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AMD & Fantastic Fest present

BLOODSHOTS 2007

the 48 hour horror filmmaking contest returns!

Of course we like watching movies; we're a movie theater, so that basically goes without saying. But even though it can often turn into a collossal pain in the butt, we also like to make movies. We used to compete in some of those general Make A Movie In A Weekend contests, but then at the screenings we noticed that there were always some genres that were just plain boring to watch. But you know what's never boring? Horror movies! Somehow if you pour enough fake blood into a scene you get instant entertainment value. Plus, when you're making a movie in just 48 hours you don't have a lot of time to really fine tune a script. But if you just have a movie about people dying? Easy! That's why they can churn out 15 SAW sequels every year!



So this will be the fourth year we've done BLOODSHOTS, and this one promises to be the strongest yet because for the first time we're making it part of our Filmmaking Frenzy series and we're giving away $2,000 in cash and a brand new supercharged AMD-powered editing suite PC. Plus, ROBERT RODRIGUEZ will once again be on board to view the finalists' films and choose the ultimate winner (but it remains to be seen if the higher-valued prizes this year will make Robert go mad with the extra power).



You can reserve your spot and get more information on BLOODSHOTS and REEL HEROES now at FilmmakingFrenzy.com, so get your space saved before they're all gone!

Master Pancake Theater: The Day After Tomorrow

This Wednesday night at the Village, Master Pancake Theater is bringing back their production of THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. Global warming is out to get Jake Gyllenhaal, but Dennis Quaid won't give up! As a paleontological climatologist (or something), Quaid is obviously uniquely qualified to lead an expedition of his friends through the frozen tundra of the eastern seaboard so they can save Gyllenhaal and a bunch of extras that no one really cares about. Ahh. Global warming is finally funny!

Advance tickets are usually recommended for Master Pancake shows, as they tend to sell out. Grab your DAY AFTER TOMORROW tickets here.

TONIGHT - Trapped in the Closet DVD Release!

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"Just don't forget about Roxanne and Tina..." Those were the last mysterious words R. Kelly told us during the credits after TRAPPED IN THE CLOSET chapter 12, and tonight we can finally find out what it was we were supposed to not forget about them. Because tonight, at long, long last, chapters 13-22 will finally be released on DVD, and we teamed up with Waterloo Video for a late night release party that will be sure to blow our minds. We're starting with TRAPPED chapters 1-12 at 11:15, then examining some of the other brilliance in R.'s canon, then rolling straight into the brand new chapters at midnight. If you've only seen TRAPPED IN THE CLOSET online, then you really need to come out to the theater to see what you've been missing.

The show is totally free and seats will be given away on a first come, first served basis, but if you'd like to reserve a seat for yourself you can prepurchase a copy of the new TRAPPED IN THE CLOSET DVD here and we'll hold a seat for you and make sure you get one of our handy "Oh my god, a rubber!" R. Kelly condoms, too.

King of Kong - Steve is going for a world record!

Late breaking news!!!
Arcade Champ Billy Mitchell has allegedly reclaimed his Donkey Kong world record holder status last week at a convention in Orlando. In a bold and daring move, Picturehouse has flown in an official referee to oversee a world record attempt by Steve Wiebe in the lobby of the Alamo Drafthouse. If you have a vintage, regulation, mint-condition machine and want Steve to set a world-record on your game, please email us.

There are still tickets available for the two Sunday evening shows with Steve Weibe live in person. Following the shows, stick around for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see him attempt to reclaim his title.

About King of Kong;
This weekend it is LITERALLY "on like Donkey Kong" at the Alamo South Lamar, as we go ape for the opening of the greatest documentary of the season and quite possibly the decade: THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS. To celebrate the premiere of this heartwarming film about a middle school science teacher battling against a hot sauce mogul for world record domination of Donkey Kong, we're driving in a vintage Donkey Kong machine from Arkansas and giving it away to whoever can post the highest score in our on screen Donkey Kong challenge before the evening shows this weekend.

