weekend event planner

Here are the top 15 things to do in Houston this weekend

Art Car Parade rolls back into downtown after a two-year hiatus.

Photo by Morris Malakoff

This weekend promises sunny skies and warm weather, perfect timing to get revved up for our homage all things automotive. Art Car Weekend rolls back, starting with a sneak peek at Discovery Green on Thursday, the popular ball on Friday, and the big parade on Saturday. Houston rap icon Bun B will serve as grand marshal — so expect some slabs as the king of trill holds court.

Other picks include a shopping spree at Nutcracker Market - Spring (get those credit cards ready), art openings, park day starring our mayor, and a Brazilian festival.

Buckle up, y'all. Here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, April 7

Visit Conroe & Texas Music Magazine present Conroe Crossroads
Conroe Crossroads brings four days of live music to venues throughout Conroe. Guests can see more than 40 shows from local and Texas artists, featuring music ranging from Americana to zydeco, with blues, country, soul, Tejano and more in between. Artists include Mike and the Moonpies, Micky and the Motorcars, Bidi Bidi Banda, Geno Delafose, Tanner Usrey, Walt Wilkins, and more. 4 pm.

Moody Center for the Arts presents Artists-in-Dialogue: Jamal Cyrus and Anthony B. Pinn
The Moody and the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning will host a dialogue between Jamal Cyrus, a featured artist in the current exhibition "Soundwaves," and Anthony B. Pinn, professor of religion at Rice University, for a cross-disciplinary conversation. This virtual event, facilitated by Moody executive director Alison Weaver, will delve into Cyrus's and Pinn’s respective areas of research, exploring where art, music, and the history of the black church in America overlap. 6 pm.

Eternal Light Entertainment presents Roho Ya Msanii, the Soul of the Artist: Michael Temple
Eternal Light presents the next mixer in The Soul of the Artist Series, featuring Michael Temple, aka Maddkyng. The 29-year-old Houstonian jumped into art full-time after graduating from San Diego State University, with a bachelor’s degree in painting and printmaking. He originally went to school for business finance but switched after his freshman year because it didn’t fulfill his artistic needs. The evening will feature light snacks, a live DJ and a cash bar. Through Thursday, April 21. 7 pm.

Friday, April 8

Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market - Spring
Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market - Spring returns to welcome the warmer weather and celebrate the upcoming spring and summer holidays. The sunny flipside to November’s Nutcracker Market, this three-day shopping experience will feature approximately 150 merchants from across the country, bringing with them a fresh assortment of seasonal items, on-trend apparel, jewelry, colorful accessories, gourmet food, and cheerful home décor for that springtime refresh. 10 am.

FotoFest presents "I'd hammer out danger, I'd hammer out a warning
This three-part exhibition features four films by artists and filmmakers whose work has been inspirational to the conceptual development of the upcoming FotoFest Biennial 2022 exhibition, "If I Had a Hammer." Each of the presented films explore, through varied methods and approaches, the ways the circulation of mediated spectacles and images both inform and reflect social movements, political ideologies, and cultural imaginaries. Through Saturday, April 30. 10 am.

The Legendary Art Car Ball
Often considered the wildest and most colorful party of the year, The Legendary Art Car Ball draws thousands of art and music-loving attendees on the eve of the parade to celebrate with a night of live performances, art installations, elaborate costumes, and hundreds of awe-inspiring illuminated art cars. This year’s Art Car Ball will feature Austin’s avant-garde space Jazz ensemble Golden Dawn Arkestra, as well as the world premiere of The Suffers frontwoman Kam Franklin’s newest project, Bayou City Comeback Chorus. 6 pm.

Asia Society Texas presents Kung Fu Film Nights
Asia Society Texas is celebrating the greatest hits of Hong Kong martial arts films from the 1970s until today with a series of outdoor movie nights, beginning with that 1973 Bruce Lee classic Enter the Dragon. Featuring groundbreaking performances by superstars Lee, Jet Li, and Jackie Chan, iconic fight scenes by choreographers including Yuen Woo-Ping, and direction by Hong Kong masters Tsui Hark and Wong Kar-Wai, these are crowd-pleasing blockbusters of the highest caliber. (Read more of our coverage here.) 8 pm.

