Weekend Event Planner

These are the 10 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

The rain in Dallas-Fort Worth has been absolutely brutal, and like it or not, it'll continue to have an impact on events on Thursday and Friday. To stay on the safe side, we're recommending mostly indoor events, including a blast-from-the-past concert, a new opera production, a gathering of TV and movie stars, a museum anniversary celebration, great dancing, and more.

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, October 18

2018 State Fair of Texas final days
Like any other outdoor activity the past couple of weeks, the State Fair of Texas has been hit hard by the rain, even closing early on a couple of days. The rain will continue on Thursday and Friday, but the final two days on Saturday and Sunday look perfect, meaning you'll still have a couple of chances to enjoy the fried food, midway games, rides, concerts, and more at Fair Park without worrying about getting wet. They're even extending hours for more finale-weekend fun. Find discounts here.

Dallas Jewish Bookfest presents Mitch Albom
Mitch Albom was a well-known sportswriter for many years until his book Tuesdays with Morrie set his career in totally different direction. Albom will appear at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center in support of his latest book, The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, in which readers learn how the accident that took Eddie's life took something from Annie as well: her left hand, which needed to be surgically reattached.

Ladies of the '80s: Debbie Gibson, Lisa Lisa, and Tiffany
100.3 JACK FM presents "Ladies of the '80s" with Debbie Gibson, Lisa Lisa, and Tiffany. It will be a totally awesome night of '80s hits at Allen Event Center, as the crowd will get to hear songs like Gibson's "Only in My Dreams," Lisa's "Head to Toe," and Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now."

Friday, October 19

Dallas Opera presents Carmen
The Dallas Opera's second production of the 2018-2019 season, Carmen is Bizet’s seductive masterpiece about an infamous gypsy who warns the men she attracts immediately: she is not a woman to be tamed. When she sets her sights on a trusting soldier, Don José, nobody is prepared for the events that follow. A simulcast at Klyde Warren Park, which was scheduled for Friday, has been moved to November 2 due to expected inclement weather. The opera will have six performances through November 4 at Winspear Opera House.

Dallas Fan Days
Dallas Fan Days is one of the best comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming events in Texas, filled with family-friendly activities, celebrity and comic guests, and more. Taking place at Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas through Sunday, the event will feature appearances by Jennifer Morrison (Once Upon a Time), Karl Urban (Star Trek), Jaleel White (Family Matters), wrestling icon Bret Hart, and Corbin Bernsen (Psych).

Saturday, October 20

Nasher Sculpture Center 15th Anniversary Celebration
Nasher Sculpture Center has become such an integral part of the Dallas art scene that it's hard to believe it's only been around for 15 years. They'll celebrate their anniversary with free admission all day, cupcakes, a live DJ, birthday button-making, and music from members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Visitors can enjoy the Nasher's latest exhibit, "The Nature of Arp," on display through January 6.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons will headline a concert that will follow the National Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. The rock band has released three albums in their career, including 2017's Evolve, which spawned hits like "Believer" and "Thunder." They'll be joined by opening act, The Revivalists. Inductees will include Brad Friedel, Cindy Parlow Cone, and Tiffeny Milbrett.

Neal Brennan in concert
You may not recognize Neal Brennan's name, but he's been responsible for some of the best comedy of the 21st century. He co-created Chappelle's Show with Dave Chappelle, co-writing and producing virtually every sketch on the show. He's also a writer and on-air correspondent on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. He'll perform a set of stand-up comedy at House of Blues Dallas.

Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games
Even though Michael Flatley is no longer performing, Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games continues to thrill audiences around the globe with its intoxicating mix of dance and music. The show, taking place at Majestic Theatre, features cutting-edge technology including a giant Radiant flat screen that spans the width of the stage, special effects lighting, dancing robots, and world champion acrobats.

Sunday, October 21

Dallas Museum of Art presents Gunther Forg: "A Fragile Beauty" opening day
Gunther Forg: "A Fragile Beauty" will survey the prolific and provocative career of the late artist, who died in 2013. This exhibition, the first major museum presentation of his work in the United States since 1989, will bring renewed attention to Forg’s work by examining his legacy in relation to key issues of the 20th century, including postwar nostalgia and loss and the utopianism of high modernism. The exhibition will be on display through January 27.

Imagine Dragons will perform at Toyota Stadium on October 20 as part of the National Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Imagine Dragons/Facebook

Imagine Dragons will perform at Toyota Stadium on October 20 as part of the National Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

event-planner

Movie Review

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney go off in trashy film The Housemaid

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney in The Housemaid.

Both Amanda Seyfried (the upcoming The Testament of Ann Lee) and Sydney Sweeney (Christy) are starring in movies with Oscar ambitions this year. By sheer coincidence, the two actors are also co-starring in The Housemaid, a thriller coming out within weeks of their more ambitious works, one that is likely to be seen by many more people than those prestige plays.

Sweeney is given top billing as Millie, a down-on-her-luck ex-convict looking to land any type of job so as not to break her parole. She finds a too-good-to-be-true lifeboat with Nina (Seyfried), who hires her to be a housemaid for her large house on Long Island, where she lives with her husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and daughter, Cecilia (Indiana Elle).

After a warm interview, Nina almost immediately becomes highly erratic, whipping back-and-forth between happy-go-lucky and rageful. It seems clear that Nina is suffering from mental health issues, as she’ll often accuse Millie of misplacing or stealing items that she didn’t take. Andrew, apparently used to Nina’s tirades, tries to protect Millie from the worst, something that grows increasingly difficult as Nina ups the ante.

Directed by Paul Feig (A Simple Favor) and adapted by Rebecca Sonnenshine from the bestselling book by Freida McFadden, the film is likely the trashiest mainstream movie to come out in 2025. The first half of the movie relies not on story but on moments as Nina embodies the word “hysterical” to an unbelievable extent. The resigned acceptance of the abuse by Millie, as well as the saintly patience of Andrew, make almost every scene laughable, as nobody seems to be acting anywhere close to how a person would normally react to such extreme situations.

The scenes and the performance of Seyfried are so over-the-top, in fact, that it’s clear that the filmmakers are in on the joke. It’s next to impossible not to have a little bit of fun while watching the actors react to outrageous incidents as if nothing is out of the ordinary. The worse Nina acts, the more Millie and Andrew retreat into their chosen roles, and the funnier the film becomes.

Fans of the book will know that the story changes course, eventually turning into a more stereotypical thriller that also has some relatively gnarly visuals to offer. But the trashiness continues, with Sweeney’s, um, assets repeatedly on display in both clothed and unclothed ways. The sex appeal of the R-rated movie makes it an outlier, as recent studio films have shied away from asking their big stars to disrobe completely.

Both Seyfried and Sweeney are far from their Oscar hopeful roles here. Seyfried is given free rein to act as brazenly as she pleases, and she takes full advantage of that ability. Sweeney seems to have been told to be much more reserved, and unfortunately that results in too many wooden line readings. Sklenar continues his breakout streak (It Ends with Us, Drop) with a role that allows him to show more range than either Seyfried or Sweeney.

The Housemaid is an unusual type of movie to be released at a time of year when most films are either those aiming for awards or more family-friendly fare. Despite its many flaws, it’s still an enjoyable watch that features a variety of crazy scenarios not typically seen in movies nowadays.

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The Housemaid is now playing in theaters.

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