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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in bloom

Rock icon Bono's daughter makes her own sweet music in Flora and Son

Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

Eve Hewson and Oren Kinlan in Flora and Son.

The new Apple TV+ film Flora and Son centers on a single mother and her teenage son, a situation that typically calls for an uplifting story about the mother’s struggles trying to support the two of them, and the bond that develops between them as go through the troubles together. While that element exists somewhat here, it goes down a much different path that’s both saltier and equally as rewarding.

Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

Eve Hewson and Oren Kinlan in Flora and Son.

Set in Dublin, Ireland, the film follows Flora (Eve Hewson), a single mom to Max (Oren Kinlan), who gets in a fair bit of trouble. She shares custody with her ex, Ian (Jack Reynor), and their antagonistic relationship, along with Max being a teenager, likely has an effect on how Flora and Max get along. A typical interchange between mother and son has them calling each other all sorts of bad names, although there rarely seems to be any true animosity behind their arguments.

When a guitar Flora refurbishes for Max goes unappreciated, she instead starts taking online lessons herself with an American named Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). She’s no less brash with him, but her sincere interest in learning how to play and in finding out more about Jeff’s music opens a new door for Flora. Soon, a discovery that Max is making music of his own on his laptop helps them communicate better than they have in a long time.

Flora & Son is the latest music-focused film from writer/director John Carney (Once, Sing Street), and he once again finds the sweet spot in telling a personal story enhanced by song. Flora has more than a few rough edges, making her a less-than-ideal protagonist, but the heart of the character shines through precisely because she has no filter. Once music is added to the equation, it become that much easier to see the type of person she is and why you should root for her.

Both Hewson and Gordon-Levitt are charming actors, so they establish a connection through a screen well. Fortunately, though, Carney chooses not to leave it at that, adding a slight fantasy element to some of their scenes by having Flora imagine Jeff in the room with her. A romantic element naturally arises, but it’s the unexpected way in which two lonely souls find each other from across the world that makes them the most interesting.

There are a couple of decent songs that come out of the process of all of the music-making, but nothing that you could truly call an earworm. Instead, it’s the feeling you get seeing the characters interact when they’re sharing music with each other that makes the film sing. Only one character could be classified as a professional musician, with the rest of them making music for the pure joy of it, an emotion Carney translates well in his storytelling.

Hewson (the daughter of U2’s Bono, in case you were unaware) is having a moment after 15 years in the business. She has a boldness that serves her as well in this role as it did in the recent Apple TV+ limited series, Bad Sisters. This is Kinlan’s first major part, and he acquits himself well. Both Gordon-Levitt and Reynor are seasoned actors who know how to make the most of their limited scenes.

The depiction of a mother/child relationship in Flora and Son is atypical, but it still winds up in a great spot thanks to the power of music and some fine performances. Carney’s love for both songs and filmmaking has yielded some memorable movies over the years, this one included.

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Flora and Son opens in select theaters and on Apple TV+ on September 29.

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in bloom

Rock icon Bono's daughter makes her own sweet music in Flora and Son