Movie Review

Don't Think Twice gives some thought to often difficult world of comedy

From the outside, the comedy world seems brutal. Stand-up and improv comedians usually work late hours for little pay, all in pursuit of a big break that may never come.

Anyone who sticks with it for a long time without big success is either extremely committed to the craft or somewhat delusional about his or her talent.

People on both sides of that divide populate Don’t Think Twice, which follows a New York City improv troupe called The Commune. The sextet — Jack (Keegan-Michael Key), Samantha (Gillian Jacobs), Miles (Mike Birbiglia), Bill (Chris Gethard), Allison (Kate Micucci), and Lindsay (Tami Sagher) — have been together for years, with the goal for all of them to be picked for the cast of Weekend Live, an obvious stand-in for Saturday Night Live.

When only two of them are invited to audition for the show, cracks start to form in the group’s normally tight bond. When only one is chosen, those cracks become bigger and bigger, eventually threatening not only the group’s survival, but also their friendships.

Written and directed by Birbiglia, the film has its fair share of laughs, but it’s also filled with a good amount of sadness and awkwardness. Each member of the group has had such a single-minded pursuit for so long that the realization that they might not make it after all hits them hard, in a variety of ways.

Birbiglia does an excellent job of showing just how tight the group is, so when they start to fracture, it feels very impactful. Anyone who’s been part of a good group of friends can relate to the way changes big and small affect the chemistry. As Birbiglia shows, it can often be subtle things that lead to positive or negative effects, especially in a group that likes to crack jokes as often as this group does.

The entire group of actors will be familiar to anyone with a good knowledge of comedy world, and the characters’ stories seem to mirror those of the actors portraying them. That mixture works well for the movie, as each actor seems to draw on personal experience to give the character extra depth. It doesn’t hurt that each of them can easily draw a guffaw.

Don’t Think Twice is a fun, poignant, and sometimes difficult-to-take look at the intricacies of the comedy world and the difficulty of maintaining friendships.

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Cast of Don't Think Twice.

Cast of Don't Think Twice

Photo courtesy of Jon Pack

Cast of Don't Think Twice.

Hotel news

Glittering Auberge Resorts luxury hotel checks into Fort Worth Cultural District

Bowie House Auberge Hotel Fort Worth

Rendering courtesy of Auberge Resorts Collection

It'll be just off the bricks of Camp Bowie.

A new hotel in Fort Worth's Cultural District will come with one of the hottest names in luxe lodging: Auberge Resorts Collection will manage Bowie House, a new "urban luxury retreat" being built off the bricks of Camp Bowie.

Now officially called Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection, the hotel is expected to open in late 2023, according to a release.

Those who drive the West 7th corridor and have seen the construction (and nearby road blocks) know the hotel is going up in the 3700 block of Camp Bowie Boulevard, on the former site of The Ginger Man bar and before that, Rick's On The Bricks. (Not to be confused with another luxury hotel under construction nearby.)

Bowie House will be a four-story, 106-room boutique hotel with 88 rooms and 18 suites, including a 2,250-square-foot "signature" suite. Per the release, other features will include:

signature restaurant facing a private enchanted garden with outdoor seating
lobby bar and lounge and a terrace bar
billiards room with pool and game tables
an "intimate rose-colored lacquered" library
fireplace lounge
dramatic grand ballroom
well-edited boutique
barn-inspired spa and fitness center
outdoor pool and bar with a pool deck that will hover on a second-floor terrace, complete with private cabanas
outside hotel gardens with hedges and florals that climb walls, pergola lounge areas, and soft seating and event spaces accented with fireplaces, firepits, and water features

"When (Bowie House) debuts, the luxury boutique hotel will be the first of its kind for the area, anchoring a 30-block promenade of acclaimed museums, restaurants and unique retail," the release says, then reminds that it will be located near Cultural District museums, Dickies Arena, and Will Rogers Memorial Center.

“Fort Worth is a culturally rich gem full of uniquely Texan experiences, ranging from its famous Stockyards district to the celebrated Kimbell Art Museum," says Dan Friedkin, chairman of Auberge Resorts Collection. "We are excited to help open up this city to global travelers with a one-of-a-kind luxury hotel experience befitting such an incredible destination. Bowie House will be modern and luxurious, yet local and full of character.”

The hotel itself "will embody the Western personality of Fort Worth with modern flair," the release says.

Acclaimed interior design and architect firm BOKA Powell is leading the design of the hotel, with elements that will speak to the city’s charm and sophistication: traditional Texas finishes, trace Spanish architecture, and eccentric furniture and decor.

"Global in design, yet familiarly local in their finishes and details, guestrooms will feel like a sophisticated version of a private Texas home," the release says. "Local Western flavor will be woven into each guestroom with art and artifacts curated by some of Texas’ most notable artists and artisans."

Jo Ellard, president of Bowie Place Properties, promises "a hotel that embodies the history and culture of Fort Worth, that respects and pays homage to the Western lifestyle that makes Fort Worth so special, and that embraces the cultural sophistication and diversity for which the city has become so famous."

Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection will be the brand’s second property in Texas, after the top-rated Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection in Austin. The company manages 23 one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, resorts, and private clubs in some of the world's most coveted locations, including Napa Valley, Aspen, and Santa Fe, and across Mexico, Caribbean, and Europe.

