Crowning achievement

Where to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's happy and glorious Platinum Jubilee in Dallas-Fort Worth

No one else has done what she's done.

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Hip hip, hooray! After months of breathless anticipation worldwide, it's officially time to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.

The Platinum Jubilee marks the Queen's "happy and glorious" 70-year reign — a tenure achieved by no other British monarch. (Her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria "only" made it to a 60-year, Diamond Jubilee, in 1897.)

To commemorate the special anniversary, events are taking place throughout the year in the U.K. and other Commonwealth territories, but they all culminate in a spectacular four-day extravaganza, June 2-5. (Officially "bank holiday" days off for the lucky Brits.) They'll start with the famed "Trooping the Colour" military parade (i.e., "The Queen's Birthday Parade") and will include a big church service, horse derby, celebrity-studded concert, pageant, and international lunch date.

Across the pond in Dallas-Fort Worth, Anglophiles can fete the Queen at several British establishments. Or raise a cuppa and watch the coverage of all the regal events at home.

Jubilee in person

Jubilee Open House at the British Emporium
The U.K. gift and grocery superstore in Grapevine is the epicenter of all things British in Dallas-Fort Worth — and that includes the Jubilee. The store is stocked with official commemorative Jubilee merchandise such as china, tea towels, shopping bags, and books, along with party supplies and goodies for at-home parties. (Note these are available at the Richardson location, too.)

The Jubilee celebrations started here with a parade of corgis and cars on May 15. They continue through Jubilee Weekend with a special two-day open house, from 12-4 pm June 4-5. Guests can purchase raffle tickets to win a limited-edition Barbie Signature Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Doll and other prizes, with proceeds going to Grace nonprofit of Grapevine. (Tickets are one for $5, three for $10, or eight for $20.)

In addition, two local authors who have written books about Britain and the Royal Family will be on hand for book signings, Nancy Churnin (Saturday from 12-2 pm) and Hazel Spire (Sunday from 12-2 pm).

Guests can nosh on favorite British sweets and treats on both afternoons, and each day, a limited number of goody bags will be available for those who make a purchase of $10 or more.

Platinum Jubilee Brunch at The Londoner
Both locations of this British pub — Addison and Colleyville — will celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 70-year reign with a Platinum Jubilee Brunch, being served from 11 am-3 pm June 4 only. Dishes include Platinum Scones and Sweets, a special twist on a Waldorf Chicken Salad, and more. (Regular brunch items will be available, too.)

Raise a glass with a mimosa, Pimm's Cup, or a special cocktail crafted for the day — Queen's Cup (Hendrick's Gin, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, sparkling wine, strawberry, and lemon) or the English Rose (Hendrick's Gin, basil syrup, lemon juice, cucumber, club soda). Call 972-458-2444 (Addison) or 817-684-8810 (Colleyville), or visit the website to reserve, as they expect spots to fill up.

Platinum Jubilee Trifle at Fish & Fizz
The acclaimed British restaurant in Richardson is making a special Platinum Jubilee Trifle, which will be available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, for dine in or takeout. It's $10, and no, that doesn't include their top-secret recipe.

Royal Tea at The French Room
Celebrate the Queen’s birthday and her majesty’s 70th year as the British Monarch at The Adolphus Hotel’s French Room. Partake in her favorite tea sandwiches and treats paired with British bubbles. Tickets are $75 per person ($35 for children 12 and under), plus tax and service charge. Limited reservations are available Wednesday through Friday, June 8-10, from 11 am-3 pm.

God Save the Queens Tea Party at Dude, Sweet Chocolate
This colorful tea party (advertised with an image of a man wearing a tiara) celebrates the intersection of Jubilee Week and Pride Month. "Our tea parties are not your run of the mill high tea experiences. Join us for a unique tea party in a unique location (our chocolate factory) and broaden your cultural and food horizons," reads the event description. It happens 12-2 pm June 4 at Dude, Sweet Chocolate "Mothership," 1340 Inwood Rd., Dallas Tickets are $59 per person. (Note: As of June 1, the event has sold out; call 214-879-1991 to inquire.)

Jubilee on TV

There will be a plethora of TV specials and live coverage of events from the U.K. throughout the weekend. According to Deadline, U.S. viewers will be able to watch most of the official Jubilee events (the ones the Queen and members of the Royal Family are expected to attend) on ABC News (broadcast and streaming) following an agreement struck between the network and BBC Studios.

ABC says in a release, "The Royal Jubilee: 70 Years on the Throne" will include a number of events as part of ABC News' coverage, beginning with the official start of the Jubilee celebration on Thursday, June 2, through Saturday, June 5, including "Platinum Jubilee: Trooping the Colour"; "Platinum Beacons: Lighting up the Jubilee," the traditional lighting of more than 1,500 beacons across the nation and the Commonwealth; "Platinum Jubilee: A Service of Thanksgiving," live from St. Paul's Cathedral in London; "Platinum Party at The Palace," featuring performances from artists around the world; "The Platinum Pageant"; and "Platinum Jubilee: What a Weekend!"

