A Man Called Hero
A Man Called Hero 1999, R, 109 min. Directed by Andrew Lau, Starring Ekin Cheng, Qi Shu, Kristy Yang. This Chinese import tells the story of a martial-arts hero who journeys to New York’s Chinatown during the 1920s and his family’s 16-year search to find him.
The Guns of Navarone
The Guns of Navarone 1961, PG, 158 min. Directed by J. Lee Thompson, Starring Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Richard Harris, Bryan Forbes. Big, noisy WWII movie (that won an Oscar for special effects) presents an action-packed story about Allied commandos plotting to destory a cache…
News/Print
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Phases and Stages
HalleyMercury, July 17 Thursday night was Halley’s grand arrival, and it was fit for the star charts. The local fivepiece’s set had all the signs of a breakthrough, a welcoming into the upper echelon of Austin bands. A diverse sonic barrage saturated everything they did, creating an atmosphere that was elegant to explosive and all…
Naked City
An Atlanta man gets the FBI once-over for reading an alt-weekly article in a coffee shop
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life 2003, PG-13, 116 min. Directed by Jan de Bont, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Angelina Jolie, Gerard Butler, Ciarán Hinds, Christopher Barrie, Noah Taylor, Djimon Hounsou, Simon Yam. “Superior to the original” is generally considered a compliment in the world of Hollywood summer blockbusters, but…
Readings
“At the heart of these encounters is the burning knowledge that nobody seems ready to recognize,” David Garza writes of the largely self-made “literary superdude” who will read at the Yarborough Branch Library on Wednesday, July 30. “Gilb is a legitimate and undeniable talent.”
Phases and Stages
The FallEmo’s, July 16 Lurching into “The Joke” from 1995’s Cerebral Caustic, the Fall made it obvious why the masses had gathered at Emo’s on a Wednesday evening. Witnessing Mark E. Smith in action was the dictionary definition of “rubbernecking,” the crowd helplessly gawking at the irascible, middle-aged curmudgeon and his infinite barrage of corrosive…
Naked City
Two cities. Two mayors. Two big ugly stores. One aquifer.
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit 2003, PG-13, 140 min. Directed by Gary Ross, Narrated by David McCullough, Voices by , Starring Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, Gary Stevens, William H. Macy. Adapted from the bestselling nonfiction work by Laura Hillenbrand, Seabiscuit dramatizes the story of three men – owner Charles Howard (Bridges), jockey Red Pollard (Maguire),…
Page Two
The Rodriguez and Avellán film team rocks; the guv and Lege do not; waiting on Will Wynn & Company; and in Let Us Now Praise Famous Chroniclers.
Fighting a Rising Tide
The 78th Lege chipped away at abortion rights
Naked City
One citizen’s report on a curious push-poll from the world’s largest retailer
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over 2003, PG, 85 min. Directed by Robert Rodriguez, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Daryl Sabara, Alexa Vega, Ricardo Montalban, Sylvester Stallone, Mike Judge, Salma Hayek, Robert Vito, Ryan Pinkston, Bobby Edner, Courtney Jines, Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino. If imagination could be harnessed as an energy source, I suspect…
Letters at 3AM
We have replaced our concept of the heroic with the superheroic, and the sense of the possible with the impossible.
Picture This: The Lege on Women’s Rights
A list of anti-abortion bills of the 78th Legislature
Naked City
Residents of a high-end Hays Co. subdivision object to a rock crusher over the aquifer and in their backyards
Manito
Manito 2003, NR, 78 min. Directed by Eric Eason, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Franky G, Leo Minaya, Manuel Cabral, Julissa Lopez, Jessica Morales, Héctor González, Panchito Gómez. If you shy away from that sick feeling in the pit of the stomach that comes when watching good people make bad decisions, then best…
After a Fashion
Human Growth Hormone comes outta where? Brenda Vaccaro did what? This week’s AAF takes you where you never wanted to go…
Not Quite ‘Dead, Dead, Dead’ Yet
The Senate plays Chicken over congressional redistricting.
Capitol Chronicle
The Lege moves to foreclose court access to victims of asbestos exposure.
