Film Fest Madness

Oak Cliff Film Festival 2014 blends new and old with a wheels-off twist

The Oak Cliff Film Festival has released the schedule of films for its upcoming third edition in June, and it's a list that will honor both the future and past of filmmaking.

Taking place June 19-22 at multiple locations in Oak Cliff, the festival includes 22 feature-length films, six short film showcases and a concert by experimental multimedia group Negativland.

Among the headlining films is an opening-night screening that's vaguely referred to as "the Texas Premiere of a new film produced by Sailor Bear Productions/Toby Halbrooks, James Johnston and David Lowery."

A screening of Wild Canaries atop Jefferson Tower is preceded by a bike ride sponsored by Bike Friendly Oak Cliff and New Belgium Brewery.

Anyone who knows his way around IMDb can surmise that this will almost certainly be Listen Up Philip, a film directed by Alex Ross Perry and starring Krysten Ritter, Elisabeth Moss and Jason Schwartzman. The film premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.

Also on the docket is the Sidney Lumet/Al Pacino classic Dog Day Afternoon, directly followed by the new documentary The Dog, which delves into the life of John Wojtowicz, the inspiration for Pacino's character.

Other noteworthy films include To Be Takei, a documentary about the eventful life of Star Trek's George Takei; a 30th anniversary screening of Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads documentary Stop Making Sense; and the Texas premiere of Michel Gondry's new film, Mood Indigo.

Most of the screenings take place at Texas Theatre. Additional screening locations include Bishop Arts Theatre Center, The Kessler, Oil and Cotton and one special screening on top of Jefferson Tower.

That screening is preceded by a bike ride sponsored by Bike Friendly Oak Cliff and New Belgium Brewery. Riders take a two-wheeled adventure across North Oak Cliff, culminating in a free rooftop screening of Wild Canaries.

Tickets for most films are $10 per person and can be purchased online on the Oak Cliff Film Festival website.

The 2014 Oak Cliff Film Festival includes a screening of Dog Day Afternoon, as well as a new documentary about the man who inspired Al Pacino's character.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The 2014 Oak Cliff Film Festival includes a screening of Dog Day Afternoon, as well as a new documentary about the man who inspired Al Pacino's character.

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FIRE STARTER

Dallas chef will bring the heat with Bobby Flay on Food Network BBQ Brawl

Tim McLaughlin/Facebook

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Bobby Flay is bringing beef to Texas, and he’ll have some Dallas starpower in his crew: Pitmaster Tim McLaughlin of Crossbuck BBQ in Farmers Branch will be on the famed chef’s team when Food Network's BBQ Brawl returns on May 11.

They'll be joined by fellow Texas chef Braunda Smith of Lucy Coopers Ice House in San Antonio.

Now entering its seventh season, the Texas barbecue series follows a format similar to The Voice, pairing 12 battling chefs with team captains Flay, Maneet Chauhan, and Brooke Williamson. Each week brings a new live fire challenge, starting with creating the perfect barbecue bowl. Judges Adrienne Cheatham, Rashad Jones, and Carson Kressley will axe one competitor each week of the series, filmed at Star Hill Ranch near Austin.

Braunda Smith/ Lucy Cooper's Braunda Smith will compete on BBQ Brawl. Braunda Smith/ Facebook

McLaughlin and Smith will have some stiff competition. The roster includes pitmasters from Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, and beyond, each bringing their own regional traditions to the pit.

McLaughlin is entering the competition with less TV experience than Smith, but he does film his own "chef tip" videos in the kitchen for social media. He also appeared in a slightly longer-form series on Crossbuck's YouTube channel teaching viewers barbecue basics. McLaughlin's experience as a chef in fine dining has translated to super-sharp skills and an openness to unexpected flavors.

"I've got well over a decade of experience in fine-dining restaurants," he said in the promo. "I've got well over a decade of experience successfully cooking BBQ. I know how to cook just about everything."

His teammate Smith has an advantage over many members of the cast. She’s no stranger to reality competitions, sparring on Guy’s Grocery Games and Chopped in 2023. Although neither resulted in a win, her versatile cooking style impressed both shows’ panels.

"My BBQ reflects all the places I've lived in life: Southern, Cajun, Korean, Hawaiian, and it's got some Texas flair in there,” says Smith in the show’s promos. “You know, we kind of get overlooked a lot in San Antonio. Taking home Master of 'Cue to Lucy Cooper's would just set everything ablaze."

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