Weekend Event Planner

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

If you're attending a big event this weekend, chances are you'll be stopping by the American Airlines Center, as the venue is hosting three huge concerts. If those aren't on your agenda, you can also support a local film, catch one of two interesting new theater productions, see another big concert outdoors, or get arty with a dance production.

Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Monday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, August 3

USA Film Festival and the Texas Association of Motion Media Professionals present TexFest
TexFest is a community showcase screening series featuring works by Texas filmmakers. This installment honors two Dallas-based filmmakers, Matthew Stephen Tompkins and Jon Keeyes, and includes a screening of their new feature film, The Harrowing. The event takes place at Angelika Film Center in Dallas.

Lionel Richie in concert with Mariah Carey
At first glance, the pairing of Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey might seem odd, as Richie has long been a classics singer and Carey is still a current act. But Carey has released only one new album in the past eight years and hasn't had a bona fide hit since 2008, so the appeal for both singers now lies in their early work. They're performing a co-headlining concert at the American Airlines Center.

Theatre Three presents The Minotaur
A present-day version of a classic Greek myth, The Minotaur is a contemporary take on love, honor, and human connection. With refreshing originality and wit, it explores how people break out of history to shape new stories for themselves. The play, written by Anna Ziegler, runs through August 27.

Friday, August 4

Queen and Adam Lambert in concert
Brian May, Roger Taylor, and Adam Lambert are debuting a brand-new show that was specially designed and created for this outing. The high-energy concert, taking place at the American Airlines Center, brings Queen's history alive through favorite Queen hits such as “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” and “We Are The Champions.”

Cry Havoc Theater Company and Kitchen Dog Theater present The Great American Sideshow
The Great American Sideshow is a political allegory about the current state of affairs in the United States. Otto Barron is the new owner of The American Sideshow, and along with the carnival barker Narcissa he sets out to sow discord and wreak havoc, all in the name of making the sideshow great again. The play runs at Trinity River Arts Center through August 12.

Saturday, August 5

John Mayer in concert
For a singer who's never had a top 10 single in his career, John Mayer sure has had a lot of success. His high profile has as much to do with his work, which includes his 2017 album The Search for Everything, as it has with his string of starry relationships: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jessica Simpson, Minka Kelly, Jennifer Aniston, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift, to name a few. He plays with The Night Game at the American Airlines Center.

Sunday, August 6

Incubus in concert with Jimmy Eat World and Judah & the Lion
As is the case with a lot of bands, Incubus has never reached the heights that they did with their breakout album, 2000's Make Yourself, which featured songs like "Pardon Me" and "Drive." But they've maintained a steady presence on the alternative charts, including their latest album, 2017's 8. They play Starplex Pavilion with support from opening acts Jimmy Eat World and Judah & the Lion.

Majestic Theatre presents Wanderlust Dance Project
Wanderlust Dance Project is bringing together Dallas-Fort Worth's eclectic dance community for its second annual dance festival, featuring the best dancers and choreographers in town, with a sprinkle of Julliard talent. The event includes a chance for budding choreographers to exhibit their dances onstage in a professional atmosphere. The program takes place at the Majestic Theatre.

Adam Lambert performs with Queen at the American Airlines Center on August 4.

Photo by Neal Preston

Adam Lambert performs with Queen at the American Airlines Center on August 4.

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Movie Review

The Invite delivers smart, sexy laughs with an all-star cast

Photo courtesy of A24

Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton in The Invite.

Once upon a time, well before scandal embroiled him, Woody Allen made great comedies aimed at adults. That type of film - which is different from the raunchy, R-rated comedies of the 21st century - has fallen out of favor in Hollywood, but as the new film The Invite proves, when done well it can be as funny as anything else out there.

Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde) are an unhappily married couple living in San Francisco. As we meet them, Joe has arrived home to Angela preparing for a visit from their upstairs neighbors, Hawk (Edward Norton) and Piña (Penélope Cruz), who have moved in relatively recently. Their impending arrival starts a new round of arguing between Joe and Angela, something they can barely contain once the other couple comes to their door.

What proceeds is a getting-to-know-you process that is mostly awkward as Joe and Angela continue sniping at each other while Hawk and Piña put in their two cents in a much calmer manner. A sticking point between the two couples - the loud sex Hawk and Piña have on an almost nightly basis - turns the film on its head with an unexpected invitation.

Directed by Wilde and written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, the film is a fast-paced chamber piece that takes place almost entirely in Joe and Angela’s apartment. Wilde, the writers, and the actors speed the story along not with action but through almost non-stop dialogue that often has the characters overlapping each other’s lines. The rapidity of the speech fuels the humor of the situation and establishes the differing personalities of each person.

Sex is very much top of mind for each of the characters for most of the film, but the filmmakers approach the topic in such a way that it never feels salacious. Each of the characters is a rational adult who can talk about sex in a mature manner while also acknowledging their unique feelings on the matter. And it’s the discoveries each of them makes along the way that brings about the most comedy.

But, like any comedy for adults, the film also has a dramatic tilt to it, and Wilde edges the story back-and-forth between the two tones extremely well. Joe and Angela fighting is played for laughs at times, but the sadness of their relationship comes through loud and clear. Hawk and Piña are much more intimate with each other, but the funniness of their openness is juxtaposed with a depth that arises through their conversations.

In the 2020s, Rogen has managed to make the transition from goofy stoner to stoner with real acting chops. In a stacked cast, he is the one who sells every moment the best. That’s not to say that Wilde, Norton, and Cruz don’t measure up, though; each of them inhabits their respective roles magnificently. The four actors play off each other as if they had been working together for years.

While The Invite will likely play better to those who have experience with long term relationships, its insights - and occasional bawdiness - make it a comedy that can be appreciated universally. With four actors at the top of their games and a razor-sharp script made even better by some well-done improv, it proves that you don’t need to go low to get great laughs.

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The Invite is now playing in theaters.

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