Even though I’m no longer in the bunker of Reject HQ in Austin, I still like to keep my ear to the ground to catch the political rumblings. So far there’s been a lot of talk about how much mansions are worth, how you get 8 pounds of hair to stay put, and something about an amendment to create a committee to look into committee creation. Boring stuff, I know. Nothing was all that interesting until I hit upon an entry on the Alamo Drafthouse’s calendar for October 5th (after the mad, mad, mad, madness of Fantastic Fest is over) that claimed to be a showcase of political short films made especially for the current gubernatorial race between Rick Perry and Bill White.

We have to say goodbye to the King of the Wild Frontier – Fess Parker.

For years, Texan scholars thought Neil Miller was the real Wild Man of the Navidad, but it turns out he is some pelt-wearing man beast. How that is proof its not Neil is beyond me.

Tim Disney’s American Violet, opening in limited release today, is a well-acted but heavy-handed message movie that could have used a subtler approach.

In honor of the South By Southwest festival in Austin a few weeks back and this weekend’s AFI Dallas Film Festival, and to celebrate the fact that Neil has very little power over me while he’s still recovering from oversized novelty margaritas, I’m presenting this Lone Star-themed Top Eight list.