Saturday, April 9

Cleft Smiles 5K Family Fun Run/Walk
This 5K Family Fun Run/Walk takes place at Rob Fleming Park in The Woodlands. It aims to raise awareness for cleft-related birth defects, bring together the community of individuals who have been affected by cleft-related conditions, and to raise money to provide medical care to children born with cleft lip or palate who have limited financial resources. Get some fresh air and help underprivileged families get crucial surgeries they need. (Visit the above link for more information or to donate.) 8 am.

8th Wonder Brewery presents Heads & Tails: A Beer, Crawfish, and Music Happening
Houston’s favorite all-day crawfish festival, Heads & Tails features a stacked live music lineup and plenty of cold, 8th Wonder brews, paired with crawfish by Marty’s Jackpot. The 2022 installment marks the anticipated return of the event, which has been on a pandemic-induced hiatus since 2019. There is no cover charge. The crawfish will be $25 for three pounds. Top food trucks Blk Mkt Birria and Seoulside Wings will also be parked and ready to serve. Noon.

BLCK Market Pop-Up
BLCK Market is hosting their second in a series of monthly pop-up events at Midway’s future East River development in east downtown. Houstonians can shop a unique selection of clothing, art, skincare, books and more from over 50 local, national and international Black-owned, small businesses. Guests will also enjoy a live DJ, craft cocktails by women-owned mobile bar Bubble O’Clock, fresh crawfish from Out The Mud, and popular food trucks including Taste My Flavias and Heavenly Eatz. 1 pm.

Family Day at Sylvester Turner Park
This 14th annual free event will feature three stages with music and other entertainment. J. Paul Jr. and the Zydeco Nubreeds, Carver High School Performing Arts Students, Tiger Rock Martial Arts, Operation Get Fit and more will perform throughout the afternoon. There will be inflatable games, a rock wall to climb, train rides for the little kids, face painting, a senior tent to provide a place to gather for our seniors and the Houston Zoo's ZooMobile, which will bring some animals to meet. 2 pm.

35th Annual Houston Art Car Parade
For the 35th year, the Houston Art Car Parade will roll through the city’s streets, greeted by thousands of eager fans cheering on close to 250 entries. The parade’s official start is at Dallas St. (inbound Allen Parkway) and Bagby St., where it will head into downtown, taking a left onto Smith St., circling around City Hall onto Walker St., then cutting a left onto Bagby St., and finally taking a right onto Lamar St. (outbound Allen Parkway). The parade will continue along Allen Parkway until dispersing at Waugh Drive. 2 pm.

Sunday, April 10

Brazilian Women Foundation presents Brazilian Food & Music Festival
The Brazilian Food & Music Festival will bring delicious food from all over Brazil and lots of music. The festival has several commitments: to discover new culinary talents, to value the musicians of the Brazilian community in Texas, to work in solidarity campaigns for the Brazilian Women Foundation, and to work the cultural plurality for Brazilians and all the communities that are interested in knowing a little more about our Brazil. Noon.

Cigna Sunday in the Park at Montie Beach Park
Cigna Sunday in the Park, a reimagined version of the Cigna Sunday Streets series, will continue its Spring 2022 series -- spotlighting Houston’s most unique neighborhoods -- this weekend at Montie Beach Park. The theme is Easter and will include activities for the entire family, such as an easter egg hunt, photo booth, live entertainment and dancing, free food, inflatables, NEO Outdoors games and COVID-19 vaccinations and flu shots by the Health Department. Noon.

Inprint Cool Brains! Series presents Erin Entrada Kelly
The 2021/2022 Inprint Cool Brains! Series presents Newbery Medal winner Erin Entrada Kelly, sharing her new novel Those Kids From Fawn Creek. Kelly is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books for young readers, including Hello, Universe, We Dream of Space, The Land of Forgotten Girls, and Blackbird Fly. Erin will give a brief presentation and answer questions from the audience. The program will conclude with a book signing, giving kids a chance to meet the featured author. 3 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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