Tigers Are Not Afraid

“Tigers Are Not Afraid,” the new feature from writer/director Issa López, tells the story of Estrella (Paola Lara), a young girl living in an undisclosed city in Mexico. At the film’s start, Estrella is in class, listening as her teacher discusses fairy tales. The students are instructed to concoct their own fairy tale using commonly recurring characters. As Estrella begins her assignment, López introduces Shine (Juan Ramón López), another of the film’s lead characters. Estrella’s tells her story to the audience in voiceover as scenes of Shine robbing a drunk cartel member, Caco (Ianis Guerrero), are cut into the classroom footage, making the opening a tad bit confusing. His character is easy to mistake as a creation of Estrella’s due to how the scene is edited together. This also serves as a clumsy introduction to the film’s entwinement of reality with the imaginary.



While Estrella works on her assignment, a gunfight breaks out in the street outside the school. López’s film takes place against Mexico’s drug wars. The class drops to the floor. To comfort Estrella, who happens to be closest, the teacher gives her three pieces of chalk, describing them as wishes. If the thematic importance of the fairy tale hasn’t already impressed itself into the audiences’ mind, it does once Estrella is given her wishes. With the school closed until further notice, Estrella returns home followed by a quickly moving trail of blood. At her house, Estrella finds her mother is missing. The blood trail, a recurring image that follows Estrella throughout the movie, winds around the room, finding its way to one of her mother’s dresses and drenching it in a violent pattern. Has Estrella’s mother fallen victim to the drug cartel’s violence?



“Tigers Are Not Afraid” is best described as a drama with fantasy/horror elements, the lines blurred between the real and the fantastic. Estrella is frequently dropped into a horrific fantasy world as she is confronted by the harshness of reality. Left alone and growing increasingly hungry, Estrella uses one of her wishes to ask for her mother’s return. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. Her wish is responded to by a menacing spectral figure that begins whispering warnings and instructions to Estrella. The now terrified Estrella finds her way to Shine and his gang of children orphaned by the cartel’s violence. To make matters worse, the cartel desperately wants the items back that Shine stole from Caco.



The film creates a surreally grim atmosphere, using camerawork that is noticeably hectic. The frenzied photography is revealed to be a conscious cosmetic choice from director López once the film shows its strikingly different final shot. Conscious or not, it’s a stylistic choice that causes the film to feel sloppy, repeatedly removing viewers from the story. Perhaps due to it being labeled as a horror movie, I found this one hard to get into. It’s a short film, eighty-three-minutes, but it feels longer. This isn’t tortuous to get through. It’s just not as engaging as it should have been.
(Review by Bret Oswald)

The Fanatic

(Review by Chase Lee)

Aquarela

(Review by Chase Lee)

Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins

In our not so recent past, women in journalism were mostly regulated to the "snake pit". The filler sections of the newspapers that catered to female issues of food, fashion and fluff. Thank goodness for women like Molly Ivins, the spitfire journalist who kicked the door open with her wit and intelligence taking on the Texas legislature and other politicians shooting from the hip. Documentary filmmaker Janice Engle presents the life and times of Molly Ivins in a slick, easy to digest package woven together with interviews from her family, politicians and political commentators and clips from Molly Ivins in her full glorious humor. She is a piece of work.

Molly was called Mary by her father, a oil executive in the River Oaks suburb of Houston. By the time she was 12 years old, she was already six feet tall. Her mother called her sister the pretty one, and Molly the smart one, which no doubt affected her self esteem. She was the 3rd generation of the women in her family to attend Smith College. Her talents lead her to write for the Texas Observer under Ronnie Dugger. Molly was known to be a heavy social drinker, able to drink most of her male colleagues under the table. Her mentor was John Henry Faulk and she was friends with TX Governor Ann Richards. Molly freelanced at the NY Times, even writing the obituary for Elvis during her time there. Eventually she was sent to cover their western office in Denver. After that she went to the Dallas Times Herald where she was given free reign to write whatever she wanted. Her column gets syndicated to 300 - 400 newspapers. In 1999 she is the one who called President George W. Bush a shrub.

If you had ever read her columns, books or heard her on TV or radio, you would appreciate her down home Texas appeal. She was a straight shooter who didn't back down and politico's were often unnerved by her sharp remarks. She had her share of death threats too. It would have been great to hear what she would have made of the current White House administration. Unfortunately she passed from a long battle with cancer in 2007 at the age of 62. There is no one around today that can take her place.
(Review by reesa)

Where’d You Go, Bernadette

The title and trailer for director Richard Linklater’s latest film, “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” suggests a different film than the final product. For those who have read the book (I have not, though I do have a copy sitting in my massive to-read pile), this probably isn’t a surprise, depending on how closely the film follows the book. Cate Blanchett’s Bernadette Fox – simultaneously passionate, anxiety-riddled, and exhibiting manic behavior – is always front and center. This story, based on the bestseller by Maria Semple, isn’t a comedy centered around a literal disappearance but rather a metaphysical one, the disappearance of a woman’s personal identity and sense of self rather than her physical being.



Once a rising star of the architecture field in the Los Angeles area, Bernadette now lives with her husband Elgie (Billy Crudup) and daughter Bee (Emma Nelson) in a run-down house in the Seattle area. Linklater uses Seattle’s climate, frequent rain and dark grey skies, to match his lead character’s depression. The state of their house, dilapidated with an overgrown yard, full of buckets to catch water from the leaky roof, raises the first mystery of this film. Why has this family not fixed up the house? This is answered as Bernadette’s past is revealed throughout the film.



Their neighbor, Audrey (Kristen Wiig), a helicopter mom who busies herself at the children’s school, finds the house an eye-sore, frequently badgering Bernadette to get up to snuff with the appearance of the rest of the neighborhood. There’s really no way to do a plot synopsis of this without ruining large portions of this movie. What’s probably best to say is that Elgie is worried about Bernadette’s mental state and has now decided that waiting for her to snap out of it is out of the question. As the family prepares for a trip to Antarctica, resulting from a promise made to Bee, things reach a state where they can no longer be ignored and Elgie calls in a psychologist, Dr. Kurtz (Judy Greer), to aide in an intervention.



“Where’d You Go, Bernadette” is a clunky work from Linklater. The film is oddly paced, stuttering along slowly in large swatches and springing smoothly along in others. Bernadette goes on frequent rants that often feel like they’ve gone on forever, continuing on long after the point has been made. At least one of these sequences is compellingly edited together, showcasing Crudup’s Elgie unloading to the psychologist as Bernadette rants and raves to a former colleague played by Laurence Fishburne.



These characters are mostly all insufferable people. The type of people you’d probably actively avoid if you were to meet them in real life. Linklater and the actors don’t manage to make them into likable people. Cate Blanchett often seems like she’s on the verge of going overboard in her portrayal of Bernadette, who she presents with an odd-sounding accent. Large parts of the film are left to be conveyed by newcomer Emma Nelson’s grating voice-over work.



