weekend event planner

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

Shake it up at the Houston Museum of Natural Science with Mixers & Elixirs.

It's definitely going to be a colorful few days. Houston Pride Weekend kicks off Saturday with LGBTQ-friendly parties, events, and, of course, the Houston Pride Festival and Parade, starting at noon.

Of course, other fun things will be happening this weekend, such as a colorful luau for dogs and the opening of a glam fashion photography exhibit.

Thursday, June 20

Hampton Water Rosé Happy Hour at a'Bouzy
Could there be a fancier name brand for a rosé than Hampton Water Rose? This new wine, which has been described as "a floral, fresh, and lively rosé, with distinctive minerality, made from Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Grenache grape varieties" is the work of former Notre Dame football player Jesse Bongiovi (Jon Bon Jovi's son) and former Norte Dame hockey player Ali Thomas. Bongiovi and Thomas will be at a'Bouzy, popping bottles for the spot's happy hour at 4 pm. 3-6:30 pm.

Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival opening night at Asia Society Texas Center
The city's Asian American & Pacific Islander Film Fest starts up this weekend, entering the 15th year of its legacy and tradition of sharing a celebration of art, film, and music from the AAPI community with Houstonians. More than 50 features and shorts will be shown (at Houston Marriott Westchase) during this nine-day fest. As for opening night, it will feature the Houston premiere of Jay Chern's Omotenashi, followed by a Private VIP Reception with a special Q&A with the director. 6 pm.

Friday, June 21

Consulate General of India presents International Day of Yoga
Friday is the fifth-annual International Day of Yoga (IDY), and the Consulate General of India, Houston, in collaboration with Friends of Yoga, is organizing several events across Texas. Houston will have its IDY celebration over on the lawns of Midtown Park, with a demonstration of some of the more difficult yoga postures (asanas) and a cultural program. There will also be an IDY event at Town Green Park, hosted by the Hindu Temple of the Woodlands, on Saturday. 6-7:30 pm. (7:30-10 am Saturday).

Mixers & Elixirs at Houston Museum of Natural Science
The HMNS has some interesting things planned for its monthly Mixers & Elixirs soiree this summer. Things kick off with "Gone Country," featuring Houston singer-songwriter Max Flinn playing country hits from the '80s and '90s. (DJ Dame Hype will also provide tunes in the paleo hall.) There will also be cash bars and the city’s best food trucks, including Coffee Q, Geaux Texan, Waffle Bus, and Coreanos. 7-10 pm.

Saturday, June 22

BYOD Houston Luau Pawty at The Dogwood
The dog-loving membership community known as BYOD (Bring Your Own Dog) is throwing a luau for H-Town dogs and their owners. Of course, the attire is Hawaiian shirts, hula skirts, and leis — for both pets and owners. BYOD members can get in for free (and also receive $5 Deep Eddy Vodka and $3 domestic bottles), while non-BYOD members can also show up with their furry BFFs. (They're gonna have to pay $10.) 6:30-8:30 pm.

Trevor Noah at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
It's been four years now — can we all admit that Trevor Noah has done an, if not exceptional, then acceptable job handling the anchor duties over at The Daily Show? Sure, he's not as righteously angry as Jon Stewart, but Noah is more of a laid-back hell raiser. Coming from South Africa, Noah has always been more amused by our country and its general ineptitude. He's certain to discuss that more when he performs here, as part of his Loud & Clear Tour. 7:30 pm.

Sunday, June 23

"Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography" opening day at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
With the recent passing of fashion model/designer/all-around icon Gloria Vanderbilt still lingering in the pop-culture consciousness, it makes us wonder if she'll be a prominent figure in the MFAH's newest exhibit "Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography." More than 200 photographs will be on display, featuring everyone from Beyonce to Audrey Hepburn to Grace Jones to Salt-N-Pepa. (And, we're hoping, Anderson Cooper's beloved mom.) On display through September 22. 12:15 pm.

I Wanna Hold Your Hand at Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra
Robert Zemeckis is a filmmaker who has made such popular, visually revolutionary summer blockbusters as Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and the Oscar-winning Forrest Gump. But you don't hear much about the first movie he ever did, the 1978, Steven Spielberg-produced ensemble comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand. More people should know more about this flick, one of the funniest accounts of the insanity of stateside Beatlemania ever made. 3 pm.

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Movie Review

Daniel Craig shines in Queer, an unapologetic tale of love and loss

Photo courtesy of A24

Drew Starkey and Daniel Craig in Queer.

As recently as the late 2010s, if a movie was made about an LGBTQ+ character, it was more than likely about their coming out experience. Romance, if it existed, was typically chaste, and actual sex was almost completely out of the question. Things have changed dramatically in the 2020s, to the point that a major movie star has no issue starring in a film called Queer.

Based on the 1985 novella by William S. Burroughs, the film features William Lee (Daniel Craig), whom everyone calls just Lee, a writer living in 1950s-era Mexico City who spends most of his time haunting local bars with friends like fellow writer Joe Guidry (Jason Schwartzman) and hitting on younger men. His early interactions in the film seem to indicate that Lee has a bad reputation within the local gay community, as multiple people avoid him or give him odd looks.

Lee senses an opportunity when he encounters a newcomer, Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey). Despite some awkward interactions, the two of them start spending time together, although Lee has much more invested in the relationship than Eugene does. Their hit-and-miss bond continues until Lee, who’s starting to get into drugs in addition to the booze, convinces Eugene to accompany him on a trip to South America.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes (making their second straight film together after Challengers), early on the film seems to be mostly about the divide between an older person who’s grown comfortable in his ways and a younger person who’s living a relatively carefree life. The introduction of drugs into the plot changes things, though, with Lee searching out more ways to open his eyes to what the world has to offer.

Guadagnino and his team use some interesting visual storytelling techniques to introduce ideas that may not be present in the actual script. The most successful, demonstrated in multiple scenes, is the superimposition of movements by Lee over what’s actually taking place in the scene. The subtle overlay gives the audience insight into Lee’s true feelings, showing what he can’t or won’t say out loud.

Music also plays a big part in how the plot is perceived, with the use of anachronistic songs from Nirvana and Prince serving to heighten certain moments. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is not as in-your-face as the one they did for Challengers, but it complements the film well, especially when the plot starts to get trippy in its final half hour.

Craig, who appears sweaty and disheveled for much of the film, is about as far from the suaveness of James Bond as you can get in this role. He takes multiple risks with his performance and almost all of them pay off. Starkey’s character is subdued by comparison, but still comes off well. Schwartzman and Lesley Manville are given showy roles, with both using altered appearances that make them nearly unrecognizable to deliver memorable performances.

Queer is not as accessible as Challengers was storytelling-wise, but the fact that it tells a story about gay men living their lives as they see fit with no interference or questions shows how far the film world has come in a short period of time. It also continues Guadagnino’s streak of making audacious films in a way that few other filmmakers are willing or able to approach.

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Queer is now playing in theaters.

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