, wine, and more for the week of December 16, 2021
Day Trips: Top 10 Out-of-Town Spots of 2021
Looking back at a year of Texas travel
AISD Special Education Lawsuit Moves Forward
Federal district judge denies Austin ISD’s motion to dismiss suit
Top Austin Headlines of 2021: Texas Inches Closer to Legal Weed
Nov. 8: A judge in Travis County blocks, for now, enforcement of the state’s ban on Delta-8 products
Arts Events
Art galleries, live performances, and more
Hamilton’s Return Still Lives Up to the Hype
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway smash returns to the Bass refreshed and revitalized
Austin Campuses Still Closed, But Not (Yet) for Sale
What to do with Austin’s closed elementary schools?
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a mare. If it’s the other way around, the offspring is a hinny. The average person produces about 4.9 pounds of waste each day. In 1980, that average amount was about 3.66 pounds. “Selling the rib” is wrestling jargon. “Selling” refers to the way a…
Copper Closes, Oasthouse and Asahi Expand, AFWA Grants Locals, Holiday Dining Recos, and – what’s this about a Bloody Mary Festival?
All the news that’s fit to get your taste buds quivering
