It is not uncommon these days to hear moaning about how this or that director or some genius indie film couldn’t score theatrical distribution in what is an increasingly competitive and homogenizing movie market. But what is truly shocking – and worrying, really – is that a movie like Tucker and Dale vs. Evil almost didn’t find its way to local theaters. A festival hit in early 2010, the movie, written and directed by Eli Craig, scored distribution deals in ..read more

Gerard Depardieu, whom is still difficult to square with his huge, aging body, stars in this little romance between Germain, an illiterate oaf in mid-life, and Margueritte, a wisp of a 95-year old lady. Margueritte, played by Gisele Casadesus, is a bibliophile; she is as defined by her literacy as Germain is defined by his boorish manner and ignorance. They meet by chance on a park bench, where independently and unbeknownst to each other, they have been tending the same ..read more

Here are this weekend’s gallery openings.

Image from “Gun. Fly. Plane. Brain.” at Richland College.

“BEYOND WHAT THE EYES CAN SEE” by Theo Ponchaveli at the Janette Kennedy Gallery, Southside on Lamar – September 29 : 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM; 1409 South Lamar St., Dallas, Tx 75215.

“Gun. Fly. Plane. Brain” by Alvaro Perez at the Brazos Gallery of Richland College – September 29 : 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM; 12800 Abrams Rd., Dallas, Tx 75243.

“Surface Tension, An Evolution Revealed” by Bonny Leibowitz at the Rising Gallery – September 30 : 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM; 800 Jackson St., Dallas, Tx 75202.

Cottonwood Art Festival - October 1-2 : 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; 1321 W. Beltline Road, Richardson, Tx 75080.

“One of a Kind” by Garrett Keisling, David Hering, Eric Edner, Danielle Blade & Stephen Gartner, Beverly Parker, Jackie Braitman, Steve Scherer, Cassie Edmonds, Jeff & Heather Thompson, Steve Anderson, David Patchen, Steven Main and Alex Brand at Kittrell/Riffkind Art Glass – October 1 : 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; 5100 Beltline Rd #820, Dallas, Tx 75254.

“Latin Zaperoco” by Juliana Ferreyros at the American Fine Art – October 1 : 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM; 1611 Dragon Street, Dallas, Tx 75207.

Over thirty years later and Blondie is still touring, a feat that front-woman Debbie Harry humbly equates to finally being able to say they’re accomplished. They’re stopping by the Granada Saturday October 1st and we’ve got a pair of tickets to giveaway. To get your hands on them all you have to do is answer the question in the form below: Debbie Harry did a brief stint at a certain club that just debuted on NBC? We’ll pick a winner ..read more

Yesterday the popular Denton singer-songwriter Sarah Jaffe released The Way Sound Leaves a Room, an expensively packaged CD/DVD combo meant to serve as an “in the meantime, in between time” gift to fans while she works on her next full-length album. Knowing that it would be filled with cover tunes, intros and demos, I didn’t expect it to be a cohesive, mood-altering collection. But, to the benefit of headphones and lonely bedrooms everywhere, that’s exactly what it is.

Let’s get interactive, ..read more

Mendelssohn was neither Beethoven nor Brahms. Having made this self-evident statement, and noting that he was contemporaneous with the former for the first 18 years of his life, and with the latter for the last 18 years of his life, I’ll also observe that many conductors apparently confuse him with one or the other.

Fortunately, Dallas Symphony music director Jaap van Zweden let Mendelssohn be Mendelssohn throughout the first two programs of the first weekend of a two-weekend festival devoted exclusively ..read more

Britney fans will never hold a candle to the masses of misfits that loyally follow Blink 182. It was one giant mosh pit last night at Gexa Energy Pavilion, every seat below the awning was filled and those in the lawn squeezed together leaving only enough room to lock fists for a joint rock sign.

As soon as Mark, Tom, and Travis came on stage the girls started crying and the guys started erratically throwing fists in the air. Travis sat atop his drum throne in front of a black and white neighborhood cut out scene, a theme interwoven throughout the entire set speaking to their new album – Neighborhoods. And they might have released a new album but the guys knew what the crowd wanted to hear, the songs their fans had been listening to for the past 20 years like Rock Show, Miss you, First Date, and Always.

These fans could sing Blink lyrics in their sleep and the boys knew that, which is why they dedicated a good portion of the show to crude interludes like when they introduced “Down.”

“If you gently pull your balls downward it feels good,” Tom said, “This song’s about that.”

And even though Mark led the fans into the classic clap along of “the stars at night” he made up for it.

“Yo, to reward you my friend Tom is going to do that thing on his guitar,” which led into “What’s My Age Again” and a ear splitting southern uproar.

It’s been awhile since the boys were on tour, so they really capitalized on every special effect they could get their hands on. From multicolored lasers and strobing spot lights, to having Travis perform his drum solo on a magic steel carpet ride through the air.

And like a true veteran band the boys came back for not just one encore but three. After Travis’ solo and an unexpected “Hello Dallas” from the silent snare genius, they played ‘Dammit” and took one from Britney ending with a confetti explosion letting fans exit the arena to “Family Reunion.”

Image via.

It is more than fitting that the greatest tragedy in the English language and the Bard’s first true masterpiece cap off Shakespeare Dallas’ 40th anniversary season and the first play they performed in 1971, Hamlet.

DFW Critics Forum Award-winning director René Moreno (Creditors, No Child…, and The Trip to Bountiful) creates a stylized, brooding production that speeds along with undaunted fervor; however, not all is quite so fresh in Denmark.

Moreno streamlines this revenge play of all revenge plays haunted by the ..read more

Just a quick reminder that tonight is Panda Bear’s only Texas date, and there are less than 250 tickets available according to The Granada website. The site has actually had that info posted for several days now, so it could be significantly less than 250 at this late hour.

It’s remarkable that Dallas is the location of the artist’s aforementioned lone, Lone Star stop, as opposed to Austin usually being the designated destination for an act this critically acclaimed. In fact ..read more

Keep up with all the latest Most Eligible Dallas recaps here.

Bravo calls this week’s episode of Most Eligible Dallas, “Friendly as Fire Ants.” Nice try. We know the truth. It’s “See You Next Tuesday (Or Thursday if That’s More Convenient).” I obviously spelled it out because I don’t want to get fired, but yeah. Drew drops the “c” bomb. Tara cleans up poop. Matt fights Melinda Gates for the “Biggest Philanthropist” award. Let’s just get this over with.

This is, like, major. ..read more