Slackery News Tidbits, August 13

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Here's the latest in Austin and Texas film news.

  • Austin-based actor Matthew McConaughey joins the cast of Martin Scorsese's biopic of former Wall Street broker Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Based on Belfort's bestselling memoir, the film chronicles Belfort's dramatic rise and fall on Wall Street and his tumultuous personal life. McConaughey will play Mark Hanna, Belfort's early boss and mentor.
  • Do The Right Thing and join the Paramount's new Silver Screen Speaker Series on September 8 at 7:30 pm for a visit from acclaimed director Spike Lee, Austin Movie Blog reports. The Paramount and Stateside Theatres began selling tickets for the Fall 2012 season last week, which also includes an appearance by Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz on December 1 and Maya Angelou on November 2, who will speak as part of the Leading Ladies Series.
  • Or do the Wrong thing, like Drafthouse Films, which has acquired the North American distribution rights to Quentin Dupieux's surreal comedy, The Austin Chronicle reports. The French filmmaker's follow-up to the 2010 horror movie Rubber is about a normal guy on a journey to find his missing dog. Wrong, which premiered at Sundance 2012, is scheduled for a 2013 limited theatrical and VOD release. 
  • In other Alamo Drafthouse news, beginning August 24 the theater chain will present the new series, "Presented in Amazing AlamoScope: 70mm at the Ritz." Moviegoers have the opportunity to watch West Side Story, Cleopatra, Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and other films in their original format. The series kicks off with director Paul Thomas Anderson's new film, The Master, which is screening in 70mm in only a few cities.
  • Local teen director Emily Hagins' horror comedy My Sucky Teen Romance will begin a four-city screening August 22 at Cinespace in L.A., according to Ain't It Cool News. After stops in Chicago and NYC, the film will screen in Austin on August 31. The writer/director (Slackerwood's interview) will be present for a post-film Q&A at all four screenings. Hagins' third feature film, about a teen who finds out her boyfriend is a vampire, is scheduled to make its home video premiere September 4.
  • Actor Dominic Monaghan, who attended Fantastic Fest 2011 to promote his film The Day, discussed Fantastic Debates on Conan last week, according to the Alamo Drafthouse. Monaghan and his Lord of the Rings co-star Elijah Wood battled each other over the pros and cons of the popular game World of Warcraft (Jette's recap). 
  • Marion Michael Morrison -- better known as John Wayne -- may not be a Texan, but he did play one in the movies. Snyder, Texas (between Abilene and Lubbock) is recognizing Wayne's film accomplishments with the John Wayne Film Fest at the Ritz Theater (the one in Snyder, obviously, not the Drafthouse) on Labor Day Weekend. Proceeds benefit the the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.
  • Texas filmmaker Bob Ray's offbeat documentary, Total Badass, about Chad Holt and the hilarious seedy underbelly of Austin's underground music scene, is now available for free on the film's official website.
  • Finally, the latest short film from former Austinite Steve Collins (You Hurt My Feelings) is now on Vimeo. I Need a Hug was written by (also former Austinite) Courtney Davis, and the cast includes Davis, Austin actor John Merriman and local filmmaker Paul Gordon. Watch it below.