Weekend Event Planner

Here are the top 9 things to do in Houston this weekend that aren't Halloween related

It's Halloween weekend, but there are a lot of other events going on around town that have nothing to do with goblins, witches or scary pumpkins. Concerts, festivals, and home tours are a few of the many activities that Houstonians can partake in without an overt Halloween theme.

Here's a roundup of nine events that are definitely worth adding to your weekend plans. For a full list of all that's happening around town, check out the CultureMap Events Calendar. And check back on CultureMap Friday for our Procrastinator's Guide to Halloween Parties and Happenings.

Friday, October 28

The Council on Recovery 2016 Fall Luncheon with Lynda Carter

The original Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter, makes her way to Houston (sans invisible plane) to tackle a different type of villain than her superhero character. Her "powers" are now aimed at championing charitable causes. She will join The Council on Recovery as the speaker for their 2016 Fall Luncheon. The goal of The Council is to help overcome the epidemic of addiction in Houston and provide support to all in need; quite a great initiative for Wonder Woman to be a part of.

Society for the Performing Arts presents Underwater Bubble Show

A favorite childhood pastime is running around with a bubble wand trying to make the most awesome bubble creations (and the biggest). The Society for the Performing Arts is presenting an interactive experience that all the family will enjoy. The Underwater Bubble Show uses cutting-edge laser technology, optical illusions, theatrical fog, and soap bubble tornadoes to create an experience like no other. What a fun way to embrace your inner child!

Asia Society Texas Center presents Indian Film Festival of Houston

IFFH 2016 kicks off Friday with a cocktail reception, entertainment, and film screenings. The festival showcases documentaries, shorts and feature films, along with Q&A sessions with directors and actors. The closing night program on Saturday includes screenings with Q&A sessions, award distribution, and a cultural entertainment program.

Saturday, October 29

MECA presents Dia de los Muertos Festival

The Washington Avenue Arts District plays host to MECA's annual festival. It reflects the traditional customs and practices around Dia de los Muertos through live performances, customary face painting, Texas & Latin American delicacies, and artisan goods. It takes place Saturday and Sunday.

AIA Houston presents 2016 Home Tour

The annual AIA Houston Home Tour highlights nine homes selected by industry experts that showcase the best in new architecture. Selected based upon design, quality and craftsmanship, innovative design solutions and materials, and sustainability, these homes are sure to inspire awe and aaah's. Join the tour on Saturday or Sunday.

Something Wicked Music Festival

Prepare to fist bump and party into the night at the festival headlined by popular DJ's Diplo and Hardwell as attendees jam to body-moving electronic hits on Saturday and Sunday. Revel in the moments as more than 40 bands take the the stage and deliver hauntingly good performances.

Stevie Nicks & The Pretenders

24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault is the latest work from the legendary singer who kicked off this tour a few nights ago in Phoenix. Nicks will be joined by The Pretenders as she takes the stage at the Toyota Center to perform.

Sunday, October 30

Tamale Fest III

Tamales and beer are a match made in food heaven; at least it's a match that I can get behind. Live music, a costume contest, $3/pint brews, and ALL YOU CAN EAT tamales are definitely worth the drive to Katy. We are responsible for the Tamale coma you may experience afterward. No Label Brewing and the Texas Tamale Co are the hosts.

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown - Houston Watch Party

No Reservations (see what I did there) are needed for the Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown - Houston watch party. Axelrad Beer Garden will host as viewers watch Bourdain showcases what makes the Bayou City special. Himalaya (appears in the episode), Harlem Road Texas BBQ, and Plant It Forward Farms are featured and will be dishing out bites. Since no party in complete without music, JeReeCe and Sherita Perez will provide live entertainment.

Enjoy these events and we would love to hear about your experiences!

The Underwater Bubble Show creates a unique experience with cutting-edge laser technology, optical illusions, theatrical fog, and soap bubble tornadoes.

Society for the Performing Arts presents Underwater Bubble Show

Photo courtesy of Society for the Performing Arts

The Underwater Bubble Show creates a unique experience with cutting-edge laser technology, optical illusions, theatrical fog, and soap bubble tornadoes.

event-planner

Movie Review

Jessica Chastain gets in a tangled love story in new drama Dreams

Photo courtesy of Teorema

Isaac Hernández and Jessica Chastain in Dreams.

The opening scenes of the new drama Dreams are bracing, fictional sequences that call to mind real-life scenarios. In them, a young Mexican man named Fernando (Isaac Hernández) goes through a somewhat harrowing journey from the back of a semi truck in South Texas all the way to San Francisco. It’s a familiar immigrant story that seems to set the stage for a film with something interesting to say.

It turns out, however, that Fernando has not made the long and arduous trek for a job. Instead, it’s to be with Jennifer McCarthy (Jessica Chastain), a rich woman who helps lead a foundation dedicated to multiple things, including funding dance academies. Fernando, a talented dancer, and Jennifer have been in an off-and-on affair for years, with Jennifer wanting to keep their relationship a secret.

Although both are drawn to each other in an inexplicable, lustful way, their bond is tenuous, with each of them dissatisfied for different reasons. Fernando clearly sacrifices much more of himself than Jennifer, who wants for nothing except maybe more affection from her father, Michael (Marshall Bell), and brother, Jake (Rupert Friend).

Writer/director Michel Franco seems to try to inject tension into Fernando and Jennifer’s relationship from the start, an attempt that is only halfway successful. It’s clear from the way they greet each other - not to mention a steamy sex scene shortly thereafter - that they have known each other for a good length of time. Franco is able to get across this familiarity with an economy of scenes, and the intensity of their bond holds for a while.

But as the film progresses and both of them grow disenchanted with their arrangement, Franco starts taking the story in some odd directions. The biggest issue is that it’s never clear at what point in time the story is taking place. Fernando ends up making multiple trips back and forth across the border, with Jennifer doing the same at one point, and Franco’s use of flashbacks muddies the waters, wrong-footing the audience when he should be trying to draw them further into Fernando and Jennifer’s complications.

Revelations in the final act make the story even more confusing, as both main characters start saying and doing harsh things that seem to come out of nowhere. That would be all well and good if Franco actually committed to their changes of heart, but he keeps things wishy-washy for most of the final 15 minutes, resulting in an ending that makes little sense for either character.

Despite the story issues, both Chastain and Hernández give compelling performances. Chastain has been a little under the radar since winning an Oscar for The Eyes of Tammy Faye, but she keeps this character interesting longer than it should have been. Hernández has limited credits and appears to have been cast for his dancing ability, but he goes toe-to-toe with Chastain on more than one occasion and acquits himself well.

Dreams had all of the ideas to explore a more in-depth story about the complicated immigration policies between Mexico and the U.S., or how wealthy people take advantage of those less fortunate. But Franco never finds the right footing, settling instead for a titillating and somewhat mystifying relationship story that feels half-baked.

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Dreams is now playing in select theaters.

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