As I'm the only writer garrisoned down here in Austin, Texas, I thought I'd seize my proximity/opportunity to bring you the scoop on the Austin film scene, budding as it is. This is the inaugural post of what will become a regular feature at Cinematical.

  • Robert Mitchum"If we continue to just take what's given to us, we're going to have more Justin Timberlakes taking the place of Stevie Wonder." Oh, come on, Cinematical HQ is always rockin' the JT!  Anyway, The Austin Chronicle reports that style photographer-turned filmmaker Andrew Shapter will direct Before the Music Dies. The documentary features chats with Dave Matthews and Eric Clapton, and will debut at the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in March.
  • And... Robert Mitchum's grandson Bentley is working with a interesting slew of characters for his upcoming Soul Searchers—Bablyon 5 man Robert Rusler, and Billy Drago of Untouchables fame, to name a few.
  • Our favorite local cinema, The Alamo Drafthouse, is currently in the middle of screening Bollywood and More: Recent Hindi Cinema. Only two show dates are left, next Tuesday the 17th's Company, a "dismal and stylish story of a decent young man's demise in the Bombay underworld; and on the 24th, Lakshya, in which "many people [...] die as Karan climbs and fights toward his manhood and a renewal of his love."