A dynamic figure emerged onto the Fair Park stage from a plume of smoke Wednesday night, backed by the turn-of-the-century boy band hit “Larger Than Life.” This wasn’t a blast from the past Backstreet Boys concert, however, and the pop icon at the center of it all never had frosted tips. Instead, William Shakespeare emerged to kickstart the energetic and entertaining “& Juliet,” running through February 9 in Dallas.

The jukebox musical-comedy is a creative twist on “Romeo and Juliet” that wonders what might have happened if Juliet had not taken her life like her star-crossed lover. Backed by reworkings of familiar chart toppers from the 90s and 2000s like “Oops!… I Did It Again” and “Since U Been Gone,” the show is half pop concert extravaganza and half empowering rewrite in the vein of shows like “SIX.”

In the show, the rewrites are all thanks to Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, who enters the scene shortly after her husband to demand the famous playwright come up with a better ending for his “debuting” production. A rather controlling and smug Shakespeare reluctantly agrees after an argument with Hathaway and his actors to the tune of “I Want It That Way,” setting the tone for the evening.

“& Juliet” typically keeps it light, witty and almost bubbly, even while confronting some very weighty topics. Unfortunately, what follows Hathaway’s introduction is almost as much of a whirlwind as the famous romance “& Juliet” is based on.

We begin with Juliet’s realization that Romeo is dead, set to a stirring and heartfelt rendition of “…Baby One More Time,” before discovering that Romeo had more than a few recent lovers who he used the same poetic verses on as he did Juliet. In short order, Juliet then finds out her parents want to send her to a nunnery and thus decides to run away to Paris with her best friend May, Hathaway herself playing her friend April and her nurse/beloved parental figure Angelique. Soon after, they sneak into a luxurious party held by the former French soldier Lance to help his son Francois find a wife. If his son doesn’t find a suitor soon, Lance makes it abundantly clear he plans to ship Francois to the army.

The whole plot is wrapped in a growing dispute between Hathaway and Shakespeare that reveals how the latter tends to value his plays more than his family. It’s an onslaught of characters and storylines, with the elaborate numbers in-between serving almost as opportunities to catch your breath.

Luckily, the songs and performances save some of these earlier scenes from derailing. In particular, Rachel Simone Webb shines as Juliet as does Nick Drake as May. Drake’s performance grounds the otherwise breakneck storytelling with an emotional internal struggle about May’s nonbinary identity.

All the breathless exposition does pay off once the party concludes. Each character soon finds themselves tangled in a messy mix of love interests. Francois bumps into May at the party, causing sparks to fly, but he also quickly connects with Juliet due to their similarly overbearing parents. Meanwhile, Angelique and Lance have to decide if they want to rekindle a long-lost romance, while Shakespeare and Hathaway’s dispute begins to spiral out of control.

Some of the show’s best moments follow, punctuated by a couple of properly dramatic twists. Whether it’s the strongly French-accented Lance, played by Paul-Jodan Jansen, crushing a comedic rendition of “Teenage Dream,” May’s emotionally rewarding path to finding inner strength and confidence or the over-the-top presentation of the first act cliffhanger, “& Juliet” finds its stride almost as quickly as it starts.

“& Juliet” largely carries that momentum into the second act in the form of show-stopping versions of songs like “Backstreet’s Back” and “Roar.” The show is simply at its best when its quick laughs and soaring musical numbers pair together.

The sheer number of love stories going into the second act does hurt some of the emotional payoffs at the show’s finale, many of which are more than a little predictable. Nonetheless, it’s hard not to find yourself swept away by its powerful pop renditions and sharp humor.

“& Juliet” may not always make poetry out of its plotlines, but that doesn’t stop its superb performances and captivating visuals from making for a thoroughly entertaining night at Fair Park.

“& Juliet” runs through February 9 at Music Hall at Fair Park as part of Broadway Dallas’ 24-25 Broadway series.

“SHUCKED” isn’t a shy show. That much should have been clear to the Wednesday night audience at Music Hall at Fair Park straight from its opening number. The Tony Award-winning Broadway comedy musical kicked off the evening with a full song-and-dance about the greatness of the show’s namesake crop in the aptly titled “Corn.” Filled with a sharp variety of appropriately corny comedy that kept the audience laughing throughout, it sets the tone for an enjoyable evening that brought a little something for everybody, even if it doesn’t exactly break new ground.

