Despite everything horror movies have taught me about going into dark, scary basements, I’m incredibly lucky I plucked up the courage to visit The Daily Texan’s office.
Nearly two and a...
Although Longhorns are counting down the days until Christmas, some are eagerly waiting to return to a galaxy far, far away.
The upcoming sequel in the “Star Wars” saga, “The Force...
“The Good Dinosaur,” Pixar’s second film of the year following the critically acclaimed “Inside Out,” decides to play it safe rather than innovate. Director Peter Sohn settles...
Radio-television-film students interested in screenwriting will undoubtedly search for ways to get their work recognized. The Black List, an online service where screenwriters can submit scripts and get...
In the wake of the horrific Paris attacks this weekend, The Daily Texan has compiled a list of documentaries focusing on past terrorism in Europe and the Middle East.
The Rise of ISIS
This PBS documentary...
“My All American,” based on the true story of famed Texas Longhorn safety Freddie Steinmark, fully embraces the clichés often embedded into sport films. The moments of agonizing self-doubt...
In an age where reboots of popular franchises are heavily modernized, it’s easy to hate the idea of seeing the “Peanuts” characters in a new, 3D animation style. The uncreative, awfully-written...
Without broomsticks or floo powder available, Harry Potter fans will drive to The Blue Starlite Drive-In theater this weekend to re-experience the wizarding world.
The Blue Starlite Drive-In theater...
“Our Brand is Crisis,” inspired by a 2005 documentary tackling U.S. political involvement in the 2002 Bolivian presidential election, shows director David Gordon Green doesn’t have a...
Directors, screenwriters and general film-lovers will flock to the 22nd annual Austin Film Festival, which runs Friday through Nov. 5. The event features several domestic and foreign films, as well as...
It’s clear that something has gone incredibly wrong when it takes a full hour for Jem, the titular alter ego of the main character in “Jem and the Holograms,” to grace the spotlighted...
Film geeks are dusting off their power-laced Nikes and donning their self-drying jackets to celebrate “Back to the Future Day.” Wednesday marks the exact date when series protagonist, ’80s...
During Halloween season, demons, ghosts and witchcraft haunt movie-watchers everywhere, but Students Against Cruelty to Animals are bringing a real-life horror to the screen — animal abuse.
Students...
Steven Spielberg’s latest film “Bridge of Spies” transports audiences behind enemy lines during the Cold War. The acclaimed director recreates the true story of a man forced to confront the threat...
Editor’s Note: This Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.
During a series of promotional screenings of their latest film “Bridge of Spies,” director Steven Spielberg and...
When police investigate the suicide of an evicted homeowner in “99 Homes,” director Ramin Bahrani captures the misery of the housing crisis and sets the stage for this tense, well-executed...
In this 138 minutes heist movie, the plot is captured in one uninterrupted take. Much like 2013’s “Gravity,” the film’s major accomplishment has become a major selling point –...
The French dramatic comedy “The Brand New Testament” has a lot to say about religion and humanity, so it’s a shame that it’s unfocused. With many simultaneous storylines and ideas...
“Follow,” the directorial debut of Owen Egerton, features a small story about commitment and paranoia. The film doesn’t try to be big and brash and does a great job building a small love...
“High-Rise” focuses so much on theme that its story gets entirely left behind. Despite a promising setup involving the residents of a towering apartment complex going insane and engaging in...
Every year, Fantastic Fest hosts an event that features movie fans literally battling over several cinematic topics. The Fantastic Debates feature select filmmakers arguing over certain...
“April and the Extraordinary World” presents a charming animated adventure with a beautifully crafted, innovative steampunk-inspired world. Taking cues from animation powerhouses such...
Cinema lovers from across the globe are flocking to Austin for Alamo Drafthouse’s annual Fantastic Fest, which runs from Thursday to Oct. 1. The week-long film festival showcases strange and avant-garde...
“Hard to Get,” directed by Zee Ntuli, presents a loud, audacious ride through the crime rings of South Africa, mixing in a romance between two criminals. Ntuli, who directed the film at...
