The Force is Strong

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is already a classic

The Star Wars saga is one that is entrenched in American pop culture history, and it would remain so whether another film in the series was made or not. The fact that we now have another one with Star Wars: The Force Awakens has the potential to be both a blessing and a curse, as most fans claim to want more from the universe, with the huge caveat of “only if it’s good.”

Thankfully, The Force Awakens isn’t just good — it’s great. Set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, the film focuses on four new characters: Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger on the planet of Jakku; Finn (John Boyega), a Stormtrooper with an actual conscience; Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), an ace pilot for a group known as the Resistance; and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), a leader of a group known as the First Order, which follows in the footsteps of the fallen Empire.

The story of each interconnects with the others, and their journeys lead them to come in contact with Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and now General Leia (Carrie Fisher). Although the fate of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is initially unclear, it is his whereabouts that drive the entire story.

Writer/director J.J. Abrams, along with co-writers Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt, delivers on the promise he made when he took the job: to return the series to its roots while advancing it for a new generation. The film is an embarrassment of riches as Abrams and his team pay homage to the original trilogy in a multitude of ways while also bringing in new elements that are a big departure from other Star Wars films.

One of the biggest departures is to have actual visible consequences for the violence in the film. George Lucas mostly tiptoed around death, having characters merely fall down even if there was no damage to be seen. Abrams earns the film’s PG-13 rating, wreaking havoc — and spilling actual blood — with pistols, cannons, light sabers, and one especially impressive weapon.

He also seamlessly integrates the new cast with the old. The film smartly waits a while to introduce any old characters, establishing the new characters’ bona fides so that they earn the right to meet Han Solo and others. In so doing, no part of the narrative ever feels forced; everything falls into place neatly, as if all of the characters always belonged together.

The move also lets you fall in love with the new characters and the actors who play them. Rey is fierce and determined, and Ridley gives her the perfect mixture of soft and hard, making her the heart of the film. Finn is conflicted and falsely confident, and Boyega’s performance is thought provoking and entertaining, as he gets many of the film’s funniest lines.

Everyone else is just as terrific, including Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, another First Order leader; Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, a Stormtrooper leader; Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata, a motion capture role that nonetheless lets her personality shine through; and Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke, a literally giant character who rules over the First Order.

Speaking of love, even if you already thought the new droid BB-8 was the best thing ever, you’ll have 10 times the feelings after seeing it in action. The way it rolls is a joy to watch every time and the personality it displays enhances its scenes immeasurably. While R2-D2 is still great, BB-8 is its equal and more.

There’s much more that could and will be said about Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the coming days and weeks, but the bottom line is this: It is everything that fans hoped and prayed for, fulfilling a destiny that was thwarted with the prequel trilogy. It is a film that people will return to again and again, and, like the original trilogy, is already a classic.

The Millennium Falcon may still be a hunk of junk, but it's as nimble as any spaceship in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Scene from Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Millennium Falcon may still be a hunk of junk, but it's as nimble as any spaceship in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

News You Can Eat

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar is headed to Garland and more Dallas dining news

Lazy Dog chicken

Lazy Dog

Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar is expanding in DFW.

This roundup of restaurant news around Dallas is topped by a mega-exciting opening for Garland, plus new dishes for spring and lots of fresh new beverages.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news:

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, the casual dining restaurant known for its innovative twists on American dishes served with small mountain-town hospitality, is opening a location in Garland. It'll be located at 5180 N. President George Bush Highway, and marks their sixth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. According to a release, it'll open in spring 2024.

“We look forward to bringing our concept of delicious food, warm hospitality and small mountain-town vibes to Garland. Lazy Dog has been received with open arms as we’ve joined new neighborhoods, and we can’t wait to be part of this community,” says Chris Simms, Lazy Dog founder & CEO in a statement.

Influenced by the lifestyle of the Rocky Mountains, Lazy Dog Restaurant serves made-from-scratch American food and drink with seasonally inspired ingredients. Other DFW locations are in Addison, Allen, Arlington, Euless, and Plano.

Salad and Go has four new drive-thru locations coming to DFW: 1102 W Main St, Lewisville April 1; 3401 Midway Rd, Plano April 3; 211 E. Euless Blvd, Euless April 10; and 3820 Belt Line Rd., Addison April 22.

A-T Bistro is the new name for Au Troisième, the Park Cities bistro that opened in Preston Center in 2022. A-T Bistro has been its nickname all along. Now they've decided to make it official. The restaurant is a nominee for Best New Restaurant in CultureMap's 2023 Tastemaker Awards and also madeTexas Monthly's "10 Best New Restaurants in 2023" list. In addition to the name change, A·T Bistro has also added a 600-square-foot outdoor dining space, 14-seat private dining room, 600-bottle wine cellar, Sunday brunch, daily lunch specials, and happy hour menu.

Boneless Butcher, the Dallas startup that makes vegan BBQ ribs and steaks, is now popping up at the Dallas Farmers Market every weekend with a small menu, three-to-four items including Korean BBQ burritos, a bulgogi steak sandwich, steak nachos, sloppy BBQ sliders, loaded steak nachos, and a banh mi.

La Madeleine has new limited-edition bakery items for spring: Blueberry & Lemon Individual Cheesecake topped with tart lemon whipped cream; Blueberry and Lemon Crepe with blueberry-cheesecake filling and fresh blueberries; and Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting. Three seasonal favorites are also returning: Lemon Blueberry Danish with blueberries and a lemon cream center; Lemon White Chocolate Chunk Cookie with tangy lemon glaze; and Lemon Poppyseed Muffin with a sweet lemon glaze drizzle.