Written by Robert Horn, “SHUCKED” follows Maizy, a plucky small-town protagonist who’s getting married to her longtime lover, Beau. The wedding takes a tumble when the townspeople of Cob County notice their prized corn is dying off. We quickly learn that no one has ever left Cob County, especially since it’s uniquely enclosed by walls of giant corn stalks. The determined and headstrong Maizy soon finds herself at odds with Beau’s stubbornness and distrust of outsiders after she decides to become the first person to leave Cob County in order to find help in the outside world.

If you happened to see “Moana” recently, Maizy’s motivations might sound more than a little familiar. Similar comparisons to shows like “The Music Man” are readily available to make during the course of the evening as well. The show’s narration team, simply referred to as Storyteller 1 (Maya Lagerstam) and Storyteller 2 (Tyler Joseph Ellis), excel at keeping the story rolling and punctuating scenes with clever punchlines, however, helping the show retain its own feel despite the many familiar plot points.

Comedy is really where “SHUCKED” shines. While some of its corny humor can evoke the occasional eyeroll, it’s creative and laugh-out-loud funny much more often than not. “SHUCKED” just seems to have a knack for catching audiences off guard with a well-timed innuendo or pun, particularly when Beau’s less-than-bright brother, Peanut (Mike Nappi), is involved.

In the early scenes of the first act, audiences also have a chance to hear the show’s musical range. With songs and lyrics from Grammy Award-winning country music singer-songwriters Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, “SHUCKED” spins country and folk sensibilities into more traditional musical numbers. Ballads like Maizy’s first solo number, “Walls,” feel poised for an ACM moment, while later upbeat numbers like the standout “Best Man Wins” give the genres a Broadway spin to similar success.

Understudy Carly Caviglia took on the role of Maizy for this particular performance, bringing strong vocals and a solid sense of comedic timing to her performance. The same is true for Beau, played by Jake Odmark. Unfortunately, the show doesn’t do much to establish their relationship beyond showing how alike they are when arguing. Maizy’s actions after departing Cob County and meeting smooth-talking wannabe conman Gordy (Quinn VanAntwerp) quickly make her a bit harder to cheer for, too.

Gordy is posing as a podiatrist, or “corn doctor” as his neon sign declares. His opening number, “Bad,” establishes his underhanded pursuits, even though a hint of underlying heartache motivates his actions. VanAntwerp successfully balances both sides of his character, despite the plot moving too fast for its own good in developing his dynamic with Maizy. Maizy is almost instantly swept off her feet by Gordy’s grandiose promises to fix her corn problem. Her and Gordy’s return to Cob County leads to a tangled web of arguments and romantic trappings with Beau and Maizy’s similarly strong-willed cousin, Lulu (Miki Abraham).

Lulu almost feels better suited to be the show’s protagonist, with the sharpest wit of any character and a bit more edge to her personality than the wide-eyed Maizy. Lulu’s solo, “Independently Owned,” marks one of the show’s most memorable musical highlights, thanks in large part to Abraham’s show-stopping vocals.

As “SHUCKED” plows towards its finale, the production’s broader messages of acceptance and community kinship become even clearer. It leads to a mostly predictable second act, but the show stays fresh thanks to a quick comedic pace paired with crowd-pleasing songs and performances. In other words, if you’re looking for a crop of amusing jokes mixed with great country-infused music, “SHUCKED” is the show for you.

“SHUCKED” runs through December 15 at Music Hall at Fair Park as part of Broadway Dallas’ 24-25 season

In a captivating performance on Wednesday night, Katerina McCrimmon filled Fair Park’s Music Hall with plenty of laughs and incredible vocals as Fanny Brice in the ongoing North American tour of “Funny Girl,” now running through August 18 as the final production of Broadway Dallas’ 2023-24 season.

