One of the bad guys!

 A friend of mine landed a role as one of the "Red Coat Guys" in Ben Affleck's movie "Hypnotic."
Some of the scenes were filmed on the roof of the parking garage across the street from our place. 

Movie time in our park!

A film about hot air balloons and the people who made them is in the theaters and by now, probably on Amazon Prime. They had a spectacular party in our nearby park the other day.

Two idioms here

"Office Space" and "Dazed and Confused" are co-joined on this piece of art.

Just when you thought it was safe to . . .

Some gummy sharks from our Jaws party! A friend brought us these as presents.

Up in lights!

Here we are under the marquee with our name on it! This happened back in June. We like to sponsor movie parties.

McConaughey Rules

People like Mathew in this town. This custom clothing place on South First features murals of different movie scenes and this one is of Mathew in "Dazed and Confused."

Celebrating a summer movie

We were part of an opening crowd at the Zach Scott Theater last Sunday for the premiere of a movie called "Fug Sweater." It was also Maria McDonald's 50th birthday (she produced the movie) and actor Gary Busey's 70th birthday. Gary Busey is the blond-headed guy at the lower right. Lots of cheerful spirit when the lights went up after the movie!

[Note: Today is theme day at Austin Daily Photo. The Theme is 'Celebrating Summer.' See other interpretations here from the City Daily Photo Family.]

Ready for my closeup!

A film was being shot on top of the garage across from our place yesterday morning.  The crew was hustling to stay up with the sunrise.  it was fun to watch the crew setting up for the different shots.

Layered Cultural Reference, Temporary Mural

When I'm working crosswords and there are lots of names of sports figures and rap stars it makes me feel lost in cultural references that I never got and don't want to beyond which of the 26 letters they'll serve in the boxes.

This mural is one of a changing line up on the side of Frank's Hot Dogs Cold Beer. They don't keep the WEB site up to date but they do keep letting artists redo the mural space.  Walking by one day this month I saw this one.

Does this make any sense to you? Blow it up to read dialog bubbles.

OK, it's a movie still from the 1956 movie "Giant." James Dean's last movie, I think. He plays Jett Rink, a poor ranch hand who makes it big when oil wells sprout on the range. There is a classic movie still with him in one of the rich rancher's cars with the huge house in the background. In this still, taken in a similar place apparently, there is some minimalist sculpture in place of the house and he is talking to another rancher (Chill Wills' character Uncle Bawley?). The dialog bubbles says:  Jett: "Donald Judd." Other man: "Never heard of 'em."

You have to know the following: Donald Judd is a minimalist artist famous for simple light boxes and stuff. He has an outpost in the super trendy town of Marfa, a once forgotten piece of Texas adopted by posing hipsters (kidding). The film "Giant" was filmed in Marfa. If you know all that and the fame of the doctored still then this is hilarious! But it's temporary because Frank keeps changing the mural if not the WEB site.

Follow Shot

One day last week we were surprised to see a major movie being filmed on the top of the parking garage across the street.  It's Terrence Malick's latest effort (as we understand it, the movie is unnamed at this point) -- which includes cast members Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Holly Hunter and Natalie Portman. Here you see a man and woman being filmed as they walk towards the gray-green vehicle at the top left. Living downtown is fun.

Austin's City Hall...Really!

Jackie was on Cesar Chavez the other day when she noticed this sign on our City Hall: "Maricopa County Courthouse." Some location filming must have been taking place! We never found out what. Does anyone know?

Movies Come Alive

We went to see a documentary yesterday, "Live at Preservation Hall: Louisiana Fairytale." While we waited in line at the Paramount Theater to get in the Preservation Hall Marching Band came down Eighth to Congress Avenue playing, continued to entertain in front of the theater and did some woeful bluesy numbers inside until the movie started. The movie included a collaboration with the band My Morning Jacket which we found puzzling. (I think we are a little too old!) But the band? We were transported to NOLA for a while.

It's Only a Movie

You can tell it's only a movie because the waitress is so calm...and the tracks for the camera are in view. Shot Thursday by FFP.

Spy Exchange

FFP shot this from the parking garage yesterday. Gosh...wonder what was going on at Royal Blue? A movie was being shot, of course. Right on Nueces Street by our home.

Film Festival Winding Down

We haven't gotten to participate in Austin Film Festival as much as we'd like. But we saw "Black Swan" at the Paramount tonight and shot this picture after. The film that was second on the bill is about women who grasped for equality in the auto industry. Bravo Eloise for your support. We would have watched it, but we can only do one movie a day just now.

Texas Film Hall of Fame

We went to the presentations for the Texas Film Hall of Fame last night, a fundraiser for Austin Film Society and it's work in Texas film making. There were opportunities for celebrity photos of folks like Quentin Tarantino (who was given the Tom Mix Honorary Texan award) and Lukas Haas (who was inducted into the Hall of Fame and who has Texas roots but wasn't born here). But, no, I'm showing you the photos of some extraordinary (ordinary=not well know to the masses; extra=but really fun) people who came to the event. Mandy Dealey and her son Christopher were dressed in vintage Western. His jacket was autographed inside by some of Texas' great musicians (like Augie Meyer of the Texas Tornados) and was the coolest vintage Western jacket I've seen in a while. Mandy had on a vintage blanket-style jacket with Western emblems sew in. Mandy is a force in politics and non-profits in Austin and Christopher is a young man who I just met last night but, according to FFP, he is somewhat of a serial entrepreneur. With those looks and that jacket, he could be a movie star, I think. So I humbly present him and his mother instead of Thomas Hayden Church or Woody Harrelson (confession: I didn't actually see him but he was announced from the stage).

Oscar

We attended an Oscar watching party Sunday. This gent showed up on the red carpet as the award himself. Slightly more scandalous was the gal who 'dressed' in the same outfit!

March of a Different Sort

Yesterday there was a march of the undead on Congress Avenue. It is in association with a zombie film festival (Dismember the Alamo) that comes on the heels of the Austin Film Festival (Oct.29-31). Not that AFF didn't have some undead movies of its own!

Sandy's Frozen Custard Forever

On Barton Springs Road near its intersection with South First and Riverside, right across from the transformed area that now includes the Long Center and the Palmer Events Center and a parking garage and a park you will find Sandy's Frozen Custard and Root Beer. Well, that's what the sign says (which is pretty cool so I put it in an inset), but they have burgers, too. I haven't eaten there in a long, long time. I have no idea how long the place has been here. As long as I've been in Austin for sure.