And not only that, but on Sunday night we're bringing the star of the film, the middle school science teacher and Donkey Kong master himself, Steve Wiebe, out to the Alamo to tell us all about how he makes "jump man" (cause Mario didn't have a name back then) go all the way. If you miss this, you'll never know what to do when you're suddenly confronted with a monkey at the top of a construction site who's hellbent on throwing barrels at you. Get your advance tickets here.

STARDUST - opens Friday at the Village!

I was fortunate enough to be in the audience at the HALF-ASS-A-THON at the Colorado Street location when STARDUST was screened, so this week is one of those rare occasions where I can recommend a new release movie to you and actually know what I'm talking about. There were some jaded cinephiles in the audience that night who didn't think it was perfect, but I'd been putting together the PRINCESS BRIDE QUOTE-ALONG back then and I think that had me in the perfect frame of mind for STARDUST, because in many ways it really is the heir to the PRINCESS BRIDE throne (after all Cary Elwes looks like this now, so his time as a heartthrob is definitely over). But STARDUST has that same sense of magical escapism and winking good fun, and while it sadly doesn't have Andre the Giant, it does have Ricky Gervais as a shady merchant and Robert DeNiro as a sky pirate that's not unlike the Dread Pirate Roberts. At any rate, when I'm a grandpa I'll totally read the STARDUST graphic novel to Kevin Arnold when he got sick, and then I'll download the movie to my iHologram and watch it again and again.

August 8 - No Reservations Feast

I told you a little bit about the NO RESERVATIONS feast last week, but way back then I couldn't say much more than the fact that we were going to be having it. That was all well and good, but unless you're throwing a pot luck it's always weird to invite people to a dinner party without letting them know what they can expect to eat. So now I'd like to introduce... the NO RESERVATIONS feast menu:

We start with Kate's Seared Scallops with Saffron Sauce (seen in the trailer being eaten by her therapist, Arvin Sloane). Then we have Nick's Spaghetti with Grandma's Red Sauce (also in the trailer, this time going into the tummy of Little Miss Sunshine). But you aren't even close to done yet, as we then will be bringing out Nick's Free-form Pizzas with Salad and Grissini. I haven't seen the movie yet (why would I skip out on seeing it with the food?) and I don't remember the pizzas from the movie, but I did have to Google grissini to find out that that means breadsticks, so if you had to look it up also you don't have to be discouraged. You do, however, have to remain hungry, because we've still got two more courses to get through, starting with Kate's Stuffed Quail with Truffle Sauce and then Zoe's Miniature Pancakes with Fresh Organic Fruit, dusted with powdered sugar. All of that food, plus wine pairings with each course, and the proceeds benefit Capitol Area Food Bank. Advance tickets are recommended and available here.

Thursday at Lamar - MC Chris!

MC Chris has his nerd street cred in spades. He's done voice work for all of your favorite Adult Swim shows and he's toured the country performing his nerdcore rap to thousands of screaming fanboys. But besides that, he knows his 80s movies.

He's been by twice before, with GHOSTBUSTERS and INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, but this time the MC is outdoing himself by hosting the one and only film to feature the kid from E.T. as a daydreaming videogame nerd who realizes that his dad is the only hero he needs, CLOAK & DAGGER. Unlike a lot of the other movies you saw as a kid, you probably haven't rewatched this gem since 1987. That's a shame, if only for the fact that it was filmed in San Antonio and features Henry Thomas shooting at people on the River Walk. Plus they go to that other Alamo for a key kidnapping scene! And there's a creepy lady with two fingers missing! And they have to play an Atari game to help save us from a national security emergency!

If you miss this you might as well hang up your pocket protector forever and go join the football team, cause no self-respecting nerd could possibly stay away.

The show is Thursday, July 26, at midnight at South Lamar. Advance tickets are still available right here.