Weekend Event Planner

State Fair of Texas opening weekend tops best events in Dallas

Our long wait is over: The State Fair of Texas is upon us. For the next four weekends, it will be the biggest thing in town, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other worthy event options, including great concerts, a new exhibit at the Perot Museum and a tribute screening for a film icon.

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

Thursday, September 25

The Piano Guys in concert
You couldn't find a more generic name than The Piano Guys, but it not only belies its two members' talents, it's also a misnomer. Only one member — Jon Schmidt — plays the piano, while the other — Steven Sharp Nelson — plays cello. Thanks to some extremely well-done videos doing not just classical music but pop and rock numbers as well, they have become very popular. They play at Winspear Opera House in advance of their latest album, Wonders, which comes out in October.

Theatre Three presents Hands on a Hard Body
Based on the documentary about a group of people in Longview, Texas, who were trying to win a new truck, this Tony-nominated musical uses the endurance contest as a jumping-off point for some hilarious songs. The production, playing at Theatre Three through October 19, is making its regional premiere after its run on Broadway in 2013.

Friday, September 26

2014 State Fair of Texas
From now through October 19, people from around Texas and surrounding states will flock to Fair Park to partake in the new fried food goodness, jump on some Midway rides, or catch a pig race or two — or anything else that catches their fancy. Opening weekend features Main Stage concerts by the Swon Brothers on Friday, Fantasia on Saturday and Lucy Hale on Sunday. Don't forget to get your discount tickets before heading out. Only a fool would actually pay full price.

2014 Index Fest
Just blocks away from Fair Park, Deep Ellum will be taken over by a completely different kind of festival. More than 90 indie bands both established and up-and-coming perform over three days on eight indoor and outdoor stages. Those bands include Local Natives, Ryan Bingham, Mutemath, Dawes, The Felice Brothers, A.Dd+ and more.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in concert with Steve Winwood
It's nearly impossible to remain relevant musically for as long as Tom Petty has, but as he and his band The Heartbreakers near their 40th anniversary, it's hard to see him stopping anytime soon. The man behind "American Girl," "The Waiting," "Free Fallin'," "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and more plays at American Airlines Center alongside another rock legend, Steve Winwood.

Saturday, September 27

Cavanaugh Flight Museum presents Fall Fly Days and Car Show 2014
History comes alive at Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison when it hosts the annual Fall Fly Days. Visitors can ride in vintage aircraft and other military vehicles, participate in a variety of games and activities, take in Sherman tank demonstrations, and take tours and photos of airplanes that are rarely on display. The event, which also includes two separate car shows, lasts through Sunday.

Perot Museum presents 2theXtreme: MathAlive!
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has brought in traveling exhibits focused on dinosaurs and the bodies of modern animals, but its latest looks at the fun side of math. 2theXtreme: MathAlive! utilizes interactive exhibits themed around video games, sports, fashion, music and more to show how math is used in all walks of life. The exhibit is on display through January 4, 2015.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Sara Evans
Sara Evans has been one of the more popular country singers of the past 20 years, scoring No. 1 hits with "No Place that Far," "Born to Fly," "Suds in the Bucket" and "A Real Fine Place to Start." She teams up with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra to perform those hits and more at this special concert at Bass Performance Hall.

Sunday, September 28

The Dallas Mavericks Foundation presents Aloe Blacc and Mark Curry
We're only a couple of weeks away from the NBA preseason, and there's a decent chance you'll see a few members of the Dallas Mavericks at this event at Majestic Theatre, featuring stand-up comedy from Hangin' with Mr. Cooper star Mark Curry and music from soul/hip hop artist Aloe Blacc. Proceeds from the night benefit the Dallas Mavericks Foundation.

ATTPAC Sunset Screenings: Good Morning, Vietnam
The tragic death of Robin Williams hit many of us harder than expected, but at least we can take solace in the fact that he left a treasure trove of great material behind to entertain us. One of his greatest performances ever, as Adrian Cronauer in Good Morning, Vietnam, is on display for free in this Sunset Screening at Annette Strauss Square.

The State Fair of Texas, taking place September 26-October 19, brings the new funnel cake ale and lots of other fun stuff to Fair Park.

State Fair of Texas, Community Brewing, ale

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

The State Fair of Texas, taking place September 26-October 19, brings the new funnel cake ale and lots of other fun stuff to Fair Park.

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Movie Review

Masters of the Universe is powered by nostalgia over good filmmaking

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Nicholas Galitzine in Masters of the Universe.

If you grew up in the 1980s, chances are you were either a fan of or knew about Masters of the Universe. The property, based on a line of toys from Mattel, spawned a popular-if-short-lived animated TV series, comic books, a comic strip, magazines, and a 1987 live action film starring Dolph Lundgren. It is now the latest ‘80s IP to get a nostalgic reboot in the form of a new blockbuster film.

Nicholas Galitzine stars as Prince Adam of the planet Eternia, who as a child is exiled to Earth to protect the Sword of Power from invaders led by the evil Skeletor (voiced by Jared Leto). Years later, Adam is now working in the human resources department of a generic company, well-versed in corporate speak but disconnected from his heritage other than a never-ending desire to find the sword he lost when he crash-landed on Earth.

Spoiler alert, he recovers the sword and is soon thereafter rescued from Earth by childhood friend Teela (Camila Mendes). Adam’s return to Eternia is less-than-stellar, as the citizens have difficulty believing he’s the long-lost prince, especially because he initially can’t harness the power of the sword. Naturally, he figures it out eventually, leading to a number of face-offs between him and Skeletor’s minions.

Directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee) and written by a four-person writing team, the film is yet another cynical attempt at exploiting a certain group’s nostalgia without putting any effort into actually making a good movie. The very first scene of the film is a CGI-filled battle between characters that have barely been introduced, much less explained to the audience. For longtime fans, this will be no issue. For everyone else, though, it immediately signals that the filmmakers don’t care about making them care about anyone or anything in the story.

Instead, they substitute actual character development with a campy and self-deprecating vibe that’s in line with the original series. That’s all well and good if the intended audience was solely 50-year-olds, but for a movie that presumably wants to bring in younger audiences, it’s a choice that never fully comes through. Some characters try to be funnier than others, and most of the “jokes” land with a thud since the tone hasn’t been properly established.

Worst of all, there are never any meaningful stakes in the film. Adam is impervious to damage, something that would have been truly funny if commented upon, but instead is just treated as fact for no good reason. Skeletor is not intended to be a fearsome villain, as he often bumbles through scenes or line deliveries, but the lack of a truly terrible enemy keeps the story stuck in neutral. Combined with bloodless PG-13 fight scenes with no sense of realness to them, there is rarely anything about which to get excited.

Galitzine has turned heads as both a gay (Red, White & Royal Blue) and straight (The Idea of You) romantic interest, but he can never find his footing as the leading man here. The film never allows him to develop into a true action hero, so instead he comes across as a pretender most of the time. Mendes is okay, but she, too, isn’t given the opportunity to become much more than a sidekick. Idris Elba is entirely wasted as Teela’s father Duncan. Leto lets loose, which works because he’s the only character without a recognizable face.

There may be a world in which rebooting Masters of the Universe makes sense, but it does not exist when the film that is offered doesn’t even try to appeal to anyone who doesn’t have a deeply ingrained knowledge of the decades-old property. By relying on nostalgia instead of good filmmaking, the film may get good box office returns on opening weekend, but it’s difficult to imagine that it will endure.

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Masters of the Universe opens in theaters on June 5.

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