Weekend Event Planner

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

Texas Ballet Theater will present Cinderella at Winspear Opera House, August 24-26.

Photo courtesy of Texas Ballet Theater

High-profile musical collaborations are the order of the weekend, event-wise. There will no fewer than five different concerts featuring either dual headliners or opening acts who have already established themselves as known quantities. Other events will include a cute animal film festival, two new local theater productions, and a ballet version of a classic story.

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

Thursday, August 23

Dallas VideoFest presents PawFest
Take a refreshing break from the dog days of summer to watch some funny, heart-melting videos of adorable felines and canines. PawFest features a new selection of videos curated by Will Braden, including approximately 100 cat and/or dog videos culled from videos in the categories of Comedy, Drama, Animated, Musical, Action, Vintage, and Documentary. The event takes place at Texas Theatre.

Charlie Puth in concert with Hailee Steinfeld
Charlie Puth is perhaps the ultimate example of how the music industry currently works. His most famous song, "See You Again," is one where he's only the featured artist, playing second fiddle to rapper Wiz Khalifa. But thanks to its heart-wrenching inclusion at the end of Furious 7, it launched Puth's career, leading to headlining dates like this at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory. He'll be joined by singer/actress Hailee Steinfeld.

Second Thought Theatre presents Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again.
To be a woman in the 21st century is to experience, and to embody, a world of contradictions. Work, relationships, family, sex, and power intersect as one daring group of actors turns everything you thought you knew directly on its head. Language is inverted, bodies are distorted, men are banished, and nothing is sacred in this bold, provocative, riotous play. It will run at Bryant Hall in the Kalita Humphreys Theater complex through September 15.

Friday, August 24

Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling in concert
Two extremely talented female musicians will be at the forefront of this concert at Dos Equis Pavilion. Amy Lee leads the way for Evanescence, which is having a bit of a resurgence after releasing their fourth album, Synthesis, in 2017. They'll be joined by Lindsey Stirling, a violin virtuoso who's taken the instrument far from its classical roots. Her latest album, Warmer in the Winter, was released in 2017.

Mavis Staples in concert with Sarah Jaffe
The true must-see concert of the weekend is this one at the recently revived Statler Hotel. Mavis Staples is a music legend, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who has weaved herself into the very fabric of gospel, soul, folk, pop, R&B, blues, rock, and hip hop over the last 60 years. She'll be joined by Dallas-Fort Worth's' own Sarah Jaffe, who has won huge acclaim over the past decade. Jaffe released her fourth album, Bad Baby, in 2017.

Texas Ballet Theater presents Cinderella
Texas Ballet Theater will present the most beloved fairy tale of all time, Cinderella. Marvel as spells and pumpkin shells are upstaged by extraordinary choreography and breathtaking sets. Laugh at the zany antics of Cinderella’s ugly stepsisters and rejoice as Cinderella finds her prince charming. The production will have five performances at Winspear Opera House through Sunday.

Uptown Players presents Perfect Arrangement
To close its 17th season, Uptown Players will present the regional premiere of Topher Payne’s Perfect Arrangement. It’s 1950, and new colors are being added to the Red Scare. Two U.S. State Department employees, Bob and Norma, have been tasked with identifying sexual deviants within their ranks. There’s just one problem: both Bob and Norma are gay, and have married each other’s partners as a carefully constructed cover. The production will run at Kalita Humphreys Theater through September 2.

Saturday, August 25

Rascal Flatts in concert with Dan + Shay
Almost 20 years into their career, Rascal Flatts remains one of the most popular country music groups around. They've released a new album every 1-2 years since their debut in 2000, with four of those albums going to No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Country charts. They'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion in support of their 2017 album, Back to Us, joined by opening act Dan + Shay.

Sunday, August 26

Wiz Khalifa and Rae Sremmurd in concert with Lil Skies and O.T Genasis
In an odd coincidence, Wiz Khalifa will be in town the same weekend as his "See You Again" collaborator, Charlie Puth. There won't be a live recreation of the song, though, as both have concerts in other cities on the night the other is playing. This concert promises a great time regardless, as Khalifa will be joined at Dos Equis Pavilion by Rae Sremmurd, Lil Skies, O.T. Genasis, and more. Khalifa recently released his sixth album, Rolling Papers 2.

Mavis Staples will perform at Statler Hotel on August 24, with support from Sarah Jaffe.

Mavis Staples at Free Press Summer Festival June 2013

Photo by Anthony Rathbun

Mavis Staples will perform at Statler Hotel on August 24, with support from Sarah Jaffe.

event-planner

Movie Review

Marty Supreme cements Timothée Chalamet as his generation's movie star

Courtesy

Timothée Chalamet

In a time when true movie stars seem to be going extinct, Timothée Chalamet has emerged as an exception to the rule. Since 2021 he has headlined blockbusters like the two Dune movies and Wonka, and also got nominated for an Oscar for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown (his second nomination following 2018’s Call Me By Your Name). Now, he’s almost assured to get his third nomination for the stellar new film, Marty Supreme.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a world-class table tennis player living in New York. But reducing Marty to his best skill doesn’t do him justice, as he’s also a motormouth schemer who will do almost anything to achieve his dreams. He doesn’t have any qualms about wooing married women like neighbor Rachel (Odessa A’zion) or actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), or hiding his true ping pong skills to win money in scams with friends like Wally (Tyler the Creator).

Marty is seemingly on the go the entire movie, whether it’s trying to convince Kay’s millionaire husband Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) to fund his table tennis ambitions; or trying to track down the dog of Ezra (Abel Ferrara), a man he accidentally injures; or trying to avoid the ire of the boss at the shoe store where he works. Just when you think he might slow down, he’s off to the races on another plan or adventure.

Directed by Josh Safdie and written by Safdie and frequent co-writer Ronald Bronstein, the film is an almost continuous blast of pure energy for 2 ½ hours. So many different things happen over the course of the film that the story defies conventional narratives, and yet the throughline of Marty keeps everything tightly connected. His particular type of brash behavior turns much of the film into a comedy as he does and says things that are both shocking and thrilling.

Another thing that makes the movie sing is the fantastic characterization by Safdie and Bronstein. Almost every person who is given a speaking line in the film has a moment where they pop, which speaks to airtight dialogue that the writers have created. Characters will be introduced and then disappear for long stretches of time, and yet because they make such an impression the first time they’re on screen, it’s easy to pick up their thread right away.

Safdie, as he’s done previously with brother Bennie (Uncut Gems), calls on a host of well-known non-actors or people with interesting faces/vibes to inhabit supporting roles, and to a person they are crucial to the film’s success. O’Leary (of Shark Tank fame), rapper Tyler the Creator, director Ferrara, magician Penn Jillette, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi each deliver knockout performances. The relative unknowns who play smaller roles are just as impressive, making each beat of the film feel naturalistic.

Leading the way is the powerhouse performance by Chalamet. For one person to believably play both the famously reserved Dylan and also a firecracker like Marty is astonishing, and this role cements Chalamet’s status as his generation’s movie star. A’zion is a rising star who gets great moments as Marty’s on-again/off-again love interest. Paltrow pops in and out of the film, lighting up the screen every time she appears. Fran Drescher as Marty’s mom and Sandra Bernhard as a neighbor also pay dividends in small roles.

Josh Safdie’s first solo directorial effort is unlike any other movie this year, or maybe even this century. Thanks to its breakneck storytelling, a magnificent performance by Chalamet, and countless intangibles that Safdie employs expertly, the film smacks viewers in the face repeatedly and demands that they come back for more.

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Marty Supreme opens in theaters on December 25.

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