weekend event planner

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

Pop some bottles at a'Bouzy's birthday bash.

Courtesy photo

This weekend will feature people celebrating in white linen and a rap legend performing at a museum. Or, you can join the masses at a hot champagne spot or take in some Shakespeare.

Here, then, are your best weekend bets.

Thursday, August 1

Washington Night Market at Revolver Houston
When we heard there was this new business called Daisies & Pancakes, we thought, "Wow — another pancake place!" But it turns out it's an online store that sells vintage, wearable art. They're also curating this night market, which will have vendors selling vintage clothing, jewelry, arts and crafts, and much more. A happy-hour networking mixer will pop off from 5-7 pm (complete with drink specials), and Soul Control will provide the music. Let's just hope there are pancakes. 7 pm to midnight.

Friday, August 2

a'Bouzy's 2nd Birthday Party
We can't get enough of a'Bouzy, better known as the spot where it seems they have an unlimited supply of Moet & Chandon. They will definitely be serving bottles of that during their second anniversary party, where guests can enjoy special food pairings with the purchase of each bottle. We're talking Moet and snapper ceviche, Moet and tortilla española, Moet and foie gras, even Moet and a charcuterie board. So, for all you rappers who mention Moet in your songs but have never had it — here's your chance. 11 am to 11 pm.

Ronald L. Jones and Jose Villalobos at Space HL
Space HL will have two art openings on one night. Houston artist Ronald L. Jones will have "On Topic of Race," an open-space investigation that examines the roles we are placed within as individuals with regard to race. As for San Antonio’s Jose Villalobos, he will present his solo exhibit "Gay as an Accessory, Tailored" of new and old works, this show concentrates on the idea that exists that LGBTQ+ individuals are queer by choice, as he recently experienced the same criticism. 6-10 pm.

Houston Shakespeare Festival at Miller Outdoor Theatre
It appears this year’s Houston Shakespeare Festival will use theatrical blood to enhance the dramatic moments on stage during this year’s production of Julius Caesar. Don’t worry — the washable, stain-resistant concoction consists of items you might already have in your home: dish soap, sugar-free chocolate syrup, sesame tahini and non-toxic paint. In addition to that, the UH School of Theatre & Dance will feature the romantic comedy As You Like It. The festival runs through Sunday, August 11. 8:15 pm.

Saturday, August 3

Free Teacher Admission Day at Lone Star Flight Museum
The Lone Star Museum is inviting educators all over the Greater Houston area to take in its awe-inspiring features for a special appreciation day. Among the things to check out: two hangars featuring rare military, commercial and historically important aircraft, the Flight Academy and Texas Aviation Hall of Fame exhibits, and the Aviation Learning Center, complete with flight simulators. Also get information on resources, their field trip program, and much more. Just show your school badge to get in. 9 am to 5 pm.

We Do It for the Love at BauHaus
The DJ/party crew known as Crossroads has found a new venue for We Do It for the Love, their long-running, monthly shindig: BauHaus. Along with Crossroads members Noey Lopez and Sasha Braverman spinning music, the headlining special guest will be JT Donaldson, the Dallas producer/DJ who has lived and created music in some of the country's greatest EDM breeding grounds (Chicago, LA, San Francisco). Jashuwah will also be there doing a warm-up set. 10 pm to 4 am.

Sunday, August 4

Saint Arnold Root Beer Float Day
Saint Arnold is gonna have a Root Beer Float Day! We couldn't be more psyched that the brewing company will be serving root beer floats, along with some special adult variations. Every float purchase will come with a souvenir, root-beer plastic cup. They're also bringing back their "Root Beer Snob" toddler T-shirts and onesies, along with asking for school-supply donations, in partnership with Houston City Council Member Jerry Davis, District B. 11 am to 4 pm.

9 to 5 Movie Party at Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra
Film critic Jason Shawhan recently called 9 to 5 "an exposé of the institutionalized sexism and corruption that still plague us as a society." Yeah, it's that. But this 1980 comedy is also one of the funniest, feminist revenge fantasies ever made, with the legendary triumvirate of Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton taking on their egotistical chauvinist of a boss (Dabney Coleman). BTW, your ticket includes a themed pen and a "cup of ambition" mug. 6 pm.

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Movie Review

Pop star Charli XCX seizes 'The Moment' in new mockumentary

Photo courtesy of A24

Charli XCX in The Moment.

There have been plenty of music documentaries and biopics that show how the life of a music star can be a trying one, with fans, record label executives, and hangers-on all wanting a piece of a certain singer or band. Charli XCX knows the pressures as well as anyone thanks to back-to-back hit albums, but instead of addressing her life with a self-aggrandizing promo film, she’s gone the unexpected route with the mockumentary, The Moment.

The singer plays a fictionalized version of herself who’s coming off of “Brat Summer,” a cultural phenomenon that followed the release of her 2024 album, Brat. In addition to a planned tour, she and her team are trying to come up with other ways to capitalize on the moment, ideas that sometimes include her input and sometimes don’t. The one that becomes the driving force of the story is a concert film that will be directed by the in-demand filmmaker Johannes (Alexander Skarsgård).

Even though Charli XCX had already planned out the visuals, props, and other elements of the tour with good friend Celeste (Hailey Gates), Johannes slowly but surely pushes his ideas to be used instead. As that part of her life starts to slip from her grasp, she starts to lose it in general, agreeing to endorse a Brat-themed credit card, taking an ill-advised spa trip to Ibiza, and more.

Written and directed by Aidan Zamiri (who’s directed two Charli XCX music videos) and co-written by Bertie Brandes, the film should in no way, shape, or form be interpreted as giving viewers an accurate idea of who the singer really is. Aside from the presence of well-known actors like Skarsgård and Rosanna Arquette and comedic actors like Kate Berlant and Jamie Demetriou, everything in the film is heightened sufficiently to understand it shouldn’t be taken seriously.

Still, it’s clear that fans of Charli XCX or those who participated in Brat Summer will be more invested in the film than others. Knowing that Rachel Sennott’s cameo likely stems from their friendship following Charli XCX doing the score for Sennott’s film, Bottoms, or that she enjoyed early fame from the inclusion of her song, “Boom Clap,” in “a movie about two kids with cancer,” as her character puts it, adds some depth to the film.

One of the funniest things about the film is the lack of a showcase of Charli XCX’s music. She doesn’t sing a single note in the entire film, and any songs of hers that are heard are incidental to the story. There is, however, a ton of oppressive flashing titles and frenetic imagery during the various transitions in the film. If you are even slightly affected by rapid lights and/or movement, it might be best to avoid the film entirely.

As George Clooney can attest from Jay Kelly, it’s more difficult to play a version of yourself than you might think, and Charli XCX deserves credit for playing into rumors of her “bitchiness” in this film. Upcoming roles in other films will prove whether she’s truly a good actress or not, but she has a presence that serves this movie well. Skarsgård, who seems to be having a moment of his own in the real world, is the clear winner for best supporting actor of the film, scoring in almost every scene he’s in.

The Moment may not be as effective a mockumentary as something like This is Spinal Tap, but it still has enough memorable moments to make it worth seeing for both fans and non-fans alike. If that’s not enough Charli XCX for you, she’s also created the soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, which will be in theaters on February 13.

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The Moment opens wide in theaters on February 6.

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