“Funny Girl” follows Fanny’s rise to stardom as part of the “Ziegfeld Follies” and her rocky romantic relationship with the suave but flawed Nick Arnstein along the way. The iconic show originally starred Barbra Streisand as Fanny for both its Broadway run and a silver-screen adaptation, leaving future productions with high expectations to say the least. The shows at Fair Park are part of the first tour of the 2022 Broadway revival of “Funny Girl” with a revised book by Harvey Fierstein.

For those unfamiliar, the show begins with Fanny already at the peak of her star power on tour. It quickly transitions, however, into a runtime-filling flashback that begins with her as an ambitious New York teenager. Despite the objections of her mother (Grammy Award-winner Melissa Manchester) and her mother’s friends, Mrs. Strakosh (Eileen T’Kaye) and Mrs. Meeker (Christine Bunuan), Fanny is determined to make a name for herself on stage. She receives the support of her friend, Eddie Ryan (Izaiah Montaque Harris), even though her first attempt as a chorus dancer leaves a lot to be desired.

“Funny Girl” wastes no time setting its humorous tone or showcasing the breadth of its cast’s talents in these opening scenes. Manchester’s strong vocals and comedic timing immediately shine. Likewise, Harris dazzles in an impressive tap-dancing segment and helps emotionally ground the show with his earnest support of Fanny.

Throughout, the jokes are often quick and seamlessly flow into the pacing of the dialogue and story. Audiences also receive their first opportunities to experience McCrimmon’s incredible vocals early on with songs like “I’m the Greatest Star.”

As the show progresses and Fanny’s ascent begins in earnest, audiences meet Lukas’ stylish Nick Arnstein and a commanding Florenz Ziegfeld (Walter Coppage). Lukas plays Nick as every bit of the classic Clark Gable-style leading man. Even though audiences might see Nick as “slick,” as Eddie puts it, they’d be hard-pressed not to see him as a character with real heart despite his potential shortcomings.

His smooth style is a stark contrast to Fanny’s often self-deprecating attitude, but they immediately have a strong dynamic together. McCrimmon and Lukas don’t miss a beat when bantering and provide the show with some of its best comedic moments, particularly when they meet for a fancy dinner arranged by an overeager Nick. Their chemistry helps make songs like the classic “People” all the more impactful, especially considering McCrimmon’s range and strength as a singer.

It all leads to a much more emotional second act as “Funny Girl” dives deep into Fanny and Nick’s relationship. Although the show drops a bit of its comedy as a result, there’s no denying the earned emotional impact of these scenes. By the time McCrimmon sings the self-titled number “Funny Girl,” you’d be hard-pressed not to feel a strong tug at your heartstrings.

Overall, the script’s balance of laugh-out-loud comedy and poignant emotional moments creates a show that captivates from opening to close. When coupled with McCrimmon’s star-making portrayal of Fanny alongside stellar performances by Lukas and Manchester, this revival of “Funny Girl” is nothing short of gorgeous.

At the end of every Peanuts cartoon special, there is a scene where Charlie Brown and Linus are together, reflecting on what just happened. The scene typically unfolds with them resting their arms on a wall next to each other, with Charlie Brown making a comment about another year having come and gone. It’s with that same feeling that I reflect back on another year of FAN EXPO Dallas having come and gone.

For those unfamiliar, the FAN EXPO Dallas is a three-day pop culture convention that draws over 60,000 fans each year to the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. This year’s convention proved to be as fun, exciting, and crowded as years past. Some of the big highlights and trends from this year were:

Mandalorians everywhere. Fans are definitely still firmly behind all things Mandalorian, with many people dressed up as their favorite character from the hit Disney show. The Mando Mercs Costume Club area was a big hit with fans.

There were some unique surprises in the community area this year, such as the British Emporium located in Grapevine was a welcome surprise. They had an awesome Dr. Who diorama, complete with a Mini Cooper and a Dalek.

Jedi are still very popular. The force remains very strong with all things Star Wars. There were a number of custom lightsaber creation booths at the show as well as Jedi themselves who were ready for battle.

A very cool corner of this year’s festivities was a life-size replica of a Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper, which fans could sit in and get their full Starbuck on.

The Artists Alley was a real who’s who of talented creators. My favorite fanboy moment had to be seeing Dan Parent of Archie fame, sitting there sketching scene after scene of Archie drawings. One of my personal hobbies is drawing, and it is amazing to see someone quickly create a perfect sketch of a character, something that would take me hours to try to replicate if I even could. Next year, I already plan to purchase some original artwork.

