FRIDAY…in sports, the big deal is the PADRES home opening series. They’ll be playing again against the Atlanta Braves at PETCO PARK all weekend.
The San Diego GULLS have a home game at PECHANGA ARENA against the Tucson Roadrunners, and another game Saturday night.
On the theater stage, the drama I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER will still be playing at PowPAC in Poway.
ONCE is still playing at the Lamb’s Players Theatre in CORONADO.
3 SUMMERS OF LINCOLN is still at the LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE.
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE is still at the Stagehouse Theatre in EL CAJON.
Those shows will be going on each weekend night.
For those with lifted trucks that like mud on their vehicles, the OFF ROAD NIGHTS – DIRT LIFESTYLE EXPO will be taking place at the DEL MAR FAIRGROUNDS. It’s the biggest off-road show in San Diego, with exhibits, vendors, displays, food, and an indoor show, all weekend. Bring some earplugs.
At the Rady Shell at the EMBARCADERO, it’s the PRINCESS BRIDE IN CONCERT. Watch this classic movie while a live symphony orchestra plays the soundtrack. I saw this done once with a Star Trek movie and it’s a blast.
Record producer and huge trance DJ PAUL OAKENFOLD will be at the Music Box DOWNTOWN.
For Ted Gracia, we got YACHTLEY CREW, doing their yacht rock thing, at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in VISTA.
The Highwayman Show is a fun American Outlaw tribute concert doing a variety of classic country artists. They’ll be at the Belly Up Tavern in SOLANA BEACH.
SATURDAY – The opening baseball weekend shenanigans continue with the 13th ANNUAL EAST VILLAGE BLOCK PARTY near Petco Park. There will be lots of family-friendly fun, with small businesses participating, live music and entertainment, a classic car show, and more. And of course, the PADRES series continues against the Braves.
For a sport where you can’t put your hands on the ball, see the SAN DIEGO FC vs Los Angeles FC at Snapdragon Stadium.
Raunchy comedian and actor NICK SWARDSON, whom I loved on “Reno 911”, will be at the Magnolia Performing Arts Center in EL CAJON.
It’s crazy to think that anyone could have a voice as great as Freddie Mercury, but the singer of the show KILLER QUEEN does, and they’ll be doing their Queen tribute at the Balboa Theatre DOWNTOWN.
Another piano playing singer will have a tribute at Colabo Performing Arts in SAN DIEGO – that’s where you can catch an ELTON JOHN tribute show.
An odd event going on, at the JULEP Venue, the Oddities Flea Market presenting “Oddities & Overtures: A Special Event with DANNY ELFMAN.” Now I’m a huge Oingo Boingo fan and love his movie scores (fun fact: he also did The Simpson’s theme), but it’s $30 to get in, and $300 if you want him to autograph something. I guess I’ll be keeping my “Only a Lad” album on the shelf.
SUNDAY – the PADRES wrap up their series with the Braves.
For sports on the water, you’ve got the SAN DIEGO CREW CLASSIC at CROWN POINT. There’s a beer garden, food trucks, alumni row, and various vendors.
At MISSION BAY PARK, catch the Water Ski & Wakeboard event.
If ya ain’t afraid of spiders and snakes, the PET & REPTILE EXPO will be at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. You can see a lot of exotic lizards, snakes, arachnids, frogs, and more. Breeders and animal specialists from across the country will be there, too. Hopefully the trucks didn’t run ‘em all over the night before.
You don’t usually rock out on a Sunday, so…if you want classical music, head to the Jacobs Music Center DOWNTOWN.
The 13th ANNUAL JAZZ FESTIVAL is at the OLD TOWN TEMECULA THEATER.
A Beatles tribute with Back to the Garden, is at the POWAY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
Movies opening this weekend…
THE PENGUIN LESSONS, playing at a few theaters around town, including my favorite – the Angelika Film Center. I should first mention my bias with this film. I’m a huge fan of Steve Coogan (it blows my mind that this UK comedy legend isn’t a household name in the U.S.). And my wife and I are bird lovers, with parakeets always flying around the house. We’d have a penguin if we could (although they are rather stinky), but I digress. This is a true story about a teacher at an Argentinian boarding school who rescues a penguin from an oil slick. He’s a rather unenthusiastic teacher (you’ll find out why later with his backstory), but he uses the pet penguin as he teaches the kids about literature. I leaned into my wife and said, “This is ‘Dead Poet Society’ with penguins.” Coogan was great, not playing it just one-note as the straight man. Surprisingly, the weak link was the talented Jonathan Pryce (see his movie “The Wife” and you’ll see why Glenn Close was robbed of the Oscar). He was just a bit over-the-top as the headmaster. The film delves into the socio-political landscape of Argentina in 1976, taking a few liberties (and straying a bit from the book). It’s a lowkey but lovely film. If you’re disappointed with the experience you had taking your family to “Snow White” – make it up to them by seeing this. 3 ½ stars out of 5.
DEATH OF A UNICORN. This movie has one of the best casts you’ll get all year – Paul Rudd, Richard E. Grant (loved him in “Saltburn” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me”), Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), Will Poulter (who always plays a great screw-up, especially in “Midsommar”), and Tea Leoni, who at 59, is still just as gorgeous as she ever was, and a terrific actress to boot. I was surprised this movie was under 60% on Rotten Tomatoes and when I clicked to see why, the first critic said the problem was that the movie tries to include too many genres – horror, action, family drama, satire, and comedy. Well, I had no problem with that. Sure, it could be uneven at times, but it was a lot of fun, and the theater I watched it with loved it. The story has a lawyer going to get papers signed by a billionaire. He’s having issues with his rebellious teen daughter, and his car hits a unicorn that’s in the road. To tell you anymore of what happens would just be a series of spoilers. Just go see it and have a blast (but be warned, it’s a hard R rated film, so just because “unicorn” is in the title, don’t bring the kiddos). The script could’ve been stronger, and the third act is a bit of a mess; but I liked this the way I liked “Cocaine Bear.” Sometimes a bonkers comedy with some gore can be a lot of fun. I was surprised my wife even liked it. 3 stars out of 5.
A WORKING MAN. Last year started with “The Beekeeper” in January, which made my worst of the year list. The director of that movie (David Ayer) and the star (Jason Statham) teamed for this film, which will make my “worst of” list this year. It’s a shame it wastes the talents of David Harbour (who plays a blind military mercenary who once worked with Statham), and Michael Pena (who is only in a few scenes, as Statham’s boss who wants his help finding his kidnapped daughter). Oh, and Sylvester Stallone co-wrote the script. That might worry some, but remember, dude wrote “Rocky.” Also, a bit of the fun comes out of the proceedings when a vigilante movie involves human trafficking. And it felt like something from 1982 – the Russians are the bad guys, and they’re over-the-top heavies that looked like characters from “Every Which Way But Loose” (Clint Eastwood) and “Escape From New York” (Kurt Russell). Statham beats up lots of people. Shoots lots of people. Bullets never hit him (even when they’re using machine guns). He never breaks the bones in his fist. And unless you’re a teenager, you’ll think this movie is garbage. Oh, and since it had a vomit scene, that now makes it 92% of all films have a barf scene, for those keeping score at home. And, any guesses whether Statham’s character will find the kidnapped girl and bring her back safely? I might have given the movie 1 star, if they would’ve been smart enough to use Rush’s best song “Working Man.” 0 stars.