Strangely, despite all these negatives, the film ends on a positive note, satisfactorily closing off the narrative in a fulfilling manner. Even though these are not people I particularly liked, it felt good to see them reaching a happy resolution. Although the movie is badly paced, the rewarding finale makes it worth the effort. Save this as one to rent once it’s released on disc or streaming.
(Review by Bret Oswald)

Don't Let Go

(Review by Chase Lee)

This Week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW (8/26 - 9/1)

Calling all movie lovers… Here’s what’s happening this week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW!
This week will make a summer to dismember as Alamo DFW holds Camp Dismember a FIVE mystery movies marathon that’ll be sure to get your blood pumping and palms sweating. A sneak peek at RAISE HELL: THE LIFE & TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS with Livestream Q&A lets you see the inspiring life of the not so typical political reporter, Molly Ivins. Reminisce at one of the most epic movies of all time with the 80th Anniversary of the classic, GONE WITH THE WIND. For a full calendar listing, please visit drafthouse.com/dfw/calendar.

See y’all soon at the Alamo Drafthouse!



This Week's Highlights…

Camp Dismember
If you miss your adolescent times at summer camp (or your parent's made you go to computer camp instead) then this is the cinematic summer camp for you. CAMP DISMEMBER! With this series you get to camp out in a theater all day with FIVE mystery movies - all summer camp themed! The mystery movie marathon will take place at Richardson.

Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins with Livestream Q&A
Filmmaker Richard Linklater Editor of the Texas Tribune Emily Ramshaw Editor of the Texas Observer Andrea Valdez and author/activist Jim Hightower join director Janice Engel for an advance screening of her incendiary new documentary RAISE HELL: THE LIFE & TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS followed by a livestream panel discussion at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. Catch the inspiring documentary at Denton, Lake Highlands, Las Colinas, and North Richland Hills.

80th Anniversary: Gone With The Wind
Based on Margaret Mitchell's bestseller GONE WITH THE WIND was the most talked-about movie of its era. A sweeping epic on the grandest of scales it quickly became both a blockbuster and an Oscar magnet winning eight Academy Awards and two honorary awards a record in its day. Catch this epic of a film at Denton and Lake Highlands.



MONDAY | AUGUST 26
Cedars
Screening: Champagne Cinema: (500) Days of Summer at 7:30PM

Denton
Screening: Rewind 1999: DETROIT CITY ROCK at 7:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Rewind 1999: Mystery Men at 7:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Anime-Zing: NINJA SCROLL at 7:00PM
Screening: Rewind 1999: Mystery Men at 8:30PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION at 7:30PM

Richardson
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: DRUNKEN MASTER at 7:00PM
Screening: THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION at 9:00PM



TUESDAY | AUGUST 27
Cedars
Screening: Anime-Zing: NINJA SCROLL at 7:30PM
Screening: Travis Scott: Look Mom I Can Fly at 9:00PM

Denton
Screening: THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION at 7:30PM
Screening: Graveyard Shift: Innocent Blood at 8:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Red Dawn (1984) at 7:30PM
Screening: Video Vortex: OZONE at 9:00PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Champagne Cinema: (500) Days of Summer at 7:00PM
Screening: Natural Born Killers at 8:30PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Champagne Cinema: (500) Days of Summer at 7:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Richardson
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: The Stunt Man at 7:00PM
Screening: Young Guns Hopped Up Cinema’s 5 Year Anniversary at 7:30PM
Bar Event: Tiki Bingo - Glass Half Full at 7:00PM



WEDNESDAY | AUGUST 28
All Locations: Teacher Appreciation Wednesdays: a FREE movie ticket for teachers and school faculty/staff. Teacher-themed special menu available ALL DAY for everyone!

Cedars
Screening: Inglorious Basterds in 35MM at 7:00PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Denton
Screening: Mad Max: Fury Road Movie Party at 7:30PM
Screening: Raise Hell: The Life & Times Of Molly Ivins with Livestream Q&A at 7:45PM
Screening: Stand By Me at 8:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Deconstructing The Beatles: Abbey Road Side 1 with Q&A at 7:00PM
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: Fist City: BLADE at 7:30PM
Screening: Raise Hell: The Life & Times Of Molly Ivins with Livestream Q&A at 8:30PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Red Dawn (1984) at 7:00PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM
Screening: Raise Hell: The Life & Times Of Molly Ivins with Livestream Q&A at 8:30PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Mad Max: Fury Road Movie Party at 7:30PM
Screening: Raise Hell: The Life & Times Of Molly Ivins with Livestream Q&A at 7:45PM

Richardson
Screening: Mad Max: Fury Road Movie Party at 7:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Glass Half Full at 8:00PM



THURSDAY | AUGUST 29
Cedars
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: The Stunt Man at 7:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Mad Max: Fury Road Movie Party at 7:30PM
Screening:

Las Colinas
Screening: Creepshow (1982) at 7:00PM

Richardson
Screening: Maximum Overdrive at 7:30PM


FRIDAY | AUGUST 30
Richardson
Screening: Taylor Swift Video Dance Party at 5:15PM
Screening: Taylor Swift Video Dance Party at 9:00PM



SATURDAY | AUGUST 31

Cedars
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: Hooper at 6:15PM
Screening: Kuumba Presents OGA BOLAJI at 7:30PM

Denton
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: The Birds at 1:00PM
Screening: The Iron Giant Movie Party at 2:00PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Free Victory Screening: STEAMBOAT BILL, JR at 1:00PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Free Victory Screening: STEAMBOAT BILL, JR at 1:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: The Birds at 1:00PM
Screening: Afternoon Tea: The Remains of the Day at 3:30PM

Richardson
Screening: Camp Dismember Mystery Marathon at 1:00PM
Screening: The Wizard of Oz Movie Party at 4:00PM



SUNDAY | SEPTEMBER 1
Denton
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 7:00PM
Screening: 80th Anniversary: Gone With The Wind at 1:00PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: 80th Anniversary: Gone With The Wind at 1:00PM



First Run Movies Now Playing...
Angel Has Fallen
The Angry Birds Movie 2
Blinded By The Light
Dora And The Lost City Of Gold
Good Boys
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Ready Or Not
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark
The Art Of Racing In The Rain
The Peanut Butter Falcon
The Farewell
The Lion King
Where’d You Go, Bernadette


Stay Connected...
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Movies Scheduled for the Week of Aug 25 - Aug 31

Last week of August. Still hot. State Fair is just around the corner. As usual the movie pickings this time of year is pretty sparse. Everyone is back at school or going to school soon Hopefully the lines will also be more reasonable.

The North Texas Film Festival is coming up at the end of September located for those who live north. For more information, please visit www.ntxff.com.

Not much this week.

