This week in Austin screenings 10/31-11/6

Community ScreeningsJames McDonaldOctober 31, 2025Comment

Predators Review

What begins as a seemingly straightforward documentary about a popular show and its known controversies evolves into a complex examination of the show’s cultural affect, bound inextricably with Osit’s personal experiences.

Reviewsremus jacksonOctober 30, 2025Predators, To Catch a Predator, documentary, David Osit, Chris HansenComment

Dazed and Despondent: An Observation of Richard Linklater’s Work in the Context of French New Wave

Linklater is seen as a figurehead for independent cinema, and one of the biggest reasons for this title is the excitement that his films carry. They are rebellious and staunchly against popular films of their time. However, this excitement is not the sum of perfectly precise plotting with never-coulda-seen-it-coming twists—it instead comes from a distinct abandonment of these elements.

Analysis, ReviewsEli FischerOctober 30, 2025Dazed and Confused, Richard Linklater, Masculin Feminin, Suburbia, Breathless, Texas, AFS, Before SunriseComment

Weird Wednesdays: American Hunter (1989)

Is American Hunter a "bad movie" on paper? Yes. Is it incredibly entertaining to watch? Absolutely.

Weird Wednesdays: Runaway

While Spielberg’s adaptation of Jurassic Park may have defined Michael Crichton’s career for many, Runaway is a fine starting point for the rest of his prolific career as a master storyteller.

Alamo Weird Wednesday, ReviewsJackie StargroveOctober 29, 2025Michael Crichton, Tom Selleck Comment

The Rest is Bullshit and You Know It: Performative Masculinity and Religious Sin and Guilt in 'Mean Streets'

Martin Scorsese’s gangster films are well known for exploring masculinity (toxic or otherwise) and the role it plays in the lives of men and their loved ones and enemies. In the 1973 film Mean Streets, the level of masculinity one has is inversely proportional to how mature one is.

Reviews, AnalysisAaryn StaffordOctober 28, 2025Mean Streets, Martin Scorsese, Robert DeNiro, Harvey Keitel, David Proval, Richard Romanus, masculinityComment

V/H/S Halloween: Have a little fun. It won't kill you.

Let’s get one thing straight at the outset: whether or not this review ends positively, if you’re the kind of person seeking it out, you should watch V/H/S Halloween. Full stop.

This Week in Screenings 10/24-10/30

This week in Austin screenings 10/24-10/30.

Community ScreeningsJames McDonaldOctober 24, 2025Comment

From Pink Cinema to Chimes of Dread: A Retrospective on Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Short Films

A retrospective on the short(er) films of J-horror maestro Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

For John Woo, the Best Way to Get to A Better Tomorrow During Uncertain Times is Brotherhood

With the opening of 1986’s A Better Tomorrow, director John Woo and star Chow Yun Fat captured “cool” with skill and style that very few have been able to match since.

AFS Cinema, AnalysisJustin HarrisonOctober 23, 2025John Woo, A Better Tomorrow, A Better Tomorrow II, AFS, Chow Yun Fat, Emily Chu, Tien FengComment

For a Few Dollars More Sings in the Waiting

It’s immortal filmmaking, the sort of craft that burrows its way into souls.

ReviewsJustin HarrisonOctober 22, 2025Sergio Leone, Clint EastwoodComment

Why "The Piano Teacher" Still Haunts Me

The Piano Teacher isn’t a film for everyone, but for those willing to sit with its discomfort, it offers an experience that is impossible to forget.

ReviewsJarrad JonesOctober 22, 2025Michael HanekeComment

Blue Moon: Lovesick Blues

Blue Moon triumphs as a portrait of an artist due to writer Robert Kaplow’s witty script and Ethan Hawke’s terrific performance as Hart.

Austin Film Festival 2025 Preview: Wake Up Dead Man, Jay Kelly, No Other Choice and more

Ahead of this year’s Austin Film Festival, take a look at the feature films and documentaries our Hyperreal Film Journal writers can’t wait to see.

This Week in Screenings 10/17-10/23

This week in Austin screenings 10/17-10/23.

Community ScreeningsJames McDonaldOctober 17, 2025Comment

The Romantic Lead We Need: Jack Quaid

The actor who has consistently caught my eye as a possible contender for the romantic lead we need in the modern era is none other than Jack Quaid.

AnalysisLauren RosaOctober 16, 2025Jack Quaid, Plus One, Companion, Scream, Novacaine, romantic comedy, romcomComment

Weird Wednesdays: Robot Monster

For reasons that extend beyond the film viewed in a vacuum, Robot Monster exudes a charm that is impossible to ignore.

Alamo Weird Wednesday, ReviewsDylan SamuelOctober 15, 2025Phil TuckerComment

Weird Wednesdays: Godzilla vs. Biollante

Godzilla vs. Biollante takes full advantage of the innovations of the time and rewards the viewer with the craft on display.

Alamo Weird Wednesday, ReviewsCollin CannadayOctober 15, 2025Godzilla Comment

Roofman: Let Channing Tatum’s charming antics warm your cold millennial heart

Sure, it’s easy to tell where Roofman is going from the get-go – these “based on true events” crime stories tend to follow all the same beats. That’s okay though, when you tell a tight enough story with a big enough heart.

ReviewsHannah DubbeOctober 14, 2025Derek Cianfrance, Channing Tatum, Kirstin Dunst, LaKeith Stanfield, Peter Dinklage, RoofmanComment

After the Hunt: Guadagnino's latest gestures at but fails to achieve depth

After the Hunt might build a world of identity politics in ivory towers, but the ideas it raises about privilege and power are never explored in-depth.

ReviewsAlix MamminaOctober 13, 2025after the hunt, Luca GuadagninoComment