Did I mention crowds? Yes, there were a lot of people, but that’s what makes it interesting. There were certainly plenty of amazing Cosplay costumes to marvel at. They ranged from simple Ash from Pokémon outfits, to elaborate Ghostbusters displays and even Batman himself.

So, as I sit here leaning on my wall with my arms folded, thinking about how another FAN EXPO Dallas has come and gone, I can’t help but get excited about what might be in store for next year.

Alexander Hamilton is a man deeply concerned about making his mark on the new country he calls home. Between his role in the fight for independence and his struggles to establish a financial system for the United States, audiences worldwide have fallen in love with Hamilton’s tireless quest to create a lasting legacy. Along the way, the musical has undeniably cemented a legacy of its own. Between 11 Tonys, a Broadway film on Disney+ and near universal praise, “HAMILTON” is already a pop culture icon.

A legacy like that leads to lofty expectations. Luckily, for Dallas and Fort Worth audiences, the cast of the ongoing North American tour of “HAMILTON” certainly doesn’t throw away its shot to build on that legacy. The opening night performance of the tour’s residency at the Winspear Opera House was full of the dynamic vocal performances and precision choreography that brought Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical to life for the Dallas audience.

There was a sense of awe when Blaine Alden Krauss announced himself as Alexander Hamilton in the musical’s opening number. It was a feeling that came from having the opportunity to see this sensation for yourself firsthand. A common theme felt throughout the night was the crowd’s familiarity with “HAMILTON,” which should come as little surprise given the show’s popularity. With that said, it’s all the more credit to the cast that the show never lost that awe-inspiring feeling.

Krauss’ non-stop performance as Hamilton was essential in that respect. For as much praise as there should be for the technical genius of Miranda’s writing, there should be equal praise for the technical ability required of the lead performers in his shows. From jam-packed raps delivered with a tenacious never-back-down attitude to the delicate emotional touch needed for the love story weaved between the politics, Krauss delivered it all in his performance.

It’s the kind of energy that’s carried throughout the show, from the cast’s expertly timed choreography on a rotating floor in the middle of the set to the comedy they infused into the history unfolding onstage. As set pieces whirl in and out during scenes to recreate bars, tense meetings for political back deals and intimate moments between spouses, Miranda filled “HAMILTON” with a kinetic energy to match the fast-paced history lessons in the songs within it.

Comedic moments were likewise plentiful. Jared Howelton and John Devereaux (filling in for Eddie Ortega) had a gift for putting just the right amount of emphasis on the humor in their dual roles as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson and Hercules Mulligan/James Madison. Whether they worked alongside Hamilton in the Revolutionary War in the first act or against him as political rivals in the second, it made them easy to root for. Paul Louis Lessard’s hilarious performance as King George similarly stood out. He cracked up the audience with a devilishly catchy pop performance of “You’ll Be Back,” which elicited huge laughs and applause.

The show’s real triumph is its balance between crowd-pleasing comedy and high-energy numbers alongside the intimate, intense moments of personal drama. As the show follows Hamilton through his role alongside George Washington (played with all the appropriate grandeur by Carvens Lissaint) in the Revolutionary War and into the turmoil of a new country learning how to govern, audiences see both sides of the show in equal balance.

Deon’te Goodman’s performance as Aaron Burr exemplifies that balance. In the history books, Burr physically stands opposite Hamilton in one of the crucial moments that define the public’s memory of them both. In the play, Burr’s reserved political opinions and soft-spoken ambitions frequently stand opposite Hamilton’s passionate energy as the two cross paths throughout the show. Nonetheless, Goodman brings a deftness to his performance that underlines the personal similarities between the two.

When the show shifts from the political to the deeply personal, “HAMILTON” continues to shine. The love story between Alexander and his wife Eliza Schuyler, played by Kendyl Sayuri Yokoyama, is captivating and made all the more impactful by Yokoyama’s impressive vocals in songs like “Helpless.” Intertwined with great performances from Lencia Kebede, Milika Cherèe and Tyler Fauntleroy, their relationship is both compelling and touching.

