Notable New and Live Dec. 4

BOOKS

"Faces of the Gone" is investigative reporter Brad Parks' debut crime/mystery novel. Being a fan of true crime fiction, but a discerning fan, this sounds like it will be a surprising debut for the 31 year-old Parks. Four dead bodies, Newark and the underbelly of the eclectic New Jersey city are elements that comprise the novels plot. The book will be available Dec. 8 from St. Martin's Press.

"Footnotes In Gaza" looks to be an incredibly relevant and wrenching exploration of a gruesome incident in 1956 that left 111 Palestinian refugees murdered in Rafah (a town at southwestern tip of Gaza) by the hands of Israeli soldiers. Joe Sacco authored and illustrated this graphic novel. He attempts to span 50 years, imbedding himself in Gaza and gaining accounts of the affair from its varied residents. The novel will be available Dec. 22 from Henry Holt and Company Incorporated.

MUSIC

Butch Hancock, Jimmy Dale Gilmore and his son Colin Gilmore will be performing Friday, Dec. 18 @ The Saxon Pub. J. Gilmore and Mr. Hancock are from the legendary The Flatlanders. A chance to see two out of the three members play with Gilmore's son should be a great show. Tickets are $20 pre-sale and $20 at the door.

Legendary Texas blues/rock technicians Paul Ray and the Cobras will be performing Saturday, Dec. 19 @ The Continental Club. Amazing stuff.

THEATER

The wickedly funny David Sedaris' Santaland Diaries is running at Zachary Scott Theater through Jan. 10. The adapted production is Sedaris' true accounts of being the elf Crumpet. Regardless of the title this is an adult show. Highly recommended. Depending on the show, tickets start at $39.

According to the Rude Mechanicals website Dionysus in 69 is "a re-enactment of the Performance Group's legendary adaptation of The Bacchae as staged by Richard Schechner and filmed by Brian de Palma." It looks rowdy, and definitely for mature audiences only. This is the first in a series of re-enactments of little-known avant-garde performances from the 60s, 70s and 80s. The performance runs from Dec. 3-20 at The Off Center, 2211-A Hidalgo, 78702. Tickets are $12-$25 and there is a sliding scale on Thursday, you may pay what you wish.

MOVIES

True to the season, ClarkWORLD, is a very interesting look at the iconic film A Christmas Story (1983) and its director Bob Clark. The documentary explores Clark's successes and flops. ClarkWORLD is timely and looks fascinating. The documentary will hit limited theaters Dec.10.

A Single Man looks incredible. The film follows a man on a day in Los Angeles after his partner dies, and his struggles to make it through this life-altering day. Colin Firth (Mamma Mia!, 2008) stars as the main lead and there is Oscar buzz surrounding his performance and the dynamic Julianne Moore (Children of Men, 2006) is his counterpart. A Single Man will hit limited theaters Dec. 11. 

Don McKay (A Moment of Truth was its previous title) looks to be a twisted noir-like thriller of a man coming back to his hometown to rekindle an old flame. The twist and turns the film presents look intricate, but entertaining. Thomas Haden Church (Idiocracy, 2006) and Elizabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas, 1995) star. The film will hit limited theaters Dec. 11.

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done is Werner Herzog's latest. Herzog is known for twisted cinema, but this looks severely twisted. The film is inspired by a true crime story of a man who has an awakening, and then murders his mother with a sword. The film will hit theaters Dec. 11.

Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year is in the vein of Clerks (1994). Rocket is an underachieving graduate struggling to make it in a highly competitive job market. Essentially, this is a look at the crazy and competitive world of sales. The film will hit limited theaters Dec. 11.

Slammin' Salmon is from the same camp that brought us Supertroopers (2001). This looks to be a hilarious romp poking fun at the rise of cooking contest television and Gordon Ramsay's "Hell's Kitchen." For a funny Christmas (not themed) film this one looks to be the best of the year. Slammin' Salmon will hit theaters Dec. 11.

Crazy Heart is Jeff Bridges (Stick It, 2006) most recent effort. It looks heart wrenching. The film is about a down-on-his-luck, masochistic country-western singer/songwriter and the journalist, played by Maggie Gylenhall (The Dark Knight, 2008), who befriends him while penning his story. Bridges is an amazing actor and he looks to give an amazing performance. The film will hit limited theaters Dec. 16.