weekend event planner

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

Bun B (center) hosts Houston's hottest food event Thursday.

Photo by Jacob Power

If you're in the mood for some fine, culinary delights, this weekend will not disappoint.

First off, the CultureMap Houston Tastemaker Awards, CultureMap's signature, in-person tasting event and awards ceremony, will be going down at Silver Street Studios on Thursday night.

And since Sunday is National Wine & Cheese Day, Mutiny Wine Room will be offering up a tasting of four goat cheeses of different ages paired with a different wine for each cheese. The special flight of wine and cheese will be available Saturday and Sunday for $37.

Aside from the city's hottest food awards event and tasty Sunday offerings, look for hilarious comedians, an engaging art opening, a hot wine festival, geeky comic fun, and a gripping play. Here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, July 22

Rothko Chapel presents Our Moral Obligation: Ensuring the Dignity of All
Rothko Chapel will present its first virtual lecture in their Beyond the Rhetoric: Civil Rights & Our Shared Responsibility summer lecture series, featuring the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, president and senior lecturer for Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign. In this virtual conversation, Barber will address his perspectives on civil rights in the United States through a moral and faith-based lens. 6 pm.

Improv Houston presents Mark Normand
If you've never heard of Mark Normand, you gotta check him out this weekend. Through his relentlessly punchy writing and expert delivery, he's quickly becoming one of the most talked-about comedians on the scene. He recently self-released a one-hour special, Out To Lunch, on YouTube. A veteran of the late-night shows, Normand also has his own podcast, Tuesdays with Stories. 8 pm (7:30 and 9:45 pm Friday; 9:30 pm Saturday).

Friday, July 23

Galactic Events presents Comic Conroe
Y'all had Comicpalooza last weekend — now here comes another geekfest! Comic Conroe will be the first-ever comic convention in North Houston, gathering comic, anime, and sci-fi fans for an exciting and star-studded event. The weekend features over 5,000 square feet of panels and workshops, celebrity autographs, vendors, cosplay meet-ups and costume contests, and an open area for gaming. Celebrity guests will include Kevin Sorbo and Booker T, among others. Noon (9 am Saturday and 10 am Sunday).

A.D. Players presents 18 Birthdays
Starring Jennifer and Kevin Dean and written by Apollo 8 playwright Jayme McGhan, 18 Birthdays follows one evening with Ben and Viv, a married couple waiting to adopt and processing through the what-might-have-beens. This original play explores the complexity of marriage, loss, love, redemption, and God's ability to bring hope to broken places. The production will be available to stream at any time through Friday, August 6. 7 pm.

Miller Outdoor Theatre presents Live in Central Park Revisited: James Taylor
The transcendent harmonies of Lee Lessack and Johnny Rodgers pay homage to the unique artistry and indelible music of James Taylor. Guests can relive the incredible moment in 1979 when the renowned Taylor played live in Central Park. Favorites like “Carolina in My Mind,” “Walking Man,” and “Sweet Baby James” will all be rendered by Lessack and Rodgers. All we hope is that they better do our favorite JT song! 8:30 pm.

Saturday, July 24

2021 Houston Trap Wine Fest
Trap Wine Fest is back for its third year and this is gonna be the best one yet. They will be turning Grooves Restaurant & Lounge and the entire block into the livest wine festival you'll ever see. Entertain your classy and rachet sides at one fun-filled event. With 20 different wines to sip, Houston's top DJs in the mix playing all the trap hits, trendy local chefs, games and activities, you know its about to go down. 3 pm.

Caldera Music + Art Experience at East End Backyard
Caldera (not to be confused with the jazz fusion band from the '70s) is a music and arts festival in the heart of east downtown (aka EaDo) Houston. It takes place annually in the month of July under a full moon. This year, the Work in Progress Movement is presenting five local bands and six graphic artists at this primarily outdoor event, complete with food trucks and two fully stocked and staffed bars. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Houston chapter of Mental Health America. 3:30 pm.

