50 most anticipated movies of 2023, Joe Bonamass in concert, Kurentovanje Festival, paczki mania, Faceoff on the Lake & more

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THIS WEEK'S TOP PICKS

50 most anticipated movies of 2023

Is this the year we all go back to movie theaters? For nearly three years, people have gotten used to watching movies from the comfort of their own couches. But after scaling back on the number of releases in in 2022, Hollywood has stuffed the 2023 movie calendar with plenty of big-budget spectacles, sequels and, yes, even some original fare, too. Here are 50 of the most anticipated releases -- mostly theatrical but some streaming -- for the coming year. From “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” to “Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom” and everything in between. READ MORE

Monster Jam Arena Tour

Be amazed as 12,000-pound Monster Jam trucks face off in a series of freestyle, skills, donuts and racing competitions en route to the Monster Jam World Finals. Trucks scheduled to appear include Grave Digger, El Toro Loco, Megalodon and Dragon. Tickets start at $20. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Feb. 18-19. DETAILS

‘Hadestown’

The national tour of this Tony Award-winning musical wraps up its three-week run at the Connor Palace in Playhouse Square this weekend. The show, starring Twinsburg native Hannah Whitley in a lead role, is a modern retelling of a Greek myth full of heart and soul set to a bluesy, jazz-infused score. Tickets, $39-$139. 1501 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. Through Feb. 19. DETAILS

Joe Bonamassa

Named the world’s best blues guitarist by Guitar World Magazine, Joe Bonamassa takes the stage at the KeyBank State Theatre to perform an engaging setlist featuring new songs and career-spanning favorites. Tickets start at $42.50. 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. 8 p.m., Feb. 17. DETAILS

Cleveland Kurentovanje Festival and Parade

Described as a Slovenian-infused Mardi Gras, this 11th annual celebration takes place at the Slovenian National Home with a parade, live performances, and authentic food and beverages. There will also be a 5K run and a kids’ play zone. Free. E. 64th & St. Clair Ave. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Feb. 18. DETAILS

Faceoff on the Lake

It might not be “The Game” but it’s still Ohio State vs. Michigan. Enjoy the No. 1 rivalry in college sports as the Buckeyes take on the Wolverines on the ice in the first outdoor hockey game ever played at First Energy Stadium. Tickets start at $11. 100 Alfred Lerner Way, Cleveland. 4 p.m., Feb. 18. DETAILS

Cleveland Golf & Travel Show

Test your golf skills in the driving range and putting green, shop and compare balls, clubs and shoes, or plan your next destination golf trip all under one roof at the I-X Center. Tickets, $12. 1 I-X Center Dr, Cleveland. Feb. 17-19. DETAILS

Cleveland Orchestra presents Beethoven’s Seventh

Conductor Herbert Blomstedt returns to Severance Music Center to lead the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra, joined by pianist Emanuel Ax, in a performance of Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 7 as well as Mozart’s “Paradis” (Piano Concerto No. 18). Tickets, $24-$165. 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Through Feb. 18. DETAILS

Pinky Patel

From PTA mom turned TikTok sensation, comedian Pinky Patel knows how to make people laugh with her hilarious commentary and “pinky-splaining.” This weekend, she emerges from her glam cave to perform for all of you, her new best “priends.” Tickets, $30-$55. 2035 E. 4th St., Cleveland. Feb. 18-19. DETAILS

'Sense and Sensibility'

Based on the novel by Jane Austen, this playful adaptation tells the story of Elinor and Marianne who find themselves socially vulnerable following the unexpected death of their father. Tickets $20-89. Hanna Theatre, 2067 E. 14th Street, Cleveland. Feb. 10 through Mar. 5. DETAILS

Cleveland Chamber Choir presents “Of Sound Mind: From Darkness into Light”

Centered around “Aron Accurso’s You Are Enough: A Mental Health Suite,” this concert explores trauma, sorrow and grief, helping the audience accept the everyday struggles we all have in common. Free. DETAILS

Orchids Forever at Cleveland Botanical Garden

With more than 3,000 flowers from all over the world, this annual celebration of the Orchid highlights the vibrant colors and uniqueness of what some call the most stunning flower on Earth. The show features over 100 different types of orchids. Tickets, $14-$20. 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland. Jan. 28-Mar. 12. DETAILS

Disney Animation: Immersive Experience

Feel the magic when you step inside some of your favorite animated Disney films. This one-of-a-kind experience at Lighthouse ArtSpace gives you a front-row seat at Simba’s presentation ceremony, sends you on a magic carpet ride with Aladdin and transports you to snowy Arendelle for a song by Elsa. Tickets start at $36. 850 E. 72nd St., Cleveland. Now through April 10. DETAILS

“Ghost the Musical”

Based on the beloved 1990 film, this Beck Center for the Arts musical, a collaboration with Baldwin Wallace University, tells the story of a dead man who, with the help from a medium, warns his girlfriend of a dangerous plot. Tickets, $10-$38. 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Through Feb. 26. DETAILS

Ain’t Mishbehavin’’

