Although it’s based on the true story of the illegitimate daughter of a Royal Navy captain and an enslaved African woman, Amma Asante’s Belle’s richest inspiration comes from a painting. A 1779 double portrait hanging at Scone Palace in Scotland, it shows a pretty blonde teenager decked out in typical…
Who’s your favorite Sherlock Holmes? Sexy-arrogant Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC’s fast-paced modern-day version of the Arthur Conan Doyle stories? Muscular Robert Downey Jr. in the action-packed big-budget feature films? The most elegantly droll was British actor Jeremy Brett in the long-running series on PBS years ago. The facial profile…
No actor in a five-state area says “Go fuck yourself!” better than Dallas actor Terry Vandivort says it in Nicky Silver’s The Lyons, now playing at Uptown Players at Kalita Humphreys Theater. Vandivort plays Ben Lyons, an angry old cuss who knows he’s dying. From his Manhattan hospital bed, he…
Tom Hiddleston can pull off extreme looks. In The Avengers, he strutted around in Loki’s 2-foot horned helmet. For Midnight in Paris, he finessed F. Scott Fitzgerald’s prim finger waves. And in his latest, Jim Jarmusch’s vampire romance Only Lovers Left Alive, Hiddleston lounges bare-chested in velvet-cuffed robes. The only…
Harrison Ford has been a good soldier in the Star Wars. He did whatever was asked of him by his commanding officer, George Lucas, even when his commanding officer was wrong. Now that Ford is back in Star Wars, and J.J. Abrams is running the show, Abrams’ first order of…
Dallas native, bon vivant and man of letters Rawlins Gilliland is perhaps most widely known locally (and nationally) for his role as commentator on National Public Radio affiliate KERA. Frequently, Gilliland’s soothing voice can be heard on shows such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered offering revealing, inspiring and…
On the one hand, it seems like Lakewood Theater (1825 Abrams Road) lives in a time warp. This historic theater with its iconic neon tower and huge interior murals seems to exist outside of time. Perhaps this explains why its schedule seems stuck on a loop of never-ending Polyphonic Spree…
If you’re walking down Main Street in Deep Ellum Saturday night and you see people wandering into otherwise deserted buildings, follow them. Trust me. You’ll either witness a drug deal or some wicked cool art. Either way, you’ll have a great story. Deep Ellum Windows presents five new pop-up galleries…
Every year in May, local professional and aspiring filmmakers receive one theme, one prop, one location and one line of dialogue. Then, they have 24 hours to turn that outline into a short film. If you see miniature film crews running around Dallas this weekend, there’s no need to call…
With all of the things that could potentially go wrong during a dance performance, we don’t often think of a broken string or a sour note. Lots of accompaniment is canned these days, leaving less to chance. That’s not to say such things will go wrong during a Mark Morris…
If you have the appetite for much of anything, Addison is the place to visit. This little Dallas suburb boasts more restaurants per capita than any other city west of the Mississippi. Of course, this counts Macaroni Grill and about five Chipotles, but we’ll concede the victory. If your stomach…
Tired of being the redheaded stepchild of the family regardless of whether or not you actually have red hair? Would you like to get back in your mother’s will without having to file some kind of court order or enact a legal scheme that may one day become the convoluted…
Local brewers deserve a brewski and a pat on a back. They’ve been there for us at life’s highs and lows, offering solace and celebration with that perfect ice-cold brew. They’ve helped us through breakups and then been right there helping us work up the nerve to talk to that…
The dream of any gastronome is to be Ruth Reichl. She spent decades as a restaurant critic and food writer in New York City, dining at some of the world’s best restaurants and dishing out her opinion on their merits. She wrote for The New York Times, created a talk…
Boogie up to Denton, where John Travolta is still young and king of the disco floor. Saturday Night Fever catapulted Travolta into superstardom, thanks to his sexy, sweaty performance. This 1970s dance sensation not only chronicled the rise of disco, it also set the standard for film soundtracks to come…
Is it a good time to talk about race? It depends. Is it Thanksgiving dinner? Is Uncle Buddy rocking a fresh Confederate flag tattoo? Are you arguing in front of the Supreme Court? Then maybe not. But perhaps you think it’s important to acknowledge the ugliness of the past and…
Ayahuasca made the news when its consumption killed a gap-year student from England during a shamanic ritual ceremony in Colombia. It is a drug used by South America’s indigenous tribes to heal, but the recent upswing of drug tourism has revealed a more sinister side. This drug serves as the…
An exhibition of the conceptual works of Argentinian artist Rirkrit Tiravanija. Tuesdays-Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Starts: April 6. Continues through June 1, 2014…
On the list of playwrights whose work you should see performed before you die, August Wilson needs to be near the top. What do you mean, you don’t have this list? Here’s a starter list for you: William Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neil, August Wilson. OK, now let’s check one…
One hundred and fifty years ago President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant Act solely based on photography taken by Carleton E. Watkins. The signing of this specific grant is said to be the beginning of the national parks idea. Anyone with a Kammock will tell you it was a…
Have you heard about this thigh gap thing? Apparently, now — in addition to needing a shapely butt, toned abs, a perfect pout and perky breasts — young women are now expected to maintain a certain amount of space between their thighs. What trailblazing teenager first put down their smartphone…
Turning 20 might be the last time you feel truly young. At 21, it’s easy to convince yourself of some newfound adulthood, when you are finally able to use your real driver’s license at the bars (just ignore the look of confusion on your regular bartender’s face). In museum years,…
