Weekend Event Planner

These are the 9 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

The last weekend in the short month of February brings a little of everything in and around the Dallas area. The event choices include a classic piece of classical music, an appearance by a legendary band, a harbinger of spring, a celebration of the best of movies, and a party with a top local singer.

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 23

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents Also Sprach Zarathustra
Jakub Hrůša conducts the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as part of its Texas Instruments Classical Series. Featuring violinist Vilde Frang, selections for the concert at Meyerson Symphony Center include the DSO premiere of Martinu's The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca, Britten's Violin Concerto, and Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra. There are four performances through Sunday.

Bon Jovi in concert
There are very few bands that can maintain a certain level of popularity for more than 10 years, much less 30, but Bon Jovi is in that rare group. Since their breakout album in 1986, Slippery When Wet, each of their albums has reached the top 10, including their latest, 2016's This House is Not for Sale, which debuted at No. 1. They play at American Airlines Center.

Dan Savage: Savage Love Live
Dan Savage is media pundit, gay and equal rights activist, author, writer, podcaster, and syndicated columnist of Savage Love. He brings his unique perspective to The Kessler for a live advice show, answering questions about love, sex, and more. The event is presented by WordSpace, a nonprofit literary events organization that produces over 50 interdisciplinary programs a year citywide.

Friday, February 24

Snap Judgment Live!
Snap Judgment, which has appeared on NPR stations for the past five years, delivers a raw, intimate, musical brand of narrative, daring audiences to see the world through the eyes of another. Snap Judgment Live!, taking place at the Majestic Theatre, features some of the world’s finest storytellers on stage, backed by Snap Judgment band.

Eisemann Center presents A Carlin Home Companion: Growing Up with George
In her solo show, A Carlin Home Companion: Growing Up with George, Kelly Carlin reveals what it takes to go from living in the shadow of her father, iconoclastic comedian George Carlin, to standing in the light. During the show, Carlin weaves together amusing and poignant family stories with classic video footage of her father’s career and family memorabilia. Performances take place both Friday and Saturday at Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts in Richardson.

Saturday, February 25

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents "Dallas Blooms: Flower Power"
You know that spring is around the corner when Dallas Arboretum brings out its annual Dallas Blooms exhibit. This year's is dubbed Flower Power and features more than 500,000 spring blooming bulbs, florally decorated topiary VW vehicles, and much more. The exhibit is on display through April 9.

Arts & Letters Live: Jessi Klein
Jessi Klein is the Emmy and Peabody award-winning head writer and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Inside Amy Schumer. In her new book, You’ll Grow Out of It, Klein compiles a perceptive collection of confessional essays that offer readers a relatable glimpse into exactly what it means to be a woman in today’s world. Klein will talk about the book at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Sunday, February 26

Oak Cliff Film Festival presents Oscars Party
Any film fan worth his or her salt will be tuning into the Oscars on Sunday night, and you can join a large group of them at this annual Oak Cliff Film Festival event at Texas Theatre. The free watch party features an Oscars pool with prizes, including VIP badges to the 2017 Oak Cliff Film Festival, a special live-sketch performance by House Party Theatre, themed drinks, and a photo booth.

Erykah Badu presents Sauceizm, Another Badu Birthday Bounce
When it comes to celebrating birthdays, few people do it better than Dallas' own Erykah Badu. The unique singer-songwriter-activist celebrates another voyage around the sun with a special birthday concert featuring her band, The Cannabinoids, at the Bomb Factory. Expect the unexpected, along with some great music.

Bon Jovi plays at American Airlines Center on February 23.

Photo by Norman Jean Roy

Bon Jovi plays at American Airlines Center on February 23.

Movie review

Early days of pandemic become a powder keg in tense movie Eddington

Photo courtesy of A24

Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in Eddington.

The coronavirus pandemic had a profound impact on the entire world, one that has been shown in various ways by movies and TV shows. However, even though a number of productions have attempted to show what life was like during the early days of the pandemic, few have tried to truly reckon with the way lockdowns and restrictions changed people.

Filmmaker provocateur Ari Aster does just that in Eddington, set in a fictional small town in New Mexico in early 2020 that proves to be a microcosm of the debates taking place worldwide at that time. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is not a fan of mask mandates or other restrictions imposed by the government, while mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) tries to lead by example in an effort to keep his community safe.

The men butt heads not just on how to deal with the pandemic, but also over a personal history involving Joe’s wife, Louise (Emma Stone). When news of the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota makes its way to town, it starts a slow simmer among the town’s youth population, putting even more stress on Joe and his small department. Conspiracy theories, white guilt, partisan politics, cults, and more combine to make the community into a powder keg that threatens to explode at the slightest provocation.

Aster (Midsommar, Beau is Afraid) takes aim at all sides in a film that’s part satire and part thriller. No matter how each viewer reacted to the pandemic, the film offers at least a character or two that will come close to representing their viewpoint. Although opinions may differ, it seems clear that Aster is not portraying one side as “right” or more righteous than the other. What he is doing is demonstrating just how much was happening in a short period of time, and how those things could negatively affect anyone.

On the flip side, the film also challenges viewers with viewpoints that may not match their own, which can make for an uncomfortable experience at times. The reactions various characters have to certain events range from rational to wholly unexpected, and Aster seems to delight in keeping the audience on their toes the entire time. This is especially true when violence rears its ugly head, resulting in some intense and upsetting scenes.

Not everything in the film lands, though. A subplot involving Louise and Vernon (Austin Butler), a cult leader who preys on her fears, feels tacked on, with no relation to the film as a whole. In fact, the character of Louise is a misfire in general, one whose purpose makes little sense. Aster also lets (asks?) some actors speak in almost inaudible tones at various points in the film, a frustrating experience in a film as dialogue-heavy as this one.

Phoenix loves to dig into off-kilter characters, and this one ranks high on that scale. Even if you don’t enjoy what his character does, it’s hard to fault the performance that brings him to life. Most of Pascal’s scenes are with Phoenix, and while he matches Phoenix’s energy, the lower key nature of his character leaves him overshadowed. The nature of the film means few others make an impact, although Deidre O’Connell as Joe’s passive-aggressive mother-in-law and William Belleau as Officer Jiminiz Butterfly stand out in their scenes.

Few of us would volunteer to go back to the baffling days of early 2020, but Eddington does a great job of examining what was happening at the time and how events united some and divided others. It’s not a feel-good film, but it is one that will make viewers re-examine their reactions at the time and how those influenced the current reality.

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Eddington is now playing in theaters.

coronavirus pandemic film movies

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 9 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Bon Jovi plays at American Airlines Center on February 23.

Movie review

Early days of pandemic become a powder keg in tense movie Eddington

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