Weekend Event Planner

These are the 13 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

The last weekend in June — seriously, the year is half gone already? — brings one of the busiest slates so far in 2016, with no fewer than 13 fun things to do over the course of the next four days. They include multiple concerts of all shapes and sizes, two new theater productions, a great way to beat the heat, and an early 4th of July celebration.

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, June 23

Decks in the Park Summer Kickoff
Decks in the Park is a free music festival series at Klyde Warren Park, showcasing a variety of local DJs and musicians. Among the performers at Thursday's event are Booty Fade; Blue, the Misfit; JT Donaldson; The Feels; Zander; DJ Souljah; Nick Van House; and Jeff Mitchell. Keep the party going after Decks in the Park with the after party at the Foundation Room.

NetWorks presents Disney's Beauty and the Beast
It's only been a couple of years since Disney's Beauty and the Beast last graced the stage at Winspear Opera House, but the tale as old as time never goes out of style. During this production, you can relive the story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. It runs through Sunday.

Shakespeare Dallas presents Richard III
The second weekend of Shakespeare Dallas' Shakespeare in the Park gets down to business with an actual Shakespearean play, Richard III. The brutal drama tells the story of the rise of Richard III, who does everything in his power to remove all obstacles in his way to becoming king. The play will alternate with She Stoops to Conquer at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre through July 23.

Friday, June 24

2016 Vans Warped Tour
The Vans Warped Tour is America’s longest running touring music festival of the summer, having been a showcase for both established and up-and-coming talent since 1995. This year's festival at Gexa Energy Pavilion features nearly 50 bands on five stages, including New Found Glory, Sleeping with Sirens, Motionless in White, and more.

Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs
Actor Alan Cumming is one of those rare performers who's as equally well-known for his work on stage as in movies, and on TV. Whether it's his Tony Award-winning role in Cabaret, playing a mutant in the X-Men series, or his supporting role in The Good Wife, he can do it all. He's showing off his voice in this special concert at Dallas City Performance Hall.

Texas Theatre and Alamo Drafthouse present John Carpenter: Live Retrospective
Director John Carpenter has been thrilling audiences with his work since the 1970s, including such classic movies as Escape from New York, The Thing, and They Live. But it's his role as composer that's going to be highlighted in this performance at Majestic Theatre, as he performs themes from his films, as well as several new compositions, including from his new album, Lost Themes II.

Dwight Yoakam in concert
Country star Dwight Yoakam was unstoppable in the late 1980s, opening his career with three straight No. 1 albums. He hasn't exactly been a slouch since then, with all but three of his 15 studio albums reaching the top 10 on the country charts. He comes back to Dallas to play at Annette Strauss Square in support of his 2015 album, Second Hand Heart.

Saturday, June 25

Slide the City
Everybody in Dallas is suffering through the current heat — and humidity — wave, so now is the perfect time for this record-setting water slide to return to offer a respite. Riders can speed on inner tubes through three city blocks along Sylvan Avenue and then enjoy a block party featuring food, music, local vendors, and street entertainers.

Market Street Allen USA Celebration 2016
The city of Allen is once again holding its Fourth of July party a week or so early, with this event at Celebration Park. Expect to find a kid zone, sports zone, food zone, military zone, and, of course, a grand fireworks finale. It also includes performances by Madi Davis, Reckless Kelly, and the Gin Blossoms.

6th Annual Jack FM Throwback Festival
North Texas’ ultimate tribute band festival is back in a big way for 2016, giving fans who can't see their favorite bands in concert the next best option. The festival at South Side Ballroom features 18 bands on three stages, including Back in Black (AC/DC tribute), Mysterious Ways (U2 tribute), and Rumours (Fleetwood Mac tribute), among others.

Reunion Lawn Party
The Reunion Lawn Party returns to the lawn of Reunion Tower, offering live music, food trucks, and lawn games. The first of three parties features performances by Ray Johnston Band and Beatles cover band Hard Night's Day. The Nodding Donkey is also back, serving frosty brews and wine, and there's a special light show on the Reunion Tower ball.

