Weekend events planner

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

Now that the work week is coming to an end, it’s time to start planning for the weekend. There's a ton of great stuff to do around town and we’re giving you a guide so that you can make the most your time. From some festivals galore to a Sunday market, here are the top seven things to do in Houston this weekend.

For more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar.

Film fest
Thursday, September 28-Sunday, October 1
The multi-day Italian film festival Umbria in Sugar Land boasts screenings of seven award-winning, subtitled films from the 2016 international film festival in Spello, Italy, plus food, wine, and art from the region. (Various times; tickets: $8-$20 per person)
226 Lakeview Dr. Sugar Land; 281-275-2045

Innovative dance
Friday, September 29-Saturday, September 30
NobleMotion Dance presents Catapult: Dance meets Design, an evening of daring choreography at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The production features five custom-built interactive sets (think deconstructed tunnels and flipping doors) that shape the space and offer terrain challenges for the dancers. (7:15 pm; tickets: $25-$35 per person)
800 Bagby St.; 713-315-2525

First Lady of Song
Friday, September 29
The Jazz Houston Orchestra, with artistic director Vincent Gardner, perform tunes by Ella Fitzgerald including "I Ain’t Got Nothing But the Blues" and "A Tisket A Tasket” at Midtown Arts and Theatre Center Houston (MATCH). They’ll be joined by vocalists Belinda Munro and Yvonne Washington, and vocalist/saxophonist David Caceras. (7:30 pm; tickets: free)
3400 Main St.; 713-521-4533

Ren Fest
Saturday, September 30-Sunday, November 26
The Texas Renaissance Festival returns for its 43rd season with the addition of a ninth weekend. The festival transports patrons to the 16th century offering live entertainment, works by master artists and craftspeople, food and drink, hand-powered rides and games, and over 100 interactive characters. (Various themed weekends through November 26; tickets: $11.95-$23.95 per person per day; $40 for weekend pass per person)
21778 FM 1774, Todd Mission

Beer fest
Saturday, September 30
Oktoberfest at The Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park features German and local craft beers, live music, Olympiad Games for prizes, and more. You can also show off your dirndls and lederhosen in the best dressed contest. (11 am; tickets: $25-$30 per person for general admission and $100-$125 per person for VIP)
105 Sabine St.

Black Heritage Fest
Saturday, September 30
Eric Benét, Tamia, and Elle Varner lead the group of performers at the Black Heritage Festival at Discovery Green. This year's festival pays homage to Houston’s legendary Black Heritage history makers who have made a profound impact in various industries. (Gates open at 4 pm; tickets: $25 per person for general admission and $125 per person per VIP pass)
1500 McKinney St.; 713-400-7336

Book talk
Saturday, September 30
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon will read from his latest book, Moonglow. It chronicles the life of Chabon's grandfather, a World War II soldier, engineer and rocket enthusiast who marries a troubled Jewish survivor from France and lives a challenging, wandering life in postwar America. The reading is presented by Brazos Bookstore at Christ Church Cathedral. (7:30 pm; tickets: $16.99 plus tax for one, $21.99 plus tax for two. Each ticket option comes with a paperback copy of Moonglow.)
1117 Texas Ave

Market time
Sunday, October 1
Saint Arnold Brewing Company and Urban Harvest host the Urban Harvest Farmers Market at the brewery. Expect vendors from Lira Rossa Artisan Cheese (Italian cheeses) to Sinfull Bakery (vegan baked goods) to Pain Train Salsa. Saint Arnold will also offer special brew, "Urban Harvest No.2," a blend of its popular Fancy Lawnmower beer and Java Pura’s Panamanian Hartmann Estate Geisha Coffee. (11 am-4 pm; tickets: free entry)
2000 Lyons Ave

NobleMotion Dance presents Catapult: Dance meets Design, an evening of daring choreography.

Houston, NobleMotion Dance, Catapult: Dance meets Design, Sept 2017

Photo by Lynn Lane

NobleMotion Dance presents Catapult: Dance meets Design, an evening of daring choreography.

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Movie Review

Supergirl fails to take flight in a movie weighed down by grief

Photo courtesy of DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures

Milly Alcock in Supergirl.

Last year's Superman reboot brought a renewed sense of optimism for, if not the concept of the comic book movie, then at least the DC Comics universe. After more than a decade of DC films that felt mostly creatively bankrupt, the leadership of James Gunn gave the story a sense of fun. That included the brief introduction of Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, who’s now getting her own showcase in, naturally, Supergirl.

When we first met her in Superman, Supergirl was in rough shape, arriving at the Fortress of Solitude visibly inebriated. Nothing has changed at the beginning of this film, save for her aimlessly traveling around the universe with her rambunctious dog, Krypto. One of her random stops puts her in the same bar as Ruthye (Eve Ridley), who is looking for help tracking down Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts) and a group known as the Brigands after they brutally murdered her family.

Kara is initially loath to offer aid, but when Krem shoots a poison dart into Krypto while escaping, her motivation goes way up, especially since Krem holds the antidote. Kara, with Ruthye doggedly following her, uses every means available to her to find Krem, a journey that is hampered by galaxies having different colored suns than the one that gives her powers, the yellow sun.

Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, the film is a big step back in the fun category, not least because Supergirl is deep in her feelings for much of the film. Her personal trauma, which is detailed in occasional flashbacks, gives a reason for her depression, but fails to land fully. The story seems to want everyone to be sad, as it includes a child trafficking ring and multiple instances of families being murdered.

Milly Alcock and Krypto in Supergirl.Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

To try to counteract that downer material, the filmmakers give Supergirl many opportunities to show off her fighting skills. While still CGI-heavy, the action scenes contain enough of a semblance of reality that they feel exciting. Unfortunately, this is undercut by the inclusion of several slow-motion sequences, giving the impression that the filmmakers didn’t trust the actors to deliver the goods on a consistent basis.

Superman (David Corenswet) makes a handful of appearances in the film, and while his presence is welcome given how well the character came across in the previous movie, it also doesn’t allow Supergirl to become her own person. Almost everything she does is colored by either her cousin or her parents, and since her powers are identical to those of Superman, there is very little that makes her story unique aside from how she’s dealing with the fallout.

Alcock (House of the Dragon, Sirens) gives an appealing performance despite her character being drunk and/or moody most of the time. She definitely sells what Supergirl is going through, so if given a better story in a future film, she’s proven her capability. Schoenaerts makes for a pretty good villain, although he’s aided by a look that includes a face full of studs. Jason Momoa has a memorable supporting role as the bounty hunter Lobo, even if his character doesn’t add much to the story.

While not a full-on disaster, Supergirl does not continue the momentum that Superman started. With a story that’s more concerned with showing audiences death scenes than a hero saving people, the film doesn’t seem to understand the appeal of a character like Supergirl or how to make her someone audiences will return to over and over again.

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Supergirl is now playing in theaters.

movies film

Weekend events planner

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

NobleMotion Dance presents Catapult: Dance meets Design, an evening of daring choreography.

Movie Review

Supergirl fails to take flight in a movie weighed down by grief

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