weekend event planner

Here are the top 10 things to do in Houston this weekend

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen get chatty at Smart Financial Centre.

Photo courtesy of AC2Live

Yes, everyone is getting ready for the onslaught of scares, candy, and tacky outfits that'll definitely be showing up on Halloween next Thursday, October 31.

As for us, we're getting psyched for Grand Tapestry, the West Coast trio that combines rap and hip-hop with sarod and tabla, who'll be performing at Miller Outdoor Theatre on Friday night. You won't want to miss this cool, outdoor show, which starts at 7:30 pm.

Otherwise, get ready for a weekend of shopping, bubbly, and some bubbly conversations with a couple of TV stars:

Thursday, October 24

DASH Market at Silver Street Studios
DASH Market, Houston's leading home décor and gift market, will be open and ready for business this weekend. The market provides an exceptional shopping experience, displaying a curated selection of home décor, clothing, jewelry, and gifts from over 80 vendors.

It's also partnering with Camo Animal Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to saving dogs from euthanasia in Texas and surrounding areas. On-site adoptions will be available to pre-qualified pet lovers. 6 pm (10 am Friday-Sunday).

Chef Collaboration Dinner at Ninfa's Uptown
Original Ninfa's corporate chef Alex Padilla will welcome Felix Florez, who has become a partner in Cherry Block and Blood Bros. BBQ, along with Stephanie Velasquez, pastry chef & co-owner of Tlahuac. Every guest who purchases a ticket will receive a $25 gift card to the Ninfa's Uptown (valid at this location only). 6:30 pm.

Friday, October 25

October Exhibitions at Sawyer Yards
Arts District Month is winding down, so why not check out one of the largest creative communities in the nation. Sawyer Yards, home to over 350 local artists, will showcase seven art exhibitions on Friday and Saturday. Among the exhibitions: "Interior Interruptions" at Sabine Street Studios, "Flight of the Monarch - 2019 International Art Biennial" at Spring Street Studios, "You Are So Naive" at TANK Space, and "Excavations at The Silos" at Sawyer Yards's Gallery 200. 9am-5 pm.

Sip & Shop for a Cause at Boardwalk at Town Center
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Boardwalk at Town Center will be celebrating this by hosting a free, Sip & Shop event benefiting Breast Cancer Charities of America. Shoppers will get a chance to tour the upscale apartment community and browse a selection of curated clothing, jewelry and gifts. Participating retailers and brands include Kendra Scott, Hemline, French Cuff Boutique, Switch2Pure, and Cake & Confetti. 4-7 pm.

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen at Smart Financial Centre
When it comes to who are two of the most entertaining, celebrity BFFs out there, no one holds a candle to CNN superstar anchor Anderson Cooper and Bravo talk-show host/professional tea stirrer Andy Cohen. And, now, they're taking their act on the road.

Join them for an unscripted, uncensored, and unforgettable night of conversation, where they interview each other, take questions from the audience and give a behind-the-scenes look at pop culture and world events. 8 pm.

Saturday, October 26

a'Bouzy Yelloween Brunch at a'Bouzy
Even a'Bouzy, our favorite wine-serving establishment, is getting in the Halloween spirit. Put on your costumes and join them for a Yelloween brunch. What's so yellow about this event? Well, there will be Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut, available for purchase at $49 per bottle. Reservations are required. 10 am-3 pm.

Halloween Bash at Truck Yard Houston
It'll be a grand ol' spooky time at Truck Yard, which will be having its annual Halloween Bash this weekend. It starts with a dog costume contest, where you can dress your furry friends in Halloween getup and maybe win a $150 first-place gift card. Next up is the human costume contest, where the prize is a $250 first-place gift card. After that, it's the pumpkin smashing: buy a pumpkin for $13, and take your best shot. (You also get a free beer and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the SPCA.) 3 pm.

World Series Game 4 Parking Lot Party at Revelry on Richmond
Revelry on Richmond is going all-out for the upcoming, World Series game 4 between hometown heroes the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals. We're talking 30 TVs, two projectors, and an additional 20-foot, inflatable screen in the parking lot, all tuned to the big game. There will be $15 domestic buckets, $20 Houston buckets and a $5 shot wheel every time the Astros hit a home run. Toasted Coconut will be grilling outside and providing their own Houston Astros Punch. 6-11:30 pm.

