Weekend events planner

Here are the top 9 things to do in Houston this weekend

As the hectic work week comes to a close, it’s time to unwind and have some fun. Below are nine can’t-miss events, from a classic holiday flick to wrestling action to concert fun. For more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar.

Latin vibes
Thursday, November 16
Grammy-winning recording artist Enrique Iglesias performs at downtown’s Toyota Center. Iglesias' hit songs include "Bailamos,” “Escape,” and “Hero.” He's joined by co-headliner and fellow Grammy Award-winner, Pitbull, who's touring in support of his 10th full-length album, Climate Change, featuring singles “Options,” “Greenlight,” and “Messin’ Around.” (7:30 pm; tickets: $39.95-$199.95 per person)
1510 Polk St.; 713-758-7200

Christmas cheer
Friday, November 17
Get into the holiday spirit with a showing of the 2003 comedy, Elf, starring Will Ferrell, at Miller Outdoor Theatre. (7 pm; tickets: free admission)
6000 Hermann Park Dr.; 281-373-3386

Outdoor fest
Saturday, November 18-Sunday, November 19
The 12th annual Houston Via Colori Street Painting Festival, with a 2017 theme of “70 Years in Color,” boasts work from more than 200 local and international artists and band performances on three stages. The art and music fest also features family-friendly activities, food, and beverages. Proceeds benefit nonprofit, The Center for Hearing and Speech. (10 am- 5 pm; tickets: $7 per person for general admission and $40 per person for a VIP pass)
900 Smith St.; 713-523-3633

Ugly sweater soiree and shopping galore
Saturday, November 18-Sunday, November 19
Celebrate the holidays at the Winter Holiday Arts Market Ugly Sweater party and happy hour, presented by Fresh Arts, at Winter Street Studios. On Friday, the event gives guests an early preview of the annual curated market featuring fine art and handmade crafts from over 65 local artists. Find a unique gift for everyone on your list Saturday and Sunday when the market opens to the public. (Friday from 6 - 10 pm, Saturday from 10 am – 7 pm and Sunday from 11 am – 4 pm; tickets: For Friday, tickets are $15 per person in advance and $25 per person at the door. Admission on Saturday and Sunday is free).
2101 Winter St.; 713-868-1839

Hit the ice
Saturday, November 18
Head to the opening of The Ice at Discovery Green at Frostival for a fun-filled night including an ice carving by Reverend Butter and DLG Ice Factory, music by The Peterson Brothers, and the debut of the park's new winter art installation, "Hello Trees!" The outdoor ice skating remains open through January 21, 2018. (Frostival is Saturday from 6-10 pm. Click here for ice rink hours of operation; tickets: Frostival tickets are $20 per person contribution to Discovery Green Conservancy and ice rink tickets are $14 per person for regular admission)
1500 McKinney St.; 713-400-7336

WWE
Saturday, November 18
At World Wrestling Entertainment NXT Takeover: War Games at Toyota Center, fans can catch Drew McIntyre, Aleister Black, Hideo Itami, Adam Cole, Ember Moon, Sanity, Authors of Pain, Kassius Ohno, and more in the ring. (6:15 pm; tickets: $20-$300 per person)
1510 Polk St.; 713-758-7200

Thanksgiving farmer's market
Sunday, November 19
FM Kitchen and Bar converts its parking lot and patio into a Thanksgiving-themed Farmer’s Market presented by Urban Harvest. Shop for items from 15 local vendors, including Artisana Bread, Texas Hill Country Olive Company, Tejas Heritage Farm (turkeys, chicken, wild boar), Plant it Forward Farms (vegetables), and Java Pura Coffee Roasters, offering a mix of items to get your household ready for T-Day. Shop away and then grab brunch as FM Kitchen and Bar serves a special midday menu inspired by the market. (11 am - 3 pm; tickets: free admission)
1112 Shepherd Dr.; 832-804-6006

Taco Sunday
Sunday, November 19
Your ticket to the second annual Gr8 Taco Challenge at 8th Wonder Brewery gets you a custom souvenir pint glass, tunes by Heapin' Helpin', four beer tokens, and a taco sampling from participating restaurants like Presidio, Riel, State Fare,The Pit Room, and Uchi. A portion of proceeds goes to Kids' Meals Houston. (12-4 pm; tickets: $40 per person in advance and $50 per person at the door)
2202 Dallas St.