The Heart of Me
The Heart of Me 2003, R, 96 min. Directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Helena Bonham Carter, Olivia Williams, Paul Bettany, Eleanor Bron, Luke Newberry. Sibling rivalry takes an adulterous turn in The Heart of Me, a compactly made British film about two very different sisters in love with the…
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
Ninety miles west of London stands Avebury, the largest known stone ring in the world. It’s older than the more famous Stonehenge.Durian is a big, green, thorny fruit from southeast Asia. Also known as the “king of all fruit” and “god of all fruit,” it is so thorny that you could kill a person by…
Cutting Up Travis County
Travis Co. is split three ways, and the five-county Austin metro area six ways, in the map carried by Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, and passed Wednesday by the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence. (Supposedly, this map, like any other re-redistricting plan, is DOA for this special session, but Gov. Rick Perry is threatening to call another…
Austin @ Large: Austin at Large
Thoughts on land use, social justice, and making Austin look, feel, and work better.
The Legend of Suriyothai
The Legend of Suriyothai 2003, R, 142 min. Directed by Chatri Chalerm Yukol, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring M.L. Piyapas Bhirombhakdi, Sarunyoo Wongkrchang, Pongpat Wachirabunjong, Chatchai Plengpanich, Johnny Anfone, Mai Charoenpura. Exotic and epic, The Legend of Suriyothai brings to life events that occurred in 16th-century Thailand. The movie must certainly seem far…
Day Trips
The Spanish Governor’s Palace in San Antonio never really was a palace. The adobe walls have stood for nearly three centuries as a lasting monument to Spanish colonial endeavors. Maintained by the parks department since it was purchased by the city in 1929, the 10-room building is a reminder of a time when simple elegance…
Welcome to Will’s World
After last week’s packed agenda for its first meeting since June 8, Will’s World takes another week off this week; at its next meeting, July 31, the City Council will tie up a few more loose ends before focusing its undivided attention on the city budget, to be presented by City Manager Toby Futrell July…
The Hightower Lowdown
George talks the macho talk, soldiers walk the deadly walk; and Congress says “Health care for me, but not for thee.”
To Your Health
Would a silicon supplement add luster to my hair and improve my nails?
Austin Minister Targeted by Anti-Gay Campaign
Every Sunday, members of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church pray for a bicoastal lawyer who has mounted a fire-and-brimstone crusade against their pastor, the Rev. James Rigby, for being an ally of gays and lesbians. The lawyer and complaining witness, Paul Rolf Jensen, appear to have turned a campaign against homosexuality into a full-time job. Last…
Comin’ at Ya!
3-D is back on the big screen — again.
About AIDS
Paris: Drug Resistance Growing in Europe, Too Last week at the International AIDS Society’s global conference in Paris, one presentation immediately jumped into the news: drug-resistant infections. European studies suggest that 10% of new HIV infections across 17 countries are with a drug-resistant virus. This confirms what we have already demonstrated in several urban areas…
Killer D Update: The FAA and Exterminatin’ DeLay
The FAA issues a shame-faced report about its hunt for the Killer D’s.
Robert Rodriguez’s Filmography
El Mariachi (1992) Desperado (1995) Four Rooms (segment: “The Misbehavers”) (1995) From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) The Faculty (1998) Spy Kids (2001) Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002) Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
Fusion Confusion
The menu at Zin is a masterpiece, but what about the meals?
Naked City
Quote of the Week: “This is dead this legislative session. It’s dead, it’s dead, it’s dead, it’s dead.” — State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, trying his damnedest to think about something other than re-redistricting. The zombie marched on this week to a possible second special session — although reports now suggest that even getting a…
Hopelessly Devoted to ‘Grease’
“I was born to Hand Jive, baby, and that’s not even a euphemism,” says Sarah Hepola, explaining the continuing appeal of camp classic, Grease. Project Transitions and the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival will host a sing-along performance of Grease this weekend at the Paramount.
Food-o-File
Virginia B. Wood brings good news, good food, and good gossip in this week’s “Food-o-File.”
