weekend event planner

Here are the top 8 things to do in Houston this weekend

It's time for the Chevron Houston Marathon.

Photo courtesy of Chevron Houston Marathon

A lot of heavy comedy hitters will be in and around Houston this weekend.

On Thursday, Earthquake starts a four-night-stint of making 'em laugh at the Improv. On Friday, Arnez J, Tommy Davidson and others will be doing the Black Laughs Matters show at NRG Arena.

Saturday gives us a twofer: Dave Attell and Jeff Ross will be doing their Bumping Mics shtick at Revention Music Center, while Lewis Black will be ranting and raving at Cullen Performance Hall.

Finally, Kathleen Madigan will be closing things out with her regular-jane humor, also at Revention Music Center.

And then, there's a host of great fun this weekend:

Thursday, January 16

Charlaine Harris at Murder by the Book
Charlaine Harris will always be known as the writer who wrote The Southern Vampire Mysteries, the Gothic horror page-turners that were adapted into that supernatural HBO orgy known as True Blood. But she has also dropped several other series of books. The latest one she's been doing is the Gunnie Rose series, starting with An Easy Death in 2018. Harris will be in town to sign copies of the latest installment, A Longer Fall, where protagonist/gunslinger Lizbeth Rose transports a mysterious crate through Dixie. 6:30 pm.

Legend at Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra
Once upon a time, Tom Cruise wasn't this Scientologist movie star who keeps making Mission: Impossible movies to prove that, even though he's pushing 60, he can still do death-defying stunts. Back in the ’80s, he was a matinee idol, the kind of heartthrob who made young girls (who are now, probably, your mommas) swoon. And he did it while starring in movies like this, a bit of 1985 dark fantasy from Ridley Scott. Cruise plays a hunky dude who must stop the Prince of Darkness (Tim Curry) from covering the world with eternal night. 7:30 pm.

Friday, January 17

Diamond Dreams Gala at Minute Maid Park
It's Diamond Dreams Gala time, presented by Chevron and the Astros Foundation, held on the field of Minute Maid Park. Lionel Richie will be the special guest performer, so you know you'll get some "Easy," some "All Night Long," maybe even some "Dancing on the Ceiling." (It would be nice if we also got "Love Will Find a Way" — aka our favorite solo Richie song.) Astros players and legends will also be on hand. Proceeds from the gala will benefit New Hope Housing and the Astros Foundation. 5:30 pm.

The Host at Landmark River Oaks
For those Parasite fans who are psyched that the black-comic thriller has been nominated for a bunch of Oscars this week, you may wanna check this out this film from the same director, Bong Joon-ho, that'll be this weekend's midnight movie at the River Oaks. This 2006 spin on the monster-movie genre is about a family of misfits who attempt to take down a strange amphibious creature that has taken the daughter of one of the family members. Since this is Bong, expect this movie to be more than just a creature feature. 11:59 pm.

Saturday, January 18

Gulf Coast Model Expo at Lone Star Flight Museum
As Steve Martin would say, things will get really small over at this second-annual model expo. See hundreds of scale model aircraft, cars, tanks, trucks, spacecraft, ships, and more. And to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War II, a special display of models related to the last nine months of the war, from January 1, 1945 to September 2 — VJ Day — will showcase the men and machines of the war's end. The public can also bring their models and share their work with museum visitors. 10 am-4 pm.

Enrique Martínez Celaya: The Sword or the Road at Nancy Littlejohn Fine Art
Los Angeles-based artist Enrique Martínez Celaya has had his work featured in collections at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and has done projects in London, Berlin and other swanky, international locales. But, in his first solo project in Houston, Martínez Celaya will be officially introducing himself to the Texas art world by showing off the nuanced, psychologically charged and symbolism-rich paintings and sculptures that he's been doing since the early '90s. Runs through February 29. 6-8 pm.

Sunday, January 19

Chevron Houston Marathon
There will be a lot of things popping before we get to the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday. On Thursday, there's the Shake Out Run with Olympic athlete Meb Keflezighi. On Friday, we got the Houston Marathon Health & Fitness EXPO over at George R. Brown Convention Center. And, on Saturday, there's the We Are America 5K Race, along with the RunFest over at Discovery Green. But the main event will still be the marathon, going down on Congress and San Jacinto. (And don't forget about the half marathon.) 9 am-noon.

Giving Voice: Lawrence Brownlee and Friends Sing Opera, Gospel, and Standards at Wortham Theater Center
Houston Grand Opera and world-renowned tenor Lawrence Brownlee bring together a bunch of international stars for a one-night-only concert event. Audiences will be treated to a program that ranges from opera classics to spirituals, gospel and standards. The special guests will be J’Nai Bridges, Nicole Heaston, Reginald Smith Jr., Russell Thomas, Nicholas Newton, and Kevin Miller on piano. All concert guests will be invited to mix and mingle with the artists following the performance. 5 pm.

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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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