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

Sheriff Bob Odenkirk is back in over-the-top new action movie 'Normal'

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Bob Odenkirk in Normal.

Screenwriter Derek Kolstad, who wrote the first three John Wick movies, has essentially had a blank check to do what he wants in the movie landscape since 2014. In recent years that has meant writing the action series Nobody for Bob Odenkirk, who has turned from a comedian into an unlikely action star in his sixties. Kolstad and Odenkirk are teaming up again in Normal.

A film that tries to evoke Fargo in multiple ways, Normal finds Ulysses Richardson (Odenkirk) serving as a temporary sheriff for the small town of Normal, Minnesota after the previous sheriff died. Knowing he’s just a steward until a new sheriff is elected, Ulysses takes a live-and-let-live approach to the job, letting the deputies (Ryan Allen and Billy MacLellan) do the grunt work and trying to stay out of everyone’s way, including Mayor Kibner (Henry Winkler).

A bank robbery attempt by two non-citizens upsets his best-laid plans in more ways than he can imagine. Not only is he forced to confront a crime not often seen in a town like Normal, but the robbery uncovers secrets that turn the film into an all-out bloodbath. Soon, almost everyone in town becomes involved in what comes to resemble a war, along with — you guessed it — Yakuza henchmen from Japan.

Directed by Ben Wheatley and written by Kolstad, the film is a slight twist on the everyman-turned-hero character Odenkirk played in the two Nobody films. While Ulysses is in law enforcement, he prefers to use words instead of weapons, and it’s only when he’s pushed to the brink that he crosses that line. Naturally, his skills are beyond what anyone would expect of him, allowing him to match up well with people half his age.

The film is not a comedy in the traditional sense, but instead aims for laughs by catching the audience off-guard with its ultraviolence. Some characters are dispatched in shockingly unexpected ways, with one of the only natural reactions to the jarring nature of their deaths being laughter. That’s not necessarily the case for other killings, which range from blasé to sadistic, and the only reason they count as entertainment is because the filmmakers have primed the audience to accept them as such.

After a relatively solid setup, where Wheatley and Kolstad seem to take their time getting to know the main characters, the second half of the film is pure action that dispenses with good storytelling. Like many action movies, there are double crosses, surprise revelations, and more, but the filmmakers don’t seem to care about making sense of any character arcs. All they care about is delivering mayhem, and they succeed on that front.

Odenkirk has perfected the mild-yet-intimidating nature of his action characters, and it is satisfying to see him get the better of those who have done him wrong. He doesn’t run or jump like fellow 63-year-old Tom Cruise, but — with the help of fast-paced editing — he still makes for a credible action hero. The only other actors of any note in the film are Winkler, who’s a nice presence with his sardonic personality, and Lena Headey, whose small role doesn't match up with her experience.

You have to have a certain mindset to enjoy a film like Normal, but if you can abide its over-the-top bloodiness, it’s a serviceable action film. Few would have expected Odenkirk to take on these kinds of roles at this late stage of his career, but he’s making the most of his opportunities.

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Normal opens in theaters on April 17.

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