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    weekend event planner

    Here are the top 12 things to do in Houston this weekend

    Craig Lindsey
    Oct 18, 2018 | 5:17 pm
    Butcher's Ball Ashley Tyler Horne CROPPED
    Feeling peckish? Don't miss the Butcher's Ball.
    Photo by Emily Jaschke

    The big show this week is Kevin Hart's Irresponsible Tour performance, which will be happening at Toyota Center on Saturday night. (He was scheduled to do a show the night before, but that had to be cancelled.) As a movie-star comedian who can officially fill stadiums, it's very possible that everyone and their momma will be at this show.

    But there is plenty more happening around town this weekend.

    Thursday, October 18

    Get your thrills at The Haunted Penthouse
    They call it The Haunted Penthouse, which makes it sound like one of those late '80s, softcore thrillers that used to come on Showtime at two-three o'clock in the morning. Nevertheless, the University of Houston's annual haunted attraction returns to the third floor of the Campus Recreation building. So, get ready for some freshmen to pop up in front of you and try to make scream bloody murder. 5-8 pm.

    Have a mad time with hilarious comic Anjelah Johnson
    Anjelah Johnson is one of the first comics who got famous thanks to the Internet. When she briefly was a cast member on Mad TV in the mid-aughts, she did a sketch where she played a ghetto, fast-food employee named Bon Qui Qui. When the sketch hit YouTube in 2007, it became a viral sensation. (As of this writing, it has amassed 75 million views.) See her do more urban, working-class shtick for the next two weekends. 7 and 9:30 pm.

    Friday, October 19

    Take in amazing sculptures at Arts District Month
    Since kicking off two weekends ago, several art spots have been making sure people know about their visual attractions. And since we're also in the middle of Sculpture Month Houston, such places as SITE Gallery, Art Inside Out at Meek Studio and TANK Space at Spring Street Studios have some fascinating sculptures to show off. 6 pm.

    Shop 'til you drop at the Asia Society Texas Center's Night Market
    If you enjoy looking for some good deals after dark, the Asia Society Texas Center has got its annual Night Market all ready for you to browse and peruse. This market will include two new exhibitions, live music, a Japanese-style carnival, a curated selection of food, goods, art, and a lot of other, exotic stuff. So, get your reusable shopping bag and go nuts. 6 pm.

    Laugh it up with Chappelle comic Neal Brennan
    Most people know Neal Brennan as that white dude who co-wrote and co-created Chappelle's Show with Dave Chappelle. But Brennan has became an impressive comic in his own right. Last year, he dropped the Netflix special Neal Brennan: 3 Mics, where he was bouncing between a trio of microphones telling topical material, quick one-liners and truly revealing anecdotes. Let's see if he rocks more than one mike at this show. 6:30 pm.

    Saturday, October 20

    Nurture your future scientists at the Energy Day Festival
    After bringing in more than 30,000 people last year, the Energy Day Festival — now in its eighth year — is back to give people a fun, free fest filled with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This year, over $22,000 in academic awards will be given as part of the Energy Day Academic Program (EDAP). Overall, this event is out to motivate young minds into getting their STEM on. 11 am-4 pm.

    Carve some time to find the perfect Halloween pumpkin
    Halloween is fast approaching, which means some of y'all need to go and find the right pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern out of. But picking a pumpkin isn't just something you can do all willy-nilly. Just like when Lucy went pumpkin-selecting in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, it takes time, skill and patience. For all those Lucys out there, Memorial City will have a benefit pumpkin patch for your picking pleasure. 11 am-3pm.

    Fight breast cancer at not one but two brunch parties
    There appears to be two Pink Party Brunches this weekend, both serving as fundraisers for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The first one is over at Oakmont Beer Garden, where the brunch is a benefit for local community leader Lucia Cordua, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The other one is a Mean Girls-themed brunch put on by The Brunch Society. No matter which one you go to, it'll be for a good cause. 11 am.

    Halloween and fall fun await at the Downtown Aquarium
    It's the fall, and Downtown Aquarium wants to make sure that you're having some fun this season. And this is why the aquarium will be having a bunch of fun activities for people to do on Saturday and Sunday. There will be fall-themed activities, pumpkin picking, pumpkin decorating and photo opportunities with an "ambassador animal." 11:30 am-3 pm.

    Sunday, October 21

    Bosscat and 8th Wonder host a bourbon and beer soiree
    Are there two more wonderful things in this world besides bourbon and beer? When Bosscat announced a bourbon and beer function would be at its establishment, we got a little giddy. Then, we learned that 8th Wonder Brewery, home to many fine ales inspired by local rappers (what up, People's Champ!), will provide the suds and we damn near got moist. This will definitely be a great day. Noon.

