Austin Underground Film Festival Announced

3rd Annual Festival @ Salvage Vanguard Theater
Friday, December 19th

From the press release yesterday:

"In their ongoing mission to excavate the greatest finds in subterranean sinema history, the archaeologists behind the 3rd Annual AUSTIN UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL have delved deeper into the darkest recesses of the global brain's collective unconscious than ever before to bring you stop-motion Argentinian graffiti bombings, Mexican revenge odysseys, Maltese gypsy documentaries and frank portraits of disaffected Parisian youth. Tales of animated lunacy, feminist go-go dancers and gore-soaked backyard kung fu epics will scorch your eyeballs from their sockets as you beg for a swift and merciful death which will never come. Then, just when ou're nihilistically adrift in the final throes of a celluloid-induced existential crisis and questioning all that you hold dear, they rescue you from the brink of the abyss and restore your faith in the fundamental decency of the human race with sketch comedy noir, no-budget 80s music video kitsch and Iranian love stories set in warn-torn Afghanistan. Usher in the new year with classic retrospectives, studies in obscurantism, and brand new stick figure pathos by the master Don Hertzfeldt, plus tributes to Metal Slug, William Burroughs and Don Knotts.

Ryan Sambol, The Strange Boys @ Emo's Lounge 24/11/07 (Photo by Danna Williams)

Rock 'n' roll after party with HACIENDA, whose new album, produced by The Black Keys, has the critics gasping for superlatives, and THE STRANGE BOYS, whose new album Austin Scaggs of Rolling Stone describes merely as "the shit." B.Y.O. Beer, Liquor, 'Tussin, or whatever poison
gets your teenage kicks. Mingle with starving filmmakers! Drink wine from a cup inside one of East Austin's premiere venues! Observe real-life hipsters in their natural habitat and gain their trust by dropping words like "parallax" and "verite" until you move freely among them and feel like a discriminating member of the cognoscenti!"

With falafels by Ararat and cookies by Starlet Sweets. Salvage Vanguard Theater doors open at 6pm, pre-show 6:30, films @ 7:00. BYOB after party with The Strange Boys and Hacienda.

Read about The Strange Boys, from Rolling Stone on Dec. 3rd '08:
http://www.rollingstone.com/blogs/smokingsection/2008/12/our-new-favorite-band-the-stra.php

All ages, limited seating, advance tickets available now at www.AustinUndergroundFilm.com. Get directions here.

Mark your calendars for an engaging evening of local underground film culture.

KTC Movie Challenge!

Swedish Sleeper 'Let The Right One In' vs. Mega-hyped 'Twilight'

Let The Right One In is arguably the best horror/thriller film of 2008. It was one of our picks for Fantastic Fest in September (ultimately winning the Best Horror Feature prize), and it is receiving a little buzz from critics and lucky festival circuit attendees. (See 98% approval rating @ Rotten Tomatoes.) The Swedish import is a vampire story wrapped in a universal story about children growing up - facing bullies, wanting revenge - and an endearing tween romance. The movie is a deft adaptation by the author of the novel Let Me In, John Ajvide Lindqvist, and it opened to general audiences on November 10th. If you miss the limited release at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (South Lamar), buy the book at stores like BookPeople or Borders, then buy the film on DVD or Blu-Ray - or see it at the nearest discount cinema if you're lucky enough to have one in your area. It hasn't been confirmed, but the movie may be in development as an American adaptation in 2010, which means I'll probably recommend you skip it in favor of the original in a couple of years.

But as great as it is, Let The Right One In isn't a box office match for Twilight, the highly publicized movie starring an up and coming hipster hottie and based on a Y.A. novel series by Stephenie Meyer. My sister's teen step-daughter who visited with us after Thanksgiving Day wanted to see the movie, but like me, she's compelled to read the book(s) first. So my brother-in-law bought her a couple of the books from the nearest Wal-Mart last weekend. Maybe we can see the movie when she returns to visit at the nearest discount cinema, because as curious as I am about the movie, I refuse to pay full price only to want a refund. (See 44% approval rating @ Rotten Tomatoes.) I'm vaguely familiar with the film's (and book's) premise: a likeable teenage heroine in love with a vampire disguised as a high school student who must contend with a rogue band of vampires as well as his own lust for blood.

Like TTYL, I'm sure the Twilight books are destined to be banned at Round Rock, TX schools soon, but kids (and adults) can buy it at BookPeople or Borders too. Twilight the movie is good enough for big budget Hollywood and audiences who want lots of action and teen hormone heat, but don't want any subtle surprises in a horror flick. However, if you want something of substance that will challenge your concept of what makes a good - or great - horror movie, then skip the publicity plagued teenage fantasy and see a movie destined to become a timeless horror classic - Let The Right One In.

KTC Ratings

Let The Right One In

(4 out of 5 swords)

Twilight

(2 out of 5 swords)

Have fun at the movies this weekend, whatever you watch.

Addendum: After a short debate, we've decided to nix the half sword ratings. When the mood strikes us, we'll post movie challenges on Thursdays - at least once a month. It's been a while since our last blog about all things movie related, so look for a Sweet Release blog soon... Next Tuesday?