'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' hit the big screen, Asian Lantern Festival, Guardians homestand, Barenaked Ladies at Blossom & more

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Entertainment | Music | Events

THIS WEEK'S TOP PICKS

‘Barbie’

Hard to believe, but "Barbie" doesn't just live up to the extraordinary hype, it surpasses it. In director Greta Gerwig's multi-layered meta comedy, Barbie (Margot Robbie) experiences an existential crisis. So, with her constant companion Ken (Ryan Gosling) along for the ride, she goes on journey of self-discovery to the real world, the consequences of which will change Barbie Land forever. Irreverent yet impactful, "Barbie" just might be the most fun you'll have at the theater this summer. READ MORE

'Oppenheimer'

Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt and Matt Damon star in "Oppenheimer," about the man who helped save the world by giving us the power to destroy it. From director Christopher Nolan, it's a powerful film that explores the complicated legacy of the man known as the father of the atomic bomb and the thrilling circumstances surrounding the development of the bomb itself. Featuring stunning, larger-than-life visuals, theater-shaking sound and a sweeping score, this movie needs to be seen in the largest screen possible. And if you're doing the "Barbenheimer" thing, I suggest watching this one first. You'll need a pick-me-up afterwards. READ MORE

Asian Lantern Festival at the Cleveland Zoo

The Asian Lantern Festival continues this weekend at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Large-scale displays include a nearly 40-foot-tall giant lantern, walk-through tunnels, and a 150-foot-long Enchanted Garden Experience. Tickets $19-plus. Through August 27. 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland. DETAILS

Cleveland Orchestra plays Debussy at Blossom

The Cleveland Orchestra will play Debussy’s La Mer, which interprets the composer’s love of the sea, at Blossom Music Center on Saturday. Tickets $25-plus. 7 p.m., July 22. 1145 West Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls. DETAILS

'Two Pianos: Who Could Ask for Anything More'

Boston Pops legend Keith Lockhart makes his Cleveland Orchestra debut Sunday, July 23, at Blossom Music Center in a Great American Songbook extravaganza featuring pianist-vocalist Michael Feinstein and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet performing music by Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers and more. 7 p.m. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd. Tickets $29 to $121. DETAILS

Marvelous Moons

This exclusive new show at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Planetarium seeks to explore and understand Earth’s nearest neighbor and the many moons beyond. The presentation is followed by a Q&A with the audience. Included with museum admission ($7-$10). 1 Wade Oval Dr., Cleveland. Weekends through Oct. 1. DETAILS

Fin Fest

While Shark Week only last seven days on television, the Greater Cleveland Aquarium celebrates these (f)incredible animals all month long. See them eat, swim and glare at you from their 230,000-gallon Shark Seatube. Fin Fest also encompasses daily contests, trivia, mascot photo ops and other shark-related activities. Admission $19.95 ($13.95 kids 2-12). 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland. Through Aug. 6. DETAILS

Egyptomania: Fashion’s Conflicted Obsession

Exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art features dozens of objects exploring the influence of Egyptomania in fashion by juxtaposing contemporary clothing and jewelry with fine and decorative artworks from the museum’s collection. Free. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through January 2024. DETAILS

Guardians play six home games

It’s a busy week at Progressive Field. The Cleveland Guardians have a six-pack of home games – three versus the Philadelphia Phillies and three versus the Kansas City Royals. Tickets $15-plus. 2401 Ontario St, Cleveland. 7:10 p.m., July 21-22 and 1:40 p.m., July 23, vs. Phillies; 7:10 p.m., July 24-25 and 1:10 p.m., July 26, vs. Royals. DETAILS

Third Friday at 78th Street Studios open house

Power yourself with a snack and beverage while perusing the local art in more than 50 galleries at 78th Street Studios monthly 3rd Friday open house. Enjoy free music. Free. 5 to 9 p.m., July 21. 1300 West 78th Street | Cleveland. DETAILS

City Stages Global Music

City Stages, the Cleveland Museum of Art’s free outdoor summer concert dance parties, are happening in front of the Transformer Station in Ohio City. Seating is limited, so attendees are encouraged to bring camp chairs. Toronto’s Battle of Santiago will bring Afro-Cuban rhythms and vocals to the evening. Free. 7:30 to 9 p.m., July 26. 1460 W 29th St, Cleveland. DETAILS

