It's been a long wait for fans of Alamo Drafthouse and film in general, but movies finally return to downtown Dallas with the soft opening of Alamo's Cedars location on Friday, February 12. That date should prove successful for Alamo, as it will see the opening of two films — Deadpool and Zoolander 2 — that fit right in with the company ethos, as well as a third, How to Be Single, that is this year's designated Valentine's Day date movie.
The new theater, located at 1005 S. Lamar St., features seven auditoriums, all with 4K digital projection with 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound. Every seat at this location is a luxury recliner, and front-row seats feature larger chairs with a deeper recline and footrest.
Other amenities include a 30-foot outdoor screen, four private karaoke rooms, and an upstairs bar with two patios, each with amazing views of downtown Dallas.
You can actually get in to see the new movie theater sooner than February 12, as Alamo open its doors for "Role Play" dates earlier that week, February 8-11. Along with a chance to see some of the biggest movies of 2015 like Jurassic World and Mad Max: Fury Road again, you'll get in for just $1 and get 50 percent off your food and non-alcoholic beverages as the waitstaff learns the tricks of the trade.
The soft opening dates also bring some discounts: 30 percent off food and beverage February 12-14; 15 percent off food and beverage February 15-21; and a free order of cookies February 22-March 8. The theater officially opens on Wednesday, March 9.
The Alamo Drafthouse in Dallas goes from vision to reality on Friday, February 12.
Rendering courtesy of Alamo Drafthouse DFW
The Alamo Drafthouse in Dallas goes from vision to reality on Friday, February 12.
Michaela Coel and Ian McKellen in The Christophers.
Director Steven Soderbergh is one of those filmmakers who — aside from the Ocean’s series — never seems to make the same kind of movie twice. He is somehow able to adapt his abilities to all sorts of different stories, making each of them as compelling as any other. His latest masterclass is in the London-set film, The Christophers.
Lori Butler (Michaela Coel), who restores art for a living, is approached by brother and sister Sallie and Barnaby Sklar (Jessica Gunning and James Corden) with a scheme. They want her to become the new assistant for their aging father, Julian (Ian McKellen), a famous artist known for a series called “The Christophers,” in order to gain access to unfinished paintings from the series and complete them herself.
Lori accepts the deal despite having some uneasy feelings about Julian, with whom she had a bad interaction years ago. Julian is just as wary, both because he knows of his children’s interest in the unfinished works, and because he would prefer to be left in peace. Although the trepidation on both sides continues for the bulk of the story, a grudging respect arises between two artists who know skill when they see it.
Directed by Soderbergh and written by Ed Solomon, who last collaborated on No Sudden Move, the film is astonishing in its ability to be compelling with such a small story. Much of the film is spent inside Julian’s multi-story home as Julian and Lori have low-level confrontations about a variety of things, including the meaning of his art, her abilities, the fate of the remaining “Christophers,” and more. Each conversation brings out more detail about their worldviews and their thoughts about their lot in life.
Much of the success of the film lies in the performances of McKellen and Coel. The 86-year-old McKellen has not lost his ability to astonish with the spoken word, and the monologues he delivers are engrossing even when they’re about mundane things. Coel, best known for the 2020 HBO show I May Destroy You, is a great foil for McKellen, never backing down from his challenges and giving her own unique takes on her lines.
While the film can be enjoyable for non-art lovers, those who appreciate the vagaries of the art world will have a lot to chew on. Soderbergh and Solomon debate a lot of aspects of art, including whether it’s possible to separate the art from the person making it, why some art is valued more than others, the ethics of forgery, and more. Because the film is about a fictional artist, it gives the filmmakers a bit more freedom in their criticisms.
Aside from McKellen and Coel, Gunning (Baby Reindeer) and Corden are the only other two people who get significant screen time in the film. Both of them are, let’s say, acquired tastes, and each gives an elevated performance that matches the energy of their respective characters. Tilly Botsford makes a nice impression in a small role as Julian’s masseuse.
Soderbergh’s last three films — Presence, Black Bag, and now The Christophers — have nothing in common other than the expert filmmaker helming all of them. When you can make a ghost story, a spy film, and a small film about artists equally interesting, you know you’re doing something right.
