By Chic DiCiccio Director Todd Phillips has done something incredible with “Joker.” He’s made a movie that’s unbelievably crafted, shot, written and acted … that you absolutely only need to watch once. “Joker” is an incendiary culture bomb that should be praised for its moviemaking brilliance but stop short of lionizing the main character as […]
By Richard Lannen The State Fair of Texas is the mecca of fried foods and a haven for hungry and adventurous eaters alike. With so many choices available and dozens more added every year, it can feel daunting to decide what to eat. Some people try their best to taste every new addition and Big […]
By Chic DiCiccio “Ad Astra” is an understated, quiet and thought-provoking $100 million space epic. It moves at a steady, if not slow pace, but is packed with beautiful imagery, heart and humanity. With all that being said, it’s a virtual certainty to fail at the box office. Just like his last film, “The Lost […]
By Richard Lannen The interior of Hinodeya is much like any Japanese restaurant in Dallas. It is clean and straightforward, with plenty of wood paneling and, at 6:30 p.m., already slammed with a severe dinner rush. Word has gotten around town about lower Greenville being the home to the next spawn of the famous 130-year-old […]
By Chic DiCiccio It’s hard to believe, but Jennifer Lopez hasn’t been in a memorable movie in roughly 20 years. After “Selena” and “Out of Sight,” she seemed destined for movie stardom. Not only does “Hustlers” wash away the stink of Lopez clunkers like “Monster In Law,” it establishes itself as a bonafide Best Picture […]
By Chic DiCiccio Some horror movies, like the current hit “It Chapter Two,” want nothing more than to scare the water out of you. Those movies can end up uneven with lots of hits and misses. When horror movies throw in some dark comedy or social commentary, they can transcend the slasher genre and become […]
By Richard Lannen Walking into Jimmy’s Food Store is like stepping into a piece of Dallas history. Truly an institution, Jimmy’s has been around since 1966, functioning as one of the few, if not only, Italian grocery stores in the Dallas area and is still run today by the same hard working family. Jimmy’s offers […]
By Chic DiCiccio “We need to split up.” It’s the kiss of death in horror movies. This is particularly so in “It Chapter Two,” but for a different reason. It’s due to the fact that after one fantastic scene of the now adult and reunited Losers Club, you hate to see them apart. “It Chapter […]
By Chic DiCiccio R.I.P. summer movie season. It officially ended on August 29. Sure, September has a few big releases (“It Chapter Two” and “Ad Astra”), but for the most part, it’s kaput. So where do movie junkies go to spend their valuable screen gazing time? Netflix, that’s where. If you can keep your eyeballs […]
By Sara Newberry It’s been nearly eight years since Nancy Black, the editor of the White Rock Lake Weekly, called me to ask if I’d be interested in writing restaurant reviews for the paper. (I’m forever grateful to the late Cheryl Collett, who recommended me to Nancy; I will always think fondly of her and […]