State Fair on the Cheap

How to get every discount imaginable for State Fair of Texas 2014

The 2014 State Fair of Texas starts its 24-day run at Fair Park on Friday, September 26. Smart fairgoers are on the hunt for any discounts or deals they can find to save a little cash.

Luckily there is no shortage of bargains to be had. Below are the myriad ways in which you can save money on State Fair of Texas tickets, which normally run $17 for general admission and $13 for seniors and kids under 48 inches tall.

Buy your tickets in advance
You can always get discounts at BigTex.com. This year the State Fair has a deal with Sonic Drive-In where if you enter the promo code "Sonic" when you order tickets online, you'll get $3 off any ticket through October 13. But because you can't print tickets at home or have them reserved at will call, the $8.95 you have to pay for shipping throws the discount part of it out the window unless you're buying three or more tickets.

A better suggestion would be the new digital ticket option available through DART's GoPass app. Not only do you save $2 on any ticket, your tickets are also right there on your phone, ready to be activated whenever you want to use them. With more convenience and no shipping fees, you can't beat this deal.

You can also save a little by buying advance tickets at your local Kroger. General admission tickets there cost $15.50, but no senior or children discounts are available. Keep in mind that kids 2 and under do not require a ticket.

Season passes
If you're planning on going to the State Fair three times or more, you owe it to yourself to buy a season pass. For only $39.95, you can romp around Fair Park as much as you like. The pass comes with a one-day-only guest ticket and a free ride on the Texas SkyWay and the Top o’ Texas Tower during special season pass holder events. Buying at Kroger saves you $5, as the pass is only $34.95 there.

North Texas Food Bank deals
Once again, there are multiple opportunities for you to get a discount while doing some good. Anyone who brings in a full 20-ounce Dasani water or Coca-Cola product on opening day gets in for $6. No cheating: Every person in your group must have a bottle to get the discount.

For an even better deal, every person who brings in at least three cans of food on Wednesdays gets in for $3. All food and drinks will be donated to the North Texas Food Bank.

Senior deals
Seniors 60 and over have it made in the shade — or the sun, more likely — as they can get into the fair for $4 off every single day. Even better, every Thursday — October 2, 9 and 16 — is Senior Day, meaning those lucky ducks get in for free.

Group tickets
This isn't an option for everyone, but if you're bringing a big group, you can rack up the savings. Groups of 20 or more get adult tickets for $13.50 each; $11 for seniors and kids. If your group is between 100-249 people, that price drops to $12 and $10. And if you're bringing a whopping 250 or more, it's only $11 and $9, respectively.

McDonald's coupons
The next time you eat at Mickey D's, make sure to check your tray liner or bag for State Fair coupons. You'll find ones for $3 off general admission any day, and ones that offer a $7 discount for kids when an adult pays full price.

Dr Pepper deals
Don't recycle those empty Dr Pepper cans. Save 'em up, as every person with one gets $5 admission on Tuesdays or $8 after 5 pm any day of the week.

Coca-Cola Thursdays
Coca-Cola repeats its opening-day deal every Thursday, except this one gives you a $6 admission price for any empty 20-ounce bottle.

KISS-FM Fridays
You can get $5 off general admission on Fridays simply by going to the KISS-FM website and printing a coupon for every member of your group. Discount does not apply to senior or children's tickets.

Dickies promotion
Many fairgoers have gotten used to wearing a piece of Dickies clothing on a specific day and getting in free, but the State Fair discontinued that promotion this year. Instead, anyone who purchases $75 or more worth of goods at the Dickies retail store in Fort Worth through October 6 will receive two free tickets to the fair.

Discount on Midway rides
Tuesdays seem to be the day to go, as you can get your $5 Dr Pepper ticket and then save more inside, where all rides except for thrill rides and the Texas Star are only six coupons. Because that gives you a savings of anywhere from $1-$3 per ride, that may be the best deal of all.

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Movie Review

Jodie Foster brings depth and wit to French thriller A Private Life

Photo by Georges Lechaptois

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Jodie Foster has been a member of the Hollywood community for almost 60 years, first as a child actor on TV, and then branching out into movies. She earned an Oscar nomination at the tender age of 14 for her role in Taxi Driver, and she’s gone on to be nominated five times, winning twice. Now, at age 63, she’s showing she’s still capable of surprises by fluently speaking another language in the French film, A Private Life.

Foster plays Lilian Steiner, a psychiatrist who sees patients out of her Parisian apartment. When she learns of the death of one of her patients, Paula (Virginie Efira), she’s sad but otherwise unaffected until a few suspicious things start happening. This includes the robbery of her apartment, in which a recording of Paula’s last session with Lilian goes missing.

With the help of her ex-husband, Gabriel (Daniel Auteuil), Lilian becomes an amateur private detective, tracking the movements of Paula’s husband, Simon (Mathieu Amalric), whom she increasingly suspects of murder. At the same time, Lilian must navigate a tense relationship with her son, Julien (Vincent Lacoste), along with an unexpected rekindling of romance with Gabriel.

Written and directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, and co-written by Anne Berest, it is a psychological thriller that at times feels like an Inspector Clouseau movie. With little to go on but her own perhaps misguided suspicions, Lilian digs herself deeper into a situation of her own making. And she further clouds her mind by indulging in a tryst with Gabriel, who’s all too eager to help Lilian pursue her criminal theories. While the film is not a comedy, there are elements of humor that pop in to keep the story light.

Zlotowski plays with the competing tones of the story well, keeping viewers on Lilian’s side even as she indulges in things that might not be the healthiest for her. Lilian’s various eccentricities - an adherence to recording on old-fashioned mini discs instead of fully digital, keeping an emotional distance from her son and grandson - make her a fascinating character whose vacillating motivations keep viewers guessing as to what she’ll do next.

In a lot of ways, the film is a study of how Lilian needs to try to find ways to heal herself. The possibility of Paula being murdered wakes Lilian up to the idea that she has not been as attentive a doctor as she should be. The sessions with different patients that Zlotowski shows give the impression that there’s a general level of dissatisfaction with her, with one patient outright breaking up with her.

Foster is no less compelling speaking mostly in French than she is in English language movies. Her fluency is never in doubt, and she fits in seamlessly with the actual French actors in the film. Auteuil is a fun counterpart for Foster, showing an unexpected chemistry with her that keeps their scenes crackling with energy. Amalric, a Wes Anderson favorite, has a relatively small role but still stands out when he gets a chance.

A Private Life is not the type of thriller that American audiences might be used to, but its slow, methodical storytelling and subtle humor make it an interesting watch from beginning to end. The film is not up for any awards, but Foster’s performance shows she remains a top-tier actor.

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A Private Life is now playing in select theaters.

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