Movie Review

Amy Poehler's Moxie empowers teen girls in fight against toxic masculinity

For way too long, the stories of boys and men have been prioritized in Hollywood and beyond. In fact, it’s only been in the last few years, that films like Blockers, Booksmart, and Yes, God, Yes, which offer a young female perspective on screen and female leadership behind the scenes, have finally started to come to the forefront.

The latest in that lineage is Moxie, which comes off as a combination between the light airiness of a teen comedy and the righteous indignation of Promising Young Woman. Moxie is not a person but rather an idea thought up by Vivian (Hadley Robinson), a brainy-but-shy high schooler who rarely oversteps her bounds. But the arrival of new student Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña), who’s unafraid to stand up for herself, and a series of small-to-large inciting events awaken a new side of Vivian.

Soon she’s digging into the protest history of her mom (Amy Poehler) to create an anonymous zine she dubs Moxie to call out the rampant toxic masculinity and culture that supports it at her school. Slowly but surely, Moxie builds a loyal following, with supporters protesting in a variety of increasingly bold ways.

Directed by Poehler and adapted by Tamara Chestna and Dylan Meyer from the novel by Houston English teacher Jennifer Mathieu, the film is different from most teen movies in that it offers a broad range of viewpoints and tries to flesh out its main characters. Vivian’s best friend Claudia (Lauren Tsai), is Chinese, and the initial Moxie group features mostly Black and Latino girls. Without being condescending to them, the film gives these characters the opportunity to comment and expand upon Vivian’s message.

While the film is mostly light in tone, it doesn’t back away from the seriousness of the topics that arise as part of the story. Underneath the fun of seeing these girls taking charge and trying to right the wrongs of their school lies genuine hurt that’s too often experienced by women in the real world. The filmmakers take care to illuminate various injustices and crimes without coming off as wishy-washy or preachy.

The combination of feminism and romance has been antithetical in some other films, but Poehler and her team make it work through Vivian’s crush on Seth (Nico Hiraga). True, Seth is the hunky ideal of a feminist ally, but his support allows Vivian to become even more confident in her new outlook. Their bond also belies the concept that any woman who’s interested in advancing the cause for females is a man-hater.

Robinson, previously best known for playing creepy twins in the Amazon series Utopia, does a great job at making Vivian come out of her shell in a believable way. She’s matched by Pascual-Peña, who’s magnetic every time she comes on screen. While the film belongs to the younger up-and-coming actors, the presence of well-known people like Poehler, Marcia Gay Harden, Ike Barinholtz, and Clark Gregg help the film navigate through some of its sticky points.

Moxie is a blast of pure energy that proves that stories centered on and made by women need to continue being highlighted. The fact that it can deliver its serious point in a highly entertaining way makes the case that audiences need more movies like it, and the sooner the better.

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Moxie is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.

Hadley Robinson in Moxie.

Hadley Robinson in Moxie

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Hadley Robinson in Moxie.

movies

Jakes Burgers opens family-friendly Gameday spinoff in Dallas' Lake Highlands

burger

Jakes

Jakes burger topped with all manner of things.

Massively popular Dallas chain Jakes Burgers & Beer has opened a new spinoff: Called Jakes Gameday, it's almost exactly like a Jakes Burgers & Beer, but with added features including games and family-friendly amusements.

The new concept opened on October 4 in Dallas' Lake Highlands, at 7215 Skillman St., in the Kingsley Square shopping center at the intersection of Walnut Hill Lane, taking over the former Picasso's Pizza & Grill space (in the same center as the first Dallas location of California cookie chain Cookie Plug, opening later this month).

Founded in 1985 by hamburger guru Jake Keller of Keller's fame, Jakes preceded the "better burger" trend by making a burger that was better than fast-food, with attention to detail like hand-cut fries.

They were ahead of their time on other now-popular trends such as a big selection of beer, which they serve in giant 18-ounce frosty schooners, and a big commitment to patios, which have become an essential accessory.

They have lots of big screen TVs for sports viewing inside and out, plus generous happy hours.

In addition to burgers, the menu includes wings, chicken-fried steak, veggie burgers, salads, sandwiches, chips & queso, quesadillas, and loaded fries. They do a fierce weekend brunch with avocado toast, breakfast tacos, and the "cinnapig" – a cinnamon roll topped with crumbled bacon.

The concept was taken over in 2003 by Greg Garvey, who retired and sold to Mad Concepts Group in 2021.

The chain has seen some closures in recent years including Henderson Avenue and Uptown, which was forced to close to make way for a high-rise.

