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    Weekend events planner

    Here are the top 7 things to do in Houston this weekend

    Marcy de Luna
    Feb 8, 2018 | 12:27 pm

    Still carving out your weekend plans? From a whiskey event to can't-miss concerts, we've got you covered. Here are our top seven picks to get out and enjoy what's hot in Houston. For even more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar.

    Whiskey River
    Thursday, February 8

    Whiskey makers from near and far come together at Silver Street Studios to serve straight pours and cocktails from their portfolios at the Texas Monthly Whiskey Affair. Expect spirit seminars led by Texas Monthly editor-in-chief Tim Taliaferro and wine and spirits contributor Jessica Dupuy, music by jazzer Doc Watkins, and bites and cocktails served up by food and beverage stars Mike Raymond (Reserve 101); Shion Aikawa and Kevin Kobayashi (Ramen Tatsu-Ya); and William Wright (Helen Greek Food and Wine). A portion of the proceeds goes to Feeding Texas and the Houston Food Bank. (6-10 pm; tickets: $95 per person).
    2000 Edwards St.

    Welcome Home
    Friday, February 9-Sunday, February 11

    The 32nd Annual Texas Home and Garden Show at NRG Center offers hundreds of home and garden services and products, plus interactive workshops, a kids zone, vacation ideas, and more. (various times; tickets: $10 per person)
    1 NRG Park; 713-629-3700

    And the Oscar goes to...
    Friday, February 9-Sunday, February 11

    Leading up to the Oscars on March 4, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston screens the 2018 Academy Award-nominated animated short films. Catch a flick and participate as the MFAH holds its own vote for Animated Short Film, Live-Action Short Film, and Documentary Short Subject. (various times and dates through February 25; tickets: $9 per person)
    1001 Bissonnet St.; 713-639-7300

    Music to our ears
    Friday, February 9

    Kam Franklin, lead singer of The Suffers, and Lisa E. Harris, performance and visual artist and composer, present “PAUSE,” an innovative program that fuses song and spoken word, at downtown’s Discovery Green. (6:30 pm; tickets: admission is free)
    1500 McKinney St.; 713-400-7336

    Get Rich
    Saturday, February 10

    Country music duo Big and Rich perform at charity fundraiser, Karbach Cook-Off. All proceeds benefit the Houston Fire Department and local area firefighters. (12 pm; tickets: $50-$200 per person)
    801 Saint Emanuel St.

    You can do magic
    Saturday, February 10

    Broadway and TV star Adam Trent brings his signature brand of magic and illusion to Jones Hall in a 90-minute stage spectacle produced by the creative team behind global touring magic show, The Illusionists. (4 pm and again at 8 pm; tickets: $39-$79 per person)
    615 Louisiana St.; 713-227-3974

    Rey of sunshine
    Saturday, February 10
    Lana Del Rey heads to Toyota Center in support of her 2017 album, Lust For Life, which includes singles "Summer Bummer," "Love," "White Mustang," and the title track. She's joined by opening act, Kali Uchis. (8 pm; tickets: $29.50-$125 per person)
    1510 Polk St.; 713-758-7200

    Country music duo Big and Rich perform at charity fundraiser, Karbach Cook-Off.

    Houston, Big and Rich, February 2018
      
    Courtesy of Big and Rich/Facebook
    Country music duo Big and Rich perform at charity fundraiser, Karbach Cook-Off.
    event-planner
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    Movie Review

    New horror film M3GAN 2.0 turns up the campy fun of the original

    Alex Bentley
    Jun 27, 2025 | 1:01 pm
    M3GAN in M3GAN 2.0
    Photo by Geoffrey Short/Universal Pictures
    M3GAN in M3GAN 2.0.

    When a studio releases a movie in January (aka Dumpuary), the general rule of thumb is that they’re trying to get rid of a movie that isn’t very good. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, as M3GAN was in 2023, which rode the comedy of a killer AI robot who likes to dance to over $180 million worldwide.

    A sequel was a given, and now with a built-in fanbase, M3GAN 2.0is a prime summer release. After running into trouble with her robot invention, Gemma (Allison Williams) has seemingly seen the error of her ways, now focused on creating things like a mechanical exoskeleton that can benefit society. Little does she know that the code she used to create M3GAN (aka Model 3 Generative Android) has been co-opted to create AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno), a new robot which is being used for nefarious purposes.

    Naturally, the only thing to do is to bring M3GAN (played by Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) back from the “dead,” which is easy to do because — surprise! — she has been lurking inside the smart house in which Gemma and her niece Cady (Violet McGraw) now live. The inevitable showdown between the two robots is alternately helped and hindered by people like billionaire Alton Appleton (Jemaine Clement), fellow tech entrepreneur Christian (Aristotle Athari), co-worker Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez), and others.

    Written and directed by Gerard Johnstone, who also directed the first film, M3GAN 2.0 doesn’t stray from the original formula, delivering way more laughs than scares. Because there’s a familiarity with the character, Johnstone leans into the campy side of things, essentially winking at the audience for much of the film. Whether it’s temporarily imprisoning M3GAN in an innocuous desktop robot or a number of one-liners, there is a lot of comedy to be found.

    The film is a type of horror, though, and it delivers in the mild, PG-13 way that won’t offend non-horror fans. AMELIA (aka Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android) gives off Terminator vibes, and she lays waste to virtually all challengers. M3GAN doesn’t get to show off her skills as much as she did last time, which might be a tad frustrating for some, but she gets in enough punches and kicks for the experience to be worth it.

    The story itself starts off strong before devolving into an overly complicated mess. The arc of AMELIA is particularly strange, as the strength of her powers and the level of her autonomy seem to change at will in the second half of the film. Gemma develops a rivalry with another character that might have worked better if it had been hinted at early in the film instead of being dropped in as a surprise.

    Davis’ voice performance as M3GAN is once again fantastic, as she delivers sarcasm and menace equally well. Sakhno isn’t asked to do much but look terrifying, and she accomplishes that job. Williams is up and down in her role, stronger in the moments when she’s not being asked to prove her tech bona fides. Clement is his usual over-the-top self, which suits his character.

    As with the first film, if you go into M3GAN 2.0 not expecting anything more than some goofy violent robot action, you’ll walk away satisfied. The unlikely breakout hit for Blumhouse Productions may not be able to support a good story, but it entertains in the way it’s supposed to do.

    ---

    M3GAN 2.0 is now playing in theaters.

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