weekend event planner

Here are the top 10 things to do in Houston this weekend

Sebastian Maniscalo brings his brand of kooky comedy to town.

This weekend, cosplayers and comic-book will be flocking to Comicpalooza on Saturday and Sunday. Expect downtown Houston to be a straight-up geekapalooza.

However, for those with — shall we say a more "refined" — taste, Sunday is National Caviar Day. Several spots will be taking advantage of this with special caviar-related events, including The Annie Cafe and Bar, Turner's and Uchi Houston. Also, check out our National Caviar Day coverage here.

Also this weekend, look for a local theater's big event, beer-fueled bashes, a bar anniversary party, fun markets, and a red-hot comic coming to town. Here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, July 15

Express Theatre presents Rhyme & Reason
This virtual event will feature music, dance, and performance poetry, presenting Black history from ancient Africa to today. The production features poetry by Houston Poet Laureate Emeritus Deborah DEEP Mouton and members of her slam poetry team, with a special appearance by Lauren Anderson, the world’s first African American prima ballerina, from the Houston Ballet. There will also be a short Q&A with the cast. 10 am.

The Riot Comedy Show presents The Interruption with Tre Tutson
For those who have ever checked out went to LA and checked out The Benson Interruption, where comedian Doug Benson would interject other comics doing their sets on-stage, The Riot Comedy Show has something just like it. A hand-selected lineup of comedians have agreed to be interrupted in the middle of their performance by Tru Tutson, one of the most flippant, unfiltered, abrasive, and hilarious Houston comedians who always gets the last word in with these comics. 7:30 pm.

Friday, July 16

Big Trouble in Little China Watch Party & Beer Release
To celebrate the 35th Anniversary of John Carpenter's wacky 1986 adventure, Eureka Heights is showing the film on their new titan screen. Come early and grab yourself a good seat and pint or a 4-pack of their new Golden Six Shooter Golden Ale. They worked closely with co-star/man of many weapons himself Gerald Okamura on this brew. They will also be giving away autographed items and swag to a few lucky fans in attendance. 7 pm.

Sebastian Maniscalco: Nobody Does This Tour
Along with being perhaps the only comic to have a obsessed fan in E! personality Giuliana Rancic, Sebastian Maniscalco has celebrated heights only a few comedians ever achieve. In addition to his stand-out stand-up career, which has seen him headlines at arenas across the country, he has appeared in movies like Tag, Green Book, and The Irishman. He's now on the road, ready to make a stop in Houston as part of his Nobody Does This tour. 7 pm.

Theatre Southwest presents All in the Timing
All in the Timing is a collection of one-act plays by David Ives. The short plays are almost all comedies, which such titles as Words, Words, Words, Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread, and Variations on the Death of Trotsky. These plays focus mainly on language and wordplay, existentialist perspectives on life and meaning, as well as the complications involved in romantic relationships. This will run through Saturday, July 31. 8 pm. (3 pm Sunday).

Saturday, July 17

Brews & Browse Art Market
Bring the family out to the Ingenious Brewing Co Brewing Company (where they have some monthly events as a night of beer and lobster!) and join them for this new, monthly gathering full of beer, food, art, and handmade fun. They will have a full selection of beer on tap, wine by the glass and bottled soda for sale. GastroCraft will be serving up some delicious grub to satisfy your hunger. And let's not forget all the art vendors that will be selling all their creative stuff. Noon.

Revelry on Richmond 7 Year Anniversary Party
Revelry is going all-in for their seven-year anniversary party this weekend. They'll also be celebrating surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, and want to give thanks to everyone that helped support them. The sports bar will turn into a casino for the night with fun games like blackjack, craps, roulette, and more. They will also be raffling off cool raffle prizes throughout the night, such as Astros tickets, a two-night stay at the Heights House Hotel, a foursome at Houston National Golf Club and much more. 7 pm.

Community Music Center of Houston presents Family Funk Festival
This funk celebration will be intergenerational, beginning in the 1970s to the present. Some of Houston’s great musicians, including Vivian Mosley and her band The Storm, will perform hits from Parliament, Funkadelic, George Clinton, and others. After intermission, Tweed Smith, a former member of the funk band War, will wow audiences with some of their greatest hits. The uniqueness of this concert is that it includes both classic and new songs in the world of funk. 8:30 pm.