But Mad Concepts, which also owns the Slim Chickens and Floyd’s 99 Barbershop chains, has big plans, with four openings the next year, bringing them to 11 total.

New locations coming soon include:

10677 E. Northwest Hwy. in the former End Zone at Plano Road
Aledo, at 601 N FM 1187
and a big opening in Addison, at 14920 Midway Rd.

"We previously had a location in Addison and we are so excited to be returning," says VP of operations Kendra Shier.

"We bought all of the former End Zone bars, which we'll spruce up - they were all in great neihborhoods so we'll be closing them and transforming them," she says.

Lake Highlands is an ideal fit for the "Gameday" concept, she says.

"Gameday has all of the trademarks of a Jakes with the burgers and sports bar aspect, but also a game room for kids," she says. "Parents can still go watch the game but it's a family-friendly environment."

craft-beer openings

Size matters

Surprising DFW city boasts the biggest houses in Texas, new ranking shows

new build house for sale Fort Worth

Photo courtesy of Zillow

This newly built home is 2,255 square feet, the average size in Fort Worth.

If everything’s bigger in Texas, that should include our homes, right? Well, a new study shows homes in the Lone Star State are among the biggest in the country — but not the biggest.

Texas appears at No. 11 on American Home Shield’s list of the states with the biggest houses. In Texas, the average home is 2,170 square feet, well behind top-ranked Utah (2,800 square feet).

But don’t despair, fellow Texans. Six Texas cities land on American Home Shield’s list of the top 20 major cities for home size. And surprisingly, they're not led by big shots Dallas or Houston.

Fort Worth takes the prize for the biggest homes in Texas.

After reviewing more than 500,000 U.S. home listings from Zillow, American Home Shield (whose list looks at average home sizes in the country’s 50 largest cities) concluded that Fort Worth boasted the biggest homes among large cities in Texas, averaging 2,255 square feet.

Following Fort Worth are:

No. 7 Austin, 2,081 square feet
No. 11 Houston, 2,041 square feet
No. 16 El Paso, 2,004 square feet
No. 17 San Antonio, 2,002 square feet
No. 20 Dallas, 1,930 square feet

In case you were wondering, the big city with the biggest houses is Colorado Springs, Colorado (2,760 square feet), while the tiniest houses are in Honolulu (825 square feet).

“Several factors can dictate how large the average home is in a certain state or city,” says American Home Shield, which sells home warranties. “One of the primary factors is the age of the housing stock. American homes have gotten larger over time; states with a higher percentage of new homes tend to have larger homes on average.”

home-for-sale rankings

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 14 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

These are the 14 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Courtesy photo

Legendary Bonnie Raitt will play at Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie on October 8.

It's another big weekend in and around Dallas, including five concerts featuring well-known singers or bands, two new local theater productions, a famous comedian, the start of a new opera season, and more.

Below are the best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, October 6

The Firehouse Theatre presents Catch Me If You Can
Seeking fame and fortune, precocious teenager Frank Abignale, Jr. runs away from home to begin an unforgettable adventure. With nothing more than his boyish charm, a big imagination and millions of dollars in forged checks, Frank successfully poses as a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer, living the high life and winning the girl of his dreams. The musical comedy about chasing your dreams and not getting caught will play at The Firehouse Theatre in Farmers Branch through October 23.

Craig Ferguson: The Fancy Rascal Tour
Craig Ferguson is an actor, writer, producer, director, and comedian with a diverse career that encompasses film, television, and the stage. He is a bestselling author, has recorded numerous standup specials, and was the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, which ran on CBS for 10 years. He'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Friday, October 7

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Hélène Grimaud Plays Brahms"
Wildlife conservationist, activist, writer, and virtuosic pianist Hélène Grimaud returns to Dallas to perform Brahms’ First Piano Concerto, the composer’s first performed orchestral work. The symphony will also perform Franck’s Symphony in D minor, which is being reintroduced by conductors like Fabio Luisi with a passion for exposing lost masterpieces to new audiences. There will be three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

The Doobie Brothers in concert
The Doobie Brothers are a classic rock band whose sound has come to be associated with the term "yacht rock." Debuting in 1971, the group - which has famously featured singer Michael McDonald off and on for most of its history - has a number of indelible hits, including "Listen to the Music," "Black Water," "What a Fool Believes, and more. They'll play at Majestic Theatre as part of their 50th anniversary tour, which is in support of their 2021 album, Liberté.