Aug 25 - Aug 31

Mon - Aug 26

Don't Let Go - 7:00 pm - Studio Movie Grill Northwest Hwy
Earth X: Kifaru - 7:00 pm - Magnolia

Tue - Aug 27

The Fanatic - 7:30 pm - Angelika

The Nightingale

(Review by Chase Lee)

After the Wedding

Writer/director Bart Fruendlich’s movie “After the Wedding,” adapted for English-speaking audiences from the Academy-Award nominated film “Efter Brylluppet” directed by Susanne Bier, is one of those films that’s better watched with little to no knowledge of its plot. It’s a movie that seems to be going in one direction before abruptly switching gears, taking a simplistic story and removing its outer shell to unveil the layers hidden beneath the surface.



The film opens with an establishing shot that comes to focus on Isabel (Michelle Williams) meditating with a group of children. Isabel is an American who has settled in India, finding fulfillment in her role as an orphanage director. When her colleague Preena (Anjula Bedi) receives a letter requesting that Isabel come to New York City to meet with a prospective donor, she initially refuses. The orphanage, having trouble gathering donations and supplies, needs money but Isabel doesn’t want to leave, wishing to send Preena in her place. At the insistence of the donor, she finally relents, reluctantly accepting the invitation due to their trouble gathering funds.



Here, “After the Wedding” introduces viewers to the donor, Theresa Young (Julianne Moore), a self-made millionaire. If it’s not apparent from the way Isabel and Preena discussed this mysterious benefactor with each other before her introduction, these are two women who are seemingly polar opposites. Isabel is presented as earthy (calm, serene, content with her life and her work) whereas Theresa is shown to be an enterprising business woman. She’s introduced as she handles a business call, firmly and surely giving out her instructions before just as assuredly shifts her focus once she’s with her twin boys, Otto (Azhy Robertson) and Theo (Tre Ryder), and her artist husband, Oscar (Billy Crudup).



Isabel has arrived in New York City on the day before Theresa’s daughter, Grace (Abby Quinn), is to be married to one of Theresa’s rising young executives, Jonathan (Alex Esola). The always-insistent Theresa convinces Isabel to attend. Grace and Jonathan’s wedding winds up being the catalyst that takes the film in its new direction.



The script is well-thought out, exploring the different angles and motivations of the characters but it’s this same characteristic that causes the movie to have poor pacing. “After the Wedding” seems to be moving toward a conclusion multiple times before it finally does reach its end. Just as it seems Fruendlich is wrapping things up, another plot point is expanded upon. This often causes scenes to feel repetitive. Although they might be presenting something for the first time, it’s not something that hasn’t already been implied.



Fruendlich inserts a bird motif throughout the movie. Theresa finds a damaged bird’s nest complete with cracked eggs by a fallen tree on her property and Isabel often refers to birds when talking with Jai (Vir Pachisia), a young boy living in the orphanage who she has bonded with, offering a metaphor for the two central characters. The frequency with which it is inserted causes the metaphor to feel shoe-horned into the picture, perhaps inserted to make the film feel deeper.



The actors do a fine job with their portrayals though at times they can veer into over-acting, causing a handful of the film’s scenes to come across as forced. Michele Williams is best among the cast, finely conveying her character’s emotions and drive. Abby Quinn is also quite good, showing a character who’s at a vulnerable stage in her life, realizing that her decision to get married might not have been the right one. While Moore’s performance is mostly good there is a scene between her and Crudup at the film’s conclusion that should have been left on the cutting room floor, a distractingly forced scene attempting to deal with their shared grief.



“After the Wedding” is a film that unfortunately overstays its welcome, ending on a shot that mirrors that of the opening. Initially compelling before dissolving into overwrought drama, this is a story that’s not as tightly told as it could be, meandering its way to its conclusion.
(Review by Bret Oswald)

Dallas Film Announces First 15 Films for First-Ever North Texas Film Festival

Dallas Film Announces First 15 Films for First-Ever North Texas Film Festival


DALLAS, August 19, 2019 – Dallas Film today announced the first 15 films for the first-ever North Texas Film Festival (NTXFF) powered by Capital One. The full lineup will consist of more than 20 curated films for categories pertaining to sports, family, date night, horror, Best of DIFF 2019 (popular films from the 2019 Dallas International Film Festival), veteran films, early access sneak peeks, shorts, and Oscar-contending films. In addition, two of the shorts are Texas and world premieres. This will be the first festival to represent North Texas, and it will be held September 26 – 29, 2019, at Cinemark West Plano and XD (3800 Dallas Parkway, Plano, TX 75093). Reserved seating for each screening will be available to the public through Atom Tickets starting August 26. A festival lounge will be located within the theater with special perks for festivalgoers to indulge in.



“We are thrilled to bring a diverse and accessible collection of films and red-carpet events to the North Texas area,” said Johnathan Brownlee, CEO & president of Dallas Film and executive director of Dallas International Film Festival and North Texas Film Festival. “We value bringing people together to discover the art of film. Film is the most relatable art form and our goal with this new festival is to spark meaningful engagement with film in the North Texas region, welcome a full house for each screening, bring in incredible talent and filmmakers from around the world and create a one-of-a-kind festival experience for all who attend.”



This year, Dallas Film is pleased to announce a special partnership with FANGORIA, an iconic horror magazine. For 40 years, FANGORIA has remained a pre-Internet beacon for what’s new and exciting in horror. If it was on the cover of a Fango, it was a must-see. To honor those must-see horror movies, FANGORIA is teaming up with Dallas Film and the North Texas Film Festival to present two beloved films, both famously gracing the pages of the magazine. Curated screenings of “Re-Animator” (Stuart Gordon, 1985) & “Poltergeist” (Tobe Hooper, 1982) will be presented with exclusive introductions from the FANGORIA Vault. Movie lovers and horror fans alike will delight at the opportunity to see these classics on the big screen once again.



“Poltergeist is not only iconic, ranking amongst the best horror films ever made, but one of the genre’s most effective “haunted house” movies,” said a representative of Fangoria. “A terrifying team-up like no other between writer / producer / “ghost director” Steven Spielberg and director Tobe Hooper (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE), Poltergeist became quintessential suburban horror of the 1980s Amblin era. It is required viewing for any lover of film and the horror genre - no matter your age or current status in your "transition to a different sphere of consciousness.”



Based on the 1922 H. P. Lovecraft serial novelette Herbert West–Reanimator, Re-Animator (1985) is one of the most impressive debuts from a first-time filmmaker in the genre of horror. The film not would only introduce us to the genius of co-writer/director Stuart Gordon but also Herbert West himself, genre icon & star Jeffrey Combs, as well the legendary "Scream Queen" Barbara Crampton in her first horror role. Oozing with neon green gross-out gory horror, Re-Animator is equally as spine-tingling as it is inappropriately, irreverently comedic.



