Damn you, Alamo Drafthouse. Every time I think I’ve finally loosed your death grip on my attentions and my affections, you go and program another typically awesome show. Wait, make that two typically awesome shows.

Sunday noon at the Ritz marks the marriage of two undeniable forces of good in this world – brunch and West Side Story. I’ve already rhapsodized about WSS in this space before, so let’s instead praise chef John Bullington‘s ingenious-sounding menu, including last course “Officer Crumpet: Crumpets torn between two rivals, guava-lime jam and strawberry jelly.” Altogether now: mmm.

But before Sunday morning comes Saturday night and the two-shows-only showcase of Don Hertzfeldt‘s animation, including the regional premiere of his newest short, “I Am So Proud of You,” and Hertzfeldt in attendance for a post-screening chat. If you’ve never seen his stuff before, watch his Oscar-nominated short “Rejected” below. It’s bloody brilliant. Well, and also just plain bloody, but this is stick-figure gore, which is pretty much the only kind I can get behind.

REJECTED

This article appears in October 3 • 2008.

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A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...