weekend event planner

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

Sip, nosh, and repeat at BrunchFest.

The brisk Houston weather is warming, just in time for Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo fun. The warmer temps mean a chance to get out and explore — may we suggest a walk for a good cause on Sunday, say, after BrunchFest in the park?

Thursday, February 27

Bank of America Women’s Leadership Series: Women in Journalism: Ann Curry at Asia Society Texas Center
Secret time: Back in the day, we had a big crush on Ann Curry. We'd wake up quite early to see her read the news on NBC's Today, and we were psyched when she was promoted to cohost after Katie Couric left. (We won't get into how much we hate now-disgraced host Matt Lauer for aiding in her 2012 departure.) We are glad to see that she's still out there, hosting shows and making public appearances like this one, where she'll be discussing women’s roles in journalism over the past 50 years. 6 pm.

Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors at Julia Ideson Building
Former president George W. Bush has basically been trying to get back on everyone's good graces by painting portraits of military veterans. He put a lot of those in his 2017 book Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors. Meet military veterans painted by the president at this event, where copies of his book will be available for purchase. A "Moores in the Town" concert opens the program, followed by brief remarks. There will also be refreshments and self-guided tours of the exhibit. 6 pm.

Friday, February 28

CatVideoFest at 14 Pews
All you cat people have a fun, little event you can check out this weekend. This is a compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos and, of course, classic internet powerhouses. This is a joyous communal experience, and raises money for cats in need through partnerships with local cat charities, animal welfare organizations and shelters to best serve cats in the area. 7 pm (3 pm, 5 pm & 7 pm Saturday and Sunday).

Spring Fling at the Moody Center for the Arts
As strange as it sounds, we've survived through the dysfunctional winter weather — and spring is upon us. Rice University will be celebrating with a party, complete with a live music from The Tontons, a band we hope will blowuptuate at some point soon, as well as tacos by Moon Rooster Food Truck and complimentary wine, beer, and cocktails. The entire building will also be open for guests to experience the Moody’s spring exhibition Radical Revisionists: Contemporary African Artists Confronting Past and Present. 8 pm.

Saturday, February 29

The Fifth Annual Tiny Art Show at Texas Art Asylum
Let's get really small with some art! This free, two-day showcase will feature 75 local Houston artists presenting pieces that are no larger than 4 inches by 4 inches. We're talking Lex Andro, Barbara Elmore, Vinnie Hughes, Tara Hughes, Kayla Koenig, Lizette Lu, and so many more. Come by, sip tiny drinks and choose your favorites from hundreds of tiny artworks in every medium and theme you can imagine. Plus, tiny art projects for the kiddos and tasty adult beverages for the grown folks. 4-8 pm (1-5 pm Sunday).

Putney Swope at MFAH
The counterculture of the '60s gave us some really wacky, subversive films, like this one from Robert Downey, Sr. (yes, the dad of future Marvel star Robert Downey, Jr.) This 1969 satire (a favorite of revered, contemporary filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, BTW) is about the only African-American exec of ad firm who gets elected president and makes some very extreme changes in the industry. Houston filmmaker Greg Carter (Fifth Ward) will be on hand to introduce the film. 7 pm.

Sunday, March 1

AIDS Walk Houston at Sam Houston Park
It's the 31st annual AIDS Walk Houston, and nearly 10,000 participants are expected to participate in the noncompetitive 5K to remember and honor those affected by HIV/AIDS, and to celebrate those who are living full lives with the virus. This whole day raises funds for Aids Foundation Houston and more than 14 benefitting agencies and HIV/AIDS service organizations that provide education, pediatric programs, housing, food, medical care, counseling, and job training to the almost 30,000 Houstonians currently living with HIV/AIDS. Noon.

Houston BrunchFest at Midtown Park
For all the people who love having mimosas and spending lazy Sundays dishing about all the drama that's going on in their lives, here's the event for you. This Sunday Funday experience is for Houston foodies who know how to brunch. There will be bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. Houston's best restaurants that make up the brunch scene are taking part, with a large variety of brunch dishes to sample. Guests can mingle with other brunch lovers while enjoying live entertainment. Noon.

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Movie Review

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple enhances the zombie franchise

Photo by Miya Mizuno

Ralph Fiennes in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.

It’s not often that a return to a franchise after years of no activity results in an actual good movie, but 2025’s 28 Years Later proved successful by reuniting director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, who made the original 28 Days Later. Another sequel, The Bone Temple, was filmed back-to-back with last year’s film, with Nia DaCosta taking over for Boyle in the directing chair.

The movie picks up soon after the end of the first film, with the young Spike (Alfie Williams) now an unwilling member of a group called the Jimmies, which are led by a man who calls himself Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell). Unlike the main group in the first film that was just looking to survive the zombie apocalypse, the Jimmies are a bloodthirsty bunch who gleefully attack any zombies they find and brutalize other survivors they come across.

The story also returns to Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), whose solitary time at his self-built bone temple is interrupted by a massive zombie he has dubbed Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Against the odds — and with the help of some morphine — Kelson is able to bond with Samson, giving Kelson some strange but welcome companionship. But with the Jimmies lurking nearby, any peace he’s found may soon be shattered.

DaCosta, working from a script by Garland, ably steps into Boyle’s shoes, putting the emphasis on the story rather than trying for lots of stylistic flourishes. That’s not to say that she doesn’t do great work, however. The creepiness and sadistic nature of the Jimmies comes through loud and clear under her direction, and she brings out the campy comedy that comes from the unexpected pairing of Kelson and Samson.

Like the first 28 Years Later, the story is somewhat of a slow burn. The film doesn’t have many plot developments over its 109 minutes, and so DaCosta must get by on mood rather than action for the most part. But when things do get ramped up, they can get very uncomfortable as the film does not shy away from extreme gore. The damage inflicted by Samson and other zombies is one thing, but when it’s sentient humans going savage, it becomes even more difficult to look at the screen.

The juxtaposition between the chaos of the Jimmies and the quiet existence of Dr. Kelson works well for the film. Their separation for the bulk of the story gives them plenty of time to have the characters come into their own. Sir Jimmy Crystal is the ringleader, but Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman) gets her own showcase. Samson was already a (literally) big presence from the first film, but this film gives him a degree of humanity that gives the story more depth.

O’Connell made a big impression as the lead vampire in Sinners, and he’s just as interesting/intimidating here. Fiennes plays a character where being over-the-top is the natural reaction, and yet he keeps Kelson grounded in a number of ways that make him much more than one-note. Lewis-Parry was likely cast for his physique, but he brings out more from a zombie than you’d ever expect. Williams fades into the background a bit after his starring role in the first film, but he’s still strong.

Releasing The Bone Temple in January was not a great sign given the month’s reputation as a dumping ground for bad movies, but it actually proves to be a great choice. With most other releases being Oscar hopefuls or truly awful films, it stands out for being another compelling entry for the franchise, one that will make anticipation high for whenever the third film in the 28 Years Later series comes out.

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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple opens in theaters on January 16.