From top to bottom, this tour of “HAMILTON” is an amazing continuation of the legacy created by the original Broadway production. With a script that’s just as relevant and impactful as ever delivered by an incredible cast, there’s no doubt you’ll want to be in the room where “HAMILTON” happens while it’s in DFW.

“HAMILTON” is scheduled to run through June 9 at the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Winspear Opera House in Dallas and June 11-23 at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. For more information about the tour, visit https://hamiltonmusical.com/us-tour/.

The classic 1975 musical “CHICAGO” has been a mainstay on Broadway for decades now, with the show’s most recent revival having run for more than 25 years. As soon as “All That Jazz” hit the stage at AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Winspear Opera House on Thursday night, however, it was clear that “CHICAGO” is still a stunning and seductive showstopper in 2024.

The 1920s tale of murderous wannabe vaudeville stars Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly as they navigate their headline-grabbing trials and grapple with the fleeting nature of fame feels all too relevant in today’s true crime-obsessed world. Led by standout performances from Kailin Brown as Velma and Katie Frieden as Roxie, there was no shortage of Bob Fosse-style razzle dazzle to propel the story.

From the sashaying opening number to crowd-pleasing performances like “Cell Block Tango,” Brown commanded the stage. Brown’s presence and strong voice were an ideal match for the show’s style and class. In particular, “I Can’t Do It Alone” stood out as a showcase of Brown’s athleticism and wit as they departed from the show’s slinky and sensuous introductory songs for a cartwheeling and high-kicking dancing display.

Likewise, Frieden embodied the show’s energy and dark humor as Roxie. Her self-titled act one number felt like an encapsulation of what an audience wants from “CHICAGO,” striking a balance between humor, moodiness and theater magic. Her introduction to the song also came across as an indicting reflection of our current culture, a testament to the quality of both the performer and the production.

Frieden’s puppet-like performance in “We Both Reached for the Gun” with Roxie’s money-hungry attorney Billy Flynn, played by Connor Sullivan, similarly stood out. Sullivan’s Las Vegas crooner’s confidence alongside Frieden’s comedic timing created a great pairing as Billy outlined his deceptive plan to help Roxie get away with murdering her lover.

Illeana “Illy” Kirven as Cook County Jail warden turned talent agent Matron “Mama” Morton and J. Terrell as the impressionable reporter Mary Sunshine also delivered first-act highlights with some of the night’s most impressive vocals in their respective solo numbers. Both actors infused a sense of heart into their characters as well, a dynamic sorely needed in a show where the central characters become increasingly reprehensible and self-absorbed throughout.

The same sentiment goes for Robert Quiles as Roxie’s spineless husband, Amos. Quiles gives a toe-tapping rendition of his solo song “Mister Cellophane” in the second act. While it may be about how forgettable and invisible Amos is to the rest of the characters, it also happens to be one of the catchiest tunes in the show.

By the time the glittery finale rolled around, and the audience discovered Roxie and Velma’s fate, “CHICAGO” had more than delivered on its expectations as a thoroughly entertaining production of this longtime classic.

“CHICAGO” runs through April 6 at the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Winspear Opera House in Dallas and May 10-12 at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. For more information on the show, including how to purchase tickets, visit https://chicagoontour.com/.

There’s a portal to a different world tucked inside a shopping mall in Grapevine. It’s a realm filled with unique and eye-catching works of art that all make up “The Real Unreal,” the first Meow Wolf art exhibition in the DFW area.

As soon as you purchase a ticket and cross the threshold into the company’s space at Grapevine Mills, you’re tossed into a zigzagging pink pathway adorned with beautiful art. Neon accents line the ceilings between a dining area full of local flavors and the gift shop.

Somewhere along that path, I found myself at the entrance way to “The Real Unreal.” My tour guide, Meow Wolf’s Grapevine Public Relations Manager Connor Gray, explained that the journey we would embark on in Grapevine would follow a similar narrative style to that of the company’s other exhibitions in places like Las Vegas and Denver.

“You start somewhere hyper familiar, so like a grocery store, a train station (or) a house, and then that gives you the access and ability to go out into those crazy weird art worlds you fall into,” Gray said.

