fall on the rooftop

Houston's Rooftop Cinema Club reveals long-awaited fall lineup full of fan faves, Halloween thrills, singalong series, and more

Fall on the rooftop is (finally) back.

Photo by J. Thomas Ford

Houston has withstood another scorching summer, and as we look ahead to cooler temps, plans trend to outdoors and al fresco fun. With that in mind, Houston’s first and hottest rooftop movie club is back with a highly anticipated lineup just in time for fall cinema season.

Rooftop Cinema Club, the red-hot venue boasting sweeping skyline views at BLVD Place in Uptown (1700 Post Oak Blvd.), revealed its new season on Tuesday, August 16, oen full of its trademark clever, signature series, events, and fan fests. The new schedule runs from September 6 through October 31; the full lineup can be found online, with tickets available at noon Tuesday.

Tickets range from $17.50 to $25.25 depending on the day of the week and choice of the venue’s new double Adirondack Love Seat, a single Adirondack, or Lounge Seat with or without popcorn. Fans can expect concessions and snacks, plus an extensive menu of beer, wine, and canned cocktails available for purchase. Notably, guests can bring outside food to enjoy on the Rooftop (a huge help to those with dietary restrictions or with kids); no outside drinks are permitted.

As for the films: Naturally, no cinema showcase would be complete without an homage to beloved pop icon Olivia Newton-John, who recently passed away after a 30-year battle with breast cancer. Rooftop will host a special sing-along screening (an audience favorite) of Grease at 7:30 pm Tuesday, August 23. In honor of the superstar, all ticket proceeds will benefit the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre.

September will see a return of all-ages screenings, plus special Hispanic Heritage Month programming. Fans can also look forward to, per the club:

Love It or Hate It series
A must for hyper-critical movie fans (and there are many), Saturdays in September will shine a spotlight on some of cinema's most divisive movies. That means comedies that fell flat with critics, an ambitious, visionary feast that’s “not for everyone,” (uh-oh) and scoffed-at romps like White Chicks, La La Land, and more.

People’s Choice: Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
In this “Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” edition of the People’s Choice series, fans vote online for the female coming-of-age movie they want to see. Voting closes August 31, the winning film will be announced September 1.

Virgo/Libra/Scorpio Season
Rooftop has crafted yet another new tradition, this one centered around the Zodiac. From August 23 through September 22, the venue celebrates Virgos by screening movies made by or starring popular Virgos such as our queen Beyoncé, Keanu Reeves, and Jada Pinkett Smith.

From September 23 through October 22, Libras get their due, such as Zac Efron, Anthony Gonzalez, Susan Sarandon, and more.

Fiery Scorpios get some love from October 23 through November 22, with a showcase of scorpions starring Winona Ryder, Jamie Lee Curtis, and others.

October fun
In the club’s favorite month, fans can expect an eclectic mix of spooky favorites, film anniversaries, and fun events, such as:

People’s Choice: Best Horror Sequel
Vote which horror movie sequel to screen at the Rooftop online. Voting closes October 6, the winning film will be announced October 7.

Witches Weekender
Which witch? Find out on the penultimate weekend in October. Rooftop concocts a spell of movies that feature the most fun, scary, and awesome witches.

Hocus Pocus Madness
This event celebrates the beloved tradition of watching Hocus Pocus on during the Halloween season. This year, the club dedicates a whole day to screenings of the modern classic.

Halloween
Look for a double dose of Halloween classics (literally, in the titles) with screenings of the family fave Halloweentown and the chilling, OG slasher Halloween (1978) on October 31.

I Know What You Did Last Summer 25th anniversary
What’s your favorite scary movie? For many, it’s this ’90s slasher horror-comedy. Enjoy the superstar cast all over again October 12 at 9:45 pm.

The Ring 20th anniversary
The psychological horror movie that made many all scared toss those VHS tapes (for those who remember them, that is) turns 20 this year. Perfect time to spool together a celebratory (and terrifyingly creepy) screening. (A little advice: Watch out for long-haired ladies who climb ceilings and refuse to flip their hair off their faces.)

movies kids families

Music feature

Texas country star Cody Johnson's new album goes to 'Banks of Trinity'

Photo by Cameron Powell

Cody Johnson.

There's a moment at every Cody Johnson show where the Texas-born-and-bred country star asks the crowd, “How many of you tonight are watching me and this band live for the very first time?” he told The Associated Press. “And every night, I would say at least 80% of the crowd raises their hands.”

It's not the kind of reaction most veteran artists receive. “And I’m thinking, you know, 20 years is a long time to work for something. But when you see that … What’s the next 20 years look like?” he asks.

The rancher, rodeo competitor, and onetime prison guard started his two-decade career playing honky tonks and dive bars. That led to slow and steady growth for the country traditionalist, but in the last few years, something has shifted. He landed his fifth career No. 1 song with “The Fall.” He was named Entertainer of the Year at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards, the show's highest honor. That was a month after he headlined Stagecoach Music Festival. For an artist with legions of fans, it looked like he was accessing new heights.

“I feel like I’m closing a book and I’m opening another one and it’s all blank pages,” he says of this period. “Let's get to the next chapter." On June 26, that new era began with the release of his latest album, Banks of the Trinity.

Traveling to the Banks of the Trinity
It hasn't been an easy road. Last fall, Johnson had to cancel a bunch of tour dates after upper respiratory and sinus infections caused a burst eardrum that required surgery — an intimidating medical procedure for anyone, but especially nerve-wracking for a musician. “I was scared,” he said simply. But “in a roundabout way, it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”

It forced him to take three months off, which allowed him to be home during the birth of his son. It also rejuvenated his approach in the studio. Before the incident, he thought the album was complete. It was not. The additional time resulted in the inclusion of a few songs that now feel inextricable from the record: “Thank Somebody Country,” “Take Me Back (Leave Me There),” “Cricket on a Hook,” and the resilient “I Have” among them.

“What a blessing to have that kind of song fall in your lap when you’re kind of up against the ropes,” he says of the latter. “I mean, we thought we had the record done. It wasn’t done.”

A title track with real resonance
At the heart of Banks of the Trinity is its title track, which recalls Eagles' cover of “Seven Bridges Road” meets bluegrass and Southern gospel.

Lyrically, it's an ode to Johnson's childhood. “I grew up on the banks of the Trinity [River.] Fishing for catfish, not so much out of pleasure or sport but for necessity to put food in the freezer. Deer season for me was not a trophy thing,” he said.

And while that track inspires a feeling of nostalgia within the listener, he doesn't consider this album a throwback collection. He says it's about showcasing his evolving sonic diversity.

"The rest of the album for me is a musical journey from track one to track 16,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a flavor for everybody. It does kind of hit Motown. It does kind of hit bluegrass. It does hit progressive country. It does it old country. It does a little rock here and there.”

It's the result of a new kind of freedom, one that is at least partially due to his recent accomplishments, including taking home the top prize at the ACM Awards.

“I just did the thing that I’ve aspired to do in my career my entire life,” he says. “A really good place is a really good way to describe where I am.”

And now that the album is out, he's ready to take a breather.

“I will be shirtless with no shoes on a beach at an undisclosed location,” he jokes about the days after record release. “'Cause I have already done all the prep work. I've been working on this album for two years. I’ve done all of the interviews. I’ve shook all the hands. Me and my wife and kids are gonna disappear for 10 days and I’m gonna become, I guess, every Kenny Chesney song ever.”

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