Music: This weekend the Deep Ellum Arts Festival returns, with more than 75 local music acts performing on four stages. Pretty much every popular genre is covered, from the rollicking rockabilly of Spector 45 (above) to the down-tempo electronica of Shock of Pleasure. Between sets, be sure to peruse the pieces of the 100 juried artists and snarf down some festival food.
Movies: Before you run out to see Kristin Stewart in the quirky summer-love comedy Adventureland, check out her more serious work as vampire-lusting teen Bella in Twilight. Hey, it's on DVD now, no one has to know you're renting it -- go 'head, you know you want to.
Bars: An old downtown favorite is back. Underground lounge Dolce, 1608 Main St., has come back to life as Dolce Vendetta, and its new owners are kicking things off in high style. Tomorrow night, NBA star Shaquille O'Neal will be dropping by as part of the club's Sexy Celebrity Saturdays, with the evenings soundtrack provided by DJ Joe Vega. It all starts poppin' at 10 p.m. Who knows, maybe the O'Neal will grab the mic and whip out some Shaq Diesel classics.
Eats: In other Bella news, Bella Bar & Restaurant is a yummy new addition to the Uptown dining scene. Considering the restaurant's classy interior design sensibility, one would expect a high-priced menu. But the cast of culinary characters -- from shredded beef "stogies" to seared scallops served with braised pork belly (above) -- are offered at a reasonable price. A well-sized wine list and specialty cocktails round out the meal. (Check out The Dallas Morning News' recent review.)
Plot: In the near future, Sam (the character) lives on the moon, manning a fuel harvesting operation. His three-year contract is nearly up, and he eagerly anticipates heading back to Earth to see his wife and young child. His lone companion in space is Gerty, a soothingly voiced HAL 9000-type computer that takes care of him.
Snap judgment: Of course, the film can't help but have its Kubrickian moments (Gerty; classical music playing as we view the moon's craggy surface from a distance), but once you get past them, Moon stands up on its own as a creepy, atmospheric space thriller. When Sam's doppelganger mysteriously shows up in the moonship, they begin to uncover a sinister plot -- and unlike in 2001: A Space Odyssey, it's not the computer's fault! Rockwell's performance is nuanced and multifaceted, as Sam's demeanor veers from optimistic to defeated and utterly spooked. An interesting twist leads to a somewhat happy conclusion.
FYI: At one point, Gerty turns its "back" on Sam, to reveal a "kick me" sign tacked onto it.
Stars: Mira Sorvino, Barry Pepper, Kate Levering, Cole Hauser and Maxwell Perry Cotton
Plot: Rip, an abusive husband (Pepper) is sent to the pokey for several years after hurting his wife Wendy (Sorvino) in their ramshackle house. Meanwhile, Jack and Molly, another couple, live a life of comfort in a beachside mansion with their young son Joey. When Rip and Wendy reunite after his prison stint, she confesses that she learned she was pregnant shortly after he went away and that she gave her child up for adoption. They fight to gain back custody of the boy -- who happens to be Jack and Molly's boy, Joey.
Snap judgment: Despite my affection for Barry Pepper, I couldn't bear to watch this movie, and, in fact, left shortly after the boy was delivered to Rip and Wendy. None of the adult actors garnered any kind of sympathy from me, and I wasn't sure if it was because of their performances or because of the writing. But I didn't care about either of the couples, not the rich ones when they had to give up their little boy, not the poor ones when they began to prepare for his arrival. I didn't even care for Joey! Everyone just clawed at my last nerve until I had to simply leave the screening. And my companion and I weren't the only ones who walked out early.
FYI: Barry Pepper still manages to exude hotness in this film, despite Rip's hangdog, scraggly look.
Stars: Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, Jennifer Lawrence, Jose Maria Yazpik, Joaquin de Almeida. Directed by Guillermo Arriaga (writer of Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel)
Plot: Much like Babel and Arriaga's other screenplays, he converges multiple storylines to tell a compelling yarn that touches on the darker sides of human nature. Plain revolves around an illicit affair between two lovers (Basinger and Almeida) who meet at a trailer in the New Mexican desert for their secret trysts. Their tragic deaths (BOOM!) tear apart and bring together their families through an unexpected connection. There's a lot of despair, a lot of secrets, a lot of running away and finally, some redemption.
Snap judgment: This was a fave of mine for its intricate weaving of different stories across different times and for excellent acting by Theron and big-screen newcomer Lawrence. There's enough intrigue to keep this dark story interesting, and Arriaga picks the right time to reveal important answers. Putting Basinger in this film almost seems so random you'll wonder when it was that you've last seen her in a movie. (As Vicki Vale in 1989's Batman, maybe?)
FYI: At the Venice Film Festival last year, Lawrence won the Marcello Mastroianni award for the best young emerging actor/actress for her role. You can see her on TV on The Bill Engvall Show.
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