    Join Houston's top chefs at The Butcher's Ball
    Feel like a little road trip? Head to Brenham, where over 50 of Texas's top chefs, butchers, and ranchers will gather to celebrate sustainable ranching practices with a day of demonstrations, discussions, food, drinks, and music. Participants include Graham Laborde (Killen's Restaurants), Ryan Lachaine (Riel), Dallas' John Tesar (Knife), Bobby Matos (State of Grace), Erin Smith and Patrick Feges (Feges BBQ), and more. Did we mention Kinky Freedman is the emcee? No wonder CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler calls it "one of fall's can't-miss food events. (Be sure to say hi to Sandler.) 1 pm

    Mick Garris stars at this year's Horrorthon 4
    Horrorthon 4 is happening this weekend, a chance to check out some campy, scary movies and also donating food, toys, or even blood for a good cause. This year, the annual fright fest will bring in special guest Mick Garris, who has written and directed many works of terror, including several Stephen King adaptations. He will screen three episodes of his Masters of Horror anthology show, along with his cult flick Critters 2. 4 pm.

    Sing along with America's Got Talent semifinalist Christina Wells
    Christina Wells is a local singer who came with the fury when she performed on America's Got Talent this past season. Even though she was eliminated during the semifinals, this shapely songstress was an inspiration to those who thought they couldn't achieve their dreams of performing because they didn't have the ideal look. This weekend, she's heading back to her hometown for a homecoming concert. 5:30 pm.

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    Movie review

    Nerdy teen comedies make a comeback with new movie Summer of 69

    Alex Bentley
    May 9, 2025 | 10:45 am
    Sam Morelos and Chloe Fineman in Summer of 69
    Photo courtesy of Hulu
    Sam Morelos and Chloe Fineman in Summer of 69.

    There was a trend in the late 2010s/early 2020s of bawdy comedies featuring teenage female protagonists, including Blockers, Booksmart, and Yes, God, Yes. Those types of films seemed to go by the wayside in recent years, but they’re making a comeback with the new film Summer of 69.

    Abby (Sam Morelos) is a high school senior and video game streamer who has had a crush on her classmate Max (Matt Cornett) for her entire childhood. When she learns that Max has recently broken up with his longtime girlfriend, she’s determined to make her move. With advice from a confidant that Max likes a certain sexual position, Abby sets out to learn as much as she can about it, including hiring a stripper, Santa Monica (Chloe Fineman), to help her.

    Coincidentally, Santa Monica is facing a situation where the club at which she works, Diamond Dolls, will be closed if the owner doesn’t come up with $20,000 in a week. Abby, who comes from a well-to-do family, seems to offer the perfect solution, and so the two agree to a week of lessons for that amount. Naturally, all sorts of complications arise, as well as the two women forming an unexpected bond.

    Written and directed by Jillian Bell, with help from co-writers Jules Byrne and Liz Nico, the film is both suggestive and innocent at the same time. For all of the talk about sex and innuendo, having the nerdy and inexperienced Abby at the center of the film ensures that the story remains relatively chaste throughout. That includes scenes at the strip club, where Bell makes the choice to show almost no nudity.

    Most of the humor of the film stems from Abby’s lack of experience, highlighted by her having “sexual” fantasies about Max that never actually get to the sex part. The juxtaposition between Abby and Santa Monica is also used for laughs, although Bell and her co-writers make sure to include a side story for the dancer that makes her into a three-dimensional person.

    What ultimately makes the movie succeed is the way it keeps its characters relatable. Many high school films feel the need to play into a bunch of stereotypes, but those are kept to a minimum here. Instead, Bell upends expectations by delivering honest - sometimes to a fault for the characters - dialogue that acknowledges the spectrum of sexual realities for high schoolers, a version that differs from insatiable horniness of some other teen comedies.

    Morelos, one of the stars of Netflix’s That ‘90s Show, makes for a charming lead, someone who can convincingly take her character from awkward to confident over the course of the story. Fineman, best known for her current stint as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, complements her well, showing her comedic prowess in a number of physical scenes. A supporting cast that includes Nicole Byer, Paula Pell, Alex Moffat, and Natalie Morales keeps the energy level high.

    Despite its titillating title, Summer of 69 is much more sweet than naughty. Like most coming-of-age movies, it’s about a girl who’s trying to figure out where she fits in the world. The answers she finds aren’t always the ones she was expecting, but in the best possible way.

    ---

    Summer of 69 starts streaming on Hulu on May 9.

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