Cara Mia Theatre presents Latinidades Theatre Fest: ¡Estar Guars!
In a loving homage to live comedy, original videos, and visual spectacle, ¡Estar Guars! re-creates the classic sci-fi rebellion as a modern-day Resistencia, complete with Galactic Walls, space chanclas, migrant moisture farmers, fearless princesas, mystical abuelas, and the targeting of Sanctuary Planetas by an evil empire determined to MAGGA (Make A Galaxy Great Again). The finale of Cara Mia Theatre's Latinidades Theatre Fest will play at Latino Cultural Center through Sunday.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre presents DanceAfrica
The 17th annual DanceAfrica will feature African culture flowing through the music and dance of DBDT and DBDT: Encore!, along with the Allegro Performing Ensemble, the Senior Performing Ensemble, and the Junior Performing Ensemble of Dallas Black Dance Academy. Also performing will be guest artist Giwayen Mata, the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Dance Conservatory, and the DeSoto A Cappella Choir and Varsity Women. The festival takes place on Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.

Saturday, October 8

Morgan Wallen in concert
Few entertainers have had a better start to their careers than country singer Morgan Wallen. His 2018 debut If I Know Me went double platinum and yielded a No. 1 hit, "Whiskey Glasses." His follow-up, 2021's Dangerous: The Double Album, has been even bigger, going to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was named Album of the Year at the 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards. He'll play at an appropriately big venue, Globe Life Field in Arlington, as part of his first headlining tour.

The Dallas Opera presents Rigoletto
Treachery, seduction, and a raging father dead set on revenge. Rigoletto - he’s the jaded jester paid to make others laugh in the debauched court of Mantua. But when his innocent daughter is cruelly seduced by the predatory Duke, Rigoletto stops being funny and vows revenge. Seething with rage, he launches an elaborate plot to avenge his beloved child. But everything goes terribly, terribly wrong... The opera will have four performances through October 16 at Winspear Opera House.

Turtle Creek Chorale presents That '70s Show: Sing-Along Sensation
That '70s Show: Sing-Along Sensation features songs that made the '70s one of the most amazing decades for music, not to mention the social and political shift that unfolded during the truly revolutionary time in people's lives. The special concert will give audiences a chance to join the Turtle Creek Chorale and celebrate the exciting, provocative, and fabulous music of the storied decade. There will be two performances - one Saturday and one Sunday - at McFarlin Auditorium on the SMU campus.

Bonnie Raitt in concert
Blues singer and guitarist Bonnie Raitt has been performing for over 50 years, although she didn't achieve breakthrough success until her 10th album, 1989's Nick of Time. It was her follow-up album, Luck of the Draw, which made her a superstar, thanks to hits like "Something to Talk About" and "I Can't Make You Love Me." She'll play at Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie in support of her new album, Just Like That..., joined by Marc Cohn.

Eisemann Center presents Paul Taylor Dance Company
The Paul Taylor Dance Company is one of the world’s most sought-after dance troupes. The dancers, led by Artistic Director Michael Novak, perform Taylor's repertoire and works by contemporary choreographers. Dances on the program for this performance at Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts in Richardson include Paul Taylor's Arden Court, Taylor's Scudorama, and Rush Hour 1 by Larry Keigwin.

Roger Waters in concert
During this concert at American Airlines Center, part of Roger Waters' This is Not a Drill tour, he will give an indictment of the corporate dystopia in which we all struggle to survive, and a call to action to love, protect, and share the precious and precarious planet Earth. The show will include a dozen songs from Pink Floyd's golden era, alongside other newer songs.

Sunday, October 9

Nasher Sculpture Center presents Magali Reus: "A Sentence in Soil" closing day
Sunday will be the final day to view Magali Reus: "A Sentence in Soil" at Nasher Sculpture Center. Reus' second major U.S. show features an installation that examines the relationships between people and objects through the distortion of common images. The artist reimagines commonly found objects such as “No Parking” signs or dehumidifiers to take on new lives.

Monday, October 10

Bonnie Raitt

Courtesy photo

Legendary Bonnie Raitt will play at Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie on October 8.

The Chicks in concert
We're extending the list past the weekend to note a rare two-day appearance by a big band. The last time The Chicks came to town in 2016, they still had the word "Dixie" attached to their name. But in 2020, in conjunction with the release of their latest album, Gaslighter, they decided to drop that part since it came with unintended negative connotations. They'll play on both Monday and Tuesday at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

concerts theater music comedy symphony dance opera galleries event-planner