Weekend events calendar

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

It's that time of the year, so it's no surprise that this edition of the weekend's top events has a Halloween theme. But, in between trick-or-treat partygoing and watching the Astros and Dodgers go head-to-head in the World Series at Minute Maid Park, there are also some musical acts, food events, and festivals you won't want to miss.

For more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar. And we've also compiled a list of top Halloween parties and crawls, which you can access here.

Death by Chocolate
Thursday, October 26
The Morales Funeral Home is the place for chocoholics at the 4th Annual Death by Chocolate Dessert Party. Among the delicacies: A chocolate fountain, chocolate martinis, and a wide variety of chocolates and desserts provided by Michael’s Cookie Jar, Village Bakery, and other sweet shops, as well as lite bites from El Tiempo and El Burro & the Bull. Other activities include a silent auction, music, Day of the Dead face painting, and a coffin photo booth — all to benefit SER-Jobs for Progress Hurricane Relief Fund. (6-9 pm; tickets: $45)
2901 Canal Street

Musical Trick-or-Treat
Thursday, October 26
River Oaks Chamber Orchestra hosts a progressive salon at the Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park. Small groups will travel to four homes on the historic property to hear a short piece by one ROCO musician at each location. It'll be music to your ears. (Reception at 5:30 pm, tour at 6:30 pm; tickets: $45)
1110 Bagby St.; 713-655-1912

Original Zombies
Friday, October 27 through Sunday, October 29
The godfather of all zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead, will be shown all weekend at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in a restored print, scanned from the original camera negative and supervised by its director George Romero. His first feature remains a landmark of the modern horror film and has gained a huge cult following. (9 pm Friday and Saturday, 2 pm Sunday; tickets: $7-$9)
1001 Bissonnet; 713-639-7300

Psycho Music
Friday, October 27
View the Hitchcock masterpiece, including Janet Leigh's infamous shower scene, at Jones Hall as the Houston Symphony performs Bernard Herrmann’s iconic, bone-chilling score to Psycho in its entirety, under the direction of conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong. Feel free to scream. (7:30 pm; tickets: $35-$125)
615 Louisiana St.; 713-227-3974

Get Lucky
Friday, October 27
Celebrate Asian cuisine at the LUCKYRICE festival. Hosted by Top Chef and James Beard Award winner Paul Qui, this event at The Astorian features bites from 13 top restaurants including Aqui, Uchi, Underbelly, Ramen Tatsu-ya, and Mala Sichuan Bistro paired with beer and cocktails. Proceeds will benefit the Houston Food Bank. (7 pm for VIP, 8-10 pm for General Admission; tickets: $88-$150)
2500 Summer St.

All-American Road Show
Friday, October 27
Country star Chris Stapleton brings his all-American Road Show to the Cynthia Mitchell Woods Pavilion, with special guests Marty Stuart and and Brent Cobb. Expect hits from Stapleton's album, From a Room: Volume 1, his first new music since 2015’s breakthrough double-platinum solo debut, Traveller. (7 pm; tickets: $44-$104+)
2005 Lake Robbins Dr., The Woodlands; 281-363-3300

Over the Hump
Saturday, October 28
Why travel to Cairo, when you can esperience a touch of Egypt in Houston? The second annual Egyptian Festival at Discovery Green includes camel rides, belly dancing performances and lessons, local singer Jabour Balka and other entertainers, with imported Egyptian papyrus, art and merchandise, as well as Middle Eastern delicacies for sale. Proceeds benefit Crime-Stoppers of Houston, St. Jude’s, Soaring Kidz, Houston PetSet, and Friends of Egyptian Children with Cancer. (11 am - 9 pm; tickets: $10 adults, children 12 and under free)
1500 McKinney St.; 713-400-7336