Everything about “February” — it’s setting, performances and story — is absolutely spine-chilling. Writer and director Oz Perkins takes the simple premise of two girls stuck...
From the opening scene of “The Lobster," it becomes clear that everything about Yorgos Lanthimos’ film is completely absurd, and that’s a great thing. It’s a film...
Polish director Marcin Wrona’s “Demon” possesses a chilling premise — a groom who's possessed by a vengeful spirit on his wedding night. The premise is full of possibilities....
Editor’s Note: This Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Fantastic Fest, a festival celebrating creative genre films, returns to Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar for its 11th year this...
Cinema lovers from across the globe are flocking to Austin for Alamo Drafthouse’s annual Fantastic Fest, which runs from Thursday to Oct. 1. The week-long film festival showcases strange and avant-garde...
“Everest” succeeds in giving filmgoers a reason to never hike again. Man versus nature movies aren’t in short supply, but director Baltasar Kormákur’s film manages to convey...
Considering M. Night Shyamalan’s recent reputation as a cinematic joke, it’s fitting he’s released a horror film that actually serves as a perverse, dark comedy. Released Friday, “The...
For many filmmakers, the Motion Picture Association of America’s film rating system has long been a point of contention. Opponents have derided the system, which rates films to determine whether...
Writer and director Wes Craven, who died Sunday from brain cancer, knew how to spook moviegoers with images of mutants, cloaked madmen and a creep with third-degree burns wielding a menacing “knife...
With a rapidly growing film industry, Austin has become a go-to filming location for big-budget movie productions. UT is a highly sought-out location for big and small producers, but before filmmakers...
It’s typical for a wide-eyed, bewildered freshman to come to Austin with a million questions about classes, campus grounds and best places to eat around the city. With the unofficial University of...
Cascades of flying wood chips and sounds of chain saws grinding against wood are common sights and sounds in Austin artist Griffon Ramsey’s downtown studio.
Ramsey makes a living carving...
Fans of Iron Man, Captain America and the other members of the notorious Avengers clan don’t have to worry about. “Avengers: Age of Ultron” not living up to the legacy of its action-packed...
Although there are a number of directors who didn’t attend college, such as Quentin Tarantino and Stanley Kubrick, not all aspiring movie makers can simply pick up a camera and make it big.
As...
“Clouds of Sils Maria” presents an intense look at stardom, digging deep into the insecurities actors are liable to face when preparing for deep, complex roles. The film also explores two people...
Director and actor Tommy Wiseau created 2003’s “The Room,” which many people claim is one of the best “worst movies” of all time. Online entertainment company RiffTrax, famous...
During the Texas Travesty’s screening of the cult classic movie "The Room," audience members will chunk plastic spoons at the screen, participate in a costume contest and openly crack jokes.
The...
“While We’re Young” serves as an amusing and poignant satire of the hipster generation. It playfully mocks “artsy” New York millennials while exploring a range of more serious...
While big-budgeted movies, such as the “The Avengers,” are expected to draw millions in box office profit, hundreds of independently produced films scramble just to make it to theaters.
Independent...
With the purchase of a $10 movie ticket, movie-goers are treated to a pre-show treat: a barrage of often over-produced movie trailers. These short, promotional moments show off the potential of upcoming...
Who knew someone as depraved and vicious as Charles Manson could factor heavily into the lives of two estranged brothers? “Manson Family Vacation” uses the story of the infamous criminal as...
Director Craig Macneill tries his hardest to make the disturbing transition the titular character in “The Boy” undergoes very subtle. The trouble is, that transition is too subtle. The...
Ava’s Possessions
“Ava’s Possessions” has a brilliant premise, one which explores the consequences of someone who has undergone demonic possession. Unfortunately, the actual...
The key to understanding “Lamb” is to realize it’s a film based on perceptions. Some will look at it as a story about unorthodox friendships and two people trying to make sense of their...
SXSW Film is a force to be reckoned with. It's more than a week of premieres, exclusive screenings, comedy, horror and everything in between. The Texan's veteran movie reviewer Alex Pelham...
“7 Chinese Brothers” is one of those films that focuses on its central character so much that it seems to lose interest in its plot. This wouldn’t be a major an issue if that character...
