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Movie Review

Gloria Bell's confounding story wastes the talent of Julianne Moore-led cast

Alex Bentley
Mar 22, 2019 | 12:30 pm

There are few actors who command the screen as well as Julianne Moore. The Oscar winner can make even the mundane seem interesting, thanks to her unique style, empathetic nature, and a willingness to expose more of herself — often literally — than others.

In that respect, the new film Gloria Bell is lucky to have her as its lead character; otherwise, the movie might be completely unwatchable. Gloria is a 50-something divorcee leading a life that is, shall we say, uninspiring. She has a ho-hum insurance job, two kids (Michael Cera and Cassi Thompson) with complicated lives of their own, and a proclivity for visiting dance clubs by herself.

Both lonely and determined, Gloria is more than willing to explore any male interest that comes her way. This openness leads to a relationship with Arnold (John Turturro), whose own thorny history offers obstacles toward happiness for them both.

Directed and co-written by Sebastian Leleo (Alice Johnson Boler is the second credited writer), who is adapting his 2013 Spanish language film, Gloria, the film eschews most plot devices in favor of just following the day-to-day existence of Gloria. There are plenty of recent examples — Roma prime among them — that show that films can work without a defined narrative, but they only do so if the events along the way can hold your interest.

In contrast, Gloria Bell is one of the slowest and most confounding movies in recent memory. Leleo only shows snippets from Gloria’s days, so the audience is often left in the dark or given only the barest of information about what has transpired in her life. The motivations and states of mind of various supporting characters remain mysterious, preventing any true emotional attachments.

This is especially true with Gloria’s children. Leleo offers up tantalizing teasers about the private life of each, including her son being a forced single father because of his wife’s flightiness and her daughter’s relationship with a Swedish surfer. But ultimately the lives of her kids leave more questions than answers as Leleo only delves into them halfway, never exploring them beyond those surface elements.

Then there’s the weird usage of relatively well-known actors in supporting roles. Brad Garrett and Jeanne Tripplehorn pop up as Gloria’s ex-husband and his new wife, Rita Wilson plays her best friend, and Sean Astin shows up in a random, non-speaking cameo. If any of them got anything interesting to do, it’d be one thing, but they all come and go with barely any impact. Even Turturro’s role is fairly limited despite him being her main romantic foil.

If all of this was supposed to be in service of showcasing the woman Gloria is or wants to be, it fails. Moore is as strong an actor as ever, and she needs to be as Gloria is about as unknowable as they come. The logline of the film calls her a free spirit, but Moore plays her as someone who’s mostly buttoned down except for the rare time she allows herself to let loose. It’s no spoiler to say that the end of the film gets the audience no closer to understanding her than it does in the beginning.

Gloria Bell could have played as a glorious showcase of a woman being true to herself in spite of the world trying to hold her back. Instead, it’s a slog that wastes the talents of Moore and her many recognizable co-stars.

Julianne Moore in Gloria Bell.

Julianne Moore in Gloria Bell
Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle, courtesy of A24
Julianne Moore in Gloria Bell.
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Kicking it up

Dallas flip-flop brand Hari Mari steps into brave new world of women's boots

Stephanie Allmon Merry
Nov 1, 2022 | 4:06 pm
Hari Mari Midland boot
Photo courtesy of Hari Mari

The Midland boot comes in three colors and sells for $170.

Dallas-based Hari Mari has arrived to help women transition the closet from flip-flop season to boot season.

The premium footwear brand known for its comfy, celeb-favorite flops has just launched its first ever women's boot. Called the Hari Mari "Midland," it's described as "a versatile women’s Chelsea boot constructed with premium suede, soft-squeeze foam midsoles, and generous goring to allow for easy slip-on, slip-off access."

The boots also include dual-density memory foam inserts that provide the "immediate, out-of-the-box comfort" that Hari Mari prides itself on.

“Our female sandal customer asked and we listened,” says Hari Mari Founder, Lila Stewart, in a release. “Over the years, we’ve been perfecting our sandals, which customers love for the immediate comfort and durability, so we decided it was about time we brought these same product characteristics to women’s boots.

The Midland is offered in three colors — autumn, black and taupe — and sells for $170 , in Hari Mari’s Dallas Flagship store, on HariMari.com, and select retailers across the country.

It's a bold step into the already crowded world of boots, especially in Texas. But the brand promises that the comfort level will set them apart.

"This beautiful, classic boot will allow our female customers to wear Hari Mari footwear through cold and warm months alike, experiencing the brand’s fanatical commitment to comfort whether it’s 80 degrees out or snowing," Stewart says. "And, believe us, they will feel the difference. It’s Hari Mari’s calling card and we’re excited to be able to offer year-round footwear to all of our customers."

Since it was founded in 2012, Hari Mari has built its reputation not only on quality, fashion-forward flip-flops (and other kinds of shoes and apparel), but also on its sustainability and philanthropic efforts, which are a part of the company’s DNA. Hari Mari gives 1 percent of sales to support kids battling cancer through its called Flops Fighting Cancer initiative.

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Rent News

Apartment rents finally start to decline in Dallas and across the U.S.

Teresa Gubbins
Nov 1, 2022 | 2:41 pm
apartment for rent sign on telephone pole
BrunchNews.com

Rental rates are finally starting to drop.

In good news for renters, rates finally appear to be dropping in Dallas and across the U.S. — and it's a trend predicted to prevail through the end of 2022.

After more than a year of record-setting rent hikes, rent prices decreased in October for the second month in a row. According to a report by Apartment List, rent across the U.S. went down by 0.7 percent in October — the largest single-month dip since 2017.