Dog Haus has a new creation: the Pepperoni Pizza Sausage, a savory link with pork and fennel Italian sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella, tomato, and oregano. Guests can get it the Würst Way, served on King's Hawaiian rolls with spicy basil aioli and grated cheese; the Corn Dog Way dipped in Dog Haus’ root beer batter; and “Sliced Way” grilled and sliced with spicy basil aioli. A new item in the Absolute Würst Sausage Series arrives each month.

Cowboy Chicken, famous for its rotisserie chicken, has added chicken tenders to its menu, served with honey blaze, ranch, BBQ, and honey mustard sauces.

Genghis Grill has partnered with chef Robert Kabakoff on a trio of new Fried Rice bowls: Kimchi Fried Rice with spicy pickled cabbage, fried rice, scrambled egg, in spicy Korean chili sauce; Jambalaya with chicken, sausage, shrimp, onion, bell pepper, and dirty rice; Farmhouse with chicken, bacon, jalapeños, ranch seasoning, fried rice with carrots, bell pepper, onions, and a cream BBQ ranch sauce. They start at $8.49.

Dunkin' has new Breakfast Tacos with scrambled eggs, sharp white cheddar cheese, fire-roasted corn, and tangy lime crema in a soft flour tortilla, with or without bacon. What sets Breakfast Tacos apart is the fact that the fire-roasted corn takes center stage.

Cicis Pizza is collaborating with Mike’s Hot Honey to offer a Hot Honey pepperoni pizza, drizzled with the signature chili pepper-infused honey. Now through April 30, the Hot Honey Pizza will be in the third slot after Garlic Cheesy Bread and Pepperoni Pizza, or to-go, $10 for a medium, $12 for a large, or $15 for a giant.

Yogurtland, the self-serve frozen yogurt brand, has two new seasonal fro-yo flavors: Thai Tea and Boba Milk Tea, inspired by two classic tea experiences. Thai Tea frozen yogurt is new, with a bold black tea flavor and sweet cream notes. Boba Milk Tea is a returning flavor, with brown sugar notes. They also have a new limited-edition topping: rainbow mochi.

Chick-fil-A has brought back Watermelon Mint Lemonade after six years. It's available as Watermelon Mint Sunjoy, Watermelon Mint Iced Tea, and Watermelon Mint Frosted Lemonade, starting Monday, April 3. According to a release, the Watermelon Mint Lemonade has a devoted following. "Guests loved the Watermelon Mint Lemonade in 2017, so we are thrilled to bring it back to our menu and introduce new ways for guests to enjoy this flavor," a spokesperson says.

Gong Cha has a new Sparkling Series of bubbly beverages featuring combinations of fruit flavors, pearls, jelly, milk foam, and sparkling water: Sparkling Milk Foam Mango with Star Jelly, a bright, fruity and fizzy mango drink topped with milk foam and chewy, peach flavored jelly in star shapes; Sparkling Lychee with Mango Popping Pearls, a tropical fruit blend of lychee with bursts of mango in each pearl; and Sparkling Hibiscus with White Pearls,-aA sweet & sour hibiscus drink with tart, floral flavor and chewy white pearls. The chain has seven locations in DFW.

Häagen-Dazs® Shops has a new ice cream confection: Pineapple Coconut Shake, an alcohol-free ode to the classic piña colada, made from Häagen-Dazs Pineapple Coconut ice cream, topped with whipped cream and a slice of fresh pineapple, available April 1-June 14.

Milk Bar, the New York dessert company, has launched two new cookie types in grocery stores: bite-sized crunchy cookies (“crunchies”) and ready-to-bake cookie dough. Known for familiar-yet-unexpected items like their Compost Cookies, Milk Bar entered into the Grocery category in 2020. Crunchies will come in four flavors: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Toast, Pretzel-y Chocolate Chip, and Vanilla Butter Crunch, and sold at Whole Foods. The cookie dough comes in two flavors: Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow and Fruity Cereal, and is sold at Target and Kroger.

El Chico has two new cocktails featuring tropical flavors: Guava ‘Rita: with Monte Alban 100% Agave Silver Tequila, Gran Gala Orange Liqueur, Reàl Guava and margarita mix; and Sangria Swirl, a house frozen ‘Rita with El Toro Silver Tequila and red sangria swirl. Both are $7 and will be available April 3-July 3 at participating El Chico locations: 1549 S. Bowen Rd. Pantego; 7621 Baker Blvd., North Richland Hills; and 503 I-30, Rockwall.

Manhattan Project Beer is launching a blonde beer called Peacekeeper as a permanent offering. It's a blonde ale with a hint of guava and a crisp finish, and will be available in cans, and on tap at some bars, still TBA.

WES Brands, the Dallas-based company launched after the $610 million sale to Diageo of Aviation American Gin, has a slate of executive hires: Shawn Thurman as CEO, Sean Penn to President & COO, Kyle Stein as President, Lauren Ryan-Kiyak as Senior VP of Marketing, and Chris Jebbia as Senior VP of Finance. The company is focused on the growth of its existing brands - Mark Wahlberg's Flecha Azul Tequila and Jamie Foxx’s BSB Flavored Whiskey - and soon-to-launch spirits brands.

Chili’s is no longer using children’s activity placemats that promote keeping parrots and monkeys as pets, after a complaint was lodged in Nebraska. The North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance collaborated with PETA to discourage use of the placemats.

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