Naked City
You’re not gonna believe this: Austin’s population actually shrank last year. After a decade of being one of the fastest-growing cities in America — often with annual percentage growth in the double digits — the Census Bureau reports that Austin actually lost 1,101 people between July 1, 2001, and July 1, 2002. Travis Co. as…
Suck on This
In anticipation of Jason Henderson’s new comic, Sword of Dracula, the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown will host a “blood-sucking triple feature” this Friday.
Liquid Assets
Wine expert Wes Marshall explains why the zins are still in, and recommends his favorites.
Naked City
Free advice: The Texas Crystal bottled-water company boasts that its product is “Like Texas in a Bottle!” Given the state’s environmental record, that may not be the best motto for drinking water. — L.N. Redistricting efforts and Gov. Rick Perry are growing less popular by the day, a new poll reveals. Democratic pollster Jeff Montgomery…
Short Cuts
Local screenwriter Todd Morris gets in good with Miramax / Dimension, and our apologies to the Ragamuffin Film Festival … not that they needed us, anyway.
La Musica y el Director
Robert Rodriguez adds “composer” to his long list of film credits.
Naked City
Tomorrow (Friday) the Capital Area Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CARTPO, which is different from CAMPO and is an offshoot of the Capital Area Planning Council, or CAPCO) will host an organizational meeting of the new CARTPO Alternative Transportation Subcommittee, charged with discussing public transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and air quality. 9:30-11am, 2520 S. I-35…
TV Eye
Who was left off the list for this year’s Emmy nominees.
Second Helpings: Slices of Life, Part 1
It’s not delivery, it’s “Second Helpings”!
Web Extra: The Austin Chronicle interview with Robert Rodriguez’s bandanna
While the noted director was off changing clothes for his Chronicle cover shoot, we took the opportunity to have a few words with his constant companion, his bandanna. Austin Chronicle: How did you get to be so close to Robert? Robert Rodriguez’s Bandanna: AC: [laughs] That’s funny! When did you first realize you were an…
Naked City
Iris Jones announces her resignation at a critical moment for civilian oversight of APD
DVD Watch
With The Animatrix, the Wachowski Bros. decided to mine their man-dominated machine world for an endless array of storytelling possibilities, enlisting seven renowned anime directors to create a nine-part series that is just as sexy, gritty, beautiful, and philosophical as the original Matrix.
TCB
Sink the ‘Pink’ Appearing twice in last week’s Chronicle alone, the soundtrack to John Hughes’ 1986 rich-boy/ poor-girl/spazz love triangle Pretty in Pink is the hot rock-critic reference point. Everybody knows the album introduced U.S. high school and college students to the soaring violins of OMD’s synth-pop gem “If You Leave,” as well as the…
Phases and Stages
Antone’s 28th AnniversaryAntone’s, July 13-19 From the looks of things, only Clifford Antone had the stamina to go all nine days of his namesake’s 28th birthday bash. Some of us managed half of that, yet were still in the majority of blooze hounds left barking by the time Beaumont’s Barbara Lynn took the club’s stage…
Naked City
How did the one-time golden boy cross over to the dark side? Dapper Dan now has four years to find out.
Articulations
Theatre critics have a place to sharpen their craft and learn about their profession, and Robert Faires reports on his stint as a teacher there.
Phases and Stages
RajamaniCentral Market North, July 19 Filmmakers and photographers call it the golden hour, the period around sunset when low beams of sunshine cast honey-hued shades and dramatic shadows. Stealing the day’s heat with the evening’s cooling breeze, the golden hour is also summertime Texas’ best stage to begin live music au naturel; the outdoor deck…
Naked City
Environmental activists again took their concerns to the annual Dell Inc. shareholders meeting on Friday, but this year’s conversation was considerably more cordial than the previous one, and certainly more restrained than the rhetoric just one day before the meeting. On p.27 of last week’s Chronicle, several Austin clergy, in coordination with Texas Campaign for…
Respiro
It’s the story of a wife and mother living on a Sicilian island, who is prone to increasingly bizarre behavior, and the family who must cope with her.
Luv Doc Recommends: Grease Sing-Along
You don’t have to be gay to love Grease (the musical, not the lubricant … and not the island either … if you’re spelling-challenged), but it sure makes the explanation a whole lot easier – especially if you’re a man. If John Travolta’s tough-guy antics as Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome Back, Kotter were a tough…
