Critic's Picks

aGLIFF

We love a film festival that keeps on giving. With its year-round schedule of events, aGLIFF (Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival) gives us an excuse to see our friends without always encountering them in dark theatres. In the past six months alone, aGLIFF has sponsored an Academy Awards party, a Wizard of Oz sing-along at the Paramount, and a no-holds-barred event called "My Gay Movie" that showcased amateur gay filmmakers. Now aGLIFF allows us to do two of our favorite things -- watch movies and be gay -- at the same time, all year long.

various theatres, 458-9464
www.agliff.org

Club DeVille

It's time to practice Madonna as you writhe around in your boudoir, or hone your Bob Seger skills in your underwear ... You know what we're talking about: Every other Tuesday night at Club DeVille, between May and October, patrons can take to the outdoor stage and attempt to impress the crowd of tipsy twentysomethings sprawled across the comfortable, weathered lawn furniture. Effervescent hostess Emily Fawcett commands the proceedings and eggs participants into putting on a show. So pick a song, find a mirror and hairbrush, and bone up on those licks, baby. Your 15 minutes await.

900 Red River, 457-0900
www.austin.citysearch.com/e/v/austx/0005/52/93

Joseph McClain, Austin Lyric Opera

When folks have no background in the arts, too often all they see in culture is "cult": small bands of devotees ritualistically going to look at and listen to often wild-eyed adherents of certain aesthetic creeds. It takes real skill and persuasion to convince arts outsiders that this is no strange fringe religion, but a part of society that belongs to and can speak to everybody, and Austin Lyric Opera's Joe McClain has those qualities in spades. When he talks about his chosen art form, it's clear he's a believer -- his eyes gleam like a tent-show revivalist's -- but he doesn't just preach to the chorus, as it were. He describes the stories of the operas (and how they were created) like they're thrilling films or novels and provides illuminating details about his approach to staging a work and how it comes together, peppering his delivery with references to pop culture, current events, and daily life. In short, he finds a common ground on which everyone can relate to this rarefied art form and where his enthusiasm is infectious. And then he backs it up with operatic spectacles that are accessible, engaging, and habit-forming. No wonder ALO has made thousands of converts in this previously opera-indifferent city.

901 Barton Springs Rd., 472-5927
www.austinlyricopera.org

Mr. Sinus Theater 3000

Once upon a time, there were three funny boys who performed at the Alamo Drafthouse. Their duty? To entertain us with bad movies -- Hollywood wipeouts like Xanadu and Footloose and Star Trek V. But that ain't all. Oh, that ain't the half of it. Armed with their own special talents, John Erler (the tall one), Owen Egerton (the short one), and Jerm Pollet (the dark one) offer an evening's entertainment that ranges from the political to the scatological, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Their Friday-night comic jam sessions in the front row of the Alamo Downtown have become the can't-miss hit of the year, the must-see ticket of the millennium, the don't-get-there-late-or-you're-shit-outta-luck sensation of the season. And why not? Action! Laughter! Cross-dressing! And maybe even a little romance. Finally, these three guys prove that even comic actors can be strong, sassy, and -- above all -- fashionable.

409 Colorado, 476-1320
www.mrsinus.com

Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art

With more than 1,600 pieces of Latin American art, it's no exaggeration to say that the museum on the UT campus has one of the finest collections in the nation. Aside from the sheer beauty of the art itself, 20th-century themes add a poignant sense of urgency to the impressive collection. From Fernando Botero's iconical Santa Rosa de Lima Según Vásquez to Clorindo Testa's more abstract Sin Título, these works are as provocative as they are inspiring.

2300 San Jacinto, 471-7324
www.blantonmuseum.org

Poodie's Hilltop Bar & Grill

Poodie's has ice-cold beer, good burgers, and some great music. But the real draw here is the vibe. When you turn your radio dial to 95.5, do you think KOKE-FM? Do you think of the Saxon Pub as being on I-35? Ray Hubbard without the "Wylie" and as a member of Three Faces West? If so, you are going to feel right at home at Poodie's Hilltop Bar & Grill. Back in the old days, hippies and rednecks commingled, all dressed Western, drank beer, and listened to the latest cowboy music (cosmic or otherwise). Want to know what it was like? Walk through Poodie's doors, and you are back there again.

