Movie Review

Naomi Watts battles the elements and grief in Infinite Storm

Naomi Watts in Infinite Storm.

Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street

If her 2021 films are any indication, actress Naomi Watts enjoys spending time in nature, facing challenging situations. In The Desperate Hour, she played a mom who finds out about a school shooting at her son’s school while on a run in the woods, forcing her into a long and anguished trek back to town. Now, in Infinite Storm, she spends a lot of time in the New Hampshire wilderness, with a heroic goal of keeping another man alive.

Watts plays Pam Bales, a real-life member of the Pemigewasset Valley Search & Rescue Team in New Hampshire. A woman with some life trauma that goes undefined for most of the film, she often goes hiking by herself in the Mount Washington area, mostly as a form of therapy.

On the particular winter day in the film, she sets out for a long hike knowing the weather might be bad at the top. She’s soon hiking through deep snow in a fierce winter storm when she notices footprints leading toward the top of a peak. There, she finds an almost catatonic man, whom she needs to convince to get off the mountain if either of them is going to survive.

Directed by Polish filmmaker Malgorzata Szumowska and written by first-time screenwriter Joshua Rollins, the film surprisingly does not take the route that most films of this ilk do. Although the film shows the various ups and downs Pam and the man, whom she calls John, experience during their trek, it doesn’t attempt to document every moment. Instead of milking every dangerous situation to amp up emotions, the filmmakers often fast forward past them, alluding to the risk but rarely staying with it for too long.

This storytelling choice does make things confusing at times, though. Certain scenes with Pam, some of which contain have her recalling flashes of memories from earlier in her life, have the feel of hallucinations, making it unclear if she’s actually seeing what we’re shown. This is especially true in a couple of moments where the man gets further away from Pam than one would think someone rescuing a person would allow.

The film’s third act is also wholly unexpected, one that upends any predictions on how a film like this would normally end. Ultimately, the title of the film doesn’t refer to the conditions that Pam and John have to endure on their way down the mountain, but rather the fragile emotional state that each of them has endured at different points in their lives.

Points go to the cast and crew of the film for actually going out in the elements to make the snowbound story. Instead of relying on CGI or other ways of faking the extreme weather, filming was done in the Slovenian Alps. Not to take anything away from Watts or Billy Howle, who plays John, but a good portion of their acting work is done merely by being present in those conditions.

Watts hasn’t exactly taken a Liam Neeson turn, but if you put together these two films with 2012’s The Impossible, she’s kind of created a “one woman against the world” reputation. Despite being with another person for most of the film, Watts is almost solely responsible for the success of the film, as she drags John, herself, and the viewer to the finish line.

While it could have had a more powerful impact if the filmmakers had gone the “easy” route, Infinite Storm earns respect with its relatively light touch and old school filmmaking. After going through back-to-back trauma-filled films, Watts deserves a break, but it’s clear she excels when her characters’ lives are at their bleakest.

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Infinite Storm opens in theaters on March 25.

Naomi Watts in Infinite Storm.

Naomi Watts in Infinite Storm

Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street

Naomi Watts in Infinite Storm.

Weekend event planner

Here are the 14 best things to do in Houston this Christmas weekend

Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet

Photo courtesy of Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet

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So, Thursday is the big day, when many Houstonians will get together with family and/or friends to celebrate Christmas with presents, egg nog, and a festive meal.

But that doesn’t mean there still won’t be events popping off this weekend. Some are holiday-related (like Stages’ staging of The Twelve Dates of Christmas and the Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet going down in Sugar Land), while others are just some fun things to do (like watching some college football at NRG Stadium or attending the birthday bash of a local punk legend at Dan Electro’s).

Whatever you do, just have a holly, jolly time this weekend.

Thursday, December 25

Toro Toro presents Christmas Brunch
Embark on a brunch journey over at Toro Toro this Christmas. Executive chef Jonathan Esparza and his team have prepared an extensive, Christmas brunch buffet menu, featuring a selection of traditional holiday dishes and interactive stations. Brunch is priced at $145 per adult and $65 per child (11 and under; children 5 and under eat free). Dinner will also be served a la carte from 5:30 to 10 pm. 10 am.

Juliet Steakhouse & Fine Dining presents Holiday Buffet Feast
Juliet will be serving up a fabulous Christmas Day buffet, priced at $59 for adults and $28 for kids 12 and under (children under 5 dine free). The buffet includes carved-to-order turkey and filet mignon, plus sides such as mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, candied yams, cornbread dressing, mac and cheese, collard greens, dinner rolls, Caesar salad, and lobster bisque. Desserts include peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, and assorted cookies. Noon.

The Flat presents DJ Sun’s A James Brown Christmas Tribute
DJ Sun will be giving the gift of funk, with The Flat’s annual James Brown musical tribute. Flash Gordon Parks will also be spinning some cuts written, produced, and/or performed by the hardest-working man in show business. Special holiday cocktails will also be served, so pull up and close out Christmas night the right way: by getting funky with it! 8 pm.