“Wild Horses,” the latest offering from director and actor Robert Duvall, attempts to capture the essence of the Texas spirit while juggling a dark crime-drama at the same time. The result...
“Get Hard” takes a tried-and-true premise, one where a satisfied, upper-class weakling is sentenced to a long stint in prison, and drives it mercilessly into the ground. Everything about this...
Our movie reviewer, Alex Pelham, is tackling SXSW's film offerings as aggressively as humanly possible. He'll glue his eyes to screens for hour after hour so that you can be a little more selective...
“Get Hard” takes a tried-and-true premise, one in which a satisfied, upper-class weakling is sentenced to a long stint in prison, and the film drives that premise mercilessly into the ground....
It seems obvious that “Spy” was produced as a star vehicle for comedian Melissa McCarthy. This isn’t really an issue, as McCarthy is talented and has before proven that she is a comedic...
“Ex-Machina” is a film that plays with the idea that there is a muddled difference between human and machine. Granted, there have been many films that tackle this subject, but the majority...
Festival-goers at South By Southwest evidently know which headliners and other popular films to see this year, as lines to gain entry to the theaters stretched several blocks and even crossed streets...
As Joss Whedon’s “Cabin in the Woods” has proven, the concept of a “meta-horror film” works. Scary movies that satirize the silly tropes from classic slasher films, such as...
The manic, irreverent Russell Brand is a divisive figure. Some see him as a thoughtful, influential prophet who’s made it his mission to transform a corrupt society. Others view him as an egotistical,...
Director Kenneth Branagh clearly wants people to grasp that this adaptation of “Cinderella” is a straight retelling of the classic fairy tale.
There are no major twists or unexpected...
Although adult filmmakers produce the majority of the movies showing at South By Southwest, some teenagers are also getting in on the fun. The 12th annual Texas High School Film Competition is their chance...
From all corners of the globe, movie fans are streaming into South By Southwest to catch the latest cinematic treats the festival has to offer. As always, several high-profile films will make their debuts...
Hilarious dialogue, fast-paced action and great animation are trademarks of Austin production company Rooster Teeth. The next project on the company’s list: a crowd-funded science-fiction comedy.
Rooster...
For years, newspaper columns and the icons who wrote them were the go-to source for traditional film critiques. These historic mediums are important in the history of movie criticism, but a new generation...
Fans of the scheming politician Frank Underwood will be hunched over laptops Friday for the season premiere of “House of Cards” on Netflix. The series follows a power-hungry U.S. senator, Underwood,...
With the Academy Awards coming up Sunday, all eyes are on host Neil Patrick Harris. The comedian faces high expectations, but his stellar record as a four-time host of the Tony Awards is a strong indicator...
After years of horrendous spoof films such as “Scary Movie 5” and “A Haunted House,” “Kingsman: The Secret Service” serves as an exhilarating, hilarious revitalization...
New York may be the city that never sleeps, but Hollywood is the city that never stops. Franchises across Hollywood are either “rebooting” or adding to already complicated plotline tangles....
In “Jupiter Ascending,” released Friday, directors Andy and Lana Wachowski attempt to combine a space opera, an action-adventure spectacle and political power struggle into one epic film. Instead,...
Although “Amira & Sam” takes place in New York City, the film concentrates on a small, intimate love story. This isn’t a flaw; the story is compact and tight. It may seem difficult...
“The Boy Next Door” bills itself as a thriller. But it isn’t — it’s a bad counterfeit of one. The characters are bland stereotypes of common thriller tropes that lack anything...
This year’s Academy Awards nominations saw several of 2014’s critically acclaimed films rewarded for their effort, while the Academy snubbed other prominent films. In a controversial move,...
Nickelodeon’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” a show set in a world where people can control, or “bend,” water, earth, fire and air, has enchanted children and adults since...
It’s obvious that “Horrible Bosses 2” was only created because of the success of the previous film, “Horrible Bosses,” which was a crudely hilarious screwball comedy that...
“The Theory of Everything” is a film about both failure and success. On one hand, it pays tribute to the achievements and hardships of Stephen Hawking — one of the most celebrated scientific...