Sunday, July 18

Legacy Community Health presents Mint Julep
For close to 40 years, Legacy has led the fight against HIV, opening its doors to the LGBTQ+ community in 1978 as the Montrose Clinic. Now in its 19th year, this legendary Houston LGBTQ event will honor Jani Lopez, a former Mint Julep chairperson and long-time supporter of Legacy's mission to drive healthy change. The event's integrated approach to care has helped give patients the opportunity to live healthier, more productive lives, and help end the spread of HIV. 10 am.

Cosmic Creature Events presents Solar Summer Food Fest
Located at the back patio of Social Beer Garden HTX, this is a celebration of all things: smoked and savory, spicy and sweet, cheesy and mouthwatering. But, mostly, this is an event made for Houstonians by Houstonians! They will have a plethora of local eats and sweets for you to enjoy. There will be plenty of options to fit every taste and diet. Bring your family and friends. Vegan options available. 6 pm.

event-planner

Movie Review

Timothée Chalamet cements star status in new movie Marty Supreme

Courtesy

Timothée Chalamet

In a time when true movie stars seem to be going extinct, Timothée Chalamet has emerged as an exception to the rule. Since 2021 he has headlined blockbusters like the two Dune movies and Wonka, and also earned an Oscar nomination for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown (his second nomination following 2018’s Call Me By Your Name). Now, he’s almost assured to get his third nomination for the stellar new film, Marty Supreme.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a world-class table tennis player living in New York. But reducing Marty to his best skill doesn’t do him justice, as he’s also a motormouth schemer who will do almost anything to achieve his dreams. He doesn’t have any qualms about wooing married women like neighbor Rachel (Odessa A’zion) or actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), or hiding his true ping pong skills to win money in scams with friends like Wally (Tyler the Creator).

Marty is seemingly on the go the entire movie, whether it’s trying to convince Kay’s millionaire husband Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) to fund his table tennis ambitions; or trying to track down the dog of Ezra (Abel Ferrara), a man he accidentally injures; or trying to avoid the ire of the boss at the shoe store where he works. Just when you think he might slow down, he’s off to the races on another plan or adventure.

Directed by Josh Safdie and written by Safdie and frequent co-writer Ronald Bronstein, the film is an almost continuous blast of pure energy for 2 ½ hours. So many different things happen over the course of the film that the story defies conventional narratives, and yet the throughline of Marty keeps everything tightly connected. His particular type of brash behavior turns much of the film into a comedy as he does and says things that are both shocking and thrilling.

Another thing that makes the movie sing is the fantastic characterization by Safdie and Bronstein. Almost every person who is given a speaking line in the film has a moment where they pop, which speaks to airtight dialogue that the writers have created. Characters will be introduced and then disappear for long stretches of time, and yet because they make such an impression the first time they’re on screen, it’s easy to pick up their thread right away.

Safdie, as he’s done previously with brother Bennie (Uncut Gems), calls on a host of well-known non-actors or people with interesting faces/vibes to inhabit supporting roles, and to a person they are crucial to the film’s success. O’Leary (of Shark Tank fame), rapper Tyler the Creator, director Ferrara, magician Penn Jillette, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi each deliver knockout performances. The relative unknowns who play smaller roles are just as impressive, making each beat of the film feel naturalistic.

Leading the way is the powerhouse performance by Chalamet. For one person to believably play both the famously reserved Dylan and also a firecracker like Marty is astonishing, and this role cements Chalamet’s status as his generation’s movie star. A’zion is a rising star who gets great moments as Marty’s on-again/off-again love interest. Paltrow pops in and out of the film, lighting up the screen every time she appears. Fran Drescher as Marty’s mom and Sandra Bernhard as a neighbor also pay dividends in small roles.

Josh Safdie’s first solo directorial effort is unlike any other movie this year, or maybe even this century. Thanks to its breakneck storytelling, a magnificent performance by Chalamet, and countless intangibles that Safdie employs expertly, the film smacks viewers in the face repeatedly and demands that they come back for more.

---

Marty Supreme opens in theaters on December 25.

movies film