Modern War Film

American Sniper delivers stirring tribute to Texas hero Chris Kyle

Last we heard from director Clint Eastwood, he was fumbling his way through the adaptation of the jukebox musical Jersey Boys. So naturally he would quickly follow that up with American Sniper, a modern warfare movie tackling the story of Chris Kyle, who was considered the deadliest sniper in U.S. history.

Kyle (Bradley Cooper) was a Texas native whose dreams of being a cowboy took a back seat when he saw attacks on the U.S. around the world, including on 9/11. Recruited to be a Navy SEAL, he ended up serving four tours of duty in Iraq, coming to be known far and wide on both sides of the war for his proficiency with a long-range rifle.

Using a Texas drawl and a clinched jaw, Bradley Cooper makes Kyle into a man’s man who also understands his limitations.

Eastwood and screenwriter Jason Hall worked from Kyle’s own book; they had only just begun when Kyle was shot and killed at a North Texas gun range in February 2013. They attempt to give a full sense of the man, devoting significant portions to Kyle’s home life — or perhaps lack thereof — with his wife, Taya (Sienna Miller). They show Kyle to be a man who’s torn between his sense of duty to his country and his obligation to his family at home.

Eastwood, who did a great job with the World War II double feature Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, takes on a different animal with this film. Even now, what the military had to face during the war with Iraq started under President George W. Bush is difficult to understand completely, so working up enmity toward the opposition in a film is equally challenging.

That doesn’t stop Eastwood from trying, as he makes much of an enemy sniper who was just as fearsome as Kyle. That foe, multiple moral quandaries and other decisions most of us would never want to face are what Kyle had to deal with during his time in Iraq, and for the most part Eastwood and Hall do a solid job in making them as dramatic as possible.

Still, the film could have used a bit more subtlety. The combat scenes often hark back to old-style war films where the killing of the enemy, rather than strategy, is the only thing that mattered. And Kyle’s time at home in between tours feels rushed, so the audience never fully comes to grips with what he is feeling.

Cooper plays Kyle with a sensitivity that belies his bulked-up appearance. Using a Texas drawl and a clinched jaw, he makes Kyle into a man’s man who also understands his limitations. Miller is a chameleon who also hid in plain sight in Foxcatcher. She is a great complement to Cooper, turning a possibly one-note role into something much richer.

Unlike films like The Hurt Locker or Zero Dark Thirty, there are few big lessons to learn from American Sniper. But as a tribute to a soldier whom many others credit with saving their lives, it more than fits the bill.

Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle in American Sniper.

Bradley Cooper in American Sniper

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle in American Sniper.

Holiday attractions

All the cool new ice rinks skating into Dallas for 2024 holiday fun

Omni Dallas Hotel ice skating rink

Photo courtesy of Omni Dallas Hotel

The Omni Dallas Hotel is channeling Rockefeller Center with its ice rink this season.

The coolest new holiday attractions of 2024 will have Dallas-Fort Worth jumping, spinning, and gliding through the season: Ice skating rinks are being installed as part of winter festivities all over North Texas. From a downtown Dallas ice rink channeling Rockefeller Center to community rinks that look like Hallmark movie settings, here are the best new places to skate through the holidays, along with some favorites making their limited returns for the season.

Omni Dallas Hotel, downtown Dallas, November 22-January 5
The downtown Dallas hotel known for its trademark sculpture of giant-sized Christmas-tree red ball ornaments is upping the ante this year. As part of its seasonal celebration called "Ice, Lights & City Nights," the hotel is introducing downtown's only outdoor ice skating rink on Pegasus Lawn. Visitors of all ages can twirl and spin beneath the glow of holiday lights, then warm up with at a hot chocolate bar, kids can ride the Elf Express train, and adults can make spirits bright at Blitzen's Bar. Every night at 7:30 pm, Omni Dallas will host holiday light shows with 4.1 miles of LED lights wrapped around the building’s exterior.

Details: The rink is open to the public and hotel guests alike, 10 am-10 pm daily. Tickets (starting at $18) can be purchased online or at the ice rink, for 60-minute sessions; skate rental included. A helpful FAQ about the ice rink can be found here.

Coca-Cola’s Classic Christmas, Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, November 22-December 29
A new immersive holiday event from the creators of the popular "Enchant" light maze turns Choctaw Stadium into a winter wonderland, and it includes an ice skating rink. Adults and kids will glide on real ice underneath dazzling lights. The event illuminates 55,000 square feet of holiday light sculptures featuring larger-than-life, interactive Coca-Cola-inspired vignettes to walk through and explore; plus a snow slide, falling snow, visits with Santa, caroling, seasonal treats, special themed nights, and more.

Details: Open select nights, as early as 4:30 pm and as late as 11:30 pm; check the calendar for specific dates and times. Ice skating tickets (including skate rental) are $9 for juniors and $13 for adults, in addition to event admission, $14-$35; free for kids up to 3. Skating session times are unlimited. Note: If bringing your own skates, make sure they have blade guards on at all times; skate bags must meet a Clear Bag Policy; more info here.

Skate under the twinkling lights at Coca-Cola's Classic Christmas in Arlington.Photo courtesy of Coca-Cola's Classic Christmas

Home for the Holidays: Christmastime in Southlake, November 27-January 1
The 25th-anniversary Southlake holiday celebration will include an outdoor ice rink for the first time. Although the city's Christmas tree will be lit at the big Home for the Holidays event on November 23, the ice rink will not open until November 27. The rink is in the heart of Southlake Town Square, and includes a spot for gourmet hot cocoa, a nearby Santa's Village, carriage rides, and more.

