Cover Story
Interim City: The Biggest Local News Stories of 2017
Welcome to Austin, where a quarter of city management has been temporary. That’s just the beginning of our issues.
Empire Owner Acquires Parish
Stephen Sternschein and partners win on only bid
Five Arty Things to Do: Jan. 5-7
Apocalypse indefinitely postponed; go out, have some fun
UFC Fight Night Comes to Austin
Texas brawlers and strikers fill out the card
Cap Metro Ramps Up Commuter Service
More trips for public transit riders
Top 10 Festival Films of 2017 You Haven’t Seen Yet
From zombie musicals to political scandals, a bumper year
I Don’t Feel at Home Wins Best Austin Film
Macon Blair’s debut lauded by Austin Film Critics Association
“World of Tomorrow Episode Two” Warps to VOD
Don Hertzfeldt’s beloved animation on Vimeo now
Five Can’t-Miss Free Week Shows
American Sharks, Sailor Poon, and Peelander-Z headline a packed slate
Father Figures
On a road to nowhere with Ed Helms and Owen Wilson
God’s Own Country
Love and lambing on the cruel, cold hills of England
Adventures in Copland
Oversight, accountability, and a shutdown of the crime lab
Top 10 Food News Stories of 2017
1) Rainey Street Bar in Hot Water Over Social Media Posts The Downtown circus-themed bar Unbarlievable came under much-deserved scrutiny this summer after a series of misogynistic and racist posts and comments made by owner Brandon Cash on several social media platforms. The internet responded, and though they’re still open for business, this big top…
Early Data Shows Progress at Four High-Crash Intersections
Out of last year’s $720 million Mobility Bond, the city set aside $15 million to address a list of about a dozen high-crash intersections. And there’s some early good news, according to the Austin Transportation Department: Preliminary data shows drastic decreases in the number of accidents at the four major intersections already outfitted with shiny…
Red River Rampage
K2 went crazy Downtown
Top 10 Restaurants Where a Salad Isn’t the Only Vegan Menu Item
1) Frank Everybody – even vegans and vegetarians – loves a good chili dog, right? So what’s not to love about a restaurant where your meat-eating sister and your veg best friend can indulge in a sloppy dog covered in classic toppings? Get an artisan sausage or meatless variety and slather it with relish, onions,…
Downtown Puzzle: It Ain’t Solved Yet
Can the mayor make the pieces fit together?
Top 10 Under-the-Radar Food Trailers
1) Emojis Grilled Cheese Bar Sure, sometimes you slap a grilled cheese together because cooking a real meal is just too much (we’ve all been there). But Hope Green, owner and head chef of this wandering truck, puts the love and life back into the classic sandwich, and makes you appreciate the masterpiece that is…
Top 10 Austin Albums of 2017
Consensus on the best local platters
Gay Place
Austin’s 10 most defining headlines of 2017: the good, the weird, and the unexpected
Top 10 Constant Cravings
1) Tom Yam Chicken Noodle Soup, Xian Sushi & Noodle This has become my go-to lemongrass-chile soup in town. Several spots have delicious firepots of similarly flavor-profiled tom yum, but the hand-pulled noodles push this one to the top. Coconut milk cools the fiery broth (though there’s still enough heat to blast through any sinus…
Bookmarked
The lit we took note of in 2017
Top 10 National Albums of 2017
National themed lists
Top 10 Local Video Games
Keep your controllers, keyboards, and VR rigs busy with these titles
“Keith Carter: Notes on the Universe” at Stephen L. Clark Gallery
This solo exhibition shows the photographer in pursuit of whatever unseen cosmic force animates us
Bookmarked
These three novels and one memoir are all memorable for the ways they plumb the depths and mysteries of memory
2017 Music Critics Poll
Best roadshow, best new local acts, R.I.P.s, etc.
The Austin Chronicle Top 10 Films of 2017
The year in cinema, and the Chronicle’s top 10 lists
Day Trips: Top 10s 2017
Hurricane Harvey tops the list of events that affected day trippers in 2017
Bookmarked
Uncovering literary gems in areas such as historical fantasy, suburbia melancholia, female-centric speculative fiction, and more
The Luv Doc: Top 10 Needlessly Long Sentences
Jan. 6, 2017: Sure, we like to piss and moan about sex workers (who will do both for a price) and dubious, dangerous drug dealers (I’m looking at you, Pfizer), but the most deplorable aspects of human behavior stare us in the face every day like a prolapsed rectum on a Google image search gone…
Marjorie Baumgarten’s Top 10 Films of 2017
1) The Shape of Water An original vision, a creature-feature storyline, and an underdogs-against-the-empire theme blend to create film rapture. 2) Call Me by Your Name A resonant portrait of the jejune optimism, pained reality, and experiential insight of first love. 3) Lady Bird Sterling performances and an unsolipsistic viewpoint enhance this fresh take on…
Top 10 Texas Sports Happenings of 2017
1) The Houston Astros: As a Houston native and lifelong Astros fan I can think of nothing that warmed my heart more in 2017 than the Astros winning the World Series. The devastation that Houston endured at the hands of Hurricane Harvey was heartbreaking. The Astros returning to Minute Maid soon afterward and winning one…
Bookmarked
Four novels depict conflict and compassion in WWII Ukraine, present-day Pakistan and Israel, and a future America
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
Psychic Lyndsay Edwards has predicted that Queen Elizabeth will retire in 2018. Craig Hamilton-Parker, who predicted Brexit and the Trump victory, claims that in 2018 a volcano near Naples will erupt (could be Mount Vesuvius). According to www.nostradamus2018.com, World War III will start in 2018. Other Nostradamus aficionados predicted the same for 2017 and 2016.…
Steve Davis’ Top 10 Films of 2017
1) The Shape of Water Guillermo del Toro’s fantastic creature feature is an interspecies romance in which the monster is the leading man. 2) Dunkirk War by land, sea, and air: Christopher Nolan’s time-tripping historical drama is a logistical feat bordering on genius. 3) Your Name This astonishing Japanese anime about romantic destiny defies time…
City Theatre’s Christmas Belles
At City Theatre, this comedy about the Christmas program at a small-town Texas church isn’t the Southern-fried campfest it could be
Playback: Top 100 Austin Albums of 2017
Top 10s? Feh! Multiply that by 10 – locally.