Tabaimo: Blow

The Cleveland Museum of Art presents its first immersive exhibition since taking over the Transformer Station in Hingetown. On view for the first time since 2012, this installation by contemporary Japanese artist Tabaimo blurs the lines between fantasy and reality through a series of animated digital projections of bubbles, fragmented body parts and various plants accompanied by evocative music. Free. 1460 W. 29th St, Cleveland. Through Feb. 3. DETAILS

Euclid Beach Park Days

Whether you remember Euclid Beach Park or not, you’ll enjoy celebrating the history amusement park at the annual Euclid Beach Park celebration at the Cleveland History Center. Stoke memories riding the Euclid Beach Carousel which will be open all weekend. Tickets $10 - $15. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 22- July 23. 10825 East Blvd., Cleveland. DETAILS

Akron Lock 3: African-American Festival

The 43rd African American Festival is at Lock 3 on Saturday and Sunday. Free. Tickets after 6 p.m., $20. Noon to 9 p.m., July 22 – 23. 200 South Main St., Akron. DETAILS

Cleveland Cultural Gardens: Middle East

Visitors to Centennial Peace Plaza in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens will enjoy a celebration of Middle Eastern culture this weekend. Activities will include music, performers and more from Mehmet Gencer and Friends, Persian Fusion, and Tony Mikhael and Band. Free. 3 to 5 p.m., July 22. Centennial Peace Plaza, 1051 Martin Luther King Blvd., Cleveland. DETAILS

City Market at City Goods

Grab an adult beverage made from local spirits at The Hangar. Then amble among small, arched buildings scattered about City Goods in Ohio. Enjoy local musicians while shopping for products by local makers during City Market days. Free. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 22. 1442 West 28th Street, Cleveland. DETAILS

Wildlife Festival at Penitentiary Glen Reservation

Lake Metroparks is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center and Lakeshore Live Steamers during the Wildlife Festival at Penitentiary Glen Reservation in Kirtland. Free. Noon to 4 p.m., July 23. 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Road, Kirtland. DETAILS

43rd annual Serbian Festival

Experience the rich culture, traditions, and tastes of Serbia at the 43rd annual Serbian Festival at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Parma. The weekend includes music, folk dancing and children’s activities. Free. Noon to 11 p.m. July 22, noon to 10 p.m. July 23. 6306 Broadview Road, Parma. DETAILS

'Once On This Island'

Beck Center of the Arts presents this Tony-winning musical from Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. Set in the French Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, the story is a loose retelling of “The Little Mermaid” about a peasant girl who falls for the rich heir of a fancy hotel on the other side of the island. Tickets $10-$38. 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Through Aug. 6. DETAILS

Bloom! Botanicals & Birdhouses

Enjoy hundreds of unique birdhouses, glass art and more from Cleveland artist Asia Amour. Exhibits are included with regular admission to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. 11030 East Boulevard, Cleveland. Through Sep. 3. DETAILS

Dinosaurs of the Sahara

Take a trip back in time to explore original skeletons and flesh models of dinosaurs from Africa at the Great Lakes Science Center. Have a chance to touch real fossils and much more. Included with regular admission to the GLSC.6601 Erieside Ave, Cleveland. Through Sep. 4. DETAILS

Sean Kenney’s “Nature Connects” made with Lego bricks

Holden Arboretum invites you to explore the grounds and check out 14 larger-than-life flora and fauna exhibits brought to life through the use of over 350,000 building blocks assembled by noted LEGO artist Sean Kenney. Admission $13-$19. 9550 Sperry Road, Kirtland. Through Sept. 4. DETAILS

FOOD & DINING

A place out of this world to eat and drink

The Galaxy in Wadsworth offers an array of dining options: A wine room, steakhouse, sports bar and patio. It’s a great place for a good glass of wine or a relaxed spot to watch sports. It was one of the restaurants that recently earned a Wine Spectator award for its wines. Congrats to The Galaxy for its Best of Award of Excellence – cheers! It’s at 201 Park Center Dr., Wadsworth. DETAILS