The Grogan Gallery Grand Opening Reception
We don't know if you've heard, but Jack Rabbit Gallery now goes by the Grogan Gallery. (We're assuming the new title comes from the gallery's founder, Jodi Groganto.) The gallery is delighted to welcome guests to their new location in the Houston Design District. The reception will be held this Saturday at 7800 Washington Ave., featuring both new and familiar works from the gallery’s represented artists. 6 pm.

Sunday, July 25

Basketmouth at Ebony House of Vibes Houston
Who is ready for Basketmouth? You don't know who the hell is Basketmouth, you say? Why, Basketmouth (real name: Bright Okpocha) is one of the most popular comedians in Nigeria. In fact, when he was in Houston in 2015, former mayor Annise Parker declared July 17 as Basketmouth Day in Houston. This was for his "commitment on bringing our community together through comedy." He will be back in Texas this weekend, performing in Dallas on Saturday and Houston this Sunday. 4 pm.

Two Headed Dog Anniversary Market
For the second event in its anniversary week, beloved Midtown watering hole Two Headed Dog is bringing their monthly market back with a little of everything. Check out the vendors: Janglin' Jack with the vintage goods; Backseat Love with the amazing illustrative wares; Feral Boy with its custom knives; MiddyMade with the apothecary. As always, parking in lot is free for patrons — just tell the attendant. Also, plenty of parking down Fannin. 4 pm.

event-planner

Movie Review

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck square off in Netflix crime thriller The Rip

Photo by Claire Folger/Netflix

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in The Rip.

For as closely tied together as Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are, it might come as a surprise how few times they’ve led a movie together. They’ve appeared alongside each other in Good Will Hunting, The Last Duel, and Air, but the only time they were on equal footing in a story was Kevin Smith’s Dogma. So the fact that they are the two true stars of the new Netflix movie The Rip makes it a rare opportunity for the longtime friends to square off against each other.

Damon and Affleck play Lt. Dane Dumars and Detective Sgt. J.D Byrne, respectively, the two highest ranking members of a Miami police department squad that specializes in drug and drug money raids. A tragedy to begin the film already has the team — which includes Detectives Mike Ro (Steven Yeun), Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), and Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandina Moreno) — on edge, with the FBI and DEA breathing down their neck.

Going off a tip, Dumars gathers the team to raid a house in nearby Hialeah that is supposed to have a stash of a relatively small amount of money. But when they get to the house occupied only by Desiree Molina (Sasha Calle), they discover close to $20 million. The team, required by law to count the money on site, must not only fight the urge to skim a little off the top for themselves, but also worry about the Cartel and other agencies that might want a slice of the pie.

Written and directed by Joe Carnahan, the film is a surprisingly effective crime thriller made even better by its high-quality cast, which also includes Kyle Chandler as a DEA agent. The story is designed for the audience to not know who’s trustworthy until the last possible second, and the various twists and turns it takes are well done, with barely a hint of narrative cheating.

Taking place entirely at night, the mood is set right from the start, with the only surprise being that Carnahan didn’t add in rain for extra effect. He keeps things tense with a number of subtle elements, including having the house located in a seemingly deserted cul-de-sac. This allows for the characters to remain on high alert at all times, with anything out of the ordinary — an unexpected noise, a flashing light, etc. — adding to the stress of the situation.

The only element that could have used a bit more of a punch-up is the characterization. The story is set up to cast suspicion on almost everybody, making it tougher to understand exactly what type of person each of them is. As the two leads, more time is spent with Dumars and Byrne, leaving everyone else with slightly underwhelming arcs. It’s to the credit of the actors that everyone else below Damon and Affleck is still compelling.

Damon and Affleck play their sometimes friendly, sometimes adversarial roles well, showing an ease together that’s a result of their friendship and the acting skills they’ve honed over 30+ years. Taylor, an Oscar hopeful for One Battle After Another, and Oscar nominee/Emmy winner Yeun have a pedigree that elevates their supporting roles. Chandler, Moreno, and Calle each get just enough to demonstrate why they were cast in their respective roles.

Damon and Affleck have had their individual ups and downs throughout their careers, but when they choose to work together, the results are usually good-to-great, as they are in The Rip. It’s a different take on a crime thriller that features a story that will keep viewers guessing until the very end.

---

The Rip is now streaming on Netflix.

movies