Weekend event planner

Here are the top 10 things to do in Houston this weekend

The weekend is near, so punch out, wind down and start planning. Read on for your guide to the best things to do in Houston. From an extra cheesy festival to some amazing concerts, your weekend starts here.

For more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar.

Spanish wine
Thursday, April 13: The “Dynamic Spain Wine Tasting” event at downtown’s Pappas Bros. Steakhouse (5:30 pm; tickets: $75 per person) showcases several unique vintages, including Godello, Rafael Palacios "As Sortes", Valdeorras 2014; Priorat Blanco, Celler Piñol “L’ Avi Arrifo" 2011; and Listán Blanco, Suertes del Marques "Vidonia", Canary Islands 2014. Seasonal hors d’oeuvres, the chef’s pick, will also be served. 1200 McKinney St.; 713-658-1995

Class is in session
Thursday, April 13: From the history of shochu to how it’s made, learn all about the Japanese liquor at Izakaya’s “Shochu for Dummies” class (6:30 pm; tickets: $45 per person). You'll also enjoy shochu tastings, both straight-up and in cocktails, along with food pairings by executive chef Jean Philippe Gaston. 318 Gray St.; 713-527-8988

Disney day
Friday, April 14-Sunday, April 16: Grab the kids and head to Memorial City Mall (various times; tickets: free but limited. Sign up here) for your fill of all things Disney/Pixar’s Cars 3: Road to the Races (scheduled to hit theaters June 16) related. Activities include a sneak peek of the film in a mobile movie theater, visits — and selfie opps - with life-size, character look-alikes, a movie-themed play area, and more. 303 Memorial City

Concert fun
Friday, April 14: Musical group the Isley Brothers hits the stage at Arena Theatre (7 pm; tickets: $49.50-$59.50 per person). The band, first formed in the early '50s, has enjoyed a long and influential career. Their hit singles include "This Old Heart of Mine," "It's Your Thing," "Love the One You're With," and "Who's That Lady." 7326 Southwest Fwy.; 713-772-5900

More concert fun
Friday, April 14: Although Morrissey, the former front man of The Smiths, canceled his San Antonio appearance Wednesday night due to health concerns, the Houston show is still on, according to a tour spokesperson, who adds that the concert has been moved from White Oak Music Hall to the Smart Financial Centre (8 pm; tickets: $49.50-$58 per person). Although the Smiths disbanded in 1987, Morrissey has gone on to have a successful solo career boasting 49 singles and 12 top 10 albums. Hits by the indie rock/Britpop singer include “Everyday is Like Sunday,” Suedehead,” and "The Last of the Famous International Playboys." 18111 Lexington Blvd, Sugar Land; 281-207-6278

Airport fest
Saturday, April 15: Celebrating Hobby Airport, HobbyFest offers a lineup that’s fun for the whole family including vintage aircraft, a kiddie zone, and DJ (10 am; tickets: free). Admission is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a canned food as donation. Hobby Airport, east ramp at 8402 Nelms St.; 713-213-0908

Pedal away
Saturday, April 15: Midtown Houston and BikeHouston team up for a bike ride (10 am - 12 pm; tickets: free), that begins at Bagby Park and continues to downtown and to Montrose, with a stop for refreshments at Rico's Morning Noon Night. 415 Gray St.; 713-526-7577

Get cheesy
Saturday, April 15: Cheese it up at the Mac and Cheese Festival at Silver Street Studios (12-4 pm; tickets: $50-$80 per person), featuring bites from 36 restaurants (think Jonathan’s the Rub, Luby’s, Peli Peli, and Ritual), plus sips several breweries from City Acre Brewing to Karbach. 2000 Edwards St.