Rents went down in 89 of the nation’s 100 largest cities for the second straight month, following a peak in August, and a welcome reversal to major rent increases that have occurred since the pandemic.

Here are current rates among 11 of the largest cities in the U.S.:

  • San Francisco – $2,640
  • Los Angeles – $2,200
  • New York City – $2,170
  • Seattle – $1,990
  • Austin – $1,830
  • Washington, D.C. – $1,790
  • Dallas – $1,470
  • Phoenix – $1,470
  • San Antonio – $1,320
  • Houston – $1,290
  • Memphis – $1,130

The current national average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,348.

The October decline offsets what has been a major increase in the past year: In 2022, rents are already up by a total of 5.9 percent, compared to 18 percent at this point in 2021.

In the past year, Texas averaged a 6.6 percent increase in rental rates as compared to a year ago. Breaking that down among Texas cities, Dallas tops the list:

  • Dallas: 10.1 percent increase
  • Fort Worth: 7.5 percent
  • San Antonio: 5.8 percent
  • Austin: 5.3 percent
  • Houston: 4 percent

While the October downtick is something to celebrate, they warn that it's consistent with a seasonal trend existed even prior to the pandemic craziness. Still, they anticipate that rents will continue to decline in the coming months.

Dallas
In October, rent in Dallas declined by 0.9 percent — helping to soften its 10.1 percent increase in the past year and its unprecedented 24 percent rise since March 2020.

The current median rent in Dallas is $1,232 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,472 for a two-bedroom.

In the DFW area:

  • Mesquite saw the highest increase — up 18.3 percent from a year ago, with $1,498 for a two-bedroom
  • Plano has the highest rent in the DFW area: $1,996 for a two-bedroom
  • Fort Worth has the least expensive rent: $1,335 for a two-bedroom

Houston
Rents in Houston are the most affordable among big Texas cities and even among comparable cities nationwide. Houston's median two-bedroom rent of $1,288 is below the national average of $1,348, following a 0.3 percent decline in October.

In the Houston area:

  • Galveston had the fastest growth in the metro with an increase of 10.9 percent. A two-bedroom now goes for $1,175.
  • Baytown has the least expensive rent in the Houston area, with rent for a two-bedroom at $1,124.
  • Sugar Land has the most expensive rent at $1,984 for a two-bedroom.

Austin
Austin's rent declined by 1.5 percent over the past month, with median rent coming in at $1,826 for a two-bedroom and $1,500 for a one-bedroom.

In the Austin area:

  • Leander saw the biggest decline with 1.8 percent. It has the least expensive rent in the Austin metro, with a two-bedroom median rate of $1,414.
  • Round Rock endured the biggest increase: 8.7 percent higher than a year ago, with a two-bedroom currently at $1,788.
  • Cedar Park has the most expensive rent, at $1,903 for a two-bedroom. Rent climbed 2.6 percent over the past year.

Compared to other large cities across the country, Austin comes in as "less affordable" for renters. Duh.

San Antonio
San Antonio rent declined by 0.9 percent over the past month, offsetting a significant increase of 5.8 percent over last year — the third largest increase in Texas behind Dallas.

Current rental rates in San Antonio are $1,317 for a two-bedroom, just below the national average ($1,348), and $1,066 for a one-bedroom — making San Antonio still more affordable than most large cities across the U.S.

Fort Worth
Rent in Fort Worth declined by 0.8 percent over the past month — helping to offset its 7.5 percent increase in comparison to the same time last year, which not only exceeded Texas' overall average but also the national average of 5.7 percent. Current median rent in Fort Worth is $1,335 for a two-bedroom, and $1,159 for a one-bedroom. Fort Worth is still more affordable than most large cities across the U.S.

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Way out West

Texas' Big Bend named one of the world's must-see destinations for 2023

Hannah J. Frías
Nov 1, 2022 | 1:21 pm
Big Bend National Park
Photo by Adan Guerrero on Unsplash

Big Bend made National Geographic's Best of the World 2023 list.

The pandemic took a toll on pretty much every industry, including travel. But some destinations suffered less than others: Big Bend National Park out in far west Texas became a hot spot for road trippers from Texas and beyond. To that end, National Geographic Travel included the vast natural wonder in its recent Best of the World 2023 list.

The annual list rounds up 25 global destinations "under the radar, ahead of the curve, and ready for you to start exploring," according to the article. National Geographic editors frame the list within five categories: Community, Nature, Culture, Family, and Adventure.

Big Bend landed in the Nature category, "5 wildly underrated natural escapes for 2023," and it's in good company: The list also includes the Azores, Botswana, Slovenia, and the Scottish Highlands.

According to a release, the list is themed around "travel destinations and experiences that leverage the benefits of tourism to strengthen their local communities, natural and built environments, and sense of place." Big Bend fits right into that criteria, attracting tourism to small-town communities near the park such as Marfa, Alpine, Presidio, Marathon, and Fort Davis, which all benefit from the influx of people passing through to Big Bend.

The park itself welcomed over 394,000 visitors in 2020, about 15 percent fewer than 2019. 2021 more than made up for that deficit, though: Big Bend welcomed a record 581,000 visitors as travelers continued to seek open spaces and natural wonders.

Apart from contributing to the local economy, the National Geographic article touts the park's locale in a "remote and arid part of west Texas," which "nurtures more cactus species than any other national park, as well as birds such as roadrunners and bright yellow Scott’s orioles, and mammals such as javelina."

So pack the car and plan your next trip out west, and don't forget some of our top tips for off-the-grid adventures in the area.

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