Batfest [Part II]

Today I spent several hours at Batfest registering voters with other Obama fans. In addition to the estimated 500 voters we registered, Batfest served as a fun afternoon for refreshments and people watching.

Local favorites like Boomerang Pies and Amy's Ice Cream had booths, along with all of the other typical vendors that surface at Austin events. I took particular advantage of the 1/2 price refills on carnival lemonade. Dueling stages at the north and south ends of the bridge featured bands to compete for festivalgoers attention.

Even the sweltering heat could not stop Austinites from coming out to enjoy the festivities, there were plenty of people in attendance. As the sun began to fall, and anticipation for the bats' departure grew, the crowd steadily widened.

Batfest [Part One]

Tomorrow marks the beginning of Austin's 4th annual Batfest. The festival aims to raise money to protect Austin's Mexican Freetail Bat population which numbers an estimated 2 million.

This year, the festival has moved from the Congress bridge to the 1st Street Bridge, and the fest seems to have more vendors and musical artists than ever. Bands set to preform include Flobots, Cruiserweight and The Feds.



Batfest runs Saturday 2pm-midnight, and Sunday 1-10pm.
Tickets are only $5.

More tomorrow when I attend the fest.

A Few of My Favorite Things [Democratic National Convention]

This year's Democratic National Convention was filled with show stopping speeches, snappy quotes, powerful personalities, and rabid delegates to boot. Below is my attempt to pick out the most entertaining pieces of this week in the mile high city:


#4 Quiet down Chris Matthews, Free Speech is alive and well in Denver! This week MSNBC chose to broadcast live from an outdoor studio outside of the convention, and the circus that gathered in the background was hilarious. From "RElegalize Marijuana" to "Impeach Bush" crowd members hoisted hilarious signs between the heads of Matthews and Olbermann. And the heckles were entertaining as well, with the best being from the familiar voice of Texas native and host of "The Alex Jones Radio Show," Alex Jones. "9/11 was an inside job!" could be repetitively heard at least 30 times during an interview between Chris Matthews and Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. The racket was so loud that the crowd was moved to shout "O-bam-a O-bam-a" over and over again to try and drown out the voice of Jones. Matthews was livid, and made sure to stress just how crazy the man with the bullhorn was.

#3 Look out Cindy McCain, here comes Michelle Obama! Michelle Obama stepped into the spotlight with a speech that aimed to soften and humanize both herself, and her husband. AND, she looked incredibly stylish while doing so. I especially loved Thursday night's dress.




#2 "Hilary Clinton rocked the house last night!" Mrs. Clinton put on her game face and went all in for Obama. The crowd went wild, especially when she recited the words of Harriett Tubman:

"By following the example of a brave New Yorker , a woman who risked her life to shepherd slaves along the Underground Railroad.
And on that path to freedom, Harriett Tubman had one piece of advice.
If you hear the dogs, keep going.
If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.
If they're shouting after you, keep going.
Don't ever stop. Keep going.
If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.
Even in the darkest of moments, ordinary Americans have found the faith to keep going.
I’ve seen it in you. I’ve seen it in our teachers and firefighters, nurses and police officers, small business owners and union workers, the men and women of our military – you always keep going.
We are Americans. We're not big on quitting."

#1 "Its not because John McCain doesn't care, its because John McCain doesn't get it!" The pundits seemed to agree with the crowd, Barack knocked it out of the park at the mile high stadium Thursday night with soaring rhetoric, and a speech that lifted the American people up just as much as it tore the Bush-McCain playbook down. He managed to combine his famous inspirational style with a thick, specific message about what his slogan of Change really means.






Side notes:

• MSNBC keeps interviewing Jesse Jackson with no mention of the "cut his nuts off" comment
• Bill mouths "I love you" to Hilary
• Biden shows us why he earned the VP slot
  
• John Kerry "regrows a personality" and delivers an excellent speech
• "Hi Daddy!!" Malia and Sasha have an adorable conversation with daddy via satellite

• Firefox obviously doesn't understand that Barack Obama could very well be the next President of the United States. Thanks Mozilla for stubbornly highlighting both pieces of his name every time I choose to use them.
  

Kevin Smith Opens Fantastic Fest at the Paramount

It's going to be a raunchy night at The Paramount.

According to a press release Monday, Austin's annual Fantastic Fest has found its opening film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. The upcoming comedy from director Kevin Smith will kick off the festival on Sept. 18 with its US Premiere. The premiere is slated to be screened at the Paramount, so rest assured this may be one of the sleaziest laugh fests to ever grace the screen of this historic theater.

