Movies, Mothers, and 4th of July Fun Highlights the Week's Events

I Love the 1990s Trivia

Monday 1, Captain Quackenbush’s Coffeehouse

Anyone else ever watch the ol’ VH1 “I Love The” series? My knowledge of previous decades comes almost entirely from those shows with their comedian talking heads and tasteless jokes about celebrity tragedies. Delve into that nostalgic knowledge hole for this trivia night – hosted on Nineties icon Pamela Anderson’s birthday by Get It Games. In tribute to our favorite blonde bedhead babe, draw your eyebrows as thin as possible and wear a nude lip – oh, and bring a maximum of six friends for your team.   – James Scott

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

Monday 1, Galaxy Highland Theatre

The original plan series creator Stephen Hillenburg intended was that the adventures of lovable rectangular & jaundiced sea sponge SpongeBob would conclude with this mega-movie event. Unfortunately, corporate greed demanded the sponge be wrung out for everything he’s got, so we’re still getting nautical nonsense well into 2024. However, only a real bubble-blowing baby would skip the chance to see what continues to be the gold standard of cartoon big-screen leaps. You can try to hide, but don’t think we don’t know how to weeeeeeeeed you out. I’m a goofy goober, yeah ... you’re a goofy goober, yeah ...   – James Scott

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Monday 1, Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane, Lakeline

Hot on the heels of 1996's genre-redefining Scream, screenwriter Kevin Williamson kept banging out hits, following up with this teen slasher in 1997 before rolling out Dawson’s Creek in 1998. For I Know, he adapted the 1973 novel of the same name by YA author Lois Duncan, and they cast Y2K's most likable stars for a Fourth of July-set story blending elements of Eighties slashers and the urban legend of the hook man. Fun fact: Co-stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. met on set and later married, and are still adorably together to this day.   – Kat McNevins

A Little Early/A Little Late: The Cinema of Hong Sang-soo

Tuesday 2, Austin Film Society

Writer and director Hong Sang-soo is an icon of slice-of-life cinema from South Korea. His work is a master class in capturing the human condition in all its raw, unpretty, oftentimes uneventful glory. He’s able to paint his protagonists in shades of gray without them seeming dull. They simply are, and the life that happens around them forces them into colors that require attention – reds, blues, bruise purple, blinding yellow. While the stories themselves are unsensational, the intricate attention to character study earns the auteur an iconic status among the peninsula’s pantheon of iconic filmmakers, pushing the boundaries of comfort for an oddly conservative industry. With AFS’s Essential Cinema series-starter Woman Is the Future of Man (2004), Hong takes mundane conversation and forces viewers to lean into the various meanings and avenues those conversations take.   – Cy White

Copa América

Tuesday 2, Q2 Stadium

Why is the championship of South America being played in the U.S., with Caribbean and North American teams as entrants? Best not ask for logic; just enjoy the fact that Austin gets to be a host for one of the world’s great soccer tournaments. There’s no Brazil or Argentina on offer here, but we do get to see four intriguing underdogs playing their group stage finales: Jamaica-Venezuela on Sunday, and Costa Rica-Paraguay on Tuesday. Looking for someone to root for? Show some love for Venezuela’s Dani Pereira and Costa Rica’s Julio Cascante: both key starters for Austin FC when they’re not representing their countries.   – Nick Barbaro

Independence Day

Tuesday 2, Alamo Village

Nothing says freedom quite like blowing up the White House: There’s a reason the 1996 blockbuster continues to make the pop culture rounds. The cast is stacked – Will Smith (who reinvented what it meant to be an action star in the Nineties), Jeff Goldblum (my first white-boy crush, though The Lost World: Jurassic Park had me believing this man was an extra light-skinned Black dude), Vivica A. Fox (the undeniable, the iconic), Bill Pullman, Dennis Quaid, and Harry Connick Jr. The one-liners are one-lining. The action is nonstop from about the 15-minute mark. This is definitely a good one to bask in the nostalgia of while sipping a Tito’s Mule and stuffing yourself silly on the Alamo menu.   – Cy White

The Bodyguard

Tuesday 2, Paramount Theatre

Do you remember where you were when you heard the unconscionable clarity of Whitney Houston’s voice when she sang the most iconic two syllables in pop music (“And I...”)? I don’t remember where I was, but I remember what happened. At my big age of about 6 years old, I was absolutely in love with Whitney Houston. Those two notes rang out of the tiny car speakers of my dad’s white Chevrolet Caprice. There was the moment of silence, then the most powerful voice ever conceived proclaimed “I am” on a remake (that I didn’t know was a remake at the time) about love lost but never forgotten. That feeling when a shiver takes hold of your spine and won’t let go for long minutes: That’s what happened to me. Some 32 years later, the song still holds my nervous system captive. It was only a matter of time before Paramount’s ode to 50 years of classic film viewings got to Whitney.   – Cy White

Weird Wednesday: Tank Girl

Wednesday 3, Alamo South Lamar

Everyone thought that only a maniac or a creative genius would dare to bring the unhinged punk artwork of British comic creator Jamie Hewlett to the screen. Fortunately, director Rachel Talalay got a little of both when she hired Austinite and future Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke as production designer for her off-the-chain adaptation of proto-riot grrrl oddity Tank Girl. Strap in with Lori Petty as the titular tank driver and Ice-T riding shotgun as a mutant kangaroo, and roll across a deranged near-future to a soundtrack provided by the best of women-fronted Nineties alt music outfits, including Veruca Salt, Hole, Belly, and Björk.   – Richard Whittaker

