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    Weekend Event Planner

    The 9 best things to do around Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend

    Alex Bentley
    Apr 30, 2015 | 6:00 am

    As April gives way to May, the Dallas-Fort Worth area will see a stellar weekend full of events, including a spring festival in Fort Worth, a horror film celebration, Dallas Cowboys mania, a visit from a Tony Award-winning musical and the return of one of the most iconic bands of all time.

    Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

    Thursday, April 30

    2015 Mayfest
    The annual Mayfest in Fort Worth is a chance to enjoy the great outdoors while partaking in a variety of fun activities. Taking place through Sunday at Trinity Park, it has three stages, where bands of all musical varieties perform, along with a kids zone, arts market, great food and more.

    Alamo Drafthouse presents Scream with Neve Campbell
    If you're a horror movie fan, this is your weekend. You can start by seeing this classic at Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson with star Neve Campbell in attendance, then go to the Hyatt Regency DFW Airport Friday through Sunday for Texas Frightmare Weekend. The horror movie convention features appearances by Campbell, Malcolm McDowell, Skeet Ulrich, Tara Reid, Brad Dourif, Tom Savini and more.

    2015 Dallas Cowboys Draft Party
    The Dallas Cowboys did better than they have in years in 2014, and they look to get even better at the annual NFL draft, which is being held in Chicago. The Cowboys are holding free draft parties on all three days, including at AT&T Stadium on Thursday and Saturday, and at The Rustic in Dallas on Friday. If you cheer loud enough, they may even make the right choices this time around.

    AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Newsies
    Based on the 1992 Disney movie musical flop, Newsies somehow found renewed life on Broadway, earning hosannas from both critics and audiences, and winning two Tony Awards for choreography and original score. The high-energy musical about the 1899 New York City newsboys strike runs at Winspear Opera House through May 10.

    Friday, May 1

    Music Road Records Day
    Music Road Records is an Austin-based record label with a long roster of experienced and up-and-coming singers in multiple genres. They showcase some of their best and brightest at this free event at Klyde Warren Park, including Hal Ketchum, Jimmy LaFave, Sam Baker, Garrett Lebeau and Jonah Smith.

    Saturday, May 2

    2015 Asian Festival
    The annual Asian Festival is one of the largest gatherings of Asian Americans in Dallas, and it takes up even more space this year, showcasing more than 30 Asian countries. Scattered around Klyde Warren Park and on Flora Street in the Dallas Design District are booths, stages, kids activities and more.

    Lady Antebellum in concert with Hunter Hayes and Sam Hunt
    Although nothing can compare to the country extravaganza that was the Academy of Country Music Awards at AT&T Stadium, a visit from Lady Antebellum is no small thing. The trio comes back to Gexa Energy Pavilion in support of their 2014 album, 747, with opening acts Hunter Hayes and Sam Hunt.

    The Who in concert with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
    For many people, The Who is mainly known as the group that provided the theme songs for the entire CSI franchise. But the legendary rockers, still led by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, are way more than just those handful of hits, as they show in this 50th anniversary concert at American Airlines Center. As a bonus, they are joined by new Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.

    Sunday, May 3

    2015 Spring Cottonwood Art Festival
    It seems like every weekend in spring brings another arts festival to the area, and this weekend it's Richardson's turn. The city hosts the semi-annual Cottonwood Art Festival at Cottonwood Park on Saturday and Sunday, featuring booths from more than 200 artists, music, a children's area and more.

    Hal Ketchum is among the Music Road Records artists performing at Klyde Warren Park on May 1.

    Hal Ketchum
      
    Photo courtesy of Hal Ketchum
    Hal Ketchum is among the Music Road Records artists performing at Klyde Warren Park on May 1.
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    Movie Review

    Ana de Armas brings John Wick-level violence to spinoff Ballerina

    Alex Bentley
    Jun 5, 2025 | 2:38 pm
    Ana de Armas in Ballerina
    Photo courtesy of Lionsgate
    Ana de Armas in Ballerina.

    The John Wickfranchise has been successful due to two things: The hyper-violence inflicted by its protagonist, and its star, Keanu Reeves, who has used a bare minimum of words to create a great antihero. Trying to capitalize on its popularity, Lionsgate - the studio behind the franchise - has made Ballerina, a spin-off focusing on a character inspired by another minor character from John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.

    That convoluted set-up is the first of a variety of missteps for the film. An opening scene introduces the audience to a young Eve (Victoria Comte), who gets taken in by a criminal group known as the Ruska Roma after her father is killed. The bulk of the film takes place 12 years later when a now-adult Eve (Ana de Armas) is finishing her training as a ballerina/assassin-for-hire, led by The Director (Anjelica Huston).

    Hungry to prove her worth, Eve starts going out on various jobs. One of those jobs puts her in the orbit of the group responsible for her father’s death, and she dedicates herself toward finding the leader known as The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) and exacting revenge. Oh, and for funsies, the film - set between John Wick 3 and 4 - also brings in Wick himself to juice the action.

    Directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten (who’s written the last two John Wick films), the film is at its best when the filmmakers are going all-in on the action. Like all films in the series, the actual body count soon becomes negligible, with the film more interested in how inventively Eve can slaughter everyone in her path. And there are some creative methods employed, including ice skates, hatchets, and - most memorably - a flamethrower.

    What Wiseman and Hatten are not able to do, however, is make us care about Eve herself. The main John Wick films got increasingly complicated, but they were tolerable because of how compelling a character Wick was. There’s no such connection with Eve, and for all her personal tragedy, she might as well be a faceless person. A lack of explanation as to why Ruska Roma is training women as ballerinas - you know, the title of the movie - only underscores how little the filmmakers cared about creating a good story.

    Consequently, despite plenty of gory kills, the film is actually quite boring to watch play out. The film goes through the paces of having Eve take on all-comers, but the end result is never in doubt and most of the action runs together. The inclusion of Wick into the story feels like the afterthought, whether it actually was or not. It also has the unfortunate effect of comparing a character fans know and love to one who hasn’t been given a chance to establish herself.

    Although her character as a whole is lacking, De Armas shows that she can easily handle the physical aspects of the role. The 37-year-old actor is oddly asked to play a 24-year-old (or so), but she mixes it up with the best of them. Byrne makes for a so-so new villain, while Reeves, Huston, Ian McShane, and Lance Reddick (making his final film appearance after passing away in 2023) all reprise their roles well.

    Ballerina has the look and feel of the four previous John Wick films, but it fails to be as compelling of an action film as any of them. True, it has just as much violence as fans have come to expect from the series, but its lead character is one that never reaches the level of John Wick, and it doesn’t seem like the filmmakers even tried to accomplish that goal.

    ---

    Ballerina opens in theaters on June 6.

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