Cover Story
Right-Wing Crackdowns Drive Academics Away From UT and the U.S.
Staff morale, federal funds, and state confidence dry up
Rian Johnson Brings Wake Up Dead Man to Austin Film Festival
Third Benoit Blanc adventure to receive Texas premiere
Putting a Price on the Quality of Life in Life After
Documentarian discusses classism and ableism in assisted suicide
Song Premiere: Emerging Pop Princess francene rouelle Reflects on “side effects”
mHart signee serves sweet treats made for hairbrush karaoke
Sun Ra: Do the Impossible
Sun Ra: Do the Impossible 2025, NR, 84 min. Directed by Christine Turner. Documentary portrait of the visionary jazz musician.
Eros and Thanatos Get Intimate in How Far Does the Dark Go?
Bears Rebecca Fonté makes sex text and subtext for her queer horror
The Man Died
The Man Died 2024, NR, 105 min. Directed by Awam Amkpa, Starring Wale Ojo, Sam Dede, Nobert Young. Based on the prison memoir by Wole Soyinka, this Nigerian drama details the writer, political activist, and future Nobel Laureate’s incarceration by the Nigerian government in 1967 at the cusp of the civil war.
Legacy: The De-Colonized History of South Africa
Legacy: The De-Colonized History of South Africa 2024, NR, 109 min. Directed by Tara Erica Moore. Documentary follows the grandson of the so-called “Architect of Apartheid” as he grapples with his family’s legacy and continuing inequality in South Africa.
CatVideoFest 2025
CatVideoFest 2025 2025, NR, 75 min. This well-loved annual compilation reel of cat videos doesn’t just spark joy – it raises money for animal welfare organizations.
The Tale of Zatoichi
The Tale of Zatoichi 1962, NR, 96 min. Directed by Kenji Misumi, Starring Shintaro Katsu, Masayo Banri, Ryuzo Shimada. Series starter follows the adventures of the titular blind swordsman, who Shintaro Katsu would portray in 26 films in total.
Shanghai Blues
Shanghai Blues 1984, NR, 103 min. Directed by Tsui Hark, Starring Sylvia Chang, Sally Yeh, Kenny Bee. Hong Kong auteur (and University of Texas grad) Tsui Hark pays tribute to classic Hollywood in this comedy about two star-crossed nightclub performers trying to work their way back to each other.
House on Eden
TikTok paranormal investigators encounter a malevolent force
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Comicdom’s most famous family leaps to the big screen (again)
AJ Goes to the Dog Park
Lo-fi Fargo-set comedy is delightfully quirky
The Home
Pete Davidson-led horror is set in a retirement home
Oh, Hi!
The pits of being a millennial dater
Maareesan
Indian comedy about an unlikely duo
Thalaivan Thalaivii
Tamil-language romantic comedy
The Austin Chronic: A Ban on Hemp Vapes That Flew Under the Radar
Plus medical dispensaries gear up for a big year and a look at the special session
Warm Up Your Weekend With These Recommended Events
Arts and culture happenings to get you out of the house
The Luv Doc: The Smartest Guy in the Room
The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know
Circuses, Swimmers, and Swaps in Our Recommended Events This Week
See what’s on the arts and culture agenda in town
Opinion: What It Means to Be Pregnant and Homeless in Austin
It’s a daily struggle for safety, dignity, and rest
Headlines / Quote of the Week
Drawing Weird Lines: Gov. Greg Abbott let on just how much power Donald Trump has over his decision-making when the governor asked lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional maps during the special session, which kicked off last Monday. Trump wants to ensure he maintains a Republican majority in Congress and picks up new GOP seats…
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
If you say ChatGPT in French, it sounds a lot like the phrase, “Chat, j’ai pété,” which translates to “Cat, I have farted.” If you’re visiting the Italian Riviera, you can’t walk barefoot in Portofino anymore. And you can only wear swimwear in designated lounging areas. The ladybug – a beetle in the Coccinellidae family…
Deported Texan Born to Soldier on U.S. Base Abroad Still Stuck in Jamaica
DHS insists he is Jamaican, though he’d never been there before
Album Review: BRUCE’s Must Love Teeth
Carrie Fussell makes high-drama pop in new solo project
Texas Might Rid Itself of STAAR Tests in 2026 After All
Bill to replace STAAR with a new testing system is on the agenda
Album Review: Jedi512 & Boots the Blessed’s SPITE CLUB
Austin rapper dabbles in dark boom-bap and deadpan delivery
Texas Is Still in Drought, and AI Data Centers Are Quietly Guzzling Up Water
Texas continues to attract AI giants, despite resource strain
Album Review: Virginia Creeper’s GOBLN7 EP
Vivid Southern imagery enlivens quartet’s “pastoral sludge”
Fatal APD Shooting Trial Sheds Light on Pattern of Non-Discipline for Officer Shootings
Former interim chief testifies that she sees no lessons to learn from this case
The Verde Report: Austin FC Has Murky Outlook in Its Post-All-Star Season
With Vazquez sidelined for the rest of the season, where are the goals going to come from?
Data-Driven Former Council Member Bill Spelman Dies at 68
The Harvard-trained public policy specialist served multiple terms
Day Trips: Indian Lodge and Davis Mountains State Park, Fort Davis
The iconic Indian Lodge in West Texas returns from a much-needed renovation
Qmmunity: Social Spirits Stay Up
Queer Austin fun hasn’t “stall”-ed out despite bathroom bill buffoonery
Free Will Astrology
Your weekly horoscope, July 25-31
Nuclear Daisies Release Second Album at Hot Summer Nights
Dungeon pop darlings draw on crowd magic, imagination for First Taste of Heaven
Visual Arts Review: “Form Works” at Women & Their Work
Exhibition finds a home for future-facing furnishings
Wiz Khalifa, This Will Destroy You, and a Smattering of Locals in This Week’s Crucial Concerts
A show for every music lover
The Chronicle Guide to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
As Captain America enters a Brave New World, every MCU film reviewed
