weekend event planner

Here are the top 10 things to do in Houston this weekend

Hilarious actor-comedian Craig Robinson hits Houston this weekend.

Have you ever wanted to take part in a walk or run, but you didn't really want to, well, walk or run?

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will start up its virtual, 34th annual Rodeo Run on Saturday, which will go until Sunday, May 9. In addition to the traditional 5K or 10K walk, run or wheelchair race, there are also two new race categories, bonus challenges and opportunities to win special prizes.

As always, plenty of events and activities are on tap. Look for a hilarious alum of The Office, a 10-minute play festival, and a Kentucky Derby party — with a disco theme.

Here are your best for the weekend.

Thursday, April 29

Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation presents A Celebration of Reading
The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation will present its 27th annual fundraiser as a hybrid production. Guests at the event will enjoy a professional-quality program, featuring a line-up of bestselling authors and entertainers, followed by dinner.

The lineup features authors former President George W. Bush, Matthew McConaughey (virtual appearance), Mark Sullivan, Elin Hilderbrand, and husband-and-wife duo Peter Baker and Susan B. Glasser. 6:30 pm.

Improv Houston presents Craig Robinson
Craig Robinson is best known for his role as acerbic Dunder-Mifflin employee Darryl Philbin on NBC’s Emmy-winning The Office. The man has also done a lot of movies and TV, from Judd Apatow movies like Knocked Up to acting alongside the late Chadwick Boseman in the James Brown biopic Get on Up to headlining his own, short-lived sitcom (called Mr. Robinson, of course). Catch him this weekend as he does his musical brand of stand-up at the Improv. 7 pm (7:30 and 9:45 pm Friday; 7 and 9:30 pm Saturday).

Friday, April 30

Mother's Day Trunk Show Series at Deutsch Fine Jewelry
Deutsch Fine Jewelry will host Houston-based, women-owned designer Armenta on Friday and New York-based designer Lauren K. on Friday and Saturday. Handcrafted in Houston, Armenta provides women from disadvantaged circumstances a better chance in life, hiring women based on passion rather than skill set. As for Lauren K. they will showcase their one-of-a-kind pieces, perfect for the mom who is looking to add a splash of color to her jewelry collection. 6 pm (5 pm Saturday).

Houston Symphony presents Brian Del Signore Plus Brahms
Principal percussionist Brian Del Signore makes an extra-special, Houston Symphony solo debut, performing the marimba movement from his own Percussion Concerto. Plus, hear "Celestial Blue" by Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon, followed by an invigorating early masterpiece by Benjamin Britten. The concerts close with Brahms’s genial Serenade No. 2. The Saturday performance will be live-streamed for home viewers. 8 pm (2:30 pm Sunday).

Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts presents 10-Minute Play Festival
All this weekend, the UH School of Theatre & Dance will present its annual 10-Minute Play Festival. This one-weekend-only, popular showcase highlights some of the best new works by B.F.A. playwrights, as well as pieces selected from their international 10-minute play contest. The video link for this event will be continuously viewable between Friday night and Sunday at 11 pm. Ticket registration closes at 8:30 pm on Sunday. 8 pm.

Saturday, May 1

Archway Gallery presents Shirl Riccetti and donna e perkins: "Exploring Paint" virtual opening
When friends Shirl Riccetti & donna e perkins decided to have a show together, they could never have anticipated such a tumultuous year as 2020. Perkins, an abstract painter, and Riccetti, a more traditional painter, decided to confront the challenges of 2020 by continuing to do what they have been doing for most of their lives. The virtual opening and artist talks will be posted to the gallery website, Facebook and YouTube. The exhibition will remain on display through Thursday, June 3. 10 am.

Sounds to Live By at the Menil Collection
Bring your picnic blankets and head out to the Menil for an afternoon of free, outdoor-music listening on the museum’s east lawn. Jamal Cyrus, Peter Lucas, and DJ Flash Gordon Parks will be spinning an eclectic mix of vinyl records from their personal collections. The event will take place on the Menil’s east lawn. Guests are required to abide by the museum’s COVID-19 safety protocols. Additional green-space policies apply. 3 pm.

