Frankenweenie

This has been quite a busy week for my little pooch, Spike. He celebrated his 8th birthday and attended his first movie premiere. He wanted to write his own review of FRANKENWEENIE, but he's tied up in meetings all day with his agent so you are left with me.

Honestly, I had no idea what to expect from this event. All we knew was that this was the world premiere of a long awaited Tim Burton feature and the opening film of Fantastic Fest. Never in my life as a little girl sitting at home watching BATMAN & BATMAN RETURNS did I ever imagine I would someday be at a Tim Burton film premiere! Spike donned his finest bow tie and received first class treatment. This marked the first time ever the Alamo Drafthouse reserved an entire theater for dogs and their guests. We posed for pictures on the red carpet mere feet from the film's own stars. It was truly a wonderful experience that I will never forget.

Living in Austin, I have been fortunate enough to encounter several actors, filmmakers, and musicians that I respect & admire so I do not usually get starstruck. That was until I saw Winona "I welcome death" Ryder! Any slightly strange, raven haired girl growing up in the 80s wanted nothing more than to be Winona Ryder (myself included). She is an icon and still looks amazing at the age of 41. In 2001, I had a Winona Ryder Halloween party (her birthday is Oct. 29th) in which I dressed as Lydia Deetz. I wanted to ask her what it felt like to be the head goth bitch in charge. Even Tim League (Alamo owner) was in awe of her greatness.

We also had the pleasure of seeing the legendary Martin Landau and Barbara Crampton who you may know from a little film called RE-ANIMATOR. Tim Burton was on hand to do his best Robert Smith impersonation as well as Robert Rodriguez who I happen to see at the comic book shop a few weeks ago.

It was quite the star studded event, but none compared to the adorable doggies walking the red carpet. We saw corgis, yorkies, poodles, wieners, and one pug. All the dogs were surprisingly well behaved during the film. Trust me, I’ve been to rowdier screenings at Highland Galaxy than a theater filled with costumed lap dogs.

A Q&A followed the film where everything from Vincent Price to Burton’s merits as a parent was discussed. Someone asked Winona if she was anything like the dark brooding teenage she often played on screen. She confessed to being a bit moody back in the day. Martin Landau compared working with Burton to working with the likes of Woody Allen or Hitchcock.

Now on to the film itself: I absolutely love the original short film, FRANKENWEENIE which starred Daniel Stern & Shelley Duval. You may also recall a cameo by a very young Sofia Coppola in a horrendous blonde wig. I’ve watched the short countless of times as well as Burton’s other films like BEETLEJUICE, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, PEE WEE, ED WOOD, MARS ATTACKS, and the beloved NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. However, the last decade have seen Burton films that pale in comparison to his heyday. Since the abomination that was PLANET OF THE APES, we have seen a steady decline in Tim Burton’s work. Just this past May, I renounced him for the crimes committed against DARK SHADOWS.



I will now accept FRANKENWEENIE as an apology for the last twelve years. I had very high expectations for this movie as it would be pretty hard to fuck up your own film. I'm glad to see that Burton went back to his roots on this one. He recaptured the same magic he once conveyed with NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Burton once created a special world for anyone who felt like they didn’t belong. Since the day I saw Jack & Sally on the big screen as a young girl, I myself have tried to create my own Halloweentown, in my life & in my home. FRANKENWEENIE reminded me of the Tim Burton world I fell in love with so long ago.



This film pays homage to all classic Hammer/Universal horror and it does it well. Burton carefully chose the perfect actors to bring life to these delightful characters. Thank goodness he finally left Helena Bonham Carter & Johnny Depp (as much as I love him) out of a film! I had not realized the film was in 3D, but it never takes away from the story like most 3D films tend to do. Black and white was the perfect choice as well. I felt like it gave more perspective to the character of Sparky since dogs only see in black and white.

