weekend event planner

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

Drink for the flag and veterans at The Rustic.

The Rustic/Facebook

This weekend, everyone will celebrate a day that's as American as baseball, apple pie, and Dear Ol' Mom: National Fried Chicken Day (gotcha).

Saturday will be the day where people can dig into greasy, delicious yardbirds without guilt. Several local eateries already have some succulent meal deals prepared for this day. (Our favorite is the double-donut fried chicken sandwich, fries, and a drink for $10 over at Sam's Fried Chicken & Donuts.)

Here are some other things happening this week. And, by the way, the Fourth of July is this weekend, too. Happy Independence Day to all!

Thursday, July 4

Kidpendence Day at the Children's Museum of Houston
As part of the Children's Museum of Houston's "Action-Packed Summer," the museum will have a very special Independence Day, called Kidpendence Day. Among the special attractions: a National Anthem/flag ceremony with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, an elephant toothpaste patriotic blast (whatever that is), and Captain America and Wonder Woman will be around for photos. Don't forget to wear your red, white, and blue! 10 am.

Drink the Flag at The Rustic
Get buzzed for a good cause at this Fourth of July event. Drink the Flag will raise funds and awareness for the Lone Survivor Foundation's mission to restore, empower, and renew hope for wounded service members, veterans, and their families through health, wellness, and therapeutic support. There will be live music from Brandon Smith, Jeremy Webb, and the Whiskey Daniels Band, and all U.S. military attendees will receive a complimentary Rustic burger. 1 pm.

Friday, July 5

Elizabeth Warren at University of Houston
With the 4,000 or so candidates angling to be the one who goes up against the president in 2020, Elizabeth Warren seems to be one of the few Democrats who actually generates some buzz. In fact, she'll be here this weekend, holding a town hall at University of Houston, talking more about her presidential plans and, hopefully, discussing how Kamala Harris basically bodied Joe Biden at that last debate. 4:45 pm.

Amazing Grace at the MFAH
One of the best movies so far this year was actually made nearly 50 years ago. In 1972, the late director Sydney Pollack filmed Aretha Franklin, the recently departed Queen of Soul, as she recorded her Grammy-winning, live gospel album at Los Angeles' New Bethel Baptist Church. This film, which hit theaters earlier this year, not only captures Franklin at her electrifying best. You also get to see the audience — look out for Mick Jagger in the crowd — getting the Holy Spirit along with her. 7 pm (2 pm and 5 pm Sunday).

Saturday, July 6

Splice Records 5th Anniversary Party at The Continental Club
Local trans-genre label Splice Records will be going all-out for its fifth-anniversary party this weekend. Not only will there be performances from Splice artists Arthur Yoria, Ancient Cat Society, Bayou City Funk, and Tomar and the FCs, but this shindig will also serve as a kick-off party for Splice's fifth-annual River Revival Music Fest, which will happen on the Guadalupe River in September. DJ Mikey Drag will also spin tunes out on the patio. 7:30-11:30 pm.

Cholo Goth Prom at Grand Prize Bar
Stylist and self-proclaimed "Montrose Gothic Chola Princess" Sarah Victoria Castillo will turn 30 this weekend, and she'll celebrate her birthday the only way she knows how — with a Cholo Goth Prom. Join her upstairs at Grand Prize and dance to goth hits from Morrissey and Depeche Mode — as well as some classic, Houston/West Coast hip-hop sprinkled here and there — that'll be spun by DJ Squincy Jones. There will also be a prom photo booth, so prom gear is seriously encouraged. 9:30 pm to 2 am.

Sunday, July 7

Beach Bash & Drag Brunch at B.B. Lemon
There's a new eatery and bar on the Montrose block — and its name is B.B. Lemon. After opening its first location on Washington Avenue last November, B.B. Lemon is now expanding to Montrose Boulevard. To celebrate this new addition, the spot will throw a beach bash/drag brunch benefitting The Montrose Center. 100 percent of the ticket proceeds will support the Center in its mission to empower LGBTQ individuals and their families to enjoy healthier and more fulfilling lives. 11:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Open House closing day at Sam Houston Park
Sunday will be the official closing day for Havel Ruck Projects’ Open House, a small, abandoned abode that was transformed into an interactive, temporary public sculpture. This site-specific installation was scheduled to shut down earlier this year. But it seems like this attraction, where viewers are able to stroll through the house — the openings acting as peepholes to the present through the past — has been a very popular piece of public art. 7 am to 7 pm.

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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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weekend event planner

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

Movie Review

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

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