Friday, December 26

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Little Kid Flicks and Big Kid Flicks
A holiday season favorite at the MFAH, Kid Flicks is a compilation of fun, artful, inspired, and thought-provoking short film compilations presented in partnership with the New York International Children’s Film Festival. These award-winning short films offer a chance to explore new frontiers from around the world, across the street, and the ever-expanding boundaries of our own perspectives. Little Kid Flicks is designed for ages 5 and up. Big Kid Flicks is designed for ages 8 and up. 11:30 am and 2 pm.

Downtown Houston+ presents Movies Under the Stars: The Fighting Temptations
As part of their Movies Under the Stars series, Downtown Houston+ will present a screening of the 2003 comedy The Fighting Temptations, where our own Beyoncé Knowles-Carter stars as a talented young singer who helps a childhood friend (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) revive a struggling church choir, at Trebly Park. Visitors are encouraged to grab takeout from a surrounding restaurant and bring their own lawn blanket to enjoy the screening. 6:30 pm.

Improv Houston presents Marcus D. Wiley
The son of a preacher, Christian comedian (and former Texas Southern University professor) Marcus D. Wiley's charismatic style of delivery is clean, captivating, funny, and knowledgeable. He provides lots of laughter along with a guaranteed message on being a better you. Earlier this year, Wiley released his third, hour-long special Marriage Is Major Surgery (executive-produced by Houston stand-up star Ali Siddiq) on YouTube. 7:30 and 9:45 pm (7 pm Saturday).

Stages presents The Twelve Dates of Christmas
After seeing her fiance kiss another woman at the televised Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mary’s life falls apart — just in time for the holidays. Over the next year, she stumbles back into the dating world. It seems nothing can help Mary’s growing cynicism, until the charm and innocence of a five-year-old boy unexpectedly brings a new outlook on life and love. This heartwarming one-woman play offers a hilarious and modern alternative to the old standards of the holiday season. 7:30 pm (3 and 7:30 pm Saturday; 3 pm Sunday).

Saturday, December 27

Wonky Power presents Jazz & Jokes
A new night of stand-up, cocktails, and live jazz will debut inside one of Houston’s most intimate creative rooms. Jazz & Jokes brings together two of the best live experiences — laughter and live music — curated for a cozy, seated evening at Wonky Power. Featuring a rotating cast of special stand-up comedians from Houston and beyond, paired with a live jazz band setting the mood all night, this night will offer a warm, relaxed atmosphere, great drinks, and a room built for performance. 7 pm.

Kinder's Texas Bowl: Houston vs. LSU
The 2025 Kinder's Texas Bowl will feature a matchup between the Houston Cougars of the Big 12 Conference, making its 31st all-time bowl appearance, and the LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference. Houston enters the Texas Bowl ranked No. 21 in the College Football Playoff rankings with a 9-3 overall record, its best record since 2021. This will mark the first time the Cougars have played in the Bowl since 2007. 8:15 pm.

The Garden Theatre presents Cruel Intentions
Based on the 1999 teen flick, Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical pulls audiences into the manipulative world of Manhattan’s most dangerous liaisons: Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Fueled by revenge and passion, the diabolically charming step-siblings place a bet on whether or not Sebastian can deflower their incoming headmaster’s daughter, Annette Hargrove. The musical features throwback hits by artists like Christina Aguilera, 'NSYNC, and Britney Spears. Through Sunday, January 11. 8 pm (2 and 8 pm Saturday; 2 pm Sunday).

Goode Co. Armadillo Palace presents Roger Creager Piano Bar
Award-winning country singer/Texas native Roger Creager will be in town to do a post-Xmas set at Goode Co. Armadillo Palace. With more than a dozen No. 1 singles on the Texas Music Chart and Entertainer of the Year honors from both CMA Texas and the Texas Music Awards, Creager brings a mix of road-tested songwriting and bold melodies. Dine on authentic Texas fare, including signature house favorites the Damn Goode Burger and the Damn Goode Margarita. 9 pm.

Sunday, December 28

Dan Electro’s presents J.R.’s Birthday Bash
Houston punk pioneer (and all-around good guy) J.R. Delgado has been a member of multiple punk, hardcore and garage rock bands. He was also the owner of the legendary rock club The Axiom in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. This weekend, he’lll be celebrating his 70th birthday at Dan Electro’s, and he’ll be having a free throwdown everyone is invited to. Hickoids, Jane Woe, and Bastard Union will be providing the live jams, while DJ LP will be spinning music all day. 1 pm.

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet
|Over at Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet will highlight an international cast and Ukrainian principal artists performing at the peak of classical European ballet. Audiences will be transported by the magic of jaw-dropping acrobatics, larger-than-life puppets, and hand-crafted sets and costumes. Share the tradition of pure holiday magic and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score with friends and family of all ages. 3 pm.

Arthouse Houston presents Hedwig and the Angry Inch with John Cameron Mitchell
Arthouse Houston will present a one-night-only event of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, with star/creator John Cameron Mitchell. The 2001 indie musical classic (based on Mitchell’s off-Broadway play) follows Hedwig, an East Berliner transplant and lead singer in a band, who is chasing down his ex for stealing his songs. The screening will be accompanied by a live director's commentary by Mitchell, and followed by a live music set led by Mitchell, with band members Amber Martin and Chapman Welch. (Read CultureMap’s exclusive interview with Mitchell here.) 7:30 pm.

Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet

Photo courtesy of Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet will perform in Sugar Land this weekend.

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