Near West Theater invites you to take a trip back to the Cotton Clubs of the 1920 and ‘30s in this Tony Award-winning musical tribute to jazz legend Thomas “Fats” Waller. Features classic tunes like “Honeysuckle Rose”, “Handful of Keys”, “Your Feet’s Too Big” and more. Tickets, $15 or pay what you can. 6702 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Through Feb. 19. DETAILS

Farmer Monday at Lake Metroparks Farmpark

Looking for something to do with the kids on Presidents’ Day? Take them to this working farm and education center and let them be a farmer for a day. You’ll learn about where your food and clothing come from, meet the farm’s baby lambs and piglets and participate in activities such as cow milking, cheesemaking, maple sugaring and more. Admission, $7-$9. 8800 Euclid Chardon Rd., Kirtland. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Feb. 20. DETAILS

Midwinter Tunes at Akron Art Museum

Shake the winter blues away with this celebration of music, art and community at this free after-hours event. The entertainment includes five bands, a DJ, poets and a performance artist. Food and drink will be available. 1 South High St., Akron. 6-10 p.m., Feb. 18. DETAILS

“The Jungle Book”

By Joseph Robinette and based on the book by Rudyard Kipling invites audiences to follow along with the adventures of Mowgli. Featuring members of the Yarnell Youth Theatre Company. Tickets $19. The Fine Arts Association, 38660 Mentor Ave., Willoughby. Weekends Feb. 10 through Feb. 26. DETAILS

'Stew' at Dobama Theatre

Cleveland’s Off-Broadway theater presents this 2021 Pulitzer Prize finalist focusing on three generations of a family as they prepare a meal for a church event. Love, laughter and tensions simmer as the group is forced to confront their pasts. Tickets, $25-$41. 2340 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Through Feb. 19. DETAILS

Photographs in Ink at Cleveland Museum of Art

This exhibition examines how like artists like Eadweard Muybridge, Andy Warhol, Carl Pope Jr., Lorna Simpson and more incorporate photographic images in their work with a focus on the tools, techniques and processes at their disposal. Free. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through April 1. DETAILS

Flanagan’s Wake at Kennedy’s Cabaret

Centered around an Irish funeral, “Flanagan’s Wake” doesn’t sound like an inherently humorous play. But the interactive performance, which has taken place in Cleveland regularly since 1996, relies on audience-interactive improv, usually producing hilarious results. Tickets, $29. 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Weekends through April 29. DETAILS

The Rink at Wade Oval

Lace ‘em up and skate around the ice at Wade Oval’s ice rink in the University Circle neighborhood. Don’t know how? Ice skating lessons are offered every Saturday at noon. The concession stand offers hot cocoa, coffee and snacks. Admission $1-2; skate rentals, $2-$3. 10820 East Blvd., Cleveland. Weekends and holidays through Feb. 26. DETAILS

Tobogganing in the Cleveland Metroparks

Find your thrill in the chill at the Chalet in Mill Stream Run Reservation, whooshing down twin 700-foot refrigerated ice chutes on an old-timey toboggan. Reservations required. Tickets, $11-$13. 16200 Valley Parkway, Strongsville. Fridays-Sundays through February. DETAILS

FOOD & DINING

Paczki guide: Where to get your Fat Tuesday fix in Greater Cleveland

Fat Tuesday is beckoning, that calorie-filled, last hurrah that sends us off on a sugar high with paczki. Paczki – POONCH-key – is a Polish doughnut, heavy, delicious, decadent and filled with goodness. As is tradition, many bakeries throughout Northeast Ohio are offering quite a variety of paczki. If you add up all the flavors, you’ll find about three dozen different options. Here’s your path to paczki. READ MORE

Karl’s Inn of the Barristers

Get down to Karl’s Inn of the Barristers, 1264 West 3rd St., Cleveland, before the 32-year-old restaurant closes for good on March 22. Karl Abounader’s corned-beef has been fueling lawyers, cops, politicians and other downtown working folk for generations. The restaurant, sadly, is closing soon, a victim of times, the pandemic and such. READ MORE

Butcher and the Brewer offers suds and grub

The recent announcement that Stout It Out Loud – that tasty beer and oyster fest - is coming back this Saturday after a two-hear hiatus got us thinking about Butcher and the Brewery. The E. 4th Street spot is great for suds and grub, especially before a game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse two blocks away. In addition to the brewery’s own beers and guest brews, BATB offers a varied menu of shared plates and other dishes, from charcuterie to shishito peppers, corn dogs to taphouse tacos and more. DETAILS

Taza

Taza, A Lebanese Grill, opened its third location Thursday, Feb. 16, at 19310 Detroit Road in Rocky River’s Beachcliff Plaza. The new location joins Taza Woodmere, which opened in 2005 and Taza Downtown, which opened in 2011. “We’ve been calling both Downtown and the East Side of Cleveland home for over a decade, so it’s safe to say we’re absolutely elated to now add the westside to our list,” says Taza owner and founder Fady Chamoun. READ MORE

Amba

The food at Amba, 1430 W 28th Street, Cleveland, engages the senses with unfamiliar flavors as well as variations in texture and temperature. Craft cocktails are imaginative and attractive. Dining here is like taking your tastebuds on vacation ... in the heart of Cleveland. DETAILS

TV & MOVIES

‘Hello Tomorrow!’