Catch a buzz
Saturday, April 15: Expect performances by a laundry list of bands, including Godsmack, Breaking Benjamin, P.O.D., Red Sun Rising, The Unlikely Candidates, and the Toadies, at 94.5 FM’s 2017 Buzzfest (1 pm; tickets: $43-$73 per person) at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. 2005 Lake Robbins Dr., The Woodlands; 281-363-3300

Hop to it
Sunday, April 16: Houston's most festive Easter party continues with the 38th edition of Bunnies on the Bayou (1-6 pm; tickets: $50-$100 per person), at Fish Plaza in front of downtown’s Wortham Center. Join thousands of Houstonians at the massive outdoor cocktail party. All proceeds from the event benefit local charities in the LGBT community. 501 Texas Ave.

From the history of shochu to how it’s made, learn all about the Japanese liquor at Izakaya’s “Shochu for Dummies” class.

Paula Murphy/Facebook

From the history of shochu to how it’s made, learn all about the Japanese liquor at Izakaya’s “Shochu for Dummies” class.

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Movie Review

Avatar: Fire and Ash returns to Pandora with big action and bold visuals

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios

Oona Chaplin in Avatar: Fire and Ash.

For a series whose first two films made over $5 billion combined worldwide, Avatar has a curious lack of widespread cultural impact. The films seem to exist in a sort of vacuum, popping up for their run in theaters and then almost as quickly disappearing from the larger movie landscape. The third of five planned movies, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is finally being released three years after its predecessor, Avatar: The Way of Water.

The new film finds the main duo, human-turned-Na’vi Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his native Na’vi wife, Neytiri (Zoë Saldaña), still living with the water-loving Metkayina clan led by Ronal (Kate Winslet) and Tonowari (Cliff Curtis). While Jake and Neytiri still play a big part, the focus shifts significantly to their two surviving children, Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) and Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), as well as two they’ve essentially adopted, Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) and Spider (Jack Champion).

Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), who lives on in a fabricated Na’vi body, is still looking for revenge on Jake, and he finds help in the form of the Mangkwan Clan (aka the Ash People), led by Varang (Oona Chaplin). Quaritch’s access to human weapons and the Mangkwan’s desire for more power on the moon known as Pandora make them a nice match, and they team up to try to dominate the other tribes.

Aside from the story, the main point of making the films for writer/director James Cameron is showing off his considerable technical filmmaking prowess, and that is on full display right from the start. The characters zoom around both the air and sea on various creatures with which they’ve bonded, providing Cameron and his team with plenty of opportunities to put the audience right there with them. Cameron’s preferred viewing method of 3D makes the experience even more immersive, even if the high frame rate he uses makes some scenes look too realistic for their own good.

The story, as it has been in the first two films, is a mixed bag. Cameron and co-writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver start off well, having Jake, Neytiri, and their kids continue mourning the death of Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) in the previous film. The struggle for power provides an interesting setup, but Cameron and his team seem to drag out the conflict for much too long. This is the longest Avatar film yet, and you really start to feel it in the back half as the filmmakers add on a bunch of unnecessary elements.

Worse than the elongated story, though, is the hackneyed dialogue that Cameron, Jaffa, and Silver have come up with. Almost every main character is forced to spout lines that diminish the importance of the events around them. The writers seemingly couldn’t resist trying to throw in jokes despite them clashing with the tone of the scenes in which they’re said. Combined with the somewhat goofy nature of the Na’vi themselves (not to mention talking whales), the eye-rolling words detract from any excitement or emotion the story builds up.

A pre-movie behind-the-scenes short film shows how the actors act out every scene in performance capture suits, lending an authenticity to their performances. Still, some performers are better than others, with Saldaña, Worthington, and Lang standing out. It’s more than a little weird having Weaver play a 14-year-old girl, but it works relatively well. Those who actually get to show their real faces are collectively fine, but none of them elevate the film overall.

There are undoubtedly some Avatar superfans for which Fire and Ash will move the larger story forward in significant ways. For anyone else, though, the film is a demonstration of both the good and bad sides of Cameron. As he’s proven for 40 years, his visuals are (almost) beyond reproach, but the lack of a story that sticks with you long after you’ve left the theater keeps the film from being truly memorable.

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Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters on December 19.

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