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

Movie review

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd chase their dreams in music-heavy Power Ballad

Photo by David Cleary for Lionsgate

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd in Power Ballad.

Writer/director John Carney is one of the great purveyors of movies featuring music (as opposed to musicals) in the 21st century. Starting with Once in 2007 (which was turned into a Broadway musical several years later), he has made music-themed stories like Begin Again, Sing Street, Flora and Son, and now Power Ballad.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a former wannabe rock star who is now the lead singer of “Ireland’s #1 Wedding Band,” The Bride & Grooves. While they mostly play smaller weddings, a gig at a country estate leads to an encounter with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band member struggling to make it as a solo artist. Rick and Danny wind up bonding in a booze- and pot-filled jam session, sharing various song ideas.

After returning to Los Angeles and desperate for a hit, Danny steals one of Rick’s songs, which miraculously turns into the No. 1 “How to Write a Song (Without You).” Rick, initially overjoyed that something he wrote has become big, is crushed when he finds out Danny didn’t give him credit. His quest to find a way to prove his worth sends him into a spiral, upending the ordinary life he had built.

Co-written by Peter McDonald, the film is a nice exploration of two men trying to hold on to their music dreams. Their individual circumstances could not be more different, but each of them knows the ups and downs of the business as well as the other, as well as the ineffable magic of creating that one great song. While the music scenes are hit-and-miss because of a reliance on lip synching, the scene featuring Rick and Danny trading ideas is electric with creativity.

Oddly, though, the film could have used a bit less music and more of a focus on the two men’s personal lives. Rick wound up living in Ireland after falling in love with his future wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), while on tour with his former American band. He spends a decent amount of time with her and his daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), but his story needed a few more family scenes to drive the point home. Danny’s personal life is all but nonexistent, giving his arc less impact than it could have had.

Instead of loved ones, Carney and McDonald try to give Rick and Danny more depth through friends and business associates. Rick’s bandmate Sandy (McDonald) is a ride-or-die kind of guy for him, but his presence is only good for a few humorous distractions. Danny’s manager Mac (Jack Reynor) is difficult to parse, as he goes to bat for Danny on multiple occasions, but also seems to keep him at arm’s length.

It’s long been joked that Rudd never ages, and that youthfulness serves him well in this role, in which his character is supposed to be much younger than his actual age of 57. His energy and enthusiasm make his character appealing throughout, even when Rick starts to go off the deep end. Jonas is decent in his role, selling the music side well, but there might be a reason his character doesn’t have many scenes requiring him to show emotions.

While Power Ballad has all the hallmarks of another great Carney music movie, it’s missing a few pieces that could have put it over the top. It’s still a fun film with an insanely catchy song at its center, but it’s not quite as memorable as most of the filmmaker’s previous efforts.

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Power Ballad is now playing in theaters.

movies music film