Weekend Event Planner

These are the 7 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

It's the long Easter holiday weekend, and while many events in and around Dallas have either been postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizations have pivoted to virtual or socially-distanced events to continue offering the masses some entertainment.

From outdoor concerts to holiday feasts, below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend, all of which promise to provide a nice distraction from the everyday life.

Thursday, April 1

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Art Heist
Based on a true story of the world’s biggest art caper, Art Heist is a true crime walking show where socially distanced groups will walk to multiple locations to gather clues. Actors, through conversation, will reveal clues to the detective audience, but a red herring or two might present itself. No two performances will ever be the same as the actors improvise with every interaction. The theatrical event, which starts at Sammons Park at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, will run every Wednesday-Sunday through April 18.

Lumedia Musicworks presents Dowland Reimagined
Lumedia Musicworks will present Dowland Reimagined, a modern take on the work of John Dowland featuring new commissioned work by young composer Mason Bynes. Bynes, a graduate of the University of North Texas, drew inspiration from Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bonfá and vocal stylings of Brazilian artists Joyce and Maria Rita. The virtual concert, featuring soprano Eliza P. Smith, will be available to stream at any time through April 9.

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Cool Thursdays Concert Series
After a year off due to the pandemic, Dallas Arboretum's Cool Thursdays Concert Series will come back to offer a variety of party and cover bands performing on the banks of White Rock Lake. The series, which kicks off with Emerald City on Thursday, will take place every Thursday through July 1, take a break for a couple of months, and then come back for the fall starting September 2. The Arboretum also has a full weekend of Easter happenings; check them out here.

Echo Theatre presents The Other Felix
In The Other Felix, viewers can hit the road with private detective Marlow Sharpe and her reluctant client Felix Bettelman. On the trail of the other Felix, they lose track of their selves in this play on film for two actors. Guests can attend the Opening Night Fundraiser outside at the Bath House Cultural Center Lake Shore Patio with a $25 VIP Ticket or attend any other Saturday night in April for free. The production will be available to stream at any time, April 1-30.

Friday, April 2

Disney on Ice presents Mickey's Search Party
Mickey Mouse and his friends will be on hand at Disney On Ice presents Mickey’s Search Party, an adventure filled with world-class skating, high-flying acrobatics, and unexpected stunts. They will follow Captain Hook’s treasure map and look for clues in the search for Tinker Bell in immersive, fantastic worlds featuring a variety of other classic Disney characters. There will be eight performances through Sunday at American Airlines Center.

Saturday, April 3

Hyena's presents T.J. Miller
T.J. Miller has been diligently working to make people laugh for over 15 years, and is driven by the altruistic mission statement that life is fundamentally tragic and the best thing he can do is provide an ephemeral escapism from that tragedy which permeates everyday life by doing comedy. Miller, best known for starring in Silicon Valley, the Deadpool series, and the How to Train Your Dragon series, will perform three times through Sunday at Hyena's Dallas.

Sunday, April 4

Easter Feasts
Whether you're enjoying Easter brunch at a restaurant or taking it to-go, there are plenty of options for groups of every size. You'll find our master list of Dallas-area restaurants serving Easter meals here.

Comedian T.J. Miller will perform at Hyena's Dallas on April 3 and 4.

Photo courtesy of TJ Miller

Comedian T.J. Miller will perform at Hyena's Dallas on April 3 and 4.

concerts theater families event-planner holidays

Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer is an unappreciated mom in Oh. What. Fun.

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun.

Of all the formulaic movie genres, Christmas/holiday movies are among the most predictable. No matter what the problem is that arises between family members, friends, or potential romantic partners, the stories in holiday movies are designed to give viewers a feel-good ending even if the majority of the movie makes you feel pretty bad.

That’s certainly the case in Oh. What. Fun., in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays Claire, an underappreciated mom living in Houston with her inattentive husband, Nick (Denis Leary). As the film begins, her three children are arriving back home for Christmas: The high-strung Channing (Felicity Jones) is married to the milquetoast Doug (Jason Schwartzman); the aloof Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz) brings home yet another new girlfriend; and the perpetual child Sammy (Dominic Sessa) has just broken up with his girlfriend.

Each of the family members seems to be oblivious to everything Claire does for them, especially when it comes to what she really wants: For them to nominate her to win a trip to see a talk show in L.A. hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). When she accidentally gets left behind on a planned outing to see a show, Claire reaches her breaking point and — in a kind of Home Alone in reverse — she decides to drive across the country to get to the show herself.

Written and directed by Michael Showalter (The Idea of You), and co-written by Chandler Baker (who wrote the short story on which the film is based), the movie never establishes any kind of enjoyable rhythm. Each of the characters, including competitive neighbor Jeanne (Joan Chen), is assigned a character trait that becomes their entire personality, with none of them allowed to evolve into something deeper.

The filmmakers lean hard into the idea that Claire is a person who always puts her family first and receives very little in return, but the evidence presented in the story is sketchy at best. Every situation shown in the film is so superficial that tension barely exists, and the (over)reactions by Claire give her family members few opportunities to make up for their failings.

The most interesting part of the movie comes when Claire actually makes it to the Zazzy Sims show. Even though what happens there is just as unbelievable as anything else presented in the story, Showalter and Baker concoct a scene that allows Claire and others to fully express the central theme of the film, and for a few minutes the movie actually lives up to its title.

Pfeiffer, given her first leading role since 2020’s French Exit, is a somewhat manic presence, and her thick Texas accent and unnecessary voiceover don’t do her any favors. It seems weird to have such a strong supporting cast with almost nothing of substance to do, but almost all of them are wasted, including Danielle Brooks in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo. The lone exception is Longoria, who is a blast in the few scenes she gets.

Oh. What. Fun. is far from the first movie to try and fail at becoming a new holiday classic, but the pedigree of Showalter and the cast make this dismal viewing experience extra disappointing. Ironically, overworked and underappreciated moms deserve a much better story than the one this movie delivers.

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Oh. What. Fun. is now streaming on Prime Video.

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