New museum exhibit
Sunday, November 19
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, presents "Bestowing Beauty: Masterpieces from Persian Lands," an exhibition of more than 100 works highlighting the artistic and cultural heritage of Iranian civilization from the 6th to the 19th century. Highlights include miniature paintings from the Shahnama, the Iranian national epic and a range of historically significant ceramics. The exhibit runs through February 11, 2018. (12:15 pm; tickets: $15 per person for general admission to the museum)
1001 Bissonnet St.; 713-639-7300

The twelfth annual Houston Via Colori Street Painting Festival boasts pieces from more than 200 local and international artists.

$Via Colori\u00ae Street Painting Festival$

Photo courtesy of The Center for Hearing and Speech

The twelfth annual Houston Via Colori Street Painting Festival boasts pieces from more than 200 local and international artists.

event-planner

Movie Review

Daniel Craig shines in Queer, an unapologetic tale of love and loss

Photo courtesy of A24

Drew Starkey and Daniel Craig in Queer.

As recently as the late 2010s, if a movie was made about an LGBTQ+ character, it was more than likely about their coming out experience. Romance, if it existed, was typically chaste, and actual sex was almost completely out of the question. Things have changed dramatically in the 2020s, to the point that a major movie star has no issue starring in a film called Queer.

Based on the 1985 novella by William S. Burroughs, the film features William Lee (Daniel Craig), whom everyone calls just Lee, a writer living in 1950s-era Mexico City who spends most of his time haunting local bars with friends like fellow writer Joe Guidry (Jason Schwartzman) and hitting on younger men. His early interactions in the film seem to indicate that Lee has a bad reputation within the local gay community, as multiple people avoid him or give him odd looks.

Lee senses an opportunity when he encounters a newcomer, Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey). Despite some awkward interactions, the two of them start spending time together, although Lee has much more invested in the relationship than Eugene does. Their hit-and-miss bond continues until Lee, who’s starting to get into drugs in addition to the booze, convinces Eugene to accompany him on a trip to South America.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes (making their second straight film together after Challengers), early on the film seems to be mostly about the divide between an older person who’s grown comfortable in his ways and a younger person who’s living a relatively carefree life. The introduction of drugs into the plot changes things, though, with Lee searching out more ways to open his eyes to what the world has to offer.

Guadagnino and his team use some interesting visual storytelling techniques to introduce ideas that may not be present in the actual script. The most successful, demonstrated in multiple scenes, is the superimposition of movements by Lee over what’s actually taking place in the scene. The subtle overlay gives the audience insight into Lee’s true feelings, showing what he can’t or won’t say out loud.

Music also plays a big part in how the plot is perceived, with the use of anachronistic songs from Nirvana and Prince serving to heighten certain moments. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is not as in-your-face as the one they did for Challengers, but it complements the film well, especially when the plot starts to get trippy in its final half hour.

Craig, who appears sweaty and disheveled for much of the film, is about as far from the suaveness of James Bond as you can get in this role. He takes multiple risks with his performance and almost all of them pay off. Starkey’s character is subdued by comparison, but still comes off well. Schwartzman and Lesley Manville are given showy roles, with both using altered appearances that make them nearly unrecognizable to deliver memorable performances.

Queer is not as accessible as Challengers was storytelling-wise, but the fact that it tells a story about gay men living their lives as they see fit with no interference or questions shows how far the film world has come in a short period of time. It also continues Guadagnino’s streak of making audacious films in a way that few other filmmakers are willing or able to approach.

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Queer is now playing in theaters.

movies film