10-stage Mania

The Insider’s Guide to iFest: Five things you can't miss this weekend, includingfree kids day

On the Bud Light World Music Stage, Saturday’s lineup includes gospelpedal-steel shredder Robert Randolph and the Family Band.
Explore the 23-foot-tall Trojan Horse.
Photo by Kristen Brown
Featured performers include one of the best new rock en espanol bands inHouston, Los Guerreros de la Musica.
Photo via Los Guerreros de la Musica/Facebook

The first weekend of the Houston International Festival is in the books, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had, as the second and final weekend of iFest is about to get underway Saturday in downtown Houston. As you make your take-two iFest plans, here are five options to consider.

1. Take a Musical Journey

From funk and soul to hard-driving roots rock, there are plenty of options for music lovers this weekend at the festival’s 10 performance venues.

On the Bud Light World Music Stage, Saturday’s lineup includes gospel pedal-steel shredder Robert Randolph and the Family Band, followed by the buoyant reggae vibe of rebel rocker Michael Franti and Spearhead.

Sunday’s bill on the World Stage features critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, and closing out the night will be Texas firebrand Joe Ely with a rocking band that includes guitar ace David Grissom and the Rolling Stones’ long-time sax player Bobby Keys. For a complete schedule, go to ifest.org.

2. Bring Mom (The Kids Are Free!)

In celebration of Mother’s Day, children 12 and under get in free to iFest on Sunday, thanks to a grant from ConocoPhillips.

After you’re done exploring the 23-foot-tall Trojan Horse and 100-foot-long replica of the Great Wall of China in the Chevron Silk Road Living Museum, head to the Kids Zone, where the Creative Kids Corner offers tons of free arts and crafts provided by Houston-area community groups.

Special bonus if your Mom happens to be in another country: You can wish her a happy Mother’s Day free at the Cricket Wireless International Calling Kiosk in the Latin Zone on Sunday!

3. Laissez les bons temps rouler…

Can’t make it to Jazz Fest in New Orleans this year? No need to despair. First, a number of this weekend’s featured artists at Jazz Fest are also performing at iFest (including Michael Franti and Spearhead, Lucinda Williams, and Robert Randolph and the Family Band).

Second, the Houston International Festival offers its very own retooled Louisiana Zone, complete with Jackson Square, the Bacardi Gras Bar, and the Louisiana Stage sponsored by Green Mountain Energy, featuring Jazz Fest favorites like “The Crown Prince of Treme” Glen David Andrews (6 p.m. Saturday) and Buckwheat Zydeco (8:15 p.m. Saturday). Pull up a plate of crawfish and enjoy … you never know when a spontaneous Second Line brass band parade may pop up.

(P.S., don’t forget to say hi at the CultureMap booth at the entrance to the Louisiana Zone — we know where to find a party!)

4. Don’t Miss the Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble

For a remarkable slice of the rich, vibrant culture of Azerbaijan, be sure to check out the Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble, which will perform on Asia Society Texas Center Stage at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

This internationally acclaimed group, known for their beautiful choreography and colorful costumes, will perform traditional Azerbaijani dances in a rare Houston appearance.

5. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

The Houston International Festival will feature special Cinco de Mayo programming on the RoomStore Latin Stage all weekend. The action gets started with Danza Azteca Teokalli and Mariachi MECA, and featured performers include top Latin ska/cumbia club band Los Skarnales, local legends the Norma Zenteno Band, and one of the best new rock en espanol bands in Houston, Los Guerreros de la Musica. Check out the entire schedule.

The second weekend of the Houston International Festival will take place from noon until 10 p.m. Saturday, and from noon until 8 p.m. Sunday.

Darrow works with the Houston International Festival staff and freely admits she is not exactly impartial. However, she points out she was a fan and dedicated festival-goer long before joining the iFest team.

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Movie Review

Resident Evil reboot delivers blood, guts, and big laughs for horror fans

Photo by Dušan Martinček

Austin Abrams in Resident Evil.

In just two films (Barbarian and Weapons), writer/director Zach Cregger has established himself as one of the top horror filmmakers working today. His unique methodology involves taking audiences down familiar pathways before veering off into unexpected areas that feature copious amounts of gore and comically bizarre visuals.

His new film, Resident Evil, plays out in much the same way, resulting in something starkly different from the previous action-heavy films based on the video game series. Bryan (Austin Abrams) is a courier tasked with bringing special deliveries like organs to hospitals. After one delivery, he gets roped in to making another to the distant location of Raccoon City, a mission he accepts despite being ill-prepared for the journey.

Traveling down a snowy and icy road, Bryan gets waylaid after accidentally hitting a woman crossing the road. His attempt to save her jump starts a series of adventures in which he tries his best to survive in the face of an onslaught of numerous zombie-like people and creatures. All the while, Bryan is hellbent on completing his delivery at all costs.

Cregger, who co-wrote the film with Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 4), is in complete command of the tone of the movie from minute one. Leaning into his comedy background, Cregger aims for humor first, with both horror and non-horror moments eliciting laughs. One of the biggest pleasures of the film is the way Bryan — who more often than not is by himself — mutters incredulously after experiencing yet another unbelievable incident. His reactions feel close to how a real person would be acting in such an extreme situation, giving the audience a dose of needed relief.

The episodic nature of the story also allows the film to play out like a video game without it ever feeling stilted. Every scene is like a new level of the game for Bryan as he faces increasingly difficult situations and monsters along the way. He gets some help from characters played by Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser, and Zach Cherry, but he’s mostly on his own, figuring out how to use guns and improvising ways to avoid or attack opponents.

What Cregger seems to understand better than most filmmakers who have adapted video games into films is how to pay tribute to the series without becoming too much about fan service. There are references aplenty to the different games, but the movie works just as well even if you’ve never played a single second. There is no shortage of tense situations, blood-soaked scenes, and outrageous imagery — and Cregger knows how to stage all of it to maximum effect.

Abrams is dynamite in the film, using understated line readings to make Bryan both funny and relatable. After being on the verge of breaking out for years, Abrams just might do so with this and the upcoming Whalefall. The appearances by Reis, Hauser, Cherry, Johnno Wilson, and others don’t last long, but each does a great job in helping the film keep the story going.

Cregger is now three-for-three in his young career, making films that both pay tribute to and subvert horror conventions at the same time. Resident Evil is a blast for fans of the genre, featuring a great lead character, a slew of memorable moments, and indelible visuals that might haunt your dreams.

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Resident Evil opens in theaters on September 18.

film movies resident evil

10-stage Mania

The Insider’s Guide to iFest: Five things you can't miss this weekend, includingfree kids day

Movie Review

Resident Evil reboot delivers blood, guts, and big laughs for horror fans

$1 million renovation aims to earn Pearland steakhouse a Michelin star

2 top Texas universities rank among world's best for entrepreneurs

Food & Wine's Best New Chef list includes Gulf Coast-obsessed Houstonian