And as if the film's premier was not exciting enough, Smith himself will be on hand to introduce Zack and Miri, and hold a Q&A after the film. It won't be in theaters until Oct. 31, so take advantage of this opportunity to see it early.

After the film, the audience will be treated to an event that has become an Alamo Drafthouse institution as of late, The Air Sex World Championships. (like air guitar, except with fake sex) Months of amateur rounds and semi finals will finally culminate with this tournament of champions, and it seems like the perfect compliment to the film's theme.

The synopsis: "Lifelong platonic friends Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) look to solve their respective cashflow problems by making an adult film together. As the cameras roll, however, the duo begin to sense that they may have more feelings for each other than they previously thought."

If you haven't attended Fantastic Fest in the past, let me fill you in:
The week-long festival is said to be the largest "genre festival" in the country. This year over 100 specialty genre, fantasy, cult, new scifi, horror, Asian, animation, and crime films are slated to be shown. And, the folks behind the festival definitely try to emphasize the FAN in Fantastic Fest. In years past there have been special screenings, meet&greets, and parties for attendees.

Fantastic Fest is definitely worth the investment (tickets). However, if you can't attend the whole fest, there will be individual tickets on sale for Zack and Miri Make a Porno. And considering the size of the Paramount, plenty on non-badge holders should be getting in.


If you are like me, and believe this is an evening not to be missed:

Tickets go on sale this Saturday (Aug. 30) at noon and can be purchased in person, by phone, or online.

In person: Paramount box office, outside the theater at 713 Congress Ave.
By phone: Call 1-866-4GET-TIX
Online: www.FantasticFest.com

Hamlet 2 [Movie Review]

Sundance darling Hamlet 2 is a refreshing take on the tired 'inspirational teacher' plot line that has bombarded audiences for decades.

Whereas films like Stand and Deliver seek to touch and inspire audiences with the gripping tale of a seasoned professor uniting a racially divided class by inspiring them to work towards a better future, Hamlet 2 doesn't pretend to be anything but a hilarious satire of this genre.

Veteran English actor Steve Coogen stars as Dana Marschz, a washed up actor who settles for teaching theater in Tucson Arizona. Instead of producing classic Shakespearian dramas, or writing his own original works, Marschz has a passion for turning popular Hollywood films into productions for his students to bring to life. The results are often disastrous.

The film's catalyst is revealed when rampant budget cuts and a case of mold in the portable classrooms mean that a whole flock of seemingly underprivileged Hispanic students are forced to enroll in Marschz's drama class, as it is the only elective left.

Pretty soon, these same budget cuts threaten the existence of the drama program as well, and Marschz is informed that there will be no class the following year.

In a last ditch effort to save the program, Marschz writes his first original play, Hamlet 2, an incredibly vulgar, off-beat, modern, musical sequel to Shakespeare's classic. Even though the play seems like an abomination at first, the ragtag group of students, and their professor vow to bring Hamlet 2 to the stage, despite the strict displeasure of the school's principal.

What follows is 92 minutes of pure entertainment. Hamlet 2 is infused with a hearty helping of both hilarity and vulgarity, but it is probably not controversial enough to make you feel guilty for laughing at it. Yet, with musical numbers like "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" and "Raped in the Face" the film, much like the fictional play being produced, may not sit well with anyone who takes entertainment too seriously.

While several of the young actors deliver superb performances, the film's success rests largely on the shoulders of Coogen, and his on-screen wife Brie (Portrayed by Catherine Keener). Both deliver plenty of laughs, yet their characters definitely have some depth. Both find themselves unhappy, living lives that do not live up to their own expectations or dreams, and we watch both characters deal with their pitfalls in very different ways.

Hamlet 2 lights up the screen as a film with both heart and balls.

*B+

Wrap up your feet

Check out the new TOMS wrap boots! So cute, I've already ordered a pair in red.

What's more amazing than how fashionable these boots are is the fact that for every pair sold, TOMS is donating a pair of special rubber soled shoes to protect a child in Ethiopia from Podoconiosis.

TOMS Shoes

Check out TOMS Shoes, a footwear brand with a soul.

For every pair of shoes sold, Toms donates a pair to a child in need. They've already helped to put shoes on the feet of thousands, and you can be a part of it. Extra bonus, the shoes are way cute!


Philanthropic and fashionable, now that's a winning combination.