Weekend events planner

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

You’ve been working hard all week, and now that the weekend is near, it’s time to let loose. From some amazing concerts to a beer tasting, an art tour, a free movie, and more... here are the top 10 things to do in Houston this weekend.

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

Phone home
Thursday, June 8
Break out your shoulder pads and hair scrunchies, plus your blankets and lawn chairs, and make your way to The Square at Memorial City for a free showing of 1982 hit film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. PS The popcorn is also free. (7 pm; tickets: free)
303 Memorial City; 713-464-8640

Step right up
Friday, June 9-Sunday, June 11
Society for the Performing Arts presents family-friendly show, Circus 1903, at Jones Hall. Puppets and special effects transport you to the golden age of the circus. (Various times; tickets: $33-$93 per person)
615 Louisiana St.; 713-227-4772

Art pop-up
Friday, June 9
They had us at free pancakes, but then they added works by more than 100 emerging local artists, live body painting, live art battles, and beer, and we’re all in for the Pancakes and Booze Art Show at Warehouse Live. (8 pm; tickets: $7-$13 per person)
813 St. Emanuel St.; 310-555-5555

Shop away
Saturday, June 10-Sunday, June 11
Shop ‘til you drop at the Pop Shop Houston Summer Festival featuring handmade and vintage fashions, art exhibitions, craft workshops, live music, and more, all at Silver Street Studios. (Various times; tickets: $8 per person)
2000 Edwards St.

Art tour
Saturday, June 10
Take a guided stroll of the buildings on the Sawyer Yards Creative Campus, located in Houston’s historic First Ward, via the Winter Street Studio Tour with Fresh Arts event. Spend the afternoon wandering through five re-purposed warehouses, home to more than 300 artists in residence, filled with unique items including paintings, sculptures, jewelry, photography, and textiles. (3-4 pm; tickets: free when you register here)
2101 Winter St.

Book signing
Saturday, June 10
Actor and comedian Kevin Hart heads to Katy Mills Mall for a book signing session at retailer Books-A-Million. His inspirational memoir, I Can’t Make This Up, hits shelves June 13. Hart's film credits include the Scary Movie franchise, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Death at a Funeral, and Little Fockers. (2 pm; tickets: $29.22 per person)
5000 Katy Mills Cir., Katy; 281-644-2665

Six degrees
Saturday, June 10
Actor Kevin Bacon and his film-scoring brother Michael Bacon, who together make up The Bacon Brothers rock band, hit the stage at Heights Theater. The duo have produced seven albums between 1997 and 2014, including Forosoco (1997), New Year’s Day (2009), and 36 Cents (2014), with tunes spanning rock, soul, folk, and Americana. (8:30 pm; tickets: $34-$52 per person)
339 W. 19th St.; 214-272-8346

Cheers
Sunday, June 11
The Special Rare Cellar Tasting event at Saint Arnold Brewing Company boasts samples of one-of-a-kind and aged brews. (2-4:30 pm; tickets: $60 per person)
2000 Lyons Ave.; 713-686-9494

Enter Sandman
Sunday, June 11
In support of their tenth studio album Hardwired... To Self-Destruct, released in November 2016, heavy metal rockers Metallica make a stop at NRG Stadium as part of their The WorldWired Tour. This marks the band’s first worldwide tour since the World Magnetic Tour in 2008–2010. (6 pm; tickets: $71.50-$342.90 per person)
8400 Kirby Dr.; 713-629-3700

Honey of a Film Series
Sunday, June 11
Houston film buff Maggie Schutza is launching a free outdoor summer movie series Sunday night with a showing of the 1989 Hal Hartley film The Unbelievable Truth. It will be shown in the driveway of a house near the Menil Collection, with tailgate-style chairs and light refreshments. The under-the-stars event, called the Houston Honey Summer Film Series, continues on Sunday nights through August 13. (8 pm; tickets: free)
1502 Sul Ross St.

Society for the Performing Arts presents “Circus 1903,” at Jones Hall.

Photo by Jose Leon Photography

Society for the Performing Arts presents “Circus 1903,” at Jones Hall.

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Movie Review

Timothée Chalamet cements star status in new movie Marty Supreme

Courtesy

Timothée Chalamet

In a time when true movie stars seem to be going extinct, Timothée Chalamet has emerged as an exception to the rule. Since 2021 he has headlined blockbusters like the two Dune movies and Wonka, and also earned an Oscar nomination for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown (his second nomination following 2018’s Call Me By Your Name). Now, he’s almost assured to get his third nomination for the stellar new film, Marty Supreme.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a world-class table tennis player living in New York. But reducing Marty to his best skill doesn’t do him justice, as he’s also a motormouth schemer who will do almost anything to achieve his dreams. He doesn’t have any qualms about wooing married women like neighbor Rachel (Odessa A’zion) or actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), or hiding his true ping pong skills to win money in scams with friends like Wally (Tyler the Creator).

Marty is seemingly on the go the entire movie, whether it’s trying to convince Kay’s millionaire husband Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) to fund his table tennis ambitions; or trying to track down the dog of Ezra (Abel Ferrara), a man he accidentally injures; or trying to avoid the ire of the boss at the shoe store where he works. Just when you think he might slow down, he’s off to the races on another plan or adventure.

Directed by Josh Safdie and written by Safdie and frequent co-writer Ronald Bronstein, the film is an almost continuous blast of pure energy for 2 ½ hours. So many different things happen over the course of the film that the story defies conventional narratives, and yet the throughline of Marty keeps everything tightly connected. His particular type of brash behavior turns much of the film into a comedy as he does and says things that are both shocking and thrilling.

Another thing that makes the movie sing is the fantastic characterization by Safdie and Bronstein. Almost every person who is given a speaking line in the film has a moment where they pop, which speaks to airtight dialogue that the writers have created. Characters will be introduced and then disappear for long stretches of time, and yet because they make such an impression the first time they’re on screen, it’s easy to pick up their thread right away.

Safdie, as he’s done previously with brother Bennie (Uncut Gems), calls on a host of well-known non-actors or people with interesting faces/vibes to inhabit supporting roles, and to a person they are crucial to the film’s success. O’Leary (of Shark Tank fame), rapper Tyler the Creator, director Ferrara, magician Penn Jillette, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi each deliver knockout performances. The relative unknowns who play smaller roles are just as impressive, making each beat of the film feel naturalistic.

Leading the way is the powerhouse performance by Chalamet. For one person to believably play both the famously reserved Dylan and also a firecracker like Marty is astonishing, and this role cements Chalamet’s status as his generation’s movie star. A’zion is a rising star who gets great moments as Marty’s on-again/off-again love interest. Paltrow pops in and out of the film, lighting up the screen every time she appears. Fran Drescher as Marty’s mom and Sandra Bernhard as a neighbor also pay dividends in small roles.

Josh Safdie’s first solo directorial effort is unlike any other movie this year, or maybe even this century. Thanks to its breakneck storytelling, a magnificent performance by Chalamet, and countless intangibles that Safdie employs expertly, the film smacks viewers in the face repeatedly and demands that they come back for more.

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Marty Supreme opens in theaters on December 25.

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