Kimberley Jones’ Top 10 Films of 2017
1) Call Me by Your Name Just a ravishing addition to the coming-of-age/erotic awakening canon. 2) Phantom Thread Terrible title, but Unconventional Ways to Gain the Upper Hand in Your Romance With a Megalo- maniac would never fit on the marquee. 3) Jane Assembled from a trove of previously unseen footage, Brett Morgen’s gorgeous doc…
“Carl Block: Odd Pottery” at Yard Dog Gallery
Block’s ceramic monster-faced jugs with crooked teeth and varminty eyes are indeed odd but also colorful and delightful
Robert Faires’ Top 10 (+1) Theatre Riches of 2017
From monsters to mountains, wolves to wild horses, the year came alive with figures boldly created onstage
CodeNEXT Year, Maybe
The city’s land use rewrite had one helluva year
Josh Kupecki’s Top 10 Films of 2017
1) I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore Confession time: I’ve watched Macon Blair’s debut feature more than any other film this year. Melanie Lynskey’s Ruth is my spirit animal. 2) Lady Bird Not just a heartfelt and hilarious spin on the coming-of-age story, but a film that has teeth, as well. 3)…
Soccer Watch
Top 10 soccer stories of 2017
Robert Faires’ Top 10 Dance and Classical Treasures of 2017
Much outstanding new dance and music this year took its cue from the world around us and pressing social issues
The Texas Hammer
Gov. Greg Abbott and cronies feasted on cities in 2017
Marc Savlov’s Top 10 Films of 2017
1) Mother! Darren Aronofsky’s febrile nightmare takes on gender roles, religion, and the nature of chaos itself and ends up the most disturbingly unforgettable film of the year. 2) Call Me by Your Name Gorgeous, sensual, and true to the bracing spirit of first love no matter what your sexual identity might be, this is…
Wayne Alan Brenner’s Top 10 Arts-Related Things I Enjoyed in 2017
Bold takes on history and art that moved around the city spoke to a growing, changing Austin this year
AISD’s Big Move
A $1 billion bond? No problem.
Danielle White’s Top 10 Films of 2017
1) Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri A revenge tale that is admittedly a little over the top, yet manages to plumb the depths of misogyny, racism, police brutality, and the ineffectual criminal justice system. Oh, and Frances McDormand is a total badass. 2) The Big Sick A rom-com on steroids: touching, yet laugh-so-hard-you’ll-cry hilarious. And…
Shanon Weaver’s Top 10 Theatrical Performances of 2017 (the Second Half)
The year was well-served by actors who could channel spookiness, rebellion, despair, and dance fever
The Sexist Texas Lege
The war on women continues on many fronts
Richard Whittaker’s Top 10 Films of 2017
1) Dunkirk Put aside that it’s a pure classic: In the year of Brexit, Christopher Nolan got a major studio to finance a picture about the value of Britain in Europe. 2) I, Tonya The rise and fall of America’s skating underdog, with mesmerizing performances from Margot Robbie and Allison Janney. 3) Blade Runner 2049…
Jonelle Seitz’s Top 10 Thrills (No Frills) in Dance of 2017
A thread of starkness and clarity ran through the year’s most memorable movement
The Epic of Dawnna Dukes
And what a year it’s been
Headlines
Wrap up warm for New Year’s: Current forecasts for Austin predict a low in the mid-20s on New Year’s Eve, with the potential for snow on New Year’s Day. Capital Metro offers extended hours and free rides after 6pm on New Year’s Eve. See www.capmetro.org/specialevents for route info, and our New Year’s Guide for a…
Melany Jean’s Top 10 Fresh Takes in the Arts of 2017
Works of art and shows that were timely, intimate, funny, and awe-inspiring stood out over the year
ICE Attacks!
Immigration took a beating this year from both the federal and state government
Top 10 Quotes of the Week
Who said what?
Rideshare Wars Continue
The ground transportation game is changing
The Year in Food
It’s all about community, and really great food