22308 Hwy. 71 W., 264-0318
www.poodies.com

Conspirare Choir

Whether performing choral works medieval or modern or in between, the Conspirare Choir, under the guidance of Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson, has tuned its amazing collection of voices to create some of the most scintillating sounds around. Singing exciting, challenging, yet accessible works, the conspiring choir sings with emotion and clarity that leaves patrons spellbound. At the annual New Texas Festival, the highlight of the New Texas Music Works season, Johnson puts the Conspirare Choir through its vocal paces, matching evenings of Conspiratorial bliss with a generous helping of other choral work of equal caliber. The choir performs throughout the year, but keep an ear open for sounds of next summer's festival.

2832 E. MLK #103, 476-5775
www.main.org/newtexas/

Writers' League of Texas

Last summer, after Austin Writers' League administrators discovered that a surprising 43% of its members don't even live in Austin, it suggested a name change to Writers' League of Texas. But in this case more than a name was being changed; the entire scope of the organization had to be rethought. Former Executive Director Jim Bob McMillan, in addition to being an all-around workhorse, successfully saw the state's largest writing organization through a risky growth by taking the pulse of the League in his unassuming, inclusive way.

1501 W. Fifth, Ste. E2, 499-8914
www.writersleague.org

Spiros Bubble Machine

It's the little things in life that make our hearts go buh-boom. A baby's first slobbery smile, a perfect harmony, the smell of a campfire. Oh, and also: Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles! We don't know when it started, or whose idea it was, but the bubbles outside of Spiros -- flirting with the breeze, catching the light, soaring toward freedom -- make us darned giddy. Sure it's a tad silly, but we like silly. Heck, we live for it. Now fly, little soap bubble, fly far, far from here!

611 Red River, 472-4272

David Stahl

Some actors command our attention through larger-than-life charisma, some through a mastery of theatrical technique. Then there is David Stahl, an unassuming, understated actor who compels us to watch him by just subtly, slyly becoming the characters he plays. No one else on our local stages slips so invisibly into a part. With Stahl, you don"t see acting with a capital A; you can't find the seam between artist and role. He can be a milquetoast in hysterics, as in Yasmina Reza's Art, or a ruthless royal, as in Shakespeare's Richard III, but the part always appears to be a natural extension of his self. Oh, he has technique, honed to razor sharpness, and more than ample charm, but he applies both delicately, elegantly.

PO Box 201, Coupland, TX, 78615

512/856-1144

Terri Lord

Don't misunderstand us. For years, eons even, we've adored the special collage magic of her gig posters (Ed Hall, Joan Jett, her own Sincola and Lord Douglas Phillips), been in awe of her CD covers and illustrations (Handful, Sincola, The Austin, ahem, Chronicle), and in general worshipped at the altar of her various geniuses. But when Renaissance lady Terri Lord took to creating monthly calendars for Manor Road coffeehouse/community center/girl bar Gaby & Mo's a while back, it was an aesthetic alignment of the planets: a confluence of artistic brilliance, identity politics, and pop cultural master's thesis. As a bent cosmos of voodoo princesses and cowgirls, poodles and junior high cheerleaders, Campfire Girls, a mixmaster Buddha ("Two Turntables and Yoga Pose"), and Blair and Jo from Facts of Life in love ("Hope") slowly revealed itself, technical and aesthetic mastery added to the dead-on subject matter: With the devotion of Saint Therese and the eye of John Waters, Lord creates masterworks of gorgeously saturated color and perverse juxtaposition, realized in careful, subtle detail. Early this year she downshifted to focusing her zeitgeist-capturing powers on special event fliers for the club -- lilting and hilarious odes to Monica Lewinsky, the Teletubbies, and genderfuck. See them soon, hopefully always, at a coffeehouse/community center/girl bar near you.

PO Box 49384, 78765, 476-4385

Best Regular Weeknight Movie

Jo's Rock n Reel

Thursday evenings are an easy rambling scene on South Congress, and something special happens under the stars in the parking lot behind Jo's, where a band plays their music and then their favorite movie to a lawn-chair crowd. From the Casey Sisters flashing High School Confidential, to Roy Heinrich hosting The Big Lebowski, to Jon Dee Graham gaping at Son of Godzilla, it's in inimitable South Austin style, eclectic and free. Music starts at 7:30pm, the movie at dusk. And don't forget First Thursdays, when most everything on SoCo is open till 10pm, street vendors and artists set up shop, and it's a full-swing bohemian's rhapsody.