Skate On
Saturday, October 28
Rescheduled from February due to renovation of the Lee & Joe Jamail Skatepark, Skatestock V features the opportunity to mingle with skateboarding legends, hear live music from four great bands, view mural art, and bid on art-designed skaters' helmets in a silent auction. All Houston skaters in need will receive a free helmet, while supplies last. An after-party will take place from 7 - 10 pm at 8th Wonder Brewery. (1-5 pm; free)
103 Sabine St.; 281-658-4762

Day of the Dead Celebration
Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, October 29
Get an early start on the popular celebration at the 18th Annual Day of the Dead Festival with performances by MECA Ballet Folklorico, MECA Mariachi, Bayou City Swing, Prema Bhat, Solero Flamenco, Grupo Guemilere, Danza Acteca Taxcayolotl, and more. (11 am - 7 pm; free)
1900 Kane St.; 713-802-9370

Shuck Off
Sunday, October 29
CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year winner State of Grace will celebrate its second anniversary with live music and an oyster shucking contest featuring Houston chefs such as Graham Laborde (Killen's Restaurants), Ryan Lachaine (Riel), and Erin Smith Feges (Feges BBQ). Attendees can snack on oysters and bites from the kitchen while sipping on drink specials from the cash bar. (4-7 pm; tickets: $35)
3258 Westheimer Rd.; 832-942-5080

Skatestock V rolls at Lee & Joe Jamail Skatepark on Saturday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of MRZ

Skatestock V rolls at Lee & Joe Jamail Skatepark on Saturday afternoon.

event-planner

Movie Review

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg deliver comedy with depth in A Real Pain

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A Real Pain.

Comedy film duos have a long history, from Laurel and Hardy in the 1920s and ‘30s to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in movies like Baby Mama. But the majority of duos have either been friends or work partners, relationships that can be close, but not as close as family. The new film A Real Pain aims for the comedy that a great duo can bring, but hits deeper because the two lead characters are related to each other.

Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg) are first cousins who decide to take a trip to Poland to visit the childhood home of their grandmother, who has recently passed. Their personalities could not be more different, with David buttoned-down and reserved and Benji extremely social, if a little wild. This contrast is on display from the moment they leave on their trip, affecting almost every aspect of their journey.

The two meet up with a diverse tour group in Poland, including guide James (Will Sharpe), recently divorced Marcia (Jennifer Grey), married couple Mark (Daniel Oreskes) and Diane (Liza Sadovy), and Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan), an African man who has converted to Judaism. As the group visits various historical sites, David confronts contrasting feelings about Benji, who goes from charming to abrasive seemingly at the drop of a hat.

Written and directed by Eisenberg, the film is about both the family we have and the history of those who came before us. With Benji and David being Jewish and their grandmother having escaped from the Nazis in World War II, the themes hit harder than they might in other situations. Eisenberg takes care to honor his Jewish ancestors both in the way he has Benji and David talk about their grandmother and the places they visit.

But even though emotions are heightened due to the significance of the trip, the film is far from a dour affair. Benji keeps things interesting at almost all times with a series of impulsive decisions, many that are entertaining for both the tour group and the audience watching the film. He is one of those film characters that is great to watch on screen, but would likely be too much to handle if you were confronted with him in real life.

The relationship between Benji and David is a complicated one; the two obviously have love for each other, but they rarely see eye-to-eye on the best way to approach certain situations. This tension keeps the film grounded, and Eisenberg does a great job at showing the push-and-pull the two cousins have with each other. The little moments, especially when Benji and David go their separate ways, say a lot as the characters try to reconcile where each is at in their respective lives.

Eisenberg has always been an understated performer, so this role is almost perfect for him. Culkin, fresh off his Emmy-winning role in HBO’s Succession, is an ideal foil for Eisenberg, as he has a manic energy that he can control or not control at will. It’s also nice to see Grey in action again, as she brings just the right touch to her supporting role.

The drama in A Real Pain comes from the life experiences of its two main characters, which are on full display despite the story only doling out details in small doses. The film is subtle yet powerful, a testament to Eisenberg’s filmmaking ability and the actors never trying to make too much of their scenes.

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A Real Pain opens in theaters on November 15.

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