“As we considered several types of films for this festival, we knew we wanted to speak to the culture and interests of the North Texas area,” said James Faust, artistic director of Dallas Film. “Given the incredible sports presence and family-friendly environment, we knew we wanted to pick films that inspire, showcase how athletes overcome adversities, and bring joy to people of all ages. We have many exciting events in the works and are eager to create an exceptional festival experience for all who attend.”



For more information, please visit www.ntxff.com.



Proceeds from NTXFF will benefit the Veterans Institute for Film and Media, a program that prepares veterans for careers in film and media production through education, mentorships, and job placements. For details about VIFM, visit www.vifm.us.




About Dallas Film

Dallas Film (www.dallasfilm.org), established as Dallas Film Society in 2006, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that exists to celebrate the past, present and future of film in our community. The organization provides leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television, and digital media. Through a variety of screenings, educational programs, and festivals, Dallas Film raises awareness of the world’s most approachable and inclusive art form.





The first 15 official selections include (listed alphabetically):



Movie Title: A Soldier’s Way

Premiere Status: Texas Premiere (Shorts Film)

Director: Adam Dietrich & Elliott Gilbert

Country: USA

Running Time: 13:22 Minutes

Synopsis: A Soldier’s Way follows the story of soldiers Steven Barr (Tim Llewellyn) and Chris Villanueva (Grey Acuna) during a tour in Afghanistan, simultaneously exploring their lives/commitments stateside. Steven Barr is the modern soldier, from his physique to his adrenaline addiction, with a wife Andrea (Molly May Rockwell) and child (Kohen Marburger) wishing they had more of his focus between multiple tours of duty. Chris Villanueva is a combat photographer assigned to Barr’s company during a routine tour in country, who has a healthier relationship to his pregnant wife, Lacey (Bonnie Gayle), and combat career. The film explores the connection between these two soldiers and their families back home, blurring the line between here and now, much like a dream, as both worlds face a deteriorating reality.



Movie Title: Back of the Net

Festival Category: Family Feature

Director: Louise Alston

Country: Australia

Running Time: 98 Minutes

Synopsis: A new student at a soccer academy is determined to beat her rival's team in the national tournament.



Movie Title: Clemency

Premiere Status: Texas Premiere

Director: Chinonye Chukwu

Country: USA

Running Time: 113 Minutes

Synopsis: Years of carrying out death row executions have taken a toll on prison warden Bernadine Williams. As she prepares to execute another inmate, Bernadine must confront the psychological and emotional demons her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is sanctioned to kill.



Movie Title: Live from the Astroturf

Festival Category: Best of DIFF 2019, Audience Award Winner – Documentary Feature

Director: Steven Gaddis
Country: USA

Running Time: 58 Minutes

Synopsis: Alice Cooper reunites with the surviving members of the original lineup of the band to perform a blistering set on a small stage of pink AstroTurf at independent music store Good Records in Dallas, TX, 40 years after the band parted ways. Store owner Chris Penn pulls off the near insurmountable task of organizing the event and keeping Alice's appearance a secret until the original shock-rocker hits the stage.



Movie Title: Mack Wrestles

Festival Category: Best of DIFF 2019 Shorts

Director: Taylor Hess, Erin Sanger

Country: USA

Running Time: 25 Minutes

Synopsis: Mack Wrestles takes the audience behind the scenes as Mack Beggs, a gifted athlete from Euless, Texas, struggles against the outside forces that stigmatize transgender athletes.



Movie Title: Poltergeist

Festival Category: FANGORIA Feature, Horror

Director: Tobe Hooper

Country: USA

Running Time: 115 Minutes

Synopsis: A family's home is haunted by a host of demonic ghosts.



Movie Title: Rapaz (Raptor Rapace)

Festival Category: Best of DIFF 2019 Shorts

Director: Felipe Gálvez

Country: Chile

Running Time: 13:02 Minutes

Synopsis: Ariel (38), is involved in the arrest of a teenager accused of stealing a cell phone. A mass of people surrounds the young man, some blame him, beat him, others defend him. The police do not arrive. Ariel must decide which side he is on.



Movie Title: Re-Animator

Festival Category: FANGORIA Feature, Horror

Director: Stuart Gordon

Country: USA

Running Time: 105 Minutes

Synopsis: After an odd new medical student arrives on campus, a dedicated local and his girlfriend become involved in bizarre experiments centering around the re-animation of dead tissue.



Movie Title: RENEEPOPTOSIS

Festival Category: Best of DIFF 2019 Shorts

Director: Renee Zhan

Country: USA

Running Time: 9:55 Minutes

Synopsis: Three Renees go on a quest to find God, who is also Renee. As they travel the hills and valleys of Renee, they discover all the great joys, trials, and mysteries of being Renee.



Movie Title: Second Skin

Premiere Status: World Premiere (Shorts Film)

Director: Farah White

Country: USA

Running Time: 6:01 Minutes

Synopsis: An introverted young girl finds she had more in common with deceased grandmother than she could have ever possibly imagined.



Movie Title: The Blind Side

Festival Category: 10th Anniversary Special Presentation

Director: John Lee Hancock

Country: USA

Running Time: 129 Minutes

Synopsis: The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.



Movie Title: The Lodge

Festival Category: Late Night Date Night

Director: Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz

Principal Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Riley Keough, Richard Armitage

Country: UK, USA

Running Time: 100 Minutes

Synopsis: A soon-to-be stepmom is snowed in with her fiancé's two children at a remote holiday village. Just as relations begin to thaw between the trio, some strange and frightening events take place.



Movie Title: The Queen's New Clothes

Festival Category: Best of DIFF 2019 Shorts

Director: Ashley Bush

Country: USA

Running Time: 23:42 Minutes

Synopsis: Winn Morton - a visionary, 90-year-old costume designer who honed his craft on Broadway and with Ringling Brothers Circus- brings over-the-top fantasy and sparkle to a conservative debutante pageant in small town Texas.



Movie Title: The Tony Alva Story

Premiere Status: Texas Premiere

Director: Coan ‘’Buddy’’ Nichols, Rick Charnoski

Country: USA

Running Time: 54 Minutes

Synopsis: The Tony Alva Story chronicles T.A.’s humble beginnings on the streets of Santa Monica to his rise to superstardom as part of the legendary Z-Boys, his inevitable drug-induced implosion and his ultimate rise from the ashes to accept his rightful place as a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations of skateboarders the world over.



Movie Title: This World Won’t Break

Festival Category: Best of DIFF 2019, Audience Award Winner – Narrative Feature

Director: Josh David Jordan

Principal Cast: Greg Schroeder, Roxanna Redfoot, Tim DeLaughter, Mathew Posey
Country: USA

Running Time: 158 Minutes

Synopsis: A Texas troubadour's quiet life is upset by the realization that he isn't where he had hoped to be at this point in his career. He questions the decisions of putting off a family life in hopes to one day "make it" by isolating himself on the open road and playing small honkey-tonks. Too late to stop following the dream and too early in his career to be a legend, Wes Milligan's struggle for a better life begins to spiral out of control. In these darkest moments, he writes THE song.