Familiar was an understatement when it came to entering “The Real Unreal.” After listening to a short introduction about the rules for engaging with the exhibition, I found myself staring at the exterior of a suburban home. “You now have stepped into Bolingbrook, Illinois,” Gray said as the faint chirps of crickets in the night resonated throughout the darkened space.

Having grown up some 20 miles from Bolingbrook, the house standing before me certainly looked the part. As we began walking through the home, however, it became clear that it was so much more than a simple reconstruction of a suburban Chicagoland residence.

Portals ripped open inside the house, creating rifts into different artistic spaces to explore. Elements from those spaces seeped into the home, blurring the lines between the everyday and the extraordinary, or the real and the unreal, as it were. The home gives guests both something of a central hub for exploration and a narrative reason to explore the depths of “The Real Unreal” with a keen eye.

The home within the story belongs to Gordon Delaney, a retired jazz musician with failing eyesight. Delaney lives at the residence with his daughter, Carmen, who helps care for him. One of Carmen’s childhood friends, LaVerne Fuqua, also stays at the home with her young son Jared. When exploring the home, it doesn’t take long to see the missing person posters strewn throughout, indicating that Jared recently went missing after the portals appeared.

Created by writer LaShawn M. Wanak, the story encourages guests to discover what happened to Jared by exploring everything “The Real Unreal” has to offer. That means traveling through household objects like refrigerators and fireplaces into different realms and beyond, hunting for clues while admiring the artwork.

In that respect, Gray compared the story to a choose-your-own adventure book or open-world video game. The mystery surrounding Jared certainly helps contextualize the contents of some of the rooms, but it’s not essential to engage with it to enjoy the exhibition. The story never forces you down a particular path or even requires you to engage with it beyond a passing glance if you were looking to simply enjoy the art.

In other words, there’s no wrong way to explore at Meow Wolf. The various rooms and passages weave together from multiple different directions, with attendees able to traverse the exhibition and interact with the art at their leisure.

Interaction is key to many of the rooms in “The Real Unreal,” both from the attendees and the artists’ perspectives. Gray detailed how “a lot of the rooms are talking to each other,” with different collaborating artists having interacted with one another in the same space. Meow Wolf consistently covers “The Real Unreal” in art, creating highly detailed spaces that occasionally feature pieces in unexpected places.

It’s an approach that encourages curiosity. From humorous little miniature scenes built in different nooks and crannies in living areas to hidden passages, buttons that activate buzzing lights and sounds and even arcade games, “The Real Unreal” is full of surprises.

Of course, it’s also full of gorgeous works of art. Open an unassuming door, and you’ll find yourself in a post-Soviet era shop created by Arlington-based Yana Payusova. Weave through a glowing watermelon-painted space from Austin’s Diego Mireles Duran to find your way to another room. Find yourself standing amid a massive, drippy rainbow installation created by Dallas’ Dan Lam. In short, “The Real Unreal” is a captivating kaleidoscope of imagery, inspiration and colors.

Various “anchor spaces” act as common grounds between the artists’ rooms, each filled with works of their own. In locales like Lamp Shop Alley, filled with a workable ATM and payphone that don’t function quite the way you would expect, it’s easy to feel entirely transported to a different place and time.

Gray described how Meow Wolf uses one of those anchor spaces, the Neon Kingdom, for its Adultiverse events. The bimonthly 21-and-up nights regularly feature DJs, bands and other artistic performances. Attendees can explore the exhibition while enjoying food, drinks and performances throughout the evening.

Beyond acting as a hub, it’s a space that’s even visible from a cleverly designed balcony on the second story, one of the last stops on my tour and another clear sightline to enjoy the events.

As Gray and I returned back to the Delaney’s home, revealing another unexpected connection back into the residency in the process, I still felt as if there was art left to discover and plenty of rooms that warranted another look for both their visually appealing paintings and designs as well as the mysteries they may hold.

 Meow Wolf’s space at Grapevine Mills is an immersive and interactive experience that spotlights great artwork often created by talented local artists. It makes “The Real Unreal” an experience that feels like it should live up to the hype for attendees.

