Movies This Week: Casa Jeff Street

It's a great weekend for free films with your kids. The Family Movies series at the Southeast Austin Community Branch of Austin Public Library is showing Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules at 1 pm Saturday. Alamo Kids Camp at the Slaughter Lane location has free screenings on Satruday and Sunday of the classic Wizard of Oz and my favorite 2010 animated film, How to Train Your Dragon. What better reason to take your kids to the movies?

Alamo Drafthouse also has a special run of the 2000 film Battle Royale at Lake Creek and Slaughter. In addition, remember that Village and Slaughter are satellite venues for SXSW through Saturday night, and nearly all screenings have had room if you want to buy tickets. No excuse to miss checking out the new Slaughter venue.

Movies We've Seen:

21 Jump Street -- The trailers for the reboot of the popular TV series look terrible, but I've heard they're nothing like the movie. "Channing Tatum is easily the most fantastic part of the film," J.C. says in his review, which will run this weekend. (wide)

Casa De Mi Padre (pictured at top) -- Not so much a Will Ferrell helmer as a send-up of pulp Mexican cinema. Many recognizable faces including Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna and Efren Ramirez. Debbie says in her review that it's "mildly amusing, but not entertaining enough to recommend that you rush out to see it at theaters." (wide)

The FP -- If you appreciate 80s pop-cult and absurd plots, this might be something you'd like to see. I'll say this, it's consistent. (Alamo Lamar, Alamo Slaughter, Alamo Village)

Jeff Who Lives at Home -- The Duplass brothers tapped Jason Segel to play the lead role; if the plot isn't obvious from the title, a major character point is. Elizabeth calls it "a funny and sweet film about a family relationship that mixes the poignant and the unpredictable." Look for her review this weekend. (wide)

Other Movies Opening in Austin:

In Darkness -- Another Oscar-nominated film opens this week. This time it's the story of Leopold Soha and the people he saved during the Nazi occupation in Poland. (Arbor, Violet Crown)

W.E. -- No, it's not sci-fi, it's actually a romantic fable juxtaposing the affair of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson with a contemporary romance as directed and co-written by Madonna. (Regal Arbor)