North Texas Film Festival Sponsors Include:



Title Sponsor

Capital One



Official Sponsors

Dallas Film

Four Corners

The Point Group



Affiliate Sponsors

Atom Tickets

Cinemark

Hidden Friends

Selig Polyscope

Veezi



Contributing Sponsor

Commerce House



Sustaining Sponsors

ABCO Inc.

Culture Map

iHeart Media

Thought Culture



Screening Sponsors

ARTSonepass

Bloomfield Knoble

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This Week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW (8/9 - 8/25)

Calling all movie lovers… Here’s what’s happening this week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW!
This week, we’re hopping in the drivers seat and throwing caution to the wind with the Don’t Try This At Home series with showings of DRUNKEN MASTER, DREDD, and BLADE. The bloody anime samurai saga returns to the big screen with the Anime-Zing screening of NINJA SCROLL. You can’t see them… but they can see you in the crazy fun showing of THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION. For a full calendar listing, please visit drafthouse.com/dfw/calendar.

See y’all soon at the Alamo Drafthouse!



This Week's Highlights…

Don’t Try This At Home Series
The series of daring, explosive, stunt-tactic films that will make your heart race and palms sweat continues this week with an exciting program of films to keep you on the edge of your seat. Catch DRUNKEN MASTER at Lake Highlands and North Richland Hills, DREDD at North Richland Hills, and BLADE at Las Colinas.

Signature Series: Anime-Zing
Join us for the first screening of Anime-Zing, a brand new monthly series that takes a deep dive into the amazing archive of Japanese animation with a screening of the totally bonkers, over-the-top violent, artful samurai film NINJA SCROLL at Lake Highlands.

Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Get ready to ramp up to light speed with the dimension-crossing chronicle of rock ’n’ roll aliens science gone berserk in BUCKAROO BANZAI as he travels across the 8th Dimension defeating soulless Lectroids and the evil Dr. Emilio Lizardo. Hit the accelerator and blaze through time and space to see it at Las Colinas



MONDAY | AUGUST 19
Cedars
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 7:30PM

Denton
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:40AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Cream of the Cult: PSYCHOS IN LOVE at 8:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 7:30PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 9:50AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM

Richardson
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Dread Presents: HOAX at 8:30PM



TUESDAY | AUGUST 20
Cedars
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 7:30PM

Denton
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:35AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:30AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Anime-Zing: NINJA SCROLL at 8:30PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 7:30PM
Screening: THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION at 9:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 9:50AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: DREDD at 8:35PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Richardson
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Video Vortex: OZONE at 8:30PM
Bar Event: Tiki Bingo - Glass Half Full at 7:00PM



WEDNESDAY | AUGUST 21
All Locations: Teacher Appreciation Wednesdays: a FREE movie ticket for teachers and school faculty/staff. Teacher-themed special menu available ALL DAY for everyone!

Cedars
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:05AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 7:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Denton
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:35AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:30AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: DRUNKEN MASTER at 8:30PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: Fist City: BLADE at 7:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 9:50AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: DRUNKEN MASTER at 8:30PM

Richardson
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Bad Radio: POINT BREAK (1991) at 7:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Glass Half Full at 8:00PM



THURSDAY | AUGUST 22
Cedars
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 7:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:30AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 9:50AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM

Richardson
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM


FRIDAY | AUGUST 23
Cedars
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:00AM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:00AM

Richardson
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM



SATURDAY | AUGUST 24

Cedars
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: NORTH BY NORTHWEST at 7:30PM

Denton
Screening: Kuumba Presents OGA BOLAJI at 6:30PM
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: PSYCHO at 7:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM

North Richland Hills
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: PSYCHO at 6:30PM

Richardson
Screening: THE IRON GIANT Movie Party at 4:00PM



SUNDAY | AUGUST 25

Cedars
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM

Denton
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 7:00PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM

North Richland Hills
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM

Richardson
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956) at 4:00PM



First Run Movies Now Playing...
The Angry Birds Movie 2
Blinded By The Light
Dora And The Lost City Of Gold
Good Boys
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (in 35mm)
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark
The Art Of Racing In The Rain
The Farewell
The Kitchen
The Lion King
Where’d You Go, Bernadette


Premiering This Week...
Ready Or Not

Stay Connected...
Facebook: facebook.com/AlamoDrafthouseDFW
Twitter: twitter.com/AlamoDFW
Instagram: instagram.com/alamodfw
Website: drafthouse.com/dfw
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | www.drafthouse.com

Movies Scheduled for the Week of Aug 18 - Aug 24

School is starting, or has started or will start shortly. Traffic patterns will change again. Please slow down in school zones. No phones while driving. You know the drill.

This time of year, the choices begin to slow down before the award bait season when they roll out the serious films. In the meantime just enjoy the indies and mindless action movie mayhem.

Aug 18 - Aug 24

Mon - Aug 19

Ready or Not - 7:00 pm - Angelika

Tue - Aug 20

Angel Has Fallen - 7:30 pm - AMC Northpark
Tod@s Caen - 7:30 pm - AMC Northpark

Wed - Aug 21

Angel Has Fallen - 7:00 pm - Studio Movie Grill Northwest Hwy

Good Boys

(Review by Chase Lee)

Is That You?

As the movie opens, thirteen-year-old Lili (Gabriela Ramos) sits on her bed humming to herself, pasting photo cut-outs into her journal, and ignoring the sounds coming through the wall. Her parents, Alina (Lynn Cruz) and Eduardo (Osvaldo Doimeadiós), are in the next room. Eduardo is speaking harshly and Alina’s ankles are covered in rashes. It’s quickly apparent that this is not a happy, loving household – visually signified by their house’s dank, shabby, and stark interior.



Writer/director Rudy Riverón Sánchez’s debut feature, “¿Eres tú, papá? (“Is That You?” in English), is classified as a horror film but it’s possibly best described as a drama, though the tense oppressive atmosphere created in the film does at times seem more in line with a horror movie. The photography is, more often than not, confined to the small dimly-lit rooms of the family home where Lili and her mother are controlled by the domineering Eduardo. Since Sánchez is more interested in implying the horrifying over out-right showing it, things are mostly left to the viewers’ imagination. The audience is all too aware of what’s going on inside this house, they don’t need to see it.



Alina finally decides to make her escape, waking her daughter in the middle of the night to try to flee the house. Confusingly, Lili herself denies taking part in the escape, retreating to her parent’s bedroom and threatening to wake Eduardo if Alina leaves, showing Lili’s devotion to the man despite his behavior. Has Alina attempted to leave before? Is she trapped there more by her love for her daughter than terror of her husband? The next day, Lili tells her father of Alina’s attempted escape, embellishing it with a lie that his employee Carlos (Jorge Enrique Caballero) was waiting outside for her.



