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

Fun visuals can't save The Magic Faraway Tree's meager plot

Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Andrew Garfield, Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Claire Foy, Phoenix Laroche, and Billie Gadson in The Magic Faraway Tree.

With kids and families always on the hunt for entertainment, it’s typically a safe bet for a movie studio to offer up something new, even if it is a film based on an old property. The Magic Faraway Tree, based on a series of books that started in the 1930s, is a very old property, one that its filmmakers have tried to liven up with a few stars, a lot of whimsy, and a boatload of CGI.

The Thompson family, led by stay-at-home dad Tim (Andrew Garfield) and breadwinner mom Polly (Claire Foy), are forced to move to a rundown country home when Polly gets laid off. The kids — Joe (Phoenix Laroche), Fran (Billie Gadson), and Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy) — are used to the perks of city life like wifi and electricity, and each of them rebels in their own way to their new lot in life.

Fran, enticed by a fairy named Silky (Nicola Coughlan), is the first to venture out of the house, making her way to a magic tree that transports her to a world full of strange characters like Moonface (Nonso Anozie), Saucepan Man (Dustin Demri-Burns), Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning), and more. Her adventures there not only broaden the world she thought she knew, but may be the key to helping her ailing family.

Directed by Ben Gregor and written by Simon Farnaby (Paddington 2, Wonka), the film is a pleasant enough lark, but it fails to fully capture the imagination. The five-member family has a lot going on, from an initially-mute Fran to a domestic situation that raises more questions than it answers. The film tries to incorporate an anti-technology message through Tim’s hatred of a smart refrigerator (voiced by Judi Dench!) and the kids' addictions to devices, but it’s quickly shed in favor of other options.

Once Fran makes it to the Magic Faraway Tree, there’s a nice shift in the storytelling, but it’s unclear what the ultimate goal is. It’s a good idea to have Fran, the youngest of the children, convince her older, more cynical siblings about the virtues of the magic world, but the conflict in the real world doesn’t seem to rise to the level needed for the escape the tree provides.

There also seems to be a missing link in the storytelling for viewers to understand the importance of the fantastical characters. The visuals of seeing Moonface and his crescent moon-shaped hair, a man with a suit full of banging pots, and more are fun for a while, but not enough to carry the whole film. A last-minute revelation feels like it was something that should have been disclosed much earlier to help strengthen the emotions of the story.

A two-time Oscar nominee, Garfield is making his first foray into family movies (if you don’t count playing Spider-Man), and while he does a good job, he doesn’t make the best fit for the semi-goofy role. The same goes for the Emmy-winning Foy, who isn’t given much of anything to do. The movie puts the story on the shoulders of the three child actors, and while each of them acquit themselves well, none of them are so outstanding as to be noteworthy.

With nearly 90-year-old source material, The Magic Faraway Tree needed to be something truly special to stand out in the 21st century movie world. Unfortunately, it features a mostly forgettable story that features some fun visuals, a couple of cute kids, and not much else.

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The Magic Faraway Tree is now playing in theaters.

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