“The Real Unreal” is open seven days a week at Grapevine Mills. For more information about Meow Wolf, including how to purchase tickets to the exhibition, visit https://meowwolf.com/.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Unfortunately, as time went by, the Godzilla franchise lost sight of what made that first movie hit so hard, often dipping into campy production. Godzilla had lost sight of the grounded nature of the first film.

Don’t get me wrong, I love just about every Godzilla film for what they are, but there was something keeping many of the movies from breaking the B-movie mold. I will note that “Shin Godzilla” and the American-produced Godzilla films are some of the best in recent memory, definitely taking steps towards the glory of the original, however “Godzilla Minus One” puts just about all of these honorable mentions to shame, especially the American releases.

With a budget that director Takashi Yamazaki recently implied skewed under the originally reported 15-million-dollar mark, “Godzilla Minus One” manages to put some of the most impressive visuals in the franchise to screen. The movie doesn’t stop there either and instead takes a far less worn path for the franchise by spending time developing its cast of human characters.

You never quite care who gets squashed or splattered in the Godzilla films of past, and “Godzilla Minus One” seems to know that. For once, you’re rooting against Godzilla’s path of destruction. The movie almost feels like it’s concocted in a lab; just when you start to get an itch for Godzilla action, he’s there, but you’re never bored when he’s not.

I’ll admit, at first, I was a little iffy on the nature of the acting style from some of the cast, but they still succeeded at making me feel for them. At the end of the day, any problems I found with this film would feel like a nitpick, and I think the movie succeeded in everything it set out to do.

Very rarely is there a movie that goes above and beyond its predecessors in such a spectacular way. For once, I can say this movie is not just a great monster film, but a great film in general. The bar has been set, and the trajectory of Godzilla has been righted.

Spotlight Score: 10/10

A musical where King Henry VIII’s famous six wives sing about the circumstances surrounding their deaths may not sound like the kind of show that will have you on your feet clapping to the beat, let alone show you the importance of continuing the fight for women’s rights today. Thankfully, the Queens of “SIX” are no wannabes when it comes to Spice Girls-style power pop designed to get you dancing in the aisles while they each give an empowering and entertaining “Her-story” lesson of their own.

Names like Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour and Catherine of Aragon have filled history textbooks for years, not to mention a fair number of fictional adaptations in movies, television and books. The Queens have a chance to tell their story in a way unlike any other in “SIX” however, with thumping beats and rocking choruses centered around thinly veiled but hilarious digs at Henry’s terrible temper and womanizing ways.

In fact, the show’s strength comes far less from conveying biographical facts about its leads and much more from the power that each Queen’s story has in making the struggles of 16th century life for women all too familiar for 21st century audiences.

Following a dynamic opening number, “Ex-Wives,” the Queens reveal that they want the assembled audience at Fort Worth’s Bass Performance Hall to judge a contest to see which of them has been “dealt the worst hand” in life by Henry and has therefore earned the right to be the leader of their aptly named pop group, Six.

What follows throughout the fast-paced 80-minute production is a mix of stylistic songs spanning inspirations like Beyonce, Adele, Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne as each Queen gets the chance to make her case through a signature performance.

Gerianne Perez as Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon, sets the tone with her number, “No Way.” It’s a perfect encapsulation of everything “SIX” is about. “No Way” is the kind of song designed to stick in your head even as its lyrics almost necessitate repeat listens on the musical’s album to truly catch all of the references and laugh-out-loud jokes.

After her number, the Queens take a few minutes to direct some pointed barbs at one another, finding inventive ways to make audiences crack up about beheadings and other objectively tragic events in their lives. It’s a trend carried throughout the show, best delivered by Zan Berube’s performance as Anne Boleyn.

Portrayed as a sassy, selfie-obsessed teenager more than a royal regent, her comedic timing throughout her song, “Don’t Lose Ur Head,” along with the rest of the show, keeps “SIX” from ever becoming too dark, even following emotional performances like the passionate and powerful vocals of Amina Faye’s Jane Seymour singing about her own death during childbirth.

That carefully calculated balance between comedy and tragedy, catchy tunes and heartfelt moments, is the formula that makes “SIX” such a success. It lets a brilliant Tinder parody segment frame the story of Terica Marie’s Anna of Cleves rejection by Henry because her looks didn’t match her painted portrait or “profile pic,” even after she traversed an ocean to be with him.