1300 S. Congress, 444-3800

The Parlor

"Johnny Thunders? Patti Smith? Richard Hell? Mick Jagger? Who the hell is that?" The Parlor -- a loud, dark beer joint on North Loop, populated with tattooed, pierced beefcakes of all ages and genders -- has the city's most kickass jukebox, scorching live blues on Monday nights, a pool table that is often open and ready for lousy pool players to practice the craft, and some enormous, really confusing rock-star portraits painted on the walls. Music trivia buffs, musicians, and rock critics alike can entertain themselves for hours, slamming extremely affordable beers between examining the mysterious murals and going over their inner catalog of junkie images from the punk rock era, which is exactly what a night out in this cozy, darkened den of pleasures is all about.

100 E. North Loop , 454-8965

Cinemaker Co-op

As video gives way to DV and becomes an art form, we identify with the shock on our grandparents' faces when the same thing happened as Super-8 gave way to Beta and VHS. The co-op is an invaluable resource for filmmakers wanting the physicality and quality of projecting real film (either Super-8 or 16mm). Even without a camera or a projector of one's own, aspiring filmmakers can rent from Cinemaker to shoot that three-minute epic. Processing labs, rental equipment, and even a venue to screen films are also available. Cinemaker offers quarterly contests with challenging themes like "Make a Film in 24 hours" or more recently "Make an Erotic Film," where the best of Austin's best shine in local, lo-fi stardom.

1705 Guadalupe #201, 236-8877
www.cinemaker.org

Antone's Doug Sahm Portrait

The names of the mighty who have passed are remembered often at Antone's -- God love 'em for that -- but it's Richard Luckett's memorial to the late Doug Sahm that is so striking. The large portrait on the west wall is flanked nicho-style by cowboy boots and stands eternally by the stage, the Texas Tornado's true home. It'll be a while before anyone builds a statue to him; until then our very own house of blues pays homage all night long.

213 W. Fifth, 474-5314
www.citysearch.com/aus/antone

Texas Writers Month Kick-Off Party

The kick-off party for Texas Writers Month was held at the Texas State Cemetery this year so, although the state wouldn't permit booze, participants were nevertheless able to commune with Fred Gipson (Old Yeller), J. Frank Dobie, and Walter Prescott Webb. Rod Moag performed Western swing, and a cake very nearly the size of Texas had us in its thrall. Austin screenwriter Cary Roberts, who heads up Texas Writers Month, and the Barnes & Noble booksellers, who put on the party, deserve a round of applause for their creative party-planning.

PO Box 1382, 78767, 445-4186

Cinematexas

Short film usually receives recognition only in music videos, but has found a new place of appreciation within the Cinematexas International Short Film + Video Festival. Every year, Cinematexas draws new short filmmakers into Austin. While those who are just starting out make up most of the year's program, a showcase of better-known artists is also included to shock and delight. Some programs that come to mind: last year's presentation of Kirostami shorts and this year's gothic Svankmajer shorts. Extending their ken beyond film, Cinematexas also showcases unique acts, such as Miranda July and Michael Snow. In this town of year-round film festivals, Cinematexas is the only one specifically dedicated to short film, and we are glad it's here.

2909 University Ave., Doc Motel, 471-6497
www.cinematexas.org

Stella at the Carousel Lounge

Stella resembles Edith from All in the Family, but she rocks like nobody's grandma. She's not afraid to wear miniskirts, flapper duds, glittery hair bows, and a garter around her sixtysomething-year-old gam. It's always fun just to watch Stella do her Stella stuff. She'll take your money at the door, and even if the band ain't so hot, she'll take a spin on the dance floor when she can. She doesn't need a partner; Stella grooves all on her own, even if she's the only one out there. Stella knows how to party. But when it's time to go, it's time to go. She'll turn on those lights, start putting chairs on the tables, and let you know Stella's ready to go home. After all, she's got to rest up for the next night.

1110 E. 52nd, 452-6790

Bates Recital Hall

Though often overshadowed by the concerts held at the Hall, the pipe organ is a marvel unto itself. With pipes stretching up to the shadowy ceiling, and tucked into corners or within panels, it's difficult to count the actual number present. The metallic sheen is complemented by the light wood used in the hall. Also creating aesthetic happiness is the Frank Lloyd Wright-esque shell top, which can be raised or lowered according to acoustical need.