Obviously I knew Sparky gets hit by a car just like in the original, but when the scene approached, I still winced & teared up a bit. This film is not just about a boy and his dog. It’s about every animal lover out there. It speaks to everyone who’s best friend is a dog, cat, turtle, or even sea monkey. The film's message is that even when they leave us, our pets are still in our hearts. I can’t suggest this film enough, especially if you have children. FRANKENWEENIE is a must see for everyone!

Special thanks to CW & Austin American Statesman for drawing our names in the contest. Thanks to Chris P for escorting me & Spike to this glorious event. Thanks to Tim Burton for warming my cold, black heart once again. Special thanks to Alamo Drafthouse & Fantastic Fest for making a little girl's dream come true.

Raisin Arizona

Recently, I embarked on a road trip to the great state of Arizona. Armed with my SPF 30 moisturizer and documents proving I am a US citizen, we headed west. Ross’ family lives in Tucson, so we usually try to visit once a year. The sad truth is that it’s not that much hotter in AZ than it is in TX. It rained a few days when we got it which was absolutely lovely. Desert rain is truly enchanting. Of course we stopped at The Thing to pick up my all time favorite pistachio nuts. To my surprise, I got a call from Visa Fraud Protection asking if I was really buying $40 worth of nuts in New Mexico. I appreciate them looking out for me, but I do not appreciate being judged.

This also marked Spike’s first major road trip. Until recently, he had only traveled to South Texas and back. Spike was such a well behaved pooch. Poor Spike, he was incredibly confused by the desert terrain. He couldn’t find a patch of grass to poop on and had no idea what was going on with the gravel. He was also terrified of the doggie door at his grandparent’s house. He had a great time playing with his cousins.

We visited a couple comic book shops (none of which compare to Austin Books), antique malls, and of course Eegee’s where I indulged in the legendary teagee & ranch fries. At one particular antique mall, there was an entire booth devoted to religious artifacts. I’m pretty fascinated by religious memorabilia to begin with so imagine my delight when I set eyes of this giant bust of Pope John Paul II. We had a lovely Fourth of July with our dear friends Kevin & Daniara. They always have unbelievably delicious vegan treats. Maybe I can finally convince them to move to Austin so we can brunch it up and hunt for corgis on a regular basis.

I also visited The Loft Cinema which is Tucson’s answer to The Alamo Drafthouse. There are doing this summer series of “movie bad girls” with a bunch of classic films starring Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Ann-Margaret. We got to see STRAIT-JACKET which was really fun. I felt a bit of sadness because The Loft reminded me of how the Alamo used to be in the old days on 4th & Colorado St. Before everyone was talking about the Magnited States, it was our own little secret here in Austin. Back when we had the QT Fest, Fulci Fest, and Spike & Mike. A time before a bucket of Lone Star cost $21.50 and a couple potato skins cost $9. I’ve always loved and supported the Alamo, but lately I feel like our relationship has become severely strained. In recent months, they raised ticket prices and food/beverage prices. At The Loft, you can still get a bag of popcorn for $3 and if you’re a member, it’s always free. I read a lot more about the membership benefits to The Loft. The lowest tier is $50 a year and you get special pricing, occasional free tickets, and ALWAYS free popcorn! I often spend $50 on two trips to the Alamo. How come The Alamo never did anything like this? Because they’re too busy being greedy capitalists with their bourgeois priority seating. Guess what Alamo? There’s no priority seating at The Loft! Everyone is an equal, there’s no silly class distinction! Not to sound like a total ingrate, the Alamo is truly an amazing place. And now with their well known reputation, it has afforded them the ability to draw in bigger events and special guests which I appreciate. I just sometimes wish it was back to being my little theater that catered to true film fans. I really feel like they’re too focused on appealing to fans on a wider scale, like people who see MAGIC MIKE or ONE FOR THE MONEY. The old Alamo would have never screened something like THAT’S MY BOY, but they did at the Ritz. I’m just glad that places like The Loft exist around the country. The world needs a little variety.