The song following that segment also happens to be the show’s boldest as a result. “Get Down” lets Marie tear the roof off with charismatic dance moves and irreverent lyrics.

Even following such a crowd-pleasing song, as the last of the Queens gets their solo in the spotlight, audiences should see the clear picture of what “SIX” is all about. Despite how its flashy songs help it subvert its message, “SIX” shows how these Queens had to fight the same issues of gender inequality, assault and sexism as women today face.

At first, Aline Mayagoitia’s Katherine Howard seems narcissistic and self-absorbed in her song “All You Wanna Do.” “I think we can all agree, I’m the 10 amongst these threes,” Howard says before the first verse of the Ariana Grande and Britney Spears-inspired song.

After the song ended though, a hushed silence fell over the hall. In that moment, there was the palpable sense that “SIX” gave the audience a moment to reflect on how Howard’s song and story actually paints the picture of the same sort of systemic abuse and grooming capturing Hollywood headlines today.

By time Adriana Scalice’s Catherine Parr takes over with an impassioned plea to the Queens’ to not allow Henry to divide them even after all these years, it makes you long for the opportunity to hear the Queens explore more of the history they wish they had rather than the one history forces them to relive.

That’s the true power of “SIX” at work. With quick wit and killer beats, the Queens of “SIX” prove they can match melodies with anyone as they put on the kind of iconic, viral moment-filled stage show that would fit right at home on the big screen next to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

Nonetheless, it’s the characters behind the songs that capture the hearts and minds of the audience, leaving them with a new understanding of the importance of making the societal changes necessary today so that more women have the chance to celebrate their own “her-stories” in the future.

“Six” runs through December 3 at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. For more information about the show, including how to purchase tickets, visit https://www.basshall.com/ or https://sixonbroadway.com/.

My girlfriend, on the other hand, treated this movie as if it was the second coming. A longtime Barbie fan, she practically burst into tears of joy almost every time the trailer came on.

As the release date crept closer and closer, the hype train inevitably began to grab hold of me, and eventually, I hopped on the “Barbie” bandwagon. Now that “Barbenheimer” has officially arrived, here’s my take on the first half of that cinematic duo straight from someone who could’ve swore they would be more interested in the second.

Immediately, the movie is something to behold. Barbieland is filled with pastel-painted backdrops and brightly dressed inhabitants with just as colorful personalities. If you take nothing else from this review, it should be that this movie is stunning to look at.

The set design, the costumes, the choreography, and the music are aesthetically phenomenal. It immediately sucks you in with an incredibly charming introduction and a number of flashy dance sequences, so much so that when you have to leave Barbieland, it sort of deflates you, and for good reason.

The plot once Barbie hits the real world becomes a bit convoluted and unfocused. Narratively, it appears like the movie doesn’t know what to do with itself, which is unfortunate because the story it does provide is promising. If “Barbie” had scaled itself down a bit and stuck with a more singular narrative focus, I think it would have been more impactful and prevented the drag that comes mid-late runtime.

Luckily, the movie ends as strongly as it started, satisfyingly wrapping up characters and giving us a great, bombastic conclusion.

Of course, I need to mention the wonderful performances by the two leads, especially Ryan Gosling as Ken. Call me biased, but Gosling stole every scene he was in with his delivery of a bubbly, goofy Ken that was just a delight to watch. Margot Robbie also delivers an extremely impactful performance that manages to bring both depth and soul to a portrayal of a plastic doll.

I will say at first, I struggled to understand what the demographic was for this movie. “Barbie” is PG-13 and definitely leans into its rating with plenty of inside jokes and adult humor, some just shy of being outright crass. Through some rumination, I think the movie makes it clear who it’s for, though.

“Barbie” is a film for those who used to be fans of Barbie or grew up playing with her. A child will surely get decent mileage out of this movie – it’s bright and colorful, after all – but the intended message definitely hits hardest for an older audience who can fully grasp its well-delivered feminist themes.

I would implore skeptics not to blow off this film, especially if you’re a fan of the art of cinema.

Spotlight Score: 7.5/10 – I think that’s the highest rating I’ve given a movie for the Spotlighter