Summertime in Austin brings many prayers for rain, mosquitos when it finally does rain, big blockbusters in air-conditioned theaters ... and tons of free movies. I love all the free movie opportunities in town all summer long, even if most of them are meant for children. The AMC theater chain isn't extending its free summer movies to Austin, but other venues are, such as the Regal-owned Westgate and Lakeline theaters. No one usually checks to see if you're with kids, so take advantage of the wealth of free movies in theaters, coffeehouses, parks, and anywhere else imaginable.

• This week's AFS@Dobie film, which will play all week at Dobie Theatre, is Tibet: A Buddhist Trilogy. The 2005 documentary explores Buddhist monasteries in India and Nepal.
• The Paramount kicks off its Summer Movie Classics series this weekend with the traditional screening of Casablanca, this time in a double-feature with The Maltese Falcon tonight, Saturday, and Sunday. Other screenings this week: West Side Story on Saturday and Sunday, a double-feature of To Catch a Thief and The Trouble with Harry on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Shadow of a Doubt with The Lady Vanishes on Thursday.
• Alamo Lake Creek is showing Dr. Strangelove at midnight tonight (Friday) and Saturday. No, they are not offering grain-alcohol-and-rainwater drinks.
  

• Free movies: This month's Saturday Morning Kids Club feature is ... Angels with Dirty Faces, the 1933 film with James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. I guess it's being touted as a kids' film because it includes the Dead End Kids? Anyway, it's Saturday at noon at Alamo South Lamar and it's free, so why complain.
• Conditionally free movies: The movie Hef and the Magnificent Mansion premieres on Sunday night at Club 115 with a big pajama party. Wear pajamas if you want free admission to this movie musical, which combines situations from Hugh Hefner's career with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (I kid you not).
• Foleyvision returns this month with the film Santo Vs. the Martian Invasion on Sunday night at Alamo Downtown. The Foleyvision crew strips the soundtrack away from the film and performs all dialogue and sound effects live.
• More free movies: Alamo South Lamar starts its Summer Kids Camp series this week with a film that is more obviously geared toward children: E.T. The film plays Monday through Thursday at 1 pm and admission is free.
• Return of the Living Dead is playing at Alamo South Lamar on Monday through Wednesday nights. Monday night's screening includes live music from The Belgraves.
• Alamo Downtown is having another Spaghetti Western/spaghetti feast night on Monday, this time with the film A Professional Gun. The trailers Alamo is showing for this 1968 movie feature Jack Palance with amazingly strange hair, perhaps because his character's name is Curly.
• If you missed the Oscar-nominated documentary Paradise Now, one more chance is available to see it in a theater on Wednesday night, as part of the Third Coast Nite series at Alamo Downtown.
• Free movie and panel discussion: Screen Door Film is sponsoring a panel on independent filmmaking that includes director Kat Candler and producer Stacy Schoolfield of Jumping Off Bridges. The panel will be preceded by a screening of the Austin-shot film, which premiered at SXSW this year. The Tuesday, June 6 event at St. Edward's University is free, but you must reserve a seat in advance.