One thing leads to another and Eduardo goes missing, the audience is aware of where he goes. Lili winds up in contact with a spiritualist, Caridad (Eslinda Nuñez), who gives her a ritual to perform at her house in order to help Eduardo find his way back to them, producing unexpected results.



Composers James Williams and Owain Kelly accent the grim visuals and the characters’ emotions with an overbearing orchestral score full of shrill strings and deep rumbling bass, reminiscent of the scores heard in films like “The Conjuring” and “Insidious.” The soundtrack does more to cause discomfort for viewers than the film’s visuals, embellishing what might have otherwise been a dull-straightforward narrative.



This cooperation between audio and visual isn’t enough to save this movie. The characters behaviors and their decisions often don’t make sense, especially from Lili. Her father doesn’t treat her all too well either and he frequently tells his wife the only reason she’s being allowed to do something (such as being allowed to have dinner for the night) is because Lili begged him. Once Eduardo disappears, the direction of the story feels odd… Shouldn’t Lili be somewhat relieved at her father’s disappearance? The actors all portray their characters in the same aloof and detached manner. This behavior perhaps makes sense for Lili and Alina, but not so much for Carlos and Caridad.



Even as the film progresses to more typical horror elements in the film’s final act, Sánchez leaves things to suggestion, raising questions on how exactly the film’s final events should be interpreted. “Is That You?” isn’t entirely gripping. By the time the film reaches its ambiguous end, you might find yourself not caring too much about what happens to any of these characters.
Review by Bret Oswald

Available on DVD and VOD August 13

This Week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW

Calling all movie lovers… Here’s what’s happening this week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW!
This week, we’re partying like it’s 1999 with the REWIND 1999 series, a year-long series highlighting the groundbreaking films celebrating their 20th anniversary this year with favorites like BOWFINGER, DETROIT ROCK CITY, and MYSTERY MEN. You’ll be truffle shuffling all the way out of the theater after THE GOONIES Chunk Junk Food Feast and THE GOONIES Movie Party. Watch Boone fights zombies, search for his missing partner, and get injected with a new street drug in the Video Vortex screening of OZONE. For a full calendar listing, please visit drafthouse.com/dfw/calendar.

See y’all soon at the Alamo Drafthouse!



This Week's Highlights…

Year-Long Series: REWIND 1999
Alamo Drafthouse will rewind to 1999 and relive the entire year of movies month-to-month in celebration of the 20th anniversary of one of the greatest years of film ever! This month they celebrate with screenings of BOWFINGER at Denton and DETROIT CITY ROCK at Lake Highlands and Las Colinas

THE GOONIES: Chunk Junk Food Feast and Movie Party
Get your Chunk on with a delicious full menu of THE GOONIES inspired treats at the Chunk Junk Food Feast or enjoy a night full of eye patches, flashlights for bully blinding and Smell-Along cards at THE GOONIES Movie Party. Gather up the gang and attend THE GOONIES Chunk Junk Food Feast at Lake Highlands or THE GOONIES Movie Party at Cedars, Denton, Las Colinas, North Richland Hills, and Richardson

Video Vortex: OZONE
Eddie Boone is a cop with problems. Namely, his city is overrun with zombies, his partner has gone missing, and he was recently ejected with a new street drug called Ozone. This Video Vortex screening is one of the most ambitious shot-on-video movies of the 1990s. Catch OZONE at Denton and North Richland Hills.



MONDAY | AUGUST 12
Cedars
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM
Screening: HOT ROD Movie Party at 7:30PM

Denton
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:10AM
Screening: Rewind 1999: BOWFINGER at 6:30PM
Screening: Springsteen Fan Event: BLINDED BY THE LIGHT at 7:30 PM
Screening: Don’t Try This At Home: DRUNKEN MASTER at 8:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM
Screening: Champagne Cinema: (500) DAYS OF SUMMER at 7:30 PM
Screening: Rewind 1999: DETROIT CITY ROCK at 9:00PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM
Screening: Springsteen Fan Event: BLINDED BY THE LIGHT at 7:30 PM
Screening: Rewind 1999: DETROIT CITY ROCK at 7:40PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM
Screening: NATURAL BORN KILLERS at 7:40PM
Screening: Video Vortex: OZONE at 9:00PM

Richardson
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:00AM
Screening: 2D DREDD at 7:00PM
Screening: Springsteen Fan Event: BLINDED BY THE LIGHT at 7:30 PM
Screening: RED DAWN at 9:05PM



TUESDAY | AUGUST 13
Cedars
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM
Screening: 2D DREDD at 7:30PM

Denton
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:10AM
Screening: Champagne Cinema: (500) DAYS OF SUMMER at 6:30PM
Screening: Video Vortex: OZONE at 8:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM
Screening: HBO’S THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES Series Premiere at 7:00PM
Screening: 2D DREDD at 9:00PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM
Screening: HOT ROD Movie Party at 7:30PM
Screening: THE STUNT MAN at 9:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM
Screening: Anime-Zing: NINJA SCROLL at 7:00PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Richardson
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:00AM
Screening: Anime-Zing: NINJA SCROLL at 7:00PM
Screening: Graveyard Shift: INNOCENT BLOOD at 9:00PM
Bar Event: Tiki Bingo - Glass Half Full at 7:00PM



WEDNESDAY | AUGUST 14
All Locations: Teacher Appreciation Wednesdays: a FREE movie ticket for teachers and school faculty/staff. Teacher-themed special menu available ALL DAY for everyone!

Cedars
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM
Screening: Rerelease: IT CHAPTER ONE at 7:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Denton
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:10AM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM
Screening: Rerelease: IT CHAPTER ONE at 7:30PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM
Screening: Rerelease: IT CHAPTER ONE at 7:45PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Rerelease: IT CHAPTER ONE at 7:40PM

Richardson
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:00AM
Screening: INGLORIOUS BASTERDS in 35MM at 6:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Glass Half Full at 8:00PM



THURSDAY | AUGUST 15
Cedars
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM

Denton
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:10AM
Screening: Rerelease: IT CHAPTER ONE at 6:30PM
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: DIAL M FOR MURDER 3D at 7:15PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM
Screening: DEVIN PIKE IS (ALMOST) DEAD: A Celebrity Charity Roast at 7:30PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM

Richardson
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: DIAL M FOR MURDER 3D at 7:00PM



FRIDAY | AUGUST 16
Cedars
Screening: Kids Camp: The Great Muppet Caper at 10:00AM

Denton
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:10AM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kids Camp: The Lego Movie at 10:00AM
Screening: Cinema With The Snake: BLINDED BY THE LIGHT at 8:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Kids Camp: Casper at 10:00AM
Screening: Taylor Swift Video Dance Party at 8:00PM

Richardson
Screening: Kids Camp: Teen Titans Go! To The Movies at 10:00AM



SATURDAY | AUGUST 17

Cedars
Screening: Free Victory Screening: STEAMBOAT BILL, JR at 5:15PM
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: TO CATCH A THIEF at 7:30PM