Gourmets in the Garden

Gourmets in the Garden returns to the Cleveland Botanical Garden for an hour of professional culinary instruction. This week’s presenter is Chef Shea Simmons of the Vegan House. Members $10, Non-members. Tickets $10 per member, $24 per nonmember. 6 to 7 p.m., July 20. 11030 East Blvd, Cleveland. DETAILS

Ukrainian Food Fest to help war-torn country

Enjoy Ukrainian food such as pierogies, borscht, shishkabob, and more at the Ukrainian Food Fest at Holy Trinity Church Ukrainian Orthodox Church in North Royalton. The event will include live music, and entertainment for the kids. Proceeds will benefit Ukraine. Free. 1 to 10 p.m., July 22. 9672 State Road, North Royalton. DETAILS

Taste of Akron

Pack your chair or blanket and head to Taste of Akron to sample local fare. Free admission. 6 to 10 p.m., July 20. 1615 West Market St., Akron. DETAILS

‘Dine Drink CLE’ offers lively guide to restaurant, bar scenes

Get the latest news about Cleveland’s restaurant and bar scene in the new weekly "Dine Drink CLE" newsletter. With the latest on openings, closings, tastings and other events, plus recommendations, features and guides from our team of writers and critics. SUBSCRIBE

TV & MOVIES

‘Justified: City Primeval’

Eight years after the series finale of "Justified" on FX, Timothy Olyphant returns as U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in "Justified: City Primeval." The limited series takes Givens to Detroit as the lawman hunts down a murderer played by Boyd Holbrooke. The story is based on the Elmore Leonard novel "City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit." Olyphant's daughter, Vivian, plays Givens' daughter on the show. The cast also includes Aunjanue Ellis. At a gathering of TV critics earlier this year, Olyphant said he "really didn't have any concerns" playing the character again. "I just thought that I'd love to be there for it." The first two episodes of "Justified: City Primeval" premiered Tuesday on FX. DETAILS

‘The Deepest Breath’

Laura McGann's documentary "The Deepest Breath" plunges into the world of free diving, a sometimes deadly sport in which divers descend into watery depths with only a nose plug to defend from fluctuations in air pressure. The film, which made a well-reviewed debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January, premieres this week on Netflix. It's an immersive descent into a silent underwater realm and the risk-takers compelled to sink themselves to the ocean floor. McGann's film recounts the story of two divers — Alessia Zecchini and Stephen Keenan — brought together in love and tragedy. DETAILS

‘Steph Curry: Underrated’

Steph Curry is a four-time NBA champ, two-time MVP and nine-time all-star, so naming a documentary about the transformational shooting guard "Underrated" is, itself, a kind of provocation. But "Stephen Curry: Underrated," which debuts Friday, July 21, on Apple TV+, chronicles the atypical path Curry took to becoming a basketball legend, with many doubters along the way. The film, directed by the well-respected Bay Area filmmaker Peter Nicks, is further proof of a modern NBA truism: No matter how much he wins, Steph Curry is easy to root for. DETAILS

'Minx'

Despite favorable reviews, "Minx" was canceled late last year in a cost-cutting move by the streamer formerly known as HBO Max. The decision came as "Minx" was in production on its second season. Luckily, Starz swooped in to give the comedy a new home and season two returns Friday, July 21. Starring Jake Johnson and Ophelia Lovibond, "Minx" is set in the 1970s and follows Lovibond's Joyce, a young feminist who teams up with a seedy publisher named Doug (Johnson) to create the first erotic magazine for women. Season two follows the team behind Minx magazine dealing with sudden success. DETAILS

‘Special Ops: Lioness’

Tyler Sheridan has another new TV series and this one is not a Western. "Special Ops: Lioness" stars Zoe Saldana, Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly and newcomer Laysla De Oliveira. Saldana plays Joe, a member of a secret team of spies with the CIA. They recruit a young woman – played by De Oliveira – to go undercover and become friendly with a wealthy woman whose family is believed to have ties to a terror organization. The first two episodes premiere Sunday, July 23 on Paramount+. DETAILS

‘Tori and Lokita’

A cinematic highpoint of the first half of the year, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardennes' "Tori and Lokita," begins streaming this week on the Criterion Channel. It's a heart-wrenching immigrant drama about 11-year-old Tori (Pablo Schils) and 16-year-old Lokita (Joely Mbundu), two African immigrants living in an unnamed Belgian city. Only Tori has the necessary papers to stay, and immigration authorities are pressing Lokita, dubious of her claims that Tori is her brother. DETAILS

