Weekend event planner

Here are the top 9 things to do in Houston this weekend

If you're used to a hectic work week, the weekend is your time to squeeze in some fun. From a bake sale with mind-blowingly good pastries and kolaches to a luncheon with special guest, Andrew Zimmern of the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods, here are the top nine things to do in Houston this weekend.

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

Music at MATCH
Thursday, April 27-Saturday, April 29
Look no further than Da Camera’s latest concert series for an innovative mix of jazz, classical, and contemporary sounds. Artists, including the James Francies Trio, Bach in Brooklyn, and Red Baraat Dance Party, headline different nights of the event, held at Midtown venue, MATCH. (Various times; tickets: Start at $20 per person for a single concert and go up to $120 per person for an all access pass)
3400 Main St.; 713-521-4533

Latin nights
Thursday, April 27-Sunday, April 30
The 12th edition of Latin Wave: New Films from Latin America at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents 10 films reflecting the vibrant Latin America cinema scene. Special guests are Yanillys Pérez, director of Jeffrey, Iván Gaona, writer and director of Guilty Men, and Carlos Lechuga, writer and director of Santa & Andrés. (Various times; tickets: $8 per person for museum members, $10 per person for non-members)
1001 Bissonnet St.; 713-639-7300

Shop for a cause
Friday, April 28-Sunday, May 7
Purchase a Shop With Heart Card and score a 20 percent discount, good over a 10-day period, at 450 participating merchants including retailers like Kuhl-Linscomb and The Container Store. You also get a complimentary appetizer or dessert with purchase of an entrée at restaurants from upscale Greenway Plaza-area eatery Tony’s to casual hotspot Bowl & Barrel at CityCentre. All proceeds benefit the American Heart Association, an organization whose mission is to promote healthier lives free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. (Cost: minimum $50 donation)

Bizarre Foods for charity luncheon
Friday, April 28
Nonprofit, The Council on Recovery welcomes keynote speaker Andrew Zimmern, award-winning chef and host of Travel Channel series Bizarre Foods, to its 34th annual spring luncheon at the Hilton Americas – Houston. Presented by the Wayne Duddlesten Foundation, the fundraiser traditionally showcases guest speakers who share their personal stories related to alcoholism, addiction, recovery, health, and wellness. (11:15 am-1:30 pm; tickets: $150-$500 per person. Tables start at $1,500)
1600 Lamar St.; 281-200-9336

Hook ‘em fun run
Saturday, April 29
Fun for the whole family, the Texas Exes Houston chapter hosts its 39th annual Lone Star stampede, featuring 10K and 5K runs for adults, and a 1K children’s fun run. Presented by University Co-op and Memorial City, the event benefits the Texas Exes Houston Scholarship Fund, which raises money to provide college scholarships to Houston area high school seniors. (8 am; tickets: $17-$40 per person)
303 Memorial City; 469-233-8681

It’s good to be king
Saturday, April 29
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers play at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion as part of their 40th Anniversary tour, touted by many as their last. The band was on the forefront of the heartland rock movement, alongside artists from Bruce Springsteen to Bob Seger, which arose in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. The rocker’s hit singles include, "American Girl," "Breakdown," "The Waiting," "Learning to Fly," "Refugee," and "Mary Jane's Last Dance." Singer-songwriter Joe Walsh of Eagles band fame will also perform. (7:30 pm; tickets: platinum seats remain, including in the pit area directly in front of the stage, priced at $750 per person)
2005 Lake Robbins Dr., The Woodlands; 281-363-3300

Sunday sweets
Sunday, April 30
Don’t miss the "sweet liberty" brunch sale at Oxheart restaurant, where you can get delicious pastries and kolaches by baker Karen Man (Oxheart) and pastry chefs Jillian Bartolome (Common Bond) and Kelly Helgesen (Chicago’s Lula Cafe). All proceeds go to the Partnership for the Advancement and Immersion of Refugees. (11 am-3 pm or until they run out; tickets: free to enter)
1302 Nance St.; 832-830-8592

