Weekend Event Planner

These are the 8 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Because Valentine's Day falls on a weekend again this year, you'd think the lineup would be heavy on the romance. Not so; those are limited to the actual day (Sunday). Other worthwhile events include three outstanding theater options, a live playing of a classic movie score, a convention with movie and TV stars, and a Chinese New Year 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, February 11

Undermain Theatre presents Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Thanks to Undermain Theatre, Long Day’s Journey Into Night is being produced in Dallas for the first time in more than two decades. The Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning play from Nobel Prize winner Eugene O'Neill is considered by many to be the greatest play of the 20th century and a centerpiece of modern drama. It runs through March 6.

Eric Bogosian: Bitter Honey – The Best of 100 (Monologues)
Between 1980 and 2000, Eric Bogosian wrote and performed in six full-length solo shows Off-Broadway. Bitter Honey is a nightly performance of a dozen of the 100 monologues Bogosian performed in those shows, picked at random, resulting in a unique show every night. Bogosian puts on four performances over three days at Wyly Theatre.

Friday, February 12

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents West Side Story
Dallas Theater Center is currently presenting a modern version of Romeo and Juliet, and now the Dallas Symphony Orchestra pays tribute to another version of the story, the Oscar-winning West Side Story. The electrifying score and memorable songs from the movie musical are performed live with the newly remastered film shown on the big screen in three performances at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Kitchen Dog Theater presents I'm Gonna Pray for You So Hard
Anybody who's ever had a contentious relationship with his or her parents can appreciate the story of Kitchen Dog Theater's latest play. It follows an actress whose sole aim in life is making her famous playwright father proud, and what transpires over the course of a boozy, drug-fueled evening as they debate whether to read the reviews of her new play. It plays at the Green Zone through March 12.

Saturday, February 13

Dallas Comic Con Fan Days
Dallas Comic Con Fan Days is a pop culture convention for fans of comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming, one that is packed with family-friendly activities and celebrities. Among the celebrity guests expected to attend are John Barrowman, Stephen Amell, and Katie Cassidy from Arrow; Danielle Panabaker and Robbie Amell from The Flash; and John Schneider, Tom Wopat, and Catherine Bach from The Dukes of Hazzard. The convention takes place Saturday and Sunday at Irving Convention Center.

Crow Collection of Asian Art presents Chinese New Year Festival
Say goodbye to the Year of the Ram and celebrate the Year of the Monkey, which officially started on February 8, at the Chinese New Year Festival at the Crow Collection of Asian Art. Highlights include traditional Chinese New Year art-making activities, calligraphy demonstrations, face painting, fortune telling, and much more. Also expect food trucks, lion dances, and a grand finale fireworks display.

Sunday, February 14

Truck Yard presents Stoplight Party on Valentine's Day
Most people who go out on Valentine's Day have already found love, but you're welcome at this party no matter what your relationship status is. In fact, that's the whole point, as attendees are asked to wear red (in a relationship), green (looking for a relationship), or yellow (confused) to the Truck Yard to encourage people to meet someone new. Even if you don't, you can still indulge in some great food and drinks.

Ricki Derek and Casablanca Valentine's Day double feature
The Granada Theater hosts a Valentine's Day double feature with a concert by crooner Ricki Derek and a screening of film classic Casablanca. Derek has been performing standards for more than 15 years in the area, and Valentine's Day is one of his specialties. After Derek and his band finish, the lights dim and Casablanca hits the big screen yet again.

Undermain Theatre presents Long Day's Journey Into Night through March 6.

Photo courtesy of Undermain Theatre

Undermain Theatre presents Long Day's Journey Into Night through March 6.

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Movie Review

Stephen King film adaptation The Life of Chuck aims for the heart

Photo courtesy of NEON

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Just like actors, once a filmmaker becomes known for a certain genre, it can be difficult to escape that pigeonholing. Writer/director Mike Flanagan has worked for 20 years in both film and television, and literally every project he’s done has been related to horror. He’s finally breaking out with The Life of Chuck, which is ironically based on a short story of the same name by Stephen King.

Told in three chapters in reverse order, the film is almost impossible to describe without giving away its magic. The first section centers on Marty (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a teacher grappling, like everyone around him, with what seems to be the world falling apart. He’s comforted to a degree by reuniting with his ex-wife, Felicia (Karen Gillan), but is also baffled by multiple ads touting the retirement of Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) after “39 great years.”

The second section consists of little more than a slightly younger Chuck happening upon Taylor (The Pocket Queen), a drummer busking on a street corner, giving Chuck and a younger woman, Janice (Annalise Basso), the inspiration to start dancing. The final section goes back to the childhood of Chuck (Benjamin Pajak), where he’s raised by his grandparents (Mark Hamill and Mia Sara), discovers dance as an outlet, and wonders about various small mysteries.

Flanagan finds a way to deliver a lot of story with relatively little effort. Using a wry narrator (Nick Offerman), a limited number of locations, and a series of great small performances, he creates an intriguing premise with few straightforward answers. The structure of the film is designed to confuse the viewer until just the right moment, and the revelation forces you to reexamine everything that came before.

The biggest accomplishment by Flanagan is making what are essentially three short films and having each of them resonate equally. The film contains elements of science fiction, although the first section may hit a bit too close to home for some of those watching. All three sections, though, have a heartwarming bent to them that sells their central idea without becoming overly saccharine.

To do so, each of the characters have to connect in a short amount of time. The casting of the film is crucial, and not only does that department succeed with the main roles, but a series of small roles are filled expertly as well. Carl Lumbly as a funeral home owner, David Dastmalchian and Harvey Guillen as parents of students, Matthew Lillard as Marty’s neighbor, Q’orianka Kilcher as Chuck’s wife, and Jacob Tremblay as a teenage Chuck are just a few of the recognizable actors that do yeoman’s work in their brief time on screen.

Hiddleston is only prominently featured in the second chapter, but his performance there and in small glimpses throughout makes a big impression. Ejiofor is given the star turn in the first chapter and he absolutely kills, both in moments by himself and in scenes with Gillan, with whom he has great chemistry. Hamill, making a rare non-voiceover appearance outside of the Star Wars universe, and Sara, in her first notable role in 11 years, are also very memorable in the final chapter.

The Life of Chuck is a film that’s filled with emotion, but the full impact of the story is not felt until the final moments. It has a mysterious journey that is initially frustrating, but the performances keep the film going until it gets to its satisfying payoff.

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The Life of Chuck is now playing in theaters.

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