Mother Putters

Wednesday 3, Holey Moley

As if Austin wasn’t already bursting with novelty-sport bars: Anyone feeling underserved by the corporate-fun of Top Golf may find the exact balance of silly and spirit-filled at new Putt-Putt golf bar Holey Moley. Here also will be found new Extragrams drag show Mother Putters, where hosts Lawrie Bird and Harlot present a combo platter of Hole-in-Won trivia and classic drag bingo. Winners earn free food and drinks, and Extragrams notes that trivia is not golf-focused. “We don’t know anything about that,” their Insta post assures. “We’re here for the visors.”   – James Scott

Non-Binary Joy

Wednesday 3 - Saturday 6, Dougherty Arts Center

From nonbinary interdisciplinary theatre designer, dancer, and choreographer Desmond Kendra Wiley comes an immersive and interactive dance experience. The collaboration between Wiley and Dougherty Arts Center was developed by and for Austin’s nonbinary community. Integrated into the show through text are responses by nonbinary folks to an informal survey about their lived experiences. People of any gender identity are invited to join the celebration of identity, authenticity, and queerness as well as donate $10 for entry. Comfortable clothes are the suggested attire.   – Jasmine Iman Wright

High Noon Talk: Photography of Al Rendon

Wednesday 3, Bullock Museum

San Antonio’s Al Rendon has documented South Texas life and culture with his photography for about 50 years, capturing iconic imagery of Selena, Queen of Tejano, including the cover for her 1992 album Entre a Mi Mundo. Rendon’s art photography has made it all across the world, and he’s currently exhibiting some work highlighting the lowrider community in the Bullock’s exhibit “Carros y Cultura.” Get a retrospective from Rendon and a look at some current works at this casual talk where you can learn on your lunch break.   – Kat McNevins

Sundance Short Film Festival Tour 2024

Thursday 4 - Sunday 10, AFS Cinema

It often feels like the fate of a short film after festival season is ignominious anonymity at the whim of some streaming platform’s algorithm. Luckily, Utah’s Sundance Film Festival is giving these short but sweet delights more time on the big screen. The touring selection of seven miniature wonders includes three award-winners from this year’s festival: Spanish class war satire “The Masterpiece” (Short Film Grand Jury Prize), Japanese interspecies rom-com “Pisko the Crab Child in Love” (Special Jury Prize for Directing), and sexy insect comedy “Bug Diner” (Jury Award: Animation).   – Richard Whittaker

Round Rock July Fourth Parade & Frontier Days

Thursday 4, Mays Street & Old Settlers Park

Round Rock is celebrating the ol’ U.S. of A in a big way, starting with a 1.5-mile parade down Mays Street at 8:30am, before it gets too hot. Patriotic festivities at Old Settlers Park go from noon until 11:30pm, with carnival rides, live music, pig races from Swifty Swine Racing Pigs, a Sam Bass Shootout, and the 3pm pepper-eating contest, which sounds intense: 20 minutes of contestants just eating whole peppers. They aren’t allowed to squeeze out any of the seeds or juice! All that activity and you’ll be ready to relax and gaze at the fireworks show before heading home.   – Kat McNevins

14th Annual 4th of July Corn Dog Eating Contest

Thursday 4, Black Sheep Lodge

There are a lot of pleasurable things you could put in your pie hole, but is there any more American than the corn dog? (Checks Wikipedia... “Newly arrived German immigrants in Texas...” That’s the melting pot at work, y’all!) To be fair, this annual contest is not about patriotic ideals, but numbers: Specifically, how many corn dogs you can eat in eight minutes. Winner takes home a cash prize while everybody else can feel good about supporting Helping Hand Home, a local nonprofit supporting abused and neglected children.   – Kimberley Jones

Let Freedom Sing

Thursday 4, Volstead Lounge

Are you looking for an excuse – and we mean any excuse – to climb onstage and sing your heart out for a crowd of strangers? Look no further. This Independence Day, Volstead Lounge invites you to celebrate the freedom to sing whatever you want, whenever you want (as long as it’s between the hours of 9pm and 1am). Let the grand ol’ flag handle the stripes while you and your personal Rat Pack provide the stars.   – Jasmine Lane

Red, White, and Blue Owl: Indoor Fourth Party

Thursday 4, Blue Owl Brewing

Finally: an Independence Day party for the inside kids. Blue Owl Brewing – home of sour beers and argyle can art – hosts a Fourth of July fête featuring mini golf, a water-balloon toss, mini corn dogs, red, white & blue slushies, and sparklers & free Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs sno-cone coupons to the first 30 guests. Keeping with the sno-cone theme, this party will also highlight Blue Owl’s newest brew: a Tiger’s Blood-inspired sour that’s sure to pucker the lips and delight the taste buds. The more competitive among us may also want to sign up for the watermelon eating contest – just do so in advance so there’s enough melon to go around.   – James Scott

Summer Field Day

Thursday 4, Zilker Brewing Co.

Looking back on our field days of yore, we can imagine ourselves, hitching up our knee-high athletic socks and yanking tight our pigtails, thinking, “The egg toss is pleasant enough, but someday I’ll be an adult and this will be a fuckton more fun with an icy cold beer in hand.” And lo, that day has arrived. Zilker Brewing Co.’s first-ever Summer Field Day will include classic games like dizzy bat and cornhole, along with music from Double Heads and food from Spicy Boys. Calling it now: After a few frosty ones, the three-legged race is going to be absolute carnage.   – Kimberley Jones

Red, White, and Buda

Thursday 4, Buda Amphitheater

It’ll be 99 degrees on July 4? Who cares! That never stopped anybody from eating a hot dog or watching the fireworks. So get your red, white, and blue ass down to the Buda amphitheatre for the annual festivities. There’s a bike parade at 9am, a cornhole tournament at 4pm, and fireworks at sundown. Stars and stripes forever!   – Brant Bingamon

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Want to see all of our listings broken down by day? Go to austinchronicle.com/calendar and see what's happening now or in the coming week.