25 Robert Dedman Dr., 471-7764
www.utexas.edu/cofa/music/schedule.html

Arbor 7 Theatre

The proof's in the popcorn and the nice cushy seats: At the Arbor, you can watch your restored-print Bertolucci pic with the same comfort you'd get at one of those monster-size moviehouses, but with the intimacy and passion for film that befits an arthouse theatre. The Arbor is dedicated to providing a venue for independent and foreign films, plus it happily sponsors film series from the likes of AFS and aGLIFF, and what leg room!

10000 Research (Arboretum), 346-7919
www.austin360.com/movies/reviews/theaters/arbor7.html

AustinFilmWorks

Sign up for one of filmmaker Steve Mims' 14-week filmmaking classes to find out whether there's a career in cinematography (or on a film or editing crew) in your future. Even if you aspire to the less-careerist goals of simply raising your cineaste's IQ or satisfying your curiosity, we guarantee a major kick when the lights go down and you and 200 of your and your classmates' closest friends watch your five-minute class project on the Alamo Drafthouse's big screen.

4606 Rosedale, 467-0731
www.austinfilmworks.com

Austin Chamber Music Center

The housing market may not be quite what it was a year ago, but that doesn't mean that the houses are any less impressive. What better way to put some of those fine social chambers to use than with social evenings of classical chamber music performed by excellent musicians, accompanied, of course, by delectable victuals and vintages? It's the way this music was meant to be enjoyed. Of the many estimable groups that have taken to performing in Austin's private homes, the Austin Chamber Music Center has led the way with its "Intimate Concert" series. Under the guidance of Felicity Coltman and Ora Shay, ACMC has turned those exquisite salons into charming chamber concert halls, bringing to your table, as it were, some of the best-known classical musicians in Austin.

4930 Burnet Rd., 454-7562
www.austinchambermusic.org

A Fourth Opera From Austin Lyric Opera

Four cheers for Austin Lyric Opera, where the fours have been wild these past few years. First ALO added a fourth performance, turning Monday nights into an audience-friendly, not-so-highbrow night of operatic bliss for many of Central Texas' opera lovers who couldn't find a ticket in the days of the three-performance format. Now ALO has gone one better and added an entire opera to its season, bringing even more variety to its programming and practically lavishing opera lovers with options. This past season the sumptuous extra show was Carmen, joyfully produced in the City Coliseum. Next year ALO again offers four operatic productions that hail from strikingly different musical worlds: Gounod's Faust, André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire (yes, it's an opera, too), Puccini's The Girl of the Golden West, and Verdi's Rigoletto. Quite the quartet.

901 Barton Springs Rd., 472-5927
www.austinlyricopera.org

Austin Cinemaker Co-op's MAFIA Weekends

They all laughed when you said you were going to make a three-minute Super-8 film in a weekend, but not when you invited them to the public screening. The Cinemaker Co-op, that wonderful enabler of all things movie-making, sponsors this terrific once-a-year Make a Film in a Weekend. Once you've shot your 180-second opus and put your film and soundtrack together, you and the viewing public can watch it for the first time on the big screen.

1705 Guadalupe, #201, 236-8877
www.cinemaker.org

The Mercury

If you like a theatre-like space for that booming voice rant of yours to rattle the soul cage drunkards in the back, this is the place for you. Dark enough to brood in, enough tables to pretend it's a dinner club, and dinner downstairs if you want to actually eat instead of allowing that emptiness to feed on the demons of your tongue.

216 E. Sixth, 478-MERC

It Ain't Braggin' If It's True Exhibit

Celebrating Texas' inalienable braggin' rights of Valor, Vision, Pride, Perseverance, Swagger, and Showmanship, this amazing exhibition contains such sacred Texana as the bullet-pierced Bible that saved Sam Houston's life and Lance Armstrong's first Tour de France jersey. Featuring the Ezekial Airship that predates the Wright Bros., as well as a spectacular rhinestone-covered Cadillac emblazoned with bluebonnets, oil wells, and longhorns, the display is personified by Evan Voyles' fabulous 16-foot neon cowboy.

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum: 1800 N. Congress at MLK , 936-8746
www.tspb.state.tx.us/tspb/tSHM/Exhibit/Braggin.htm