Party in the U.S.A.

The Procrastinator's Guide to the Fourth of July

Fourth of July isn't just about fireworks in Houston.
La Torretta Lake Resort is offering a special getaway package.
Photo by Thomas Hart Shelby

The recipe for a good Independence Day is pretty simple: Barbecue + bathing suit = backyard bliss.

But there's no reason not to take this holiday weekend up a notch. Luckily, CultureMap's got the round-up of all the happenings, from posh to patriotic, to have a most festive Fourth.

- The big event every year is the Freedom Over Texas concert and fireworks at Eleanor Tinsley Park from 4-10 p.m. on July 4. In addition to being the largest land-based fireworks demonstration in the country, the concert is headlined by Texas country crooner Pat Green.

- Neighboring Baytown's Fourth of July Festival is set to one-up Houston with two days of sun, fun and music Saturday and Sunday. The big draw will be Saturday night at 8 p.m. when '70s legends Blue Oyster Cult take the stage.

- For a party in a more posh setting on July 4, head to CityCentre, where retro cover band Video Vamp will entertain shoppers before a fireworks show.

- If fireworks means a day at the lake, do it in style on Lake Conroe with La Torretta Lake Resort's July 4th Fireworks Cruise Package. It includes a night in a one-bedroom suite and two tickets on the "Little Palm," an 80-foot luxury houseboat cruiser, for a two-hour trip on the lake. The cruise features a variety of hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar — and culminates in a fireworks display overhead.

- Fans of dogs and sports alike shouldn't miss national touring event DockDogs when it comes to Discovery Green Friday through Sunday. Dogs of all size, stripe and breed compete in a long jump from a 20-foot runway into a 40-foot pool, with winners crowned in height, speed and retrieval time categories. This is a truly athletic competition, with some jumps catching over 24 feet of air!

- Show your patriotism in your drink order this weekend. Cyclone Anaya's is offering the Independence Margarita, with frozen margaritas, Chambord and Blue Curaçao striped in a pilsner glass.

Or grab the fresh and fruity Stars and Stripes Martini at RA Sushi, a mix of muddled blueberries, Skyy Citrus vodka, Chambord, Blue Curacao, lemonade, simple syrup and lemon-lime soda. At the newly refurbished 5115 in the Galleria, guests can sip Patriotic punch, a mix of Tito's vodka, Railean rum, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, and enjoy it with the All-American Dog — a Kobe beef hot dog served with four-cheese mac and cheese and freedom fries.

- Branch Water Tavern is getting in on the celebration with its First Annual Fourth of July Pig Roast. On Sunday from 1-10 p.m., all comers who order a drink at the bar get a complimentary meal of roasted suckling pig with all-American sides and homemade biscuits. There are also other a la carte specials, like a Bombshell Blonde Beer and Kobe beef burger combo for $10.

- Randy Rucker's Bootsie's Heritage Cafe in Tomball is also breaking out the smoker, serving up a backyard barbecue menu of pulled pork, duck and beef brisket all weekend.

- Pico's Mex-Mex is having a north-of-the-border buffet on July 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. For $12.95, you get all-you-can-eat grilled pork, beef and chicken, sliders, and hot dogs, plus $5 bottomless mimosas and $2.75 micheladas.

- History buffs looking for a holiday that's more Independence Day than Fourth of July should head to Bayou Bend for its annual extravaganza of Americana, with historical performers, activities, crafts and refreshments, plus a Texas-sized Declaration of Independence to put your John Hancock on.

- Looking for cultural history of a different sort? Don't miss the Shen Yun Performing Arts, dancers reinvigorating 5,000 years of Chinese cultural patrimony in a dazzling display. They'll be in Houston for three shows Friday and Saturday at the Wortham Theater Center.

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Movie Review

Over-the-top thriller The Housemaid revels in camp, chaos, and excess

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney in The Housemaid.

Both Amanda Seyfried (the upcoming The Testament of Ann Lee) and Sydney Sweeney (Christy) are starring in movies with Oscar ambitions this year. By sheer coincidence, the two actors are also co-starring in The Housemaid, a thriller coming out within weeks of their more ambitious works, one that is likely to be seen by many more people than those prestige plays.

Sweeney is given top billing as Millie, a down-on-her-luck ex-convict looking to land any type of job so as not to break her parole. She finds a too-good-to-be-true lifeboat with Nina (Seyfried), who hires her to be a housemaid for her large house on Long Island, where she lives with her husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and daughter, Cecilia (Indiana Elle).

After a warm interview, Nina almost immediately becomes highly erratic, whipping back-and-forth between happy-go-lucky and rageful. It seems clear that Nina is suffering from mental health issues, as she’ll often accuse Millie of misplacing or stealing items that she didn’t take. Andrew, apparently used to Nina’s tirades, tries to protect Millie from the worst, something that grows increasingly difficult as Nina ups the ante.

Directed by Paul Feig (A Simple Favor) and adapted by Rebecca Sonnenshine from the bestselling book by Freida McFadden, the film is likely the trashiest mainstream movie to come out in 2025. The first half of the movie relies not on story but on moments as Nina embodies the word “hysterical” to an unbelievable extent. The resigned acceptance of the abuse by Millie, as well as the saintly patience of Andrew, make almost every scene laughable, as nobody seems to be acting anywhere close to how a person would normally react to such extreme situations.

The scenes and the performance of Seyfried are so over-the-top, in fact, that it’s clear that the filmmakers are in on the joke. It’s next to impossible not to have a little bit of fun while watching the actors react to outrageous incidents as if nothing is out of the ordinary. The worse Nina acts, the more Millie and Andrew retreat into their chosen roles, and the funnier the film becomes.

Fans of the book will know that the story changes course, eventually turning into a more stereotypical thriller that also has some relatively gnarly visuals to offer. But the trashiness continues, with Sweeney’s, um, assets repeatedly on display in both clothed and unclothed ways. The sex appeal of the R-rated movie makes it an outlier, as recent studio films have shied away from asking their big stars to disrobe completely.

Both Seyfried and Sweeney are far from their Oscar hopeful roles here. Seyfried is given free rein to act as brazenly as she pleases, and she takes full advantage of that ability. Sweeney seems to have been told to be much more reserved, and unfortunately that results in too many wooden line readings. Sklenar continues his breakout streak (It Ends with Us, Drop) with a role that allows him to show more range than either Seyfried or Sweeney.

The Housemaid is an unusual type of movie to be released at a time of year when most films are either those aiming for awards or more family-friendly fare. Despite its many flaws, it’s still an enjoyable watch that features a variety of crazy scenarios not typically seen in movies nowadays.

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The Housemaid is now playing in theaters.

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Movie Review

Over-the-top thriller The Housemaid revels in camp, chaos, and excess