Sunday, October 27

Scanners at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Not a lot of people give David Cronenberg the credit he deserves for being one of the best filmmakers when it comes to horror. Look at his track record in the '80s: The Dead Zone, The Fly, Dead Ringers — all thrillers that thoroughly messed people up. But he started his Reagan-era, winning streak with a bang (in one scene, quite literally) with this heady, 1981 chiller about people with telepathic and telekinetic powers and who uses them for good or for evil. 3:15 pm.

Jazz on the Hill at Miller Outdoor Theatre
The inaugural Jazz on the Hill show is popping off this weekend, to promote music education and highlight national and local jazz artists. Mayor Sylvester Turner will open the free event, which will include music from Grammy-winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum, Poncho Sanchez and His Latin Jazz Band and the Houston High School All Stars featuring Derrick Hodge, presented by a collaboration of the Monterey Jazz Festival and Texas Southern University. 6 pm.

event-planner

Movie Review

Timothée Chalamet cements star status in new movie Marty Supreme

Courtesy

Timothée Chalamet

In a time when true movie stars seem to be going extinct, Timothée Chalamet has emerged as an exception to the rule. Since 2021 he has headlined blockbusters like the two Dune movies and Wonka, and also earned an Oscar nomination for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown (his second nomination following 2018’s Call Me By Your Name). Now, he’s almost assured to get his third nomination for the stellar new film, Marty Supreme.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a world-class table tennis player living in New York. But reducing Marty to his best skill doesn’t do him justice, as he’s also a motormouth schemer who will do almost anything to achieve his dreams. He doesn’t have any qualms about wooing married women like neighbor Rachel (Odessa A’zion) or actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), or hiding his true ping pong skills to win money in scams with friends like Wally (Tyler the Creator).

Marty is seemingly on the go the entire movie, whether it’s trying to convince Kay’s millionaire husband Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) to fund his table tennis ambitions; or trying to track down the dog of Ezra (Abel Ferrara), a man he accidentally injures; or trying to avoid the ire of the boss at the shoe store where he works. Just when you think he might slow down, he’s off to the races on another plan or adventure.

Directed by Josh Safdie and written by Safdie and frequent co-writer Ronald Bronstein, the film is an almost continuous blast of pure energy for 2 ½ hours. So many different things happen over the course of the film that the story defies conventional narratives, and yet the throughline of Marty keeps everything tightly connected. His particular type of brash behavior turns much of the film into a comedy as he does and says things that are both shocking and thrilling.

Another thing that makes the movie sing is the fantastic characterization by Safdie and Bronstein. Almost every person who is given a speaking line in the film has a moment where they pop, which speaks to airtight dialogue that the writers have created. Characters will be introduced and then disappear for long stretches of time, and yet because they make such an impression the first time they’re on screen, it’s easy to pick up their thread right away.

Safdie, as he’s done previously with brother Bennie (Uncut Gems), calls on a host of well-known non-actors or people with interesting faces/vibes to inhabit supporting roles, and to a person they are crucial to the film’s success. O’Leary (of Shark Tank fame), rapper Tyler the Creator, director Ferrara, magician Penn Jillette, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi each deliver knockout performances. The relative unknowns who play smaller roles are just as impressive, making each beat of the film feel naturalistic.

Leading the way is the powerhouse performance by Chalamet. For one person to believably play both the famously reserved Dylan and also a firecracker like Marty is astonishing, and this role cements Chalamet’s status as his generation’s movie star. A’zion is a rising star who gets great moments as Marty’s on-again/off-again love interest. Paltrow pops in and out of the film, lighting up the screen every time she appears. Fran Drescher as Marty’s mom and Sandra Bernhard as a neighbor also pay dividends in small roles.

Josh Safdie’s first solo directorial effort is unlike any other movie this year, or maybe even this century. Thanks to its breakneck storytelling, a magnificent performance by Chalamet, and countless intangibles that Safdie employs expertly, the film smacks viewers in the face repeatedly and demands that they come back for more.

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Marty Supreme opens in theaters on December 25.

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