weekend event planner

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

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Have some candy, snap a selfie at the Candy Factory pop-up.

Photo by Getty Images

It's Memorial Day Weekend, which means summer has officially started. But while some may venture to your nearest waterpark, others may just wanna stay as dry as your favorite wine.

Luckily, Saturday is National Wine Day and The Union Kitchen is offering half-off all wine glasses and deep discounts on high-end bottles including Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon ($60), Prisoner Red Blend ($40) and Director’s Cut ($25), at all its locations.

Here's what else is happening this weekend:

Thursday, May 23

William Forsythe: Choreographic Objects at the MFAH
There are two famous William Forsythes: One is the popular character actor who has played heavies and bad guys in everything from Dick Tracy to The Devil's Rejects to Boardwalk Empire. The other is an acclaimed choreographer who has created this new exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Blurring the lines between performance, sculpture, video and installation, this exhibit invites you to connect to the organizing principles of choreography. It will run through September 15. 10 am.

Office Space at Greenway Plaza
There is one major reason why Houstonians should be proud of Office Space, Mike Judge's workplace satire/cult classic that is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year (and will have an outdoor screening at Greenway Plaza). While it was mostly shot in Judge's Austin homebase, the movie has a gangsta-rap soundtrack that mostly features tracks from legendary H-Town rappers Scarface and The Geto Boys. So, props to Judge for giving local gangsta-rap icons some on-screen love. 5 pm.

Friday, May 24

A Trip to the Candy Factory at Calhoun RoofTop Bar & Grill
Who doesn't love candy? Sure, they're little pieces of sugar-filled temptation you feel guilty eating afterwards, but they're still fun, edible delights. The Pop Up Connoisseurs are hoping a lot of people with sweet teeth will attend this pop-up that runs through Monday. It's an interactive, Insta-worthy, Willy-Wonka-themed experience that will feature specialized drinks, small tapas, 3D photo booth, souvenirs, a candy wall, swag bags, and more. Noon.

Juvenile and Mystikal at Arena Theatre
Once upon a time, New Orleans MCs Juvenile and Mystikal were the toasts of Southern hip-hop. Back in the day, Juvenile was the star of the Cash Money Records crew (a crew that included a young Lil Wayne), turning out bangers like "Back That Azz Up." Meanwhile, the aggressively fast-talking Mystikal was one of No Limit's soldiers, dropping hits like "Shake Ya Ass." They now have joined forces for a tour, certain to make audiences do things with their posteriors. 8:30 pm.

Saturday, May 25

Kickin' Kombucha Taproom and Tea Shop Grand Opening
Locally based health-drink brewery Kickin' Kombucha will celebrate the grand opening of its recently redesigned taproom and tea shop. Eighth Wonder Brewery, Cruiser Coffee, and Highway Vodka will be there providing drinks, while Mr. Donut will have donuts and kolaches in the morning, and Food Music Life Food Truck will be there for lunch. There will also be a raffle where you can win free kombucha for a year, a case of your very own custom flavor, and other prizes. 9:30 am to 3 pm.

How Rednecks Saved Hollywood: An Evening with Joe Bob Briggs at Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra
It's always fun when Joe Bob Briggs, America's foremost drive-in movie critic, shows up around these parts. The last time he was here, he hosted a holiday-themed, horror double feature. Now, he's back to show how much rednecks are a part of Hollywood history. He'll host a two-hour clip show that basically reviews the history of rednecks in America, as told through the classics of both grindhouse and mainstream movies. 7:30 pm.

Sunday, May 26

Ultimate Kolache Pop Up at Pearl Bar Houston
What is it about kolaches that Houstonians can't get enough of? If you're a kolache fiend, Sinfull Bakery, Yeti Sunshine Shaved Ice and Pearl Bar Houston are joined forces for a brunch-time, kolache feast that will benefit Hatch Montrose Center's Rapid Re-Housing program for LGBTQ homeless youth. 11 am to 4 pm.

Trippin tha Love Family Reunion at The Secret Group
Two decades ago, Trippin tha Love was a weekly dance party for grown-up rave kids who still crave some house grooves. It brought out the best DJs, both locally and nationally. But, after two years of business, the party unfortunately came to an end. This weekend, the party is returning for a special reunion extravaganza. All of the city's heaviest hitters — from Kung Fu Pimp to Brotha Jibril to dance vocalist Karina Nistal — will get back together to keep the party going all day long. 3 pm to 3 am.

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Movie Review

Star TV producer James L. Brooks stumbles with meandering movie Ella McCay

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios

Emma Mackey in Ella McCay.

The impact that writer/director/producer James L. Brooks has made on Hollywood cannot be understated. The 85-year-old created The Mary Tyler Moore Show, personally won three Oscars for Terms of Endearment, and was one of the driving forces behind The Simpsons, among many other credits. Now, 15 years after his last movie, he’s back in the directing chair with Ella McCay.

The similarly-named Emma Mackey plays Ella, a 34-year-old lieutenant governor of an unnamed state in 2008 who’s on the verge of becoming governor when Governor Bill (Albert Brooks) gets picked to be a member of the president’s Cabinet. What should be a happy time is sullied by her needy husband, Ryan (Jack Lowden), her agoraphobic brother, Casey (Spike Fearn), and her perpetually-cheating father, Eddie (Woody Harrelson).

Despite the trio of men competing to bring her down, Ella remains an unapologetic optimist, an attitude bolstered by her aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), her assistant Estelle (Julie Kavner), and her police escort, Trooper Nash (Kumail Nanjiani). The film follows her over a few days as she navigates the perils of governing, the distractions her family brings, and the expectations being thrust upon her by many different people.

Brooks, who wrote and directed the film, is all over the place with his storytelling. What at first seems to be a straightforward story about Ella and her various issues soon starts meandering into areas that, while related to Ella, don’t make the film better. Prime among them are her brother and father, who are given a relatively small amount of screentime in comparison to the importance they have in her life. This is compounded by a confounding subplot in which Casey tries to win back his girlfriend, Susan (Ayo Edebiri).

Then there’s the whole political side of the story, which never finds its focus and is stuck in the past. Though it’s never stated explicitly, Ella and Governor Bill appear to be Democrats, especially given a signature program Ella pushes to help mothers in need. But if Brooks was trying to provide an antidote to the current real world politics, he doesn’t succeed, as Ella’s full goals are never clear. He also inexplicably shows her boring her fellow lawmakers to tears, a strange trait to give the person for whom the audience is supposed to be rooting.

What saves the movie from being an all-out train wreck is the performances of Mackey and Curtis. Mackey, best known for the Netflix show Sex Education, has an assured confidence to her that keeps the character interesting and likable even when the story goes downhill. Curtis, who has tended to go over-the-top with her roles in recent years, tones it down, offering a warm place of comfort for Ella to turn to when she needs it. The two complement each other very well and are the best parts of the movie by far.

Brooks puts much more effort into his female actors, including Kavner, who, even though she serves as an unnecessary narrator, gets most of the best laugh lines in the film. Harrelson is capable of playing a great cad, but his character here isn’t fleshed out enough. Fearn is super annoying in his role, and Lowden isn’t much better, although that could be mostly due to what his character is called to do. Were it not for the always-great Brooks and Nanjiani, the movie might be devoid of good male performances.

Brooks has made many great TV shows and movies in his 60+ year career, but Ella McCay is a far cry from his best. The only positive that comes out of it is the boosting of Mackey, who proves herself capable of not only leading a film, but also elevating one that would otherwise be a slog to get through.

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Ella McCay opens in theaters on December 12.

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