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James Bond is having a moment …

Happily, you can share that moment with him … well, sort of. A handful of fun, James Bond-flavored events are landing just in time for the launch of the Daniel Craig-flavored “Skyfall” movie, which hits theaters this weekend.

First up is tonight’s free 007-themed party at Texas Theatre. Dubbed “The World Is Not Enough 2,” the event will feature the world music stylings of Djs Wikkid Beat! and Gabriel, and guests are encouraged to dress as their favorite Bond movie character. Party kicks off after the 8:45 p.m. screening of “Skyfall” at the historic Oak Cliff venue. Click through to the jump for more Bond …

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This week in lady movie news …

There’re two new and notable happenings going down this week in the world of movies. First up is the debut of a film I wish I’d seen during the Dallas International Film Festival: “Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel.” The documentary celebrates the life and influence of Vreeland, onetime editor of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, who left an indelible impression on the world of fashion. The movie will be showing at the Magnolia Theatre in Dallas and at Plano’s Angelika Film Center.

The second, just-as-fabulous bit of movie news is decidedly more local: Dallas independent filmmaker Cynthia Salzman Mondell (right) will be honored Friday, Oct. 19 with the Lois Weber Award as part of the Lois Weber Film Festival dedicated to showcasing the works of women in film. Mondell is being lauded not only for her work but her impact on Texas’ movie industry; she’s the first filmmaker, in fact, to receive this honor. Her film “The Ladies Room” will be screened as part of the festivities happening at Grand Prairie’s Uptown Theater, and another of Mondell’s movies, “Louie Louie” will be screened on Saturday. Check out more deets here.

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Visiting Austin’s Alamo Drafthouse

So I was invited to join a media field trip to Austin yesterday. The objective? To give Dallas media mavens a chance to preview Alamo Drafthouse, the much-revered home of munchies, movies and more, which is set to open an outpost in Richardson next year.

We met at the site of the future branch, in the Richardson Heights Shopping Center on Belt Line just off Central Expressway. The plan is for Alamo to raze the old Pep Boys and build its first North Texas theater on the same spot. That includes the auditorium and a separate bar that partner Bill DiGaetano – who came along for the bus ride – hopes becomes a neighborhood draw on its own, much like 400 Rabbits, the bar inside Austin’s new Slaughter Lane branch, has become.

Inside the Magical Mystery Media Bus

On the bus, we learned more about Alamo and its unique, almost cultlike following comprising cinephiles of all stripes. Known for its eclectic programming, Alamo puts on supremely fun events such as Girlie Nights, where flicks like “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion” draw nostalgic viewers with fun props and even signature drinks; Sing-Alongs, where an artist or type of music gets the follow-the-bouncing-ball treatment; and even MST3K-like comedy voice-overs.

More on that in a bit. After being immersed in a bit of Alamo lore for about three hours, during which we mavens were plied with beer, we arrived at the Slaughter Lane location! This Diva was thrilled …

After a mini-tour of the place, we piled into one of the theaters for a little sampler of chef specialties and stories on the fantastical menus the staff has pitched and prepared for recent themed dinners. An 11-hour Lord of the Rings marathon featuring grub inspired by hobbit life? Too fun! We tasted a scone-like treat wrapped in banana leaf from that event, as well as bacon-wrapped steak and a goat cheese and pepper bruschetta-like toast.

The meat-wrapped meat was the tastiest by far; I mean, what doesn’t bacon taste good with?!

Raise your hand if you learned actual art skills from Bob Ross. Didn't think so.

After snacking and also being shown one of Alamo’s famous preshows – a hilariously curated collection of video clips (you can see a screen shot above) that fill the space usually hogged up by ads – we were off to see the main feature, at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, right on 6th Street downtown.

There, not only would we be treated to whatever we wanted on the regular menu, but also to the improv stylings of comedy troupe Master Pancake, whose members would be providing snark aplenty in voice-overs for the headliner: the original “Conan the Barbarian.” Sooo ripe for poking fun! We even made a drinking game out of a recurring motif – the audience was in stitches, between that and the Pancake boys’ often-randy commentary. Hope this feature makes it to Richardson!

Seeing as how Alamo is uber-famous for enforcing a strict no-talking and no-cell phone-usage policy, I sure as heck wasn’t gonna attempt to take a photo of the 19 couple of dishes I and my two neighbors ordered to share. But the menu is your standard stadium fare: pizza, burgers, cheese fries. And some different touches like spaghetti squash, wraps and quite a few salads. Alamo prides itself on using local beers, so expect plenty of that when it arrives, and an assortment of craft cocktails made with fresh juices.

Wish I coulda spent a few more hours in Austin, strolling up 6th Street a bit, but, alas, after the Conan riffing and revelry, we had to get back on the bus and jet back to Dallas. DiGaetano says Alamo is projecting a May opening in Richardson, but it could be April. I’m rooting for April to get my Alamo on again as soon as possible!

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Diva’s day out in Austin

It’s Friday, and I couldn’t be happier. Not just because we’re at the doorstep of the patio that is the weekend, but because I’m being treated to a trip to Austin, courtesy of the cool folks at Alamo Drafthouse, the original house of vittles and movie viewing.

Ahead of the chain opening a branch in Richardson, the Drafthouse folks wanted to give journos a preview of the operation – so they rented a big, ol’ bus to pile us media types into for a jaunt to Austin to tour the very first locations. And your Diva is going along for the ride … manicured hands must stay in the vehicle at all times, folks. Rats.

Loosely, the itinerary will involve bus riding, theater-touring, face-stuffing and even movie-watching. I’ll bring you all the real-time action, if you follow me on Twitter. Otherwise, check back here for highlights, chickadees …

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AFFD: ‘Viette’

Title, country: “Viette,” United States

Stars: Mye Hoang, Sean McBride, Chi Pham

Director: Mye Hoang

Synopsis (paraphrased from AFFD’s site): A young woman tries to balance her love for a Caucasian man and the strict beliefs of her Vietnamese parents.

My thoughts: Written and directed by and starring SMU alum Hoang, “Viette” is clearly a labor of love – it’s a semiautobiographical portrait of Hoang pursuit of a filmmaking career. I sure wish the artistic discipline was featured at all in the movie – it would’ve added a much needed motive to Viette’s character. Instead, I saw a rather joyless young girl go from a troubled home to an even more toxic romantic relationship … and I couldn’t discern why. As we watch she and her bf Matt evolve from high school into their late 20s, Viette’s once-tender and supportive boyfriend turns into a raging douche. Which happens in life, but we never see or hear what drives his angst, or her desire to stay with him. Considering how many times they engage in sex in this film, perhaps we’re to deduce that that’s their only magnet. Who knows. On the plus side, the movie has some colorfully hypnotic visual touches, Hoang’s dialogue possesses a natural, easy rhythm, and an emotionally piercing soundtrack punctuates the film. And despite my gripes with the plot, I do see a lot of promise is Hoang as a writer and director. Keep at it, lady.