Billy Crudup stars in a new Apple TV+ series called "Hello Tomorrow!" Set in the future — which looks like a mashup of "The Jetsons" and "Pleasantville," Crudup plays Jack, a traveling salesman of lunar timeshares. He is a leader among his colleagues (including Hank Azaria) for his unwavering optimism and sales numbers, but beneath the surface, life isn't so perfect and there's a darker side to Jack who has secrets he doesn't want revealed. "Hello Tomorrow!" debuts Friday, Feb. 17. DETAILS

‘Sharper’

Just a week after hitting theaters the neo-noir thriller "Sharper," anchored by Julianne Moore, arrives on Apple TV+ on Friday, Feb. 17. No one is quite who they seem in the film, directed by Benjamin Caron, whose credits include "Andor" and "The Crown," as we delve into myriad cons among New York's well-heeled set. In his review, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that the "slinky, slick caper that finds ways to distort expectations while unfolding a puzzle-box narrative. Before its lesser third act, 'Sharper' — propelled especially by the performances of newcomer Briana Middleton and the more veteran Sebastian Stan — manages to juggle its plot twists with panache." DETAILS

'The Woman King'

Gina Prince-Bythewood's action epic "The Woman King" arrives on Netflix this week, perfect for a rewatch or to finally get those holdouts on board with one of last year's most exciting mainstream blockbusters. The film starring Viola Davis as an African warrior was widely expected to get some Oscar nominations but was wholly shut out from every category. Prince-Bythewood wrote a moving essay in The Hollywood Reporter recently reflecting on the state of the industry, in which her film was a critical and audience hit, but still missed out on awards recognition. "It's not a snub," she wrote. "It's a reflection of where the Academy stands and the consistent chasm between Black excellence and recognition." DETAILS

'Maybe I Do'

If you've already made it through last week's streaming rom-com options, "Somebody I Used to Know" on Prime Video, and "Your Place or Mine" on Netflix, another starry offering is coming to video on demand in time for Valentine's Day viewing. "Maybe I Do," available to rent on Tuesday, brings together Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey and William H. Macy for a classic meet-the-parents set up. DETAILS

Oscar shorts at Cleveland Cinemas

Watch all of the Academy Award-nominated short films at the Apollo, Capitol and Cedar Lee theaters. Three programs are available: animated shorts, live-action shorts and documentary shorts. Check theater websites for showtimes. Tickets, $5-$10.25. Feb. 17. DETAILS

'Roseanne Barr: Cancel This'

Roseanne Barr has been relatively quiet since she was fired from ABC in 2018. At the time, the comedian was riding high from the success of a "Roseanne" revival in 2018. Things turned when Barr posted a racist tweet, (which she apologized for), prompting ABC to quickly cut ties and cancel the sitcom. Now, Barr has taped her first comedy special in almost 20 years and has taken it to the streaming service Fox Nation. The one-hour set called "Roseanne Barr: Cancel This" was filmed in front of an audience in Houston. Fox Nation will also debut a documentary about Barr called "Who is Roseanne Barr?" Both debuted this week. DETAILS

MUSIC

Pink

You can take away Pink's dinner, fun, liquor, soul, dog, birthday cake and everything she loves but don't take away her dancing shoes. That's the message from "Never Gonna Not Dance Again," an explosion of pop she wrote with hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback, with a video of Pink roller-dancing through a supermarket. The single is on "Trustfall," her ninth studio album set for release on Friday, Feb. 17, which features appearances from The Lumineers, Chris Stapleton and First Aid Kit. It's "an exploration of the highs and lows of uncertainty, freedom and letting go." DETAILS

J-Hope

BTS star J-Hope has a documentary dropping Friday Feb. 17 that chronicles three milestones: the making of the singer's first solo album, "Jack In the Box," his 2022 Lollapalooza performance as the first South Korean artist to headline the festival and the album's listening party. "J-Hope in the Box" will release globally on Disney+. J-Hope — born Jeong Hoseok — is on hiatus from BTS while the rest of the band — RM, Jin, Suga, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook — fulfill their mandatory military duties in South Korea. DETAILS

Bumpin’ Uglies

These reggae-punk rockers take the stage at Beachland Ballroom in support of their latest album, “Mid-Atlantic Dub.” Aaron Kamm & The One Drops serve as the opening act for Friday’s show. Saturday’s show is sold out. Tickets, $20-$25. 15711 Waterloo Rd., Cleveland. 8 p.m., Feb. 17, 6 p.m., Feb. 18 (sold out). DETAILS

Want more concert & music picks?

Cleveland.com's weekly virtual concert guide is HERE

Cleveland.com's weekly new music guide is HERE

Entertainment | Music | Events

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