Night of the Proms 2016 featuring Michael Bolton, Wynonna Judd, Wang Chung, and Steve Walsh
Night of the Proms returns to Dallas with its one-of-a-kind classic-meets-pop concert. Taking place at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, featured artists include Michael Bolton, Wynonna Judd, Wang Chung, and the former voice of Kansas, Steve Walsh. They are being backed by Il Novecento, crossover opera star Fernando Varela, a 24-voice choir, and a five-piece electric band.

Sunday, June 26

Love Ignites: Lighting the Path to Brighter Tomorrow
Celebrating the one-year anniversary of marriage equality, this event at Cathedral of Hope will also surely touch on the recent tragic events in Orlando. It includes music by Cathedral of Hope and Turtle Creek Chorale, along with speakers like attorney Neel Lane; Resource Center CEO Cece Cox; and Judge Tonya Parker, one of the first Dallas judges to marry same-sex couples.

Slide the City returns to Sylvan Avenue on June 25.

Slide the City/Facebook

Slide the City returns to Sylvan Avenue on June 25.

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Movie Review

Campy horror film sequel M3GAN 2.0 is a prime summer release

Photo by Geoffrey Short/Universal Pictures

M3GAN in M3GAN 2.0.

When a studio releases a movie in January (aka Dumpuary), the general rule of thumb is that they’re trying to get rid of a movie that isn’t very good. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, as M3GAN was in 2023, which rode the comedy of a killer AI robot who likes to dance to over $180 million worldwide.

A sequel was a given, and now with a built-in fanbase, M3GAN 2.0is a prime summer release. After running into trouble with her robot invention, Gemma (Allison Williams) has seemingly seen the error of her ways, now focused on creating things like a mechanical exoskeleton that can benefit society. Little does she know that the code she used to create M3GAN (aka Model 3 Generative Android) has been co-opted to create AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno), a new robot which is being used for nefarious purposes.

Naturally, the only thing to do is to bring M3GAN (played by Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) back from the “dead,” which is easy to do because - surprise! - she has been lurking inside the smart house in which Gemma and her niece Cady (Violet McGraw) now live. The inevitable showdown between the two robots is alternately helped and hindered by people like billionaire Alton Appleton (Jemaine Clement), fellow tech entrepreneur Christian (Aristotle Athari), co-worker Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez), and others.

Written and directed by Gerard Johnstone, who also directed the first film, M3GAN 2.0 doesn’t stray from the original formula, delivering way more laughs than scares. Because there’s a familiarity with the character, Johnstone leans into the campy side of things, essentially winking at the audience for much of the film. Whether it’s temporarily imprisoning M3GAN in an innocuous desktop robot or a number of one-liners, there is a lot of comedy to be found.

The film is a type of horror, though, and it delivers in the mild, PG-13 way that won’t offend non-horror fans. AMELIA (aka Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android) gives off Terminator vibes, and she lays waste to virtually all challengers. M3GAN doesn’t get to show off her skills as much as she did last time, which might be a tad frustrating for some, but she gets in enough punches and kicks for the experience to be worth it.

The story itself starts off strong before devolving into an overly complicated mess. The arc of AMELIA is particularly strange, as the strength of her powers and the level of her autonomy seem to change at will in the second half of the film. Gemma develops a rivalry with another character that might have worked better if it had been hinted at early in the film instead of being dropped in as a surprise.

Davis’ voice performance as M3GAN is once again fantastic, as she delivers sarcasm and menace equally well. Sakhno isn’t asked to do much but look terrifying, and she accomplishes that job. Williams is up and down in her role, stronger in the moments when she’s not being asked to prove her tech bona fides. Clement is his usual over-the-top self, which suits his character.

As with the first film, if you go into M3GAN 2.0 not expecting anything more than some goofy violent robot action, you’ll walk away satisfied. The unlikely breakout hit for Blumhouse Productions may not be able to support a good story, but it entertains in the way it’s supposed to do.

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M3GAN 2.0 is now playing in theaters.

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