We also spent a day in Phoenix. We had some truly amazing Mexican food at a place called La Condesa. They had a delectable salsa bar that had about fourteen different salsas ranging from pecan salsa to strawberry salsa. Every one that I tried was tasty. We also got to visit Lulubell Toy Bodega in Tempe. They have a lot of Japanese Kaiju toys. This place is a mecca for serious vinyl toy collectors. I was only hoping to see their infamous pug Winston, but apparently he was off work that day. The highlight of my trip was visiting Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Farm. It's right off the highway between Tucson and Phoenix. They had donkeys, deer, goats, ostrich, ducks, and lorikeets that you can all feed. Ross got bit by a donkey and one of the ostrich (barps) almost took off my pinkie finger. All the animals are super cute and fun, but be careful not to get bit. I told Ross to help me get this lorikeet off my head before he pooped on me and he just said, "wait let me take a picture first." Thanks a lot Turkey.

I always make a point to stop by Bookmans in Tucson. They have several stores around AZ and are the equivalent of Half Priced Books in TX. I think Bookmans is a bit more reasonably priced and they have a wider selection of other media. I picked up three books for $8 a piece which probably would have cost $12-14 each at Half Priced. Their selection also hasn’t been picked over by Hyde Park hipsters looking to decorate their brand new IKEA shelving. The best pick of the week for me was this one of a kind Justin Timberlake action figure (doll) from the “Bye Bye Bye” era.

We really had a lovely time in AZ as always. It really is nice to get away sometimes, but it’s even nicer to be home.

The Saw Is Family

Texas Monthly and Alamo Drafthouse had a series of Rolling Roadshows this summer to celebrate the greatest films from Texas. I had the privilege of seeing the screening of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE in Kingsland, TX where the house is located. As some of you know, the house that belonged to Leatherface in the film was originally located in Round Rock, TX where La Frontera shopping center currently stands. Several years ago, the house was sold and moved to Kingsland then turned into a restaurant.

This special event might be the holy mecca of pilgrimages for horror fans. TCM is undoubtedly one of the greatest horror films of all time; it's definitely in my Top 3. Many people to this day still believe TCM is a true story; it is to some degree. Famous serial killer Ed Gein offered some inspiration for the plot of TCM, but the screenplay was the work of Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper. All the sequels and remakes fail to convey the same terrifying feelings as that original film from 1974. I first watched TCM when I was a kid and I was completely blown away by how relenting & merciless the film came across. It was very unsettling and probably the source of my unnatural fear & repulsion of hillbillies. With such a small budget, relatively unknown cast, and iconic setting, no film will ever recreate this incredible formula.

I had actually visited the house in Kingsland 3 yrs ago and got to spend the weekend at the neighboring hotel. I had dinner in the house/restaurant (menu mostly consisted of Cajun food) and the theme was mostly wholesome country. There was no film memorabilia displayed anywhere. The house looked virtually the same without the animal carcasses. The door that Leatherface lunged from was now the kitchen and the attic where grandpa stayed was now a bar. The bar was actually really cool, it had a stylish 1920s vibe. The bar bathroom held the only indication that Leatherface once lived there with a movie poster hanging on the wall.

Aside from the sweltering June heat, I could not ask for a more memorable experience. As a last minute surprise, it was announced that some of the cast and crew would be in attendance for the screening. Marilyn Burns, Kim Henkel, Allen Danziger, and Edwin Neal all were gracious enough to answer questions and share various stories. There was also a headcheese eating contest that seriously made me nauseous. Just googling headcheese made me nauseous! After the Q & A, we were all invited to take a tour of the house. It seems as though the current owners picked up on the interest in the home/film and decided to profit from it. Now there is TCM memorabilia everywhere which kind of gives off a Universal Studios feel. The upstairs bar is now host to someone's cheesy Star Wars collection. In my opinion, the new additions to the home kind of cheapen the feel this mysterious house once had. I had a wonderful time nonetheless.