Crawfish and beer
Sunday, April 30
Expect mudbug heaven and beer nirvana, and tunes by hip hop artist Mannie Fresh, psychedelic rock band The Bright Light Social Hour, and more, at 8th Wonder Brewery’s 4th annual crawfish and brews event. (12-6 pm; tickets: $15-$40 per person)
2202 Dallas St.; 713-229-0868

The block is hot
Sunday, April 30
As part of his Kloser 2 U tour, Lil Wayne takes to the stage at downtown’s Revention Music Center. Hit songs by the hip hop recording artist include "Go D.J.," "Fireman," "Stuntin' Like My Daddy,” and “Lollipop.” (8 pm; tickets: $65 per person)
520 Texas Ave.; 713-230-1600

The Council on Recovery welcomes keynote speaker Andrew Zimmern to its 34th annual spring luncheon.

Houston, the top 9 things to do in Houston this weekend, April 26 2017, Andrew Zimmern

Photo courtesy of Andrew Zimmern/Facebook

The Council on Recovery welcomes keynote speaker Andrew Zimmern to its 34th annual spring luncheon.

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Movie Review

Twin sisters set out for revenge in Tarantino-esque film 'Is God Is'

Photo by Patti Perret

Kara Young and Mallori Johnson in Is God Is.

The revenge story is one of the most enduring in all of cinema as it can be adapted to multiple different genres. It most naturally fits in the action/thriller genre, but comedies, dramas, Westerns, and more have made good use of characters seeking revenge. The new film Is God Is demonstrates that malleability by detailing an intensely personal story that turns into something bigger.

Twins Racine (Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson) have lived a difficult life, going in and out of foster care and forced to endure stares and taunts because each bears burn scars from a childhood attack. Racine, whose scars are “only” on her left arm, has developed into the protector of Anaia, who suffered burns over much of her face.

An unexpected call from their mother, Ruby (Vivica A. Fox), who was burned almost beyond recognition in the attack, gives them a purpose: Seeking revenge on the man who ruined their lives. Setting out in a barely working car and with only a small amount of direction, the sisters attempt to fulfill the mission without losing their souls.

Written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Aleasha Harris, the film may remind some viewers of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, and not just because Fox has small roles in both films. Harris has a knack for dialogue, especially between the twins, that ably gets across the story exposition and entertains at the same time. There are many instances where she has the sisters hold silent conversations told on screen via subtitles to convey twin-speak, a method that deepens their connection and draws the viewer in.

Harris also has her characters engage in the type of shocking violence that Tarantino has used to great effect. The difference here, though, is that even though the story is heightened to a certain degree, the egregious nature of the crime perpetrated upon the girls and their mother makes the whole thing feel bracingly real. This revenge plot is not meant to merely entertain; it’s designed to put the audience in Racine and Anaia’s shoes and fully embrace the call for justice.

There are a few times when the lack of experience by Harris shows up, especially in the climactic sequence where the stunt work could have used some more precision. But overall, it’s a self-assured filmmaking debut for the playwright-turned-director, who’s adapted her own play with a richness and depth that is not often found from someone stepping behind the camera for the first time.

Young and Johnson don’t especially look alike, but they embody the essence of twin sisters, and it’s their chemistry together that makes the story as impactful as it is. They’re joined by other strong female performances by Fox, Erika Alexander, and Janelle Monáe, each of whom brings a different vibe. And anyone who loves This is Us or Paradise should prepare themselves for a completely different kind of role for Sterling K. Brown.

Is God Is uses a variety of inspirations for its storytelling, but in the end it becomes its own thing. The filmmaking world can always stand to have another strong Black voice, and Harris has made an auspicious debut, one that should have cinephiles wondering what she’ll do next.

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Is God Is opens in theaters on May 15.

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