When a local crime boss (Kevin Bacon) lures away his wife (Liv Tyler), lifelong pushover Frank (Rainn Wilson)—under the influence of a bizarre Christian kids’ TV show and a sci-fi-style encounter with something like God—starts to make himself over into a real-life superhero. On discovering that the weird guy who…
Art appreciation is about more than just quietly enjoying the classics. As the world changes, so does the art of the times, and there’s no better way to get a look at the past, present and future than by checking out what (and why) art is created today. Take, for…
If you’ve seen the movie version of To Kill a Mockingbird then you’ve seen some of famed playwright Horton Foote’s greatest handiwork. Texas-born, Foote is best known for the screenplay, but he was a genius in his own right, as shown in his many plays set in that specific Southern…
Ripe, bare breasts, broad shoulders, protruding muscles and naked rear ends are on display like a powerful portrait. The human figure is a beautiful artistic piece. Standing tall, man and woman are a composite painting of rouges, peaches, pinks, browns, yellows and golds. They stand on stage completely stripped of…
Most of the time, when an artist tells you his work is “about light,” what he really means is that he’s too busy to deal with your stupid questions, and maybe you should try figuring things out for yourself for a change. Not at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary this week,…
Joe Benjamin is a man who has it all: a loving (albeit dysfunctional) family, a successful box factory that makes him millions each year and a luxurious house on Long Island equipped with a wisecracking butler and maid. For all of his earthly riches, Joe credits his love and devotion…
The graphic style used by comic book illustrators has long been seen as something of a poor man’s art form, but few mediums give us such a timely glimpse into our culture. The ultra-violent, vivid and kinetic imagery is a pretty telling barometer of our life and times. After 9-11,…
For survivors of Argentina’s state-sponsored massacre and kidnappings in the 1970s and 1980s, the Dirty War hasn’t ended. The military coup, which began in 1976, resulted in the disappearances of more than 10,000 citizens, many of which are still missing today. Families in Argentina have spent decades trying to locate…
The two-artist display at the Museum of Geometric and MADI Art is an opportunity to contrast works from a self-taught artist and those of one who has studied the masters. From what we can tell, the more academic artist seems to have the looser, more playful approach while the self-taught…
With a little help from her friends, the title character in Theatre Nouveau 47’s silly, sometimes thrilling Alice in Wonderland and Other Hallucinations takes a high-flying tumble down the rabbit hole. Using the dreamlike, no-frills adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s stories by Andre Gregory and The Manhattan Project, the little company…
It happens every spring so consistently that we could mark it on our calendar: We seriously consider trading in our lifestyle of being caged in a gas-guzzling car for the open-air thrills, the drastically reduced petroleum consumption and the traffic-weaving efficiency of a motorcycle. Watters Creek, at Bethany Drive and…
Set in the months after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, The Conspirator follows the consequences of the fatal shot at Ford’s Theater—specifically, the trial of Mary Surratt, Catholic, 42, and the owner of a Washington, D.C., boarding house, who was presented before a military tribunal as the den mother in the…
A U.N. premiere! A Vanessa Redgrave cameo! Zionist hoodlums! Distributors the Weinstein Co. and director Julian Schnabel overcome their well-documented aversion to media attention to address the Israel-Palestine question, pleading peace, compromise and the creation of a self-governing Palestinian state. While Jewish advocacy groups swarm to Schnabel’s bait, it bears…
Considering the vast size and extensive history of China, it’s understandable if you’re one of the many people who harbor misconceptions about the ancient nation. But, whether you wish to truly master Chinese studies, or merely wish to gain some knowledge beyond the proffering of fortune cookies, you don’t want…
For most of us, Leonard Bernstein’s name is uttered only when we’re drunk and listening to “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).” Not only is it the only intelligible phrase in the song, but it’s also a fun name to shout to…
If you want to be an Oak Cliff biko, you can’t buy any old bicycle. It’s got to be cool–a fixie or cruiser if possible. Also, no helmets–no matter what city code says. Whimsical hats are the only acceptable headgear. And if you ever want to be welcome at Oddfellows…
The Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS might be known for their auctions of artfully remixed denim jackets, but their upcoming spring fundraising event is about more than just fashion. Dubbed “Dramatically Different,” the night features cocktails, dancing and homages to art, music, dance and, of course, design. Since 1984, DIFFA/Dallas…
Now that the weather is finally permitting, we can once again head out of the gallery and to the streets to get our art and culture fix. And nothing says fine art like watching Chinese acrobats while stuffing yourself with funnel cake. Like the year before, hundreds of juried artists…
Dallas/Fort Worth has heralded some very interesting attractions in recent years: various UFC bouts, the NBA All-Star Game, and most recently, Super Bowl XLV. And now the metroplex will be playing proud host to the 2011 World Sport Stacking Championships. Now for those of you, much like myself, who have…
The weather is finally warming up, which isn’t just good news for us humans. Sure, we love to spend time outside, but pups all over the Metroplex have been waiting for this weather for months. That’s why the Friends of Fair Park are opening the Cotton Bowl’s gates for the…
If you like a good walk and care about healthy kiddos, you should definitely join the March of Dimes annual March for Babies on Saturday at White Rock Lake’s Norbuck Park. The 5-mile walk supports lifesaving research and programs (including professional education, prenatal wellness programs and research grants) that save…
Walking Dallas is not something for the faint of heart. Remember the video of that poor woman from Austin who tried to cross the street in the Knox/Henderson area a few weeks back? Bless her heart; she thought that a crosswalk would protect her from the onslaught of texting Uptowners,…