Special thanks to Derek & Michelle for making the jaunt with us and for sharing their bug spray. Also, thanks to the Alamo Drafthouse for making a little girl's wild dreams come true.

Don't Talk!

I spend a ridiculous amount of time in a movie theater, probably more than the average person so this experience is something I take very seriously and personal. Most of you have by now heard of the Alamo Drafthouse patron who was kicked out for texting during a film. In light of recent events, let’s reflect on the average movie going experience.

I lived in a small town prior to coming to Austin so my theater selection was very grim. I had a choice of going to Tinseltown or the Mall. Of course there was never anything of interest showing at those theaters either unless you’re a fan of M Night Shyamalan or other mainstream crap.

Since moving to Austin twelve years ago, my movie experience has improved drastically as a direct result of The Alamo Drafthouse. My mind was blown the moment I set foot into the original location off 4th & Colorado St. Finally a place where I belonged! I couldn't believe you could watch a movie, eat food, and drink beer at the same time.

Those first couple of years I became obsessed with The Alamo! I went to all the Music Mondays, Weird Wednesdays, and Mr. Sinus shows I could. I have nothing but great memories from the Original Alamo. During SXSW one year, I got to meet acclaimed director Penelope Spheeris. Pauly Shore once sat next to me at his own film and proceeded to laugh at his own jokes. I held on to the barf bag I received during my 1st Fulci Fest. I felt like I had reached the Promised Land! It only got better with the opening of more theaters around town. I got to shed some tears with an entire theater of Buffy fans during the screening of the final episode at LakeCreek. I also indulged in some spirits during a screening of PASSION OF THE CHRIST at The Village. Then it came time for the original location to expand. As a former long time patron of The Ritz bar, I can’t think of a better occupant than The Alamo for such a sacred site. Since moving into the Ritz, The Alamo has continued to set the standard for the movie going experience. Like when we went to the Justin Timberlake sing-along for my birthday one year and Chad danced the “Sexy Back” on stage, or the CADDYSHACK quote-along with actual explosions, and how could we forget the MONSTER SQUAD screening with cast & crew. My only regret is that I was not in attendance for the secret screening of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS during BNAT when they decorated the theater with Nazi flags like in the film.

I go to the Alamo because people are well behaved and the service is remarkable. I do not go to regular theaters anymore because frankly I do not want to pay $10 to be surrounded by neanderthals and/or children. I am just utterly disgusted by people who talk/text during films. I would consider myself a pretty compassionate person, but anyone who commits this sin should suffer at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. For me, the movie experience is sacred and special. It’s my time to escape the world and get lost in something enlightening. The theater is my refuge which is why I often prefer going to movies alone. Now when someone fucks with that experience I get REAL pissed! This is why I am so grateful for The Alamo because that behavior is not tolerated there. I commend them for standing ground and making an example of this injustice. When I went to a recent Music Monday, I got to hear the now infamous PSA and the whole theater erupted in applause.
A few years ago I used to always talk about moving from Austin to a bigger city. However, I could never survive without The Alamo. As much as those places may be hipper or not as sweltering, they do not have The Alamo. It would be like spending years in First Class and having to go back to Coach. I will NOT do it! I will forever remain loyal to The Alamo and grateful for all the wonderful experiences I have had at their theaters. People believe that Los Angeles or New York is where you should be if you want to be involved with the film industry; they may be right. If you consider yourself a film fan, then Austin is the place to be. Places like Alamo Drafthouse, I Luv Video, and Vulcan Video cater to cinema enthusiasts. Events like Fantastic Fest, BNAT, Austin Film Fest, and SXSW keep Austin on the map in the film world. I personally could not think of a better place to be. I’m glad our “crappy ass little theater” has caused quit the stir. Magnited I stand!