Denton
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: NORTH BY NORTHWEST at 6:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: THE WIZARD OF OZ Movie Party at 4:00PM

Las Colinas
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM
Screening: THE IRON GIANT Movie Party at 4:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: NORTH BY NORTHWEST at 6:30PM

Richardson
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM
Screening: THE SOLID VERBAL Podcast: Fantasy Things Draft at 8:00PM



SUNDAY | AUGUST 18

Cedars
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 7:30PM

Denton
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 7:00PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: THE GOONIES Chunk Junk Food Feast at 6:30PM

Las Colinas
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 7:30PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM

Richardson
Screening: PBS Kids At The Alamo: ODD SQUAD at 10:00AM
Screening: Happy Birthday Hitchcock: THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY at 12:45PM
Screening: THE GOONIES Movie Party at 6:30PM



First Run Movies Now Playing...
Dora And The Lost City Of Gold
Hobbs & Shaw
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (in 35mm)
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark
Spider-Man: Far From Home
The Art Of Racing In The Rain
The Farewell
The Kitchen
The Lion King
Toy Story 4


Premiering This Week...
The Angry Birds Movie 2
Where’d You Go, Bernadette


Stay Connected...
Facebook: facebook.com/AlamoDrafthouseDFW
Twitter: twitter.com/AlamoDFW
Instagram: instagram.com/alamodfw
Website: drafthouse.com/dfw
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | www.drafthouse.com

Angry Birds 2

The war between the inhabitants of Bird Island and Piggy Island continues in the animated sequel “The Angry Birds Movie 2.” That is until the green pigs that live on Piggy Island discover the existence of a third island. As the saying goes, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” and, since the third island, Eagle Island, is also attacking Bird Island, the pigs call a truce, allying themselves with their former enemies in order to find a way to stop the attacks.



Unsurprisingly, “The Angry Birds Movie 2” is a film that will, almost entirely, solely catch the attention of younger viewers. It’s another loud, in-your-face animated comedy. As with almost any animated work these days (at least those coming from the major production studios), the animation from Sony Pictures Animation looks fantastic. Bright and colorful, it pops off the screen. This screening was not in 3D although the trailers advertise that option as being available. It seems like that format is (sadly) pretty much dead by this point. As a trend, 3D comes and goes (the 1950s, 1980s, this current – and longer-lasting – trend). For better or worse, this suggests there might be another rebirth of the format in some future decade.



Eagle Island is ruled by the maniacal purple feathered eagle Zeta (Leslie Jones). Zeta is sick of living on the frozen land of Eagle Island with her daughter, Debbie (Tiffany Haddish), and her many cohorts, who she likes to torture by freezing them whenever they displease her. She sets her sights on chasing off the residents of Bird and Piggy Island with hopes of moving to their tropical locations. The ice angle is played up a lot by director Thurop Van Orman. Zeta’s method of attack is launching giant ice balls. Her pet dog is trapped in a cube of ice, mysteriously able to breathe, eat, and go to the bathroom. Debbie wears cubes of ice on her feet like a pair of shoes.



It’s a cartoon, expect the ridiculous.



Red (Jason Sudeikis), star and hero of the previous movie, is recruited by pig Leonard (Bill Hader) to form a group to infiltrate Zeta’s compound. The rest of the group is made up of birds: Bomb (Danny McBride), Chuck (Josh Gad), Silver (Rachel Bloom), and Mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage); and pigs: Courtney (Awkwafina) and Garry (Sterling K. Brown). They are a motley group of characters, each with their own specialty. The ego-driven Red and Leonard fight over leadership. Red hopes to save the day in order to keep his new-found popularity, granted following the events of the first movie. Silver, Chuck’s genius sister, is the brains of the operation, offering a threat to the insecure Red. Red is forced to learn to work as part of a team to stop Zeta.



There’s a subplot thrown in involving a group of three hatchlings who manage to lose one of their mother’s three unhatched eggs. Other than unnecessarily increasing the movie’s length, the subplot adds nothing. You’d think the screenwriters (Peter Ackerman, Eyal Podell, and Jonathan E. Stewart) would at least find a way to tie these characters satisfactorily into the conclusion. They don’t. While the hatchlings do wind up at the final fight, their inclusion is pretty insignificant. The main story and its resolution would have stayed the same without them.



Mostly, the jokes are pretty bland. They just aren’t funny, barely causing a crack of a smile, if anything. Although the movie’s humor is terrible overall, there are a couple of jokes that do successfully land. One of which, spoiled in the film’s trailer, involves the birds disguising themselves in an eagle costume. It ends up falling into the potty humor category but it’s cleverly handled. The other (fleetingly brief) moment comes at the ending, almost right before the credits start.



You probably know if you’re going to end up watching this one or not. It looks nice on the surface but is pretty much cold and bland, something made to further cash-in on an established franchise. Animation fans may like looking at the imagery, but this movie doesn’t have much else to offer.
(Review by Bret Oswald)

Angry Birds 2

(Review by Chase Lee)

Movies Scheduled for the Week of Aug 11 - Aug 17

Why do they schedule all the movies on one day. So unfair. On the positive side, they are having multiple screenings for some movies, so you will get a chance...hopefully.

Anyway, I hope y'all were able to get passes to the ones you want. Remember if you respond to a person's offer, you must contact them directly and not to the group email.

Stay cool out there. It's in the triple digit heat wave. yuck.

Aug 11 - Aug 17

Tue - Aug 13

Good Boys - 7:00 pm - AMC Northpark and Cinemrak 17
Where Did You Go, Bernadette - 7:30 pm - Angelika
Raise Hell: The Life and Time of Molly Ivins - 7:00 pm - Alamo Lake Highlands

Them That Follow

Writing/directing duo Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage set their feature “Them That Follow” deep within the Appalachian Mountains. There, Mara (Alice Englert) lives with her father, Lemuel (Walton Goggins), the community’s pastor and leader. The people in the community are almost all devout members of a Pentecostal sect whose members believe in baptism by fire rather than water. In this case, the fire is the church’s collection of venomous snakes used for patrons to prove their faith or ask for forgiveness. Members must drape one of these poisonous serpents around themselves in search of God’s forgiveness, his answer found in whether or not they are bit and, if bit, whether or not they survive the bite.



In the film’s opening moments, Mara and her friend Dilly (Kaitlyn Dever) are seen going to a nearby convenience store run by another high-ranking member of the community’s religious group, Hope Slaughter (Olivia Colman). In the blink of an eye, Mara hides a box beneath her shirt, returning to the counter to check out with a more innocuous item as her reason for visiting the store. Her real reason – to swipe a pregnancy test, which confirms her suspicions. She’s pregnant.