“Low Down,” a biopic about pianist Joe Albany, is a sluggish exploration of the singer’s battle with drugs in 1970s Hollywood. Narrated by his teenage daughter, the story travels through...
“Interstellar,” the latest blockbuster from director Christopher Nolan, manages to secure the trifecta of convincing emotion, stellar effects and an overall creative design. It utilizes the...
Over the past 75 years, the comic book protagonist Batman has been reincarnated in many forms, from a cartoon to an Academy Award-winning film. An Austin-based graphic design company is now adding to the...
Halloween is upon us and with it comes a perfect excuse to indulge in the cinema of the disturbing, the horrifying and the campy. With hundreds of horror films to choose from, The Daily Texan has compiled...
Whether someone would enjoy “The Blue Room” or not depends on their predilection for French films. Those who are into mysteries may find something in this small film, but it is likely that...
Christopher Nolan, the director of “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” trilogy is a vocal advocate for shooting movies on celluloid film, which has been the traditional method used...
“Gone Girl” takes a lowbrow, clichéd formula — the tale of a missing wife whose sketchy husband most likely has something to do with her disappearance — and manages to analyze,...
It is a bad sign that only about 10 minutes of “Dracula Untold” are actually entertaining. For a movie that promises a gritty remake of a landmark horror film, “Dracula Untold”...
“Cub” starts out as any good campfire story should — with a creepy legend so frighteningly realistic that it’s almost believable. Of course, in true horror movie fasion, that legend...
“The Babadook” is a film that calls back to a time when horror movies were fueled by tension rather than jump scares and when they meticulously dissected the psychology and vulnerability of...
Just as the phenomenal “Hunger Games” saga is close to finishing its run, the release of “The Maze Runner,” based on a popular book series, seems eager to become the fresh face...
Film fanatics are gearing up for Austin’s annual Fantastic Fest, a week-long event at the new Alamo Drafthouse location at South Lamar Boulevard. A can’t-miss event for movie enthusiasts, especially...
Ned Benson’s “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,” a film that depicts the complex workings of a failing marriage, comes off as oddly flat. There are characters dealing with unspeakable...
The tables on the upper floor of Dobie Mall fill each weekend with students trading, comparing and playing cards. Whether it’s silently debating strategies or arguing over card rulings, the students...
Aaron Sandlin could easily be called a hat advocate. As an employee at Hatbox: A Modern Haberdashery’s South Congress store, Sandlin appreciates hats for their elegant craftsmanship and...
“Blue Ruin” is an example of a revenge thriller that adequately portrays horror that stems from blindly seeking vengeance. The world that “Blue Ruin” creates is a desolate place...
Some films put more effort in their style than their substance, focusing on flashy camera work, sharp editing and elaborate settings. As long as the film contains a rich enough story to support the extravagant...
Haunted house films have become so common in mainstream horror that they have their own sub-genre, but the notion of a haunted mirror is new to the world of cinematic terror.
“Oculus”...
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is a prime example of the growth of the Marvel film series. Just as the first “Captain America” film led into the events of “The Avengers,”...
Radio-television-film lecturer Steve Mims’ film, “Arlo and Julie,” will premeire during SXSW on March 10 at the ZACH Theatre. The film revolves around a couple who become involved in...
It’s not hard to make fun of a premise like “RoboCop”’s. The film, a remake of an ’80s classic, is taken from the idea of mashing two subjects into one and calling it a day....
“The Monuments Men”
Feb. 7
Directed by George Clooney
Written and directed by George Clooney, “The Monuments Men” is a World War II period piece that focuses on the efforts...
From Beyonce’s Super Bowl extravaganza in January to last week’s debut of the “Bound 2” video, The Daily Texan Life & Arts staff fondly recounts some of the best pop culture...
“The Book Thief” takes a creative approach to its depiction of World War II. The film is set in a small German community caught in the war, its citizens conflicted about the views of the supposedly...
Vince Vaughn is well known for playing the lovable loser character, and his performance in “Delivery Man” is no different. Vaughn has a knack for playing the ridiculous, yet likable, man-child,...
