weekend event planner

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

Jeremy Piven hits the Houston Improv this weekend. (No word on a subsequent entourage.)

As we all know, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the mask mandate and said that the state is "100 percent open." Understandably, many will proceed with caution.

Fortunately, this weekend offers a mix of virtual and in-person offerings. Stay safe and enjoy the welcome sunshine. Here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, March 4

Houston French Film Festival at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
The MFAH's French Film Festival just started on Wednesday and, even though most theaters remain closed, MFAH audiences can still virtually enjoy French films this month (aka the international month of French Culture). Ten films will be shown, including comedies like Quentin Dupieux’s Keep an Eye Out, dramas like Faithful (starring Vincent Lacoste and Vicky Krieps), and other selections that will make you get your je ne sais quoi on. The festival will run through Sunday, March 28. 7 pm.

Asia Society Texas Center presents A Transformed Post-Pandemic World: Conversation With CNN's Fareed Zakaria
Join Asia Society Texas Center for a conversation with renowned journalist Fareed Zakaria on how this pandemic is speeding up history, a glimpse into the world already in the making and how our choices today can affect the future. In his book Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World, Zakaria helps his audience to begin thinking beyond the immediate effects of COVID-19. The virtual event will be moderated by Mustafa Tameez, CEO of Outreach Strategists, and will also be free to the public. 7:30 pm.

Friday, March 5

Aperio presents The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires is a modern tango masterpiece for a solo violin-and-string orchestra, cast here in a unique arrangement by Leonid Desyatnikov. The concert will be conducted by Aperio’s resident conductor Marlon Chen, featuring Chloé Trevor as violin soloist in a reprise performance from the ensemble’s 2019 Miller Outdoor Theatre concert. An artist talk with Ms. Trevor follows the performance. The concert will be available to stream through Friday, March 12. 7:30 pm

Improv Houston presents Jeremy Piven
We don't know how or when it happened, but Jeremy Piven is a comedian now. The Emmy-winning actor, best known his role as savage Hollywood agent Ari Gold from the HBO show (and eventual movie) Entourage, has been touring comedy clubs for a while now. Judging by what we've seen from past stand-up performances, he'll most likely talk about his junk and/or his experiences in Hollywood and/or his experiences with his junk in Hollywood. 7:30 and 9:45 pm (7 and 9:30 pm Saturday).

Saturday, March 6

Eastside Market Outdoor Pop-Up Shopping Event
This outdoor market returns for another round this weekend. The first Eastside Market (held in January) was such a hit that they decided to make this a recurring event. The stylish event will be held at the Très Chic parking lot, across from Kirby Ice House. Bovine & Barley's Adult Cocktail Truck will be there, as well as other delicious, food truck options. Attendees and vendors must wear masks. 9 am.

Redbud Gallery presents "Ex Libris" opening reception
Redbud Gallery will present a selection of “Ex Libris,” an exhibition of bookplates from the Old and New Worlds. The custom of affixing bookplates to books began in Germany in the mid-15th century. This exhibition will feature creations not made to show ownership of books, but rather the lost art of Ex Libris, designed to show the beauty of classical printmaking techniques. The exhibition will remain on display through Tuesday, March 30. Noon.

Sunday, March 7

Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series: Kazuo Ishiguro
Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro will give a short reading from his new novel Klara and the Sun, followed by a conversation with fiction writer Jim Shepard. This livestream event, part of the 40th anniversary, 2020/2021 Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series, will be accessible from the Inprint website. Details on how to access the reading will be provided to season subscribers and to those who purchase general admission tickets in the Eventbrite email receipt. 5 pm.

Raya and the Last Dragon at Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema
Do you wanna stick it to all those Star Wars nerds who thought The Last Jedi was trash? Take your ride up to Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema and check out the latest, computer-animated action/adventure/fantasy from the folks at Disney. This movie has Kelly Marie Tran (she of Jedi — who got seriously trolled) starring as a warrior who, along with her pet companion Tuk Tuk, tracks down the last dragon in order to finally stop the force terrorizing her land. 7 pm.

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Movie Review

Timothée Chalamet cements star status in new movie Marty Supreme

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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.

movies film

weekend event planner

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

Movie Review

Timothée Chalamet cements star status in new movie Marty Supreme

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