To please her father, Mara, in line with their religious customs, has agreed to marry the dully devout Garret (Lewis Pullman) though her true affections lie with her friend, Augie (Thomas Mann), Hope’s son. Augie seems to be the lone local that wants nothing to do with the sect, biding his time until he can leave. Hope, her husband Zeke (Jim Gaffigan), and the rest of the community have apparently given up trying to force their beliefs on him. Augie’s lack of faith keeps him from being an eligible spouse for Mara in the eyes of her father.



Unfortunately, Augie is the father of Mara’s child. This fact becomes apparent shortly after the movie begins. Hope’s role in the community is to check the girl’s “purity” before allowing them to marry their betrothed. The religion focuses on the subservience of its women. In one scene, Mara is forced to wash Garret’s feet to atone for a wrong doing. Soon, Mara’s transgression – her pregnancy – is revealed. What happens when the community discovers who the real father is?



For the most part, “Them That Follow” is a finely handled movie. Its photography looks good, capturing the drabness of the characters’ surroundings. While the editing is mostly good, there are a few scenes that are oddly sequenced together. Later portions of the scene are intercut with shots meant to establish it. These out-of-order moments don’t add anything to the film, other than needlessly calling attention to themselves.



The actors work well as an ensemble. They make their tight knit community into a believable world, one whose seemingly happy inhabitants are, more than likely, controlled by a few, kept in line through their shared fear of God. No performance stands out as either good or bad. The actors are there to service the script.



It’s here that most of the film’s problems lie, not that Poulton and Savage’s script is necessarily a bad one. Classified as a thriller, “Them That Follows” lacks the defining characteristic of that genre – thrilling the audience. Even the moments involving the snakes do little to elicit a reaction from the viewer. The story’s narrative direction is obvious, in part due to too much being revealed in the film’s introductory scenes. It might have served the story better to leave the viewers in the dark about some elements until later in the story.



While Poulton and Savage do a good job ingraining the viewer into the society they’ve created, the movie winds up feeling more like a melodrama than a thriller. There’s no sense of dread and no building tension, just a nonchalant presentation that flows to the film’s inevitable conclusion. While other viewers may find more to like here, it was a little stale for my taste.
(Review by Bret Oswald)

Them That Follow

(Review by Chase Lee)

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Facebook if filled with feels for dogs and cats. The Dallas Video Festival is having a CatFest on Aug 22 which will include dog videos too. So if you love this kind of thing then this new film is in your wheel house. Based on the book The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein directed by Simon Curtis from a screenplay by Mark Bombeck is all about that perfect dog and his hoomin. You can guarantee not having a dry eye in the house.

Milo Ventimiglia plays Denny Swift a race car driver who on the way home one afternoon stopped at a farm house that had some dogs to adopt. He's drawn to one friendly little guy who he names Enzo (after Enzo Farrari of course). The dog is voiced by Kevin Costner. The typical expected bonding is told in cute episodes. Enzo is brought to Denny's races where he meets and is loved by his all his friends and mechanics. Denny cute meets Eve (Amanda Seyfried) who is more of a cat person. But Enzo is able to have everyone love him. The years role swiftly by as Denny and Eve get married, they have baby Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the young Zoe and Lily Dodsworth-Evans as the teen Zoe) who becomes Enzo's bestie. The crisis comes when Eve gets cancer and they have to rely on Eve's well to do parents played by Mark Donovan and Kathy Baker. Dad is not happy about Denny being a race car driver.

There's the expected grieving, and custody battle by Eve's rich parents, and the inevitable reunion. The humans are of course all self involved with the drama in their lives. It's up to Enzo to narrate their story from the dog's perspective. It helps the dog is a beautiful Golden Retriever. He runs with Denny, watches videos of racing which Denny explains to him the formula of his success of winning when it's raining. He has tea parties with Zoe, rescues Eve when she gets sick in the woods, takes out his frustrations with Zoe's zebra plushy when he's left at home for several days with no food or water. Enzo doesn't take a shine to Eve's parents, calls them the twins. Gives a present on the carpet to Eve's dad who sorely deserved it after feeding him a pepper. Enzo explains that when dogs pass they are reincarnated as humans in their next life. If that's the case, you may want to be a little more patient to that flea bag taking up your living room floor.
(Review by reesa)

The Peanut Butter Falcon

THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON
*** (out of ****)
Here is the heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship, and for once, it seems quite accurate to label the friendship in question “unlikely.” The Peanut Butter Falcon is many things, but it is primarily a buddy road-trip comedy that hybridizes itself with a coming-of-age drama, a romance, and, at the very edges of its story, a crime thriller. One of these doesn’t quite fit with the other two, obviously, and we’ll get to it nearer the end of this review. The distraction of that element in its tonal mixture is small, though, so the experiment is at least two-thirds successful. That means we have a pretty good movie on our hands.

The film primarily follows two characters who find themselves in each other’s company at exactly the wrong moment for one of them and probably the wrong moment for the other. The former, who finds the other has stowed away on his getaway vehicle, is Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), who works at a fishing dock but has gotten himself involved in petty crime, both as a way to make ends meet and as a way to pay off a couple of goons. After setting fire to the goons’ equipment stock, Tyler steals a boat to get away. His goal is to make it to Florida, where he will settle into a comfortable life as a fisherman and tour guide.

Keeping time with this scheme is another, very similar one, had by Zack (Zack Gottsagen). He is an aspiring professional wrestler, watching a single tape featuring “The Salt-Water Redneck” (Thomas Haden-Church) dozens of times per day and dreaming of escaping his nursing home. Zack isn’t elderly, but he does have Down syndrome, his family having abandoned him for being “retarded” when he was a child. At the home, the only people who seem to care about him are his cranky roommate Carl (Bruce Dern) and stressed nurse/social worker Eleanor (Dakota Johnson).

His desperation leads to a late-night escape through the bars guarding his window. Hiding on Tyler’s boat, the two form something of a strange bond, with Tyler agreeing to drop him at the wrestling school owned by the famous athlete from the videotape because it’s on the way to Tyler’s own ultimate destination. The problem, of course, is that Tyler is a wanted man – not only by police indirectly (They’re searching for the arsonist responsible for the fire), but also by those goons, Duncan (John Hawkes) and Ratboy (Yelawolf), who have employed Tyler to fill in the gap left in their operation by his late brother Mark (played in wordless flashbacks by Jon Bernthal).

The stuff with the goons essentially exists to tell us information about Tyler that is entirely related to the plot (which also includes an attempt to establish a sweet-enough, kind of slight romance between Tyler and Eleanor when the latter catches up to the pair during her search for Zack). If the screenplay by directors Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz indicates anything, it’s that the film is better as a loosey-goosey road-trip movie, anchored by the performances from LaBeouf, who brings an appropriate sadness to Tyler, and Gottsagen, an actor who really has Down syndrome and plays the role with complete naturalism. The Peanut Butter Falcon has a generous spirit and a lazy-day feel that completely fit the nature of the story being told. In other words, it’s a nice story told well.
(Review by Joel Copling)