Weekend events planner

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

It’s never too early to start planning for the weekend. We’ve rounded up some of the best entertainment, arts, and food events in town, from top singers to foodie pop-ups. Read on for our guide to the top eight things to do this weekend in Houston. For more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar.

Dine out for a good cause
Thursday, August 3 -Sunday, August 6
Houston Restaurant Weeks (HRW), which runs through September 4, has begun and diners are flocking to participating restaurants. For our guide to eight must-try restaurants new to HRW, click here. And for the full list of restaurants, head to the HRW website. A portion of the cost of each HRW menu goes to the Houston Food Bank. (tickets: $20-$45 per HRW menu, person)
Various locations

All the world's a stage
Thursday, August 3 and Saturday, August 5
Catch a performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, presented by the Houston Shakespeare Festival at Miller Outdoor Theatre. The classic tale involves the pursuit of unrequited love —complete with high-jinks and serenades. (8:15 pm; tickets: free and available at the Miller Outdoor Theatre box office the day of the performance between the hours of 10:30 am-1 pm).
6000 Hermann Park Dr.; 281-373-3386

Calling all foodies
Friday, August 4-Sunday, August 6
Chef Tim Love (Fort Worth’s White Elephant Saloon, the Love Shack, the Woodshed Smokehouse, and Lonesome Dove Western Bistro), who is set to launch Woodshed Houston in 2018, hosts a weekend pop up at Levy Park. Expect a roster of eats including elote ($5), a pulled pork sandwich topped with house slaw, pickles and mustard ($10), and nachos with queso, pickled jalapenos, and avocado corn salsa ($8). Wash it all down with refreshing beverages from beer ($4) to frose ($7). (August 4 from 5 pm- 9 pm; August 5 from 10 am-9 pm; August 6 from 10-5 pm; tickets: free entry)
3801 Eastside St.

All night long
Friday, August 4
Lionel Richie hits the stage at downtown’s Toyota Center along with special guest Mariah Carey as part of the All The Hits Tour. (7 pm; tickets: $39.95-$500 per person)
1510 Polk St.; 713-758-7200

Arcade games galore
Saturday, August 5
The Children’s Museum of Houston throws it back to the '80s by celebrating 8-bit technology, the third generation of computer and video games, with activities (think designing and animating your own 8-bit video game hero) and several arcade games, including Pac-Man, Asteroids, Space Invaders, Frogger, and Donkey Kong. (10 am; tickets: $12 per person to enter the museum)
1500 Binz St.; 713-522-1138

Break out your summer whites
Saturday, August 5
White Linen Night in The Heights shines a spotlight on thriving artists, musicians, and businesses with a slew of activities scattered across the area. As you brave the heat walking the streets, cool off at participating stores and restaurants along 19th Street, offering various deals. (6 pm; tickets; free entry)
Various locales; 713-360-6204

We will rock you
Saturday, August 5
Former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert, with Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen, head to the Toyota Center to perform such hits as “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and “We Are The Champions” made famous by the classic British rock band.(7 pm; tickets: $49.50-$175 per person)
1510 Polk St.; 713-758-7200

Sunday specials
Sunday, August 6
At the “End of Summer Bash” at Killen’s Barbecue, enjoy tunes by the Junior Gordon Band, ice-cold beer in the line, and red hot Sunday specials, including epic fried chicken ($12 per plate): a whopping half bird is served with mashed potatoes and green beans. (2-6 pm; tickets: free entry)
3613 E Broadway St., Pearland; 281-485-2272

The Children’s Museum of Houston throws it back to the '80s by celebrating 8-bit technology, the third generation of computer and video games.

Houston, what to do this weekend, August 2 2017, Pac Man

Courtesy photo

The Children’s Museum of Houston throws it back to the '80s by celebrating 8-bit technology, the third generation of computer and video games.

event-planner

Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer visits Houston in new Christmas movie Oh. What. Fun.

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun.

Of all the formulaic movie genres, Christmas/holiday movies are among the most predictable. No matter what the problem is that arises between family members, friends, or potential romantic partners, the stories in holiday movies are designed to give viewers a feel-good ending even if the majority of the movie makes you feel pretty bad.

That’s certainly the case in Oh. What. Fun., in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays Claire, an underappreciated mom living in Houston with her inattentive husband, Nick (Denis Leary). As the film begins, her three children are arriving back home for Christmas: The high-strung Channing (Felicity Jones) is married to the milquetoast Doug (Jason Schwartzman); the aloof Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz) brings home yet another new girlfriend; and the perpetual child Sammy (Dominic Sessa) has just broken up with his girlfriend.

Each of the family members seems to be oblivious to everything Claire does for them, especially when it comes to what she really wants: For them to nominate her to win a trip to see a talk show in L.A. hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). When she accidentally gets left behind on a planned outing to see a show, Claire reaches her breaking point and — in a kind of Home Alone in reverse — she decides to drive across the country to get to the show herself.

Written and directed by Michael Showalter (The Idea of You), and co-written by Chandler Baker (who wrote the short story on which the film is based), the movie never establishes any kind of enjoyable rhythm. Each of the characters, including competitive neighbor Jeanne (Joan Chen), is assigned a character trait that becomes their entire personality, with none of them allowed to evolve into something deeper.

The filmmakers lean hard into the idea that Claire is a person who always puts her family first and receives very little in return, but the evidence presented in the story is sketchy at best. Every situation shown in the film is so superficial that tension barely exists, and the (over)reactions by Claire give her family members few opportunities to make up for their failings.

The most interesting part of the movie comes when Claire actually makes it to the Zazzy Sims show. Even though what happens there is just as unbelievable as anything else presented in the story, Showalter and Baker concoct a scene that allows Claire and others to fully express the central theme of the film, and for a few minutes the movie actually lives up to its title.

Pfeiffer, given her first leading role since 2020’s French Exit, is a somewhat manic presence, and her thick Texas accent and unnecessary voiceover don’t do her any favors. It seems weird to have such a strong supporting cast with almost nothing of substance to do, but almost all of them are wasted, including Danielle Brooks in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo. The lone exception is Longoria, who is a blast in the few scenes she gets.

Oh. What. Fun. is far from the first movie to try and fail at becoming a new holiday classic, but the pedigree of Showalter and the cast make this dismal viewing experience extra disappointing. Ironically, overworked and underappreciated moms deserve a much better story than the one this movie delivers.

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Oh. What. Fun. is now streaming on Prime Video.

movies film

Weekend events planner

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

The Children’s Museum of Houston throws it back to the '80s by celebrating 8-bit technology, the third generation of computer and video games.

Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer visits Houston in new Christmas movie Oh. What. Fun.

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