Disco Derby at Onion Creek Cafe While there are plenty of Kentucky Derby parties this weekend, this one sounds the funkiest. Put on your favorite hat, disco shirt or whatever you're comfortable in as hosts Denver Courtney (aka Denverado) and DJ Melodic transform Onion Creek into "Disco Alley." There will be cash and prizes for best-dressed, as well as spins on a "prize wheel." There will also be plenty of food and drink specials all day. Derby and/or disco attire is encouraged but not required. 7 pm.

Sunday, May 2

The Women's Fund presents Board with Breakfast in Bed The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Resiliency’s ROC for H.E.R. will present a virtual Board with Breakfast in Bed to celebrate moms, mentors and friends via Zoom. Guests are invited to wear their PJs and stay in bed while Board & Bordeaux founder Stacy Williams teaches the art of charcuterie board arrangement. Brunch board ingredients, a bamboo board, mini mimosas, and an access link to the Zoom class will be provided on Saturday. 11 am.

Strange Bird Immersive presents The Man From Beyond InThe Man From Beyond, Madame Daphne leads a private séance to contact the spirit of Harry Houdini. But all is not what it seems, and when the ghost appears, things take a dramatic turn. Unravel mysteries a century in the making, and you could find yourselves doing more than escaping a room. The hybrid experience of immersive theatre and game will leave guests wondering if the magic is real. 2 pm.

event-planner

Movie Review

Dakota Fanning-led The Sun Never Sets needs more direction

Photo courtesy of Independent Film Company

Dakota Fanning in The Sun Never Sets.

The movies of writer/director Joe Swanberg have always been an acquired taste, as he prefers to give his actors a loose framework of a story and let them improvise most of their lines to give the films a more natural feel. Sometimes that approach can yield great results, and sometimes — as in The Sun Never Sets — it can result in addled and maddening storytelling.

Wendy (Dakota Fanning) is in her early 30s and at a crossroads in her life. When a friend announces she’s pregnant, she starts to re-evaluate what she wants, including her two-year relationship with the older Jack (Jake Johnson). Although they love each other, their disagreements on having more children and extracurricular activities call their long-term viability into question.

Jack, not wanting Wendy to settle, encourages her to explore her options where they live — Anchorage, Alaska — telling her he’ll be waiting should she strike out. What he doesn’t expect is that Wendy’s ex-boyfriend, Chuck (Cory Michael Smith), has returned to the city, giving her an attractive alternative. The three engage in a love triangle that proves frustrating and confusing for both the participants and the viewers.

What works best about the film is its location in Alaska, which rarely gets showcased in movies, and even more rarely in the way it is here. The story takes place in warmer months, and Swanberg gives his characters multiple opportunities to be outside, showing off Anchorage’s harbor, surrounding mountains, and seemingly vibrant city life. The subtle but effective way Swanberg frames various scenes makes the landscape enormously appealing.

It’s too bad, then, that the story never measures up to its surroundings. Too often Fanning, Johnson, Smith, and others seem to be grasping for their next line, unsure of what they want their character to do or say next. That lets their scenes mimic real conversations, but you might not realize how much you want scripted dialogue until you see actors trying to come up with their own in the moment.

The larger issue is that there’s no consistency from scene to scene about where the plot is heading. The characters of Wendy, Jack, and Chuck are extremely wishy-washy about their desires, with each of them vacillating back-and-forth in just how much they want to be with each other. Depending on your experience, this may or may not be true to life, but watching it is excruciating and not enjoyable or romantic in the slightest.

As actors, Fanning, Johnson, and Smith are talented and interesting, with each capable of connecting with viewers in different ways. But working in improvisation is a different beast, and only Johnson — who has worked with Swanberg multiple times — seems truly at home. A few others, like Debby Ryan and Anna Konkle, do well in the format and maybe deserved bigger parts.

Swanberg has proven in the past that his method of filmmaking can be insightful and entertaining, but that is not the case here. In The Sun Never Sets, his hands-off approach is a detriment to the flow of the film and the story as a whole, resulting in an experience that is far from what most viewers will want to go through.

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The Sun Never Sets is now playing in select theaters.

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