‘Below Deck: Down Under’

It's charter boat season for Captain Jason and Chief Stew Aesha as they set sail in Australia with a new crew of deckhands, stewards, and a chef in season two of "Below Deck: Down Under." Besides the expected inter-personal drama from a Bravo show among the crew and demanding, occasionally unruly guests, the "Below Deck" cast must also contend with an aging yacht that has a lot of problems. "Below Deck: Down Under" debuted Monday, July 17. DETAILS

MUSIC

Greta Van Fleet

The Grammy-winning rock band Greta Van Fleet is back with a "Starcatcher," a strong album that shows the quartet's maturity and embraces a more prog rock and psychedelic flavor. The first single, the sprawling, Woodstock-y "Meeting the Master," made the top 40 of Billboard's Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. Producer Dave Cobb took the guys back to their roots as a live band. A few days after the release, Greta Van Fleet kick off a new tour in Nashville at the Bridgestone Arena and will make stops at Madison Square Garden in New York and The Forum in Los Angeles and London's OVO Arena Wembley. DETAILS

Blur

Blur, who helped put the pop into Britpop, is releasing their first album in eight years, "The Ballad of Darren." Among the 10 new tracks is the wistful, joyfully building "The Narcissist," with the lyrics: "I'm going to shine a light in your eyes/You will probably shine it back on me. But I won't fall this time," and the sloppy rocker "St. Charles Square." The band wasn't planning on another album. "It really is most unexpected," bass player Alex James told Rolling Stone magazine. "We didn't know we were pregnant, and we gave birth in the supermarket car park. It's like, 'Oh, my God, it's a beautiful boy!'" DETAILS

Jason Aldean

This summer, Blossom is hosting “outsiders” and “outlaws” tours. Country hunk and singer-songwriter Jason Aldean is bringing his “Highway Desperado” tour to town on Thursday, July 20. Oh yeah, Aldean will also be bringing his 27 No. 1 singles, including “Blame It On You,” “Big Green Tractor,” and “Fly Over States,” to name just a few. Mitchell Tenpenny, Corey Kent and Dee Jay Silver are the opening desperados. 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $49.75. DETAILS

Barenaked Ladies

The convivial Canadian Music Hall of Famers return to Northeast Ohio on Friday, July 21, for a show at Blossom Music Center. Its their seventh “Last Summer On Earth” tour, so-named back in 2012 when the Mayan calendar predicted the world would end. Fans can enjoy the end times, screaming “Chinese chicken!” Openers are Five For Fighting of “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” fame and ‘80s rootsy pop-rockers Del Amitri. 7 p.m. Tickets start at $55. DETAILS

Pat Benetar and Neil Giraldo at MGM

Husband-and-wife Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo have two multi-platinum, five platinum and three gold albums. They will perform at MGM Northfield Park on Saturday. Tickets $98-plus. 8 p.m., July 22. 10777 Northfield Road, Northfield. DETAILS

Fitz and the Tantrums at Rock Hall Live

Multi-platinum artists Fitz and The Tantrums with Rett Madison are part of Rock Hall Live, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s summer concert series this Saturday. Tickets $41. 8 to 10:30 p.m., July 22. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Union Home Mortgage Plaza, 1100 E 9th St., Cleveland. DETAILS

Foreigner

The AOR hitmakers may be most widely known for the ballad “I Wanna Know What Love Is,” but classic-rock radio lovers remember their catchy hits, including “Double Vision,” Hot Blooded,” and of course, “Juke Box Hero.” Founder and guitarist and last remaining original member Mick Jones is nearly 80 and has had health issues for a few years. Subsequently, this will be “The Historic Farewell Tour.” The band performs Monday, July 24, at Blossom Music Center. Its unclear whether Jones will join the group for the Blossom show, as he is appearing on the tour only periodically as a special guest. Fellow ‘80s hitmakers Loverboy are opening. 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $29.50. DETAILS

Want more concert & music picks?

Cleveland.com's weekly virtual concert guide is HERE

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Entertainment | Music | Events

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