Movie review

Cate Blanchett orchestrates Oscar-caliber performance as power-hungry conductor in Tár

Cate Blanchett orchestrates Oscar-caliber performance as power-hungry conductor in Tár

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Cate Blanchett in Tár

Since the #MeToo movement gained steam in 2017, a number of films and TV shows have confronted the new reality in direct and indirect ways. In almost all cases, however, the person behaving badly was a man, as men have long been the ones to hold the most power. But immoral conduct is not limited by gender, as the new film Tár demonstrates.

Cate Blanchett stars as Lydia Tár, a world-renowned conductor currently leading the Berlin Philharmonic. As the film begins, we see her in a number of settings: Giving a live interview in front of an audience, teaching a graduate-level music class, planning her schedule with her assistant, Francesca (Noémie Merlant). It’s clear that she is well-respected by those who know her by reputation, but the closer you get to her, the more her flaws start to reveal themselves.

Bit by bit, the film pokes holes in her holier-than-thou personality. While somewhat affable on the surface, she has a need for power – and a willingness to do anything to hold on to it – that manifests itself in a variety of unsavory ways. Most notable among these is her taste for young female protégés, a desire she does little to hide despite having a child with her wife, Sharon (Nina Hoss).

Written and directed by Todd Field, making his first film since 2006’s Little Children, Tár is most notable for how much time it devotes to setting up Tár as a character. Instead of being overtly obvious about her faults or painting her as blatantly evil, Field instead drops a series of hints about her proclivities while mostly showing her as strong and strong-willed, characteristics that have often been praised in men.

Even when things start to go awry for Tár, Field maintains the nuance of the story, depicting her increasingly fragile mental state through a series of scenes in which she hears mysterious noises. These and other semi-bizarre things that happen to her at various points in the film keep the audience on its collective toes, never sure what is going to be shown next.

Though the film is set in the rarefied world of classical music, it has a grounded nature that keeps it balanced. Those who know a lot about the world of symphony orchestras will be pleased with the level of detail devoted to the scenes depicting the inner workings, but the story as a whole is most interested in the people, not the politics, of the industry.

The film will likely leave many at a loss as to how to feel about its protagonist. The many factors that come into play – Tár’s gender and sexuality, Blanchett’s own reputation, the history of patriarchy, the upper-class world in which it takes place, among others – all color how the character is perceived. Even when she’s at her worst, Tár still has a magnetism that’s difficult to deny.

Blanchett, per usual, gives an ultra-compelling performance. The two-time Oscar winner will likely secure her seventh nomination, as she enthralls with her choices in voice, movement, and more. Merlant, a French actor best known for Portrait of a Lady on Fire, does a great job in her supporting role, providing her own intensity.

Tár is an of-the-moment film that examines the role of a leader, who’s allowed to lead, and how leaders should act when they rise to power. With one of today’s best actors again at the top of her game, it’s a can’t-miss opportunity for movie lovers.

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Tár opens in Fort Worth theaters on October 28.

$Cate Blanchett in T\u00e1r$

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Cate Blanchett in Tár

Round Top Tips

Texas designer shares top tips for making the most of Round Top 2022

Blair Burton Round Top

Photo courtesy of Blair Burton

Austin-based interior designer Blair Burton shares her top tips for Round Top.

The fall iteration of Texas' most famous antique fair kicked off this past weekend in Round Top and runs through October 29. Starting in 1968, Round Top has become one of the largest antique shows in the country, drawing the likes of high-profile interior designers like Kelly Wearstler and Ken Fulk, who sourced several ideas for his work at the Commodore Perry Estate from the show.

Over its five-plus decades, one venue multiplied to miles of sites along Highway 237, where shoppers can scour for antique treasures in fields, barns, and tents. The two largest are the Continental Tent and the Big Red Barn, which comprises 30,000 square feet of textiles, art, furniture, and accessories. Overwhelmed already? Us, too.

Thankfully, Texas interior designer Blair Burton, who has been traveling to the show for years on behalf of her clients, reached out via email to share all her tips and tricks.

Here are the Austin designer's top three insider secrets for making the most of the show:

Favorite venues
"My favorite venues are Marburger (of course), the Compound, the Arbors, and Blue Hills," Burton shares. "They all do such a great job of curating a lovely shopping experience. It's exciting to see how much The Compound has grown, it keeps getting bigger! I have found so many treasures for projects at Blue Hills, especially case goods, artwork and rugs."

Where to eat
"Royers in RoundTop is an institution (restaurant and pie shop), and for good reason," according to Burton. "The people and the food are top notch. Below is a picture of me with Bud Royer, the owner and such a gem."

Royers Round Top Blair Burton poses with the owner of Royers, a great place to replenish between browsing.Photo courtesy of Blair Burton

"The venues have great food options now, too. Kettle corn is a must, and I always seem to need a little pick-me-up (or cool down) with homemade lemonade. Finish the day with Wildflyer Mead at Blue Hills, or a cocktail at the Ellis Motel in the middle of Henkel Square."

How to make the most of browsing
"The thrill of the hunt is invigorating," says Burton. "There is nothing better than finding the most unique pieces that *make* a space. I bring a list for each project, but also hold the list loosely, as we never know what we will find. Right now we have a long list for about 10 projects!"

To download a full .pdf guide to Round Top, check out the show's website and head to the homepage to buy tickets ahead of time.

round top shopping