Weekend Event Guide

Here are the top 7 things to do in Austin this weekend

Get your thrills beyond just the spooky variety in the days ahead with the help of these entertaining options. Enjoy nonstop live music for days at Levitation, or settle in for serious cinema during the Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference. Check out the top seven things to do in Austin this weekend. For a complete list of events, visit our calendar.

Thursday, October 26

Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference
The city’s biggest film festival rolls the tape for its 30th anniversary year. The 2023 Austin Film Festival and Writers Conference will showcase more than 100 feature film and short film programs, expert-led lectures, and conversations with famous movie and television writers. Highlights of the eight-day festival include Jeff Nichols' new film, The Bikeriders; opening night film Saltburn from writer/director Emerald Fennell; retrospective screenings of Shaft (1971) and X-Men (2000); and closing night film Day of the Fight by debuting director Jack Huston. For a full schedule of events and to purchase passes, visit austinfilmfestival.com. Get even more details on the festival in our recent feature.

Levitation
More than 80 bands will take the stage at multiple iconic venues in Austin as part of Levitation. The four-day music festival features a schedule of performances by alt acts including The Dandy Warhols, Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, Flying Lotus, Unwound, BADBADNOTGOOD, Panda Bear, and The Black Angels. To purchase festival tickets and for a full schedule of events, go to seetickets.us.

ACL Hall of Fame induction celebration honoring Trisha Yearwood & John Prine
Two stars join the ranks of the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame at this special induction celebration. The evening’s pomp and circumstance at ACL Lice includes the induction of late singer-songwriter John Prine and country music superstar Trisha Yearwood, along with several tributes by fellow musical greats. Performeres will include Jo Dee Messina, Brothers Osborne, Nathaniel Rateliff, Valerie June, Tommy Prine, and others. Get information on ticket availability at acllive.com.

Friday, October 27

Inversion Ensemble and Density512 present The Björk Songbook
The music and artistry of Icelandic singer Björk is celebrated during a special concert at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin. Guests can enjoy a curated setlist of Björk’s most famous songs reimagined and performed by both Inversion Ensemble and Density512. Expect renditions of "Hidden Place," "Human Behaviour," "Venus As a Boy," and more for voices and chamber orchestra by Austin composers. Get more information on Eventbrite.

Saturday, October 28

2023 AIA Austin Homes Tour
Wander inside some of the city’s most beautiful new builds and renovated homes designed by local, best-in-field architects during the 36th Annual AIA Austin Homes Tour. This two-day, self-guided experience features a curated selection of homes designed by Furman + Keil Architects, Nicole Blair; Franke:Franke Inc., and Moontower Design & Build, among others, along the route. Check out aiaaustin.org for more details.

The Arboretum presents "Boo & Brew"
Halloween fun for all ages takes over at The Arboretum for an afternoon of festivities that are light on the fright. Highlights of this family-friendly event include live music, face painting, a hay maze, and a candy crawl trick-or-treat at various stores. Guests age 21 and older can also enjoy complimentary alcohol samplings throughout the day. Costumes are encouraged. Admission is free and open to the public.

Sunday, October 29

KISS in concert
The iconic rock band KISS makes a stop in Austin at Moody Center as part of their last tour ever, End of the Road. Since the group rose to international fame in the 1970s, they’ve released 20 albums, including 2012’s Monster, and have amassed dozens of hits including “Black Diamond,” “Crazy Crazy Nights,” and “Rock and Roll All Nite.” Get more information on Ticketmaster.

Photo courtesy of AIA Austin

2023 AIA Austin Homes Tour is happening October 28-29.

Things to do This weekend event planner events concerts Activities festivals halloween beer music live music weekend events Weekend Activities family friendly acl

Movie Review

Jude Law faces white supremacy in The Order, inspired by a true story

Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Jude Law in The Order.

White supremacy has long been a stand-in for evil in movies, with the correlation easy to make with through well-known archetypes like those of Nazi Germany. Whether a film puts forth white supremacists as its main characters or supporting ones, their usefulness in a story is as people who are easy to hate and that deserve to be held to some sort of justice.

While that idea holds true in the new film, The Order, the nature of the group featured is somewhat muddled. The central figure is FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law), who essentially sets up a one-man task force in the Pacific Northwest to track a group known as The Order. Husk is convinced that the group, which is an offshoot of a larger white supremacist organization, is behind a series of bank robberies to fund anti-government schemes.

Husk recruits local police officer Jamie Bowen (Tye Sheridan) to help follow the group, which is led by Bob Mathews (Nicholas Hoult). The two, joined occasionally by FBI agent Joanne Carney (Jurnee Smollett), do their best to keep up with The Order’s increasingly bold crimes, which morphs from “just” bank robbery to murder.

Directed by Justin Kurzel and written by Zach Baylin, the film is at its best when it delves into the personalities of its characters. Husk’s monomaniacal nature is great for his job, but not so much for his family life. Bowen has a solid bond with his wife and kids, but his greenness in law enforcement leads to some questionable decision-making. Mathews, like many cult leaders, is a charismatic person with very misguided tendencies.

The filmmakers set up the plot (which is based on a real-life story) well, but the details get a little loose as the film goes along. While The Order has a hatred of Jews, a plot against radio personality Alan Berg (Marc Maron) doesn’t make much sense in the context of the film. The geography of the group’s operations is also confusing; they’re located in Washington, but they range out as far as Colorado and California to commit their crimes.

Still, the inherent appeal of good-vs-evil keeps the plot mechanics going, and the side stories of the main characters give them a depth that makes up for other faults. The filmmakers also make sure to demonstrate how the scourge of white supremacy has never been limited to one particular era, and continues to infect American society to this day.

Law commits fully to the lead role, giving a performance with a convincing American accent that is far from the suave British parts which have dominated his filmography. Hoult proves equally believable, giving his character a nuance that somehow makes him more detestable. Sheridan adds another interesting role to a career that would be enviable for any other young actor.

While The Order doesn’t rise to the level of an awards contender, its story is still relatively compelling with antagonists that, unfortunately, never go out of style. A great cast playing characters with engaging lives keeps the film watchable even when it goes into some odd detours.

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The Order is now playing in theaters.

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