ABC News Digital will have live coverage of the Jubilee celebrations, including a live blog, livestream video of select events, and daily video highlights of the best moments across "GMA" Digital and social, as well as features on all facets of the queen: from the monarch's life and legacy to her fashion and corgis. Schedule highlights are as follows (times are local to DFW):

Thursday, June 2
Trooping the Colour: 4 am, ABC News and BBC One (A special edition of Good Morning America will start at 4 am on WFAA/Channel 8.)
Lighting up the Jubilee: 2 pm, ABC News and BBC One

Friday, June 3
A Service of Thanksgiving: 3:15 am, BBC One

Saturday, June 4
Platinum Party at the Palace: 1:30 pm, ABC News and BBC One (ABC News will air a two-hour primetime special, "Party at the Palace," featuring stars including Elton John, and Diana Ross, from 7-9 pm) on ABC, and available next day on Hulu.

Sunday, June 5
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant: 7 am, BBC One

Special editions of Good Morning America will be broadcast on Saturday and Sunday, ABC says. Additionally:

The other two big network morning shows, NBC's Today, and CBS Mornings, also broadcasting live from London all week.
Fox News will broadcast The Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II from 4-8 am Thursday and Friday.
Her Majesty the Queen: A Gayle King Special will air 9-10 pm Thursday on CBS.
The Queen: Anthology - A Life on Film will air 8-9 pm Friday on PBS.
CNN re-runs two Queen-focused episodes of its series The Windsors: Inside the Royal Dynasty at 10 pm and 11 pm Saturday
Britbox, the streaming platform from BBC and ITV, is a go-to for Royal watchers. Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebration is available now, along with historical documentaries about the Queen; specials on Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding; Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's romance and wedding; and more. It's $6.99/month or $69.99/year after a seven-day free trial.

Planning a party at home? Here is the recipe for the official Platinum Jubilee Pudding — Jemma's Lemon Swiss Roll and Amaretti Trifle — crowned the winner in a nationwide competition in Britain.

London is all dressed up for Jubilee Weekend.

London, Platinum Jubilee, Buckingham Palace

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London is all dressed up for Jubilee Weekend.

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Movie Review

Bob Odenkirk is back as the everyman-turned-hero in new movie 'Normal'

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Bob Odenkirk in Normal.

Screenwriter Derek Kolstad, who wrote the first three John Wick movies, has essentially had a blank check to do what he wants in the movie landscape since 2014. In recent years that has meant writing the action series Nobody for Bob Odenkirk, who has turned from a comedian into an unlikely action star in his sixties. Kolstad and Odenkirk are teaming up again in Normal.

A film that tries to evoke Fargo in multiple ways, Normal finds Ulysses Richardson (Odenkirk) serving as a temporary sheriff for the small town of Normal, Minnesota after the previous sheriff died. Knowing he’s just a steward until a new sheriff is elected, Ulysses takes a live-and-let-live approach to the job, letting the deputies (Ryan Allen and Billy MacLellan) do the grunt work and trying to stay out of everyone’s way, including Mayor Kibner (Henry Winkler).

A bank robbery attempt by two non-citizens upsets his best-laid plans in more ways than he can imagine. Not only is he forced to confront a crime not often seen in a town like Normal, but the robbery uncovers secrets that turn the film into an all-out bloodbath. Soon, almost everyone in town becomes involved in what comes to resemble a war, along with — you guessed it — Yakuza henchmen from Japan.

Directed by Ben Wheatley and written by Kolstad, the film is a slight twist on the everyman-turned-hero character Odenkirk played in the two Nobody films. While Ulysses is in law enforcement, he prefers to use words instead of weapons, and it’s only when he’s pushed to the brink that he crosses that line. Naturally, his skills are beyond what anyone would expect of him, allowing him to match up well with people half his age.

The film is not a comedy in the traditional sense, but instead aims for laughs by catching the audience off-guard with its ultraviolence. Some characters are dispatched in shockingly unexpected ways, with one of the only natural reactions to the jarring nature of their deaths being laughter. That’s not necessarily the case for other killings, which range from blasé to sadistic, and the only reason they count as entertainment is because the filmmakers have primed the audience to accept them as such.

After a relatively solid setup, where Wheatley and Kolstad seem to take their time getting to know the main characters, the second half of the film is pure action that dispenses with good storytelling. Like many action movies, there are double crosses, surprise revelations, and more, but the filmmakers don’t seem to care about making sense of any character arcs. All they care about is delivering mayhem, and they succeed on that front.

Odenkirk has perfected the mild-yet-intimidating nature of his action characters, and it is satisfying to see him get the better of those who have done him wrong. He doesn’t run or jump like fellow 63-year-old Tom Cruise, but — with the help of fast-paced editing — he still makes for a credible action hero. The only other actors of any note in the film are Winkler, who’s a nice presence with his sardonic personality, and Lena Headey, whose small role doesn't match up with her experience.

You have to have a certain mindset to enjoy a film like Normal, but if you can abide its over-the-top bloodiness, it’s a serviceable action film. Few would have expected Odenkirk to take on these kinds of roles at this late stage of his career, but he’s making the most of his opportunities.

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Normal opens in theaters on April 17.

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