Details: Open 3-10 pm Sunday-Thursday and 12-10 pm Saturday-Sunday outside City Hall, 1400 E. Southlake Blvd. Tickets, timed every 15 minutes, are $15 for one-hour sessions and include skate rentals; walkups will be welcome, but reservations are recommended through the Geoji app.

Christmas Tyme in Aledo on Ice, December 6-January 5
The city of Aledo is debuting its first-ever outdoor ice rink, open for 30 days as part of the holiday festivities. Located in the city's downtown, the Aledo Ice Rink will be adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations, with music piped in under winter skies and seasonal refreshments to refuel. The annual Christmas Tyme in Aledo event on December 7 will feature the city's tree lighting ceremony, vendors, visits with Santa, live music, food trucks, and more.

Details: The ice rink is at Aledo City Hall, 104 Maverick St. Open 4-9 pm Monday-Thursday, 4-10 pm Friday, and 12-10 pm Sunday. Tickets for one-hour sessions are $15 (plus service fee), and include skate rental.

Skate the Square, Frisco, November 22-January 6
Now 14 years strong, Frisco's Christmas in the Square event boasts the city's only real ice outdoor ice rink. "Skate the Square" is but one of the highlights of the holiday extravaganza, which includes one of the largest free choreographed lights and music displays in North Texas: nightly shows of over 180,000 lights, 200 dancing snowflakes, and festive music. There's also a Christmas tree lot, carriage rides, visits with Santa, and more.

Details: The Skate the Square rink is located along Main and Coleman. Open daily, but times vary (as early as 12:15 pm and as late as 10 pm); check the calendar for specific dates and times. Ice skating tickets are $20, with or without skate rentals. Private group bookings are available. Christmas in the Square runs nightly, 6-10 pm; the light show is free to attend.

Stockyards Rodeo Rink, Fort Worth Stockyards, November 21-January 5
For the third year, visitors to the historic Fort Worth district can "giddy up and glide" as part of the Stockyards' holiday festivities. The 4,000-square-foot professional ice skating rink has taken over the lawn of the Livestock Exchange Building (131 E Exchange Ave.) and includes a snack and beverage bar, fire pits, music, picnic seating, and more. The Stockyards will also host visits with Cowboy Santa, a tree lighting at Hotel Drover, rides on the North Pole Express train, a "Christmas in the Stockyards" event, and more throughout the season.

Details: Open at 11 am most days through the season. Five 90-minute skating sessions are offered Monday-Thursday, with an extra 9 pm session Friday-Sunday. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for kids ages 3-12, and include skate rental. A family four-pack is available for $80.

Fort Worth Stockyards Rodeo Rink, ice skating, ice rink The Stockyards Rodeo Rink returns to Fort Worth for the holiday season.Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Stockyards

Peace Plaza Ice Rink, Grapevine, November 23-January 27
The 4,500-square-foot outdoor ice skating rink on Historic Main Street has become a favorite tradition in the "Christmas Capital of Texas." Skaters can jump and spin in the festive surroundings, including the 60-foot live Christmas tree, and the entire street decked out with Christmas lights. The ice rink's grand opening on November 23 will feature a performance by Olympic figure skater Ashley Cain, Team USA pair team Nick Traxler and Kristen Nardozzi, and more, beginning at 6:15 pm.

Details: Open daily, times vary (opening as early as 11 am with last entry as late as 9 pm); check the calendar for exact dates and times. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Location is Grapevine Main Peace Plaza, 815 S. Main St., at the train station outside Hotel Vin. Tickets are $20 for a one-hour session at 15-minute timed intervals; skate rentals included. Group ice rentals are available by the hour. (UPDATE 11-22-2024: "Unfortunately, Peace Plaza Ice Rink will not be open this weekend due to the warm temperatures," a spokeswoman says. New opening date TBA.)

Of course, no Dallas ice-skating list would be complete without the most famous rink of all ....

Galleria Dallas, November 22-January 5
The nation's tallest indoor Christmas tree (at 95 feet) will sparkle in the middle of the ice rink throughout the season. Public skating is available every day, but as usual, holiday festivities will really rev up on at 12 pm Black Friday (November 29) with the Grand Tree Lighting Celebration on the ice rink, featuring Olympic figure skaters and a fireworks finale starring Missile Toes, the famed ice-skating Santa. (The celebration will repeat at 12 pm November 30.) A Grand Holiday Ice Show, starring some of the best figure skaters and ice dancers in the world (Ashley Cain, Mariah Bell, Keegan Messing, Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, Ryan Bradley, and Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre) will take place at 9 am December 8 and benefit Broadway Dallas; tickets are $150.

Details: Public skating hours are 10 am-9:30 pm Monday, Wednesday-Thursday; 10 am-9 pm Tuesday & Friday; 12-9 pm Saturday; 12-6 pm Sunday. Admission is $13, plus $5 for skate rental. Public skating is first-come, first serve; no reservations permitted. A full list of holiday events at the ice rink is here.

Mariah Bell, figure skating, Olympian Olympic figure skater Mariah Bell will be one of the featured performers at Galleria Dallas' Grand Holiday Ice Show. Getty Images

christmas capital of texas downtown dallas families family friendly galleria dallas holiday attractions ice skating rinks omni dallas hotel stockyards rodeo rink winter festivities holidays

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