weekend event planner

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

Houston's beloved Uptown Houston Holiday Lighting returns on Thanksgiving evening.

Photo courtesy of Uptown Houston

It’s Thanksgiving Weekend: The turkey! The stuffing! The relatives! (The arguing!) And, of course, after all that is done, there's Black Friday, and all the subsequent weekend shopping deals.

Locals won’t want to miss the annual Uptown Holiday Lighting. Now in its 32nd year, the annual event will return on Thanksgiving evening, to kick off the holiday season on a newly transformed Post Oak Boulevard. This free family event usually draws more than 100,000 people to the boulevard between Westheimer and San Felipe for live entertainment, a visit from jolly Saint Nick, a fireworks extravaganza, and a dazzling new light show.

This year's celebration is being reimagined with the introduction of over 300 all-new, 20-foot-tall holiday trees that will line Post Oak Boulevard from the West Loop to Richmond Avenue. A Merry Holiday Stage Show features performances by local Houston entertainment including event staples Houston Concert Band, Houston Show Choir, Mixteco Ballet, and A.D Players.

While enjoying the holiday performances and awaiting Santa’s arrival, guests can enjoy the uniquely designed art cars on display along the Boulevard and grab favorite holiday treats like kettle corn, funnel cakes, hot cocoa and apple cider from concession stands. A portion of all concession sales will go to event charities Be an Angel and the Houston Area Urban League. The event kicks off at 5 pm.

And as always, there are plenty of other weekend options for you and the family. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 28

BakerRipley Houston Turkey Trot and Woodforest Turkey Trot
There are two "turkey trots" going on this Turkey Day. First off, the BakerRipley trot will include three separate races in the Uptown Galleria area designed to appeal to runners of all ages and experience levels. Winners of the certified timed events will be given awards based on event and age category. And the events in the Woodforest trot will include the Mashed Potato Mile and the 5K Family Feast Walk/Run. A Harvest Half Mile is available for kids ages 12 and under. 7:30 and 8:30 am.

The H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Houston Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1949, when Santa arrived at Union Station and rode his sleigh to the downtown Foley’s. The 70-year-old holiday tradition continues today with Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale as grand marshal. The parade starts on Lamar Street in downtown; check the map online for the exact route. 9 am.

Friendsgivings at Henke & Pillot
Earlier this week, we were at a multiplex and saw that folks were going to see a bunch of Thanksgiving episodes from the TV show Friends (aka "Friendsgiving"), instead of staying at home at watching them on Netflix. So, if people are willing to venture out and watch Friends on the big screen, they would probably check out this "Friendsgiving"-themed event, which starts off with a bachata, salsa and kizomba class mixer, then slides into a dance party that goes on until the wee hours. 9 pm-1:30 am

Friday, November 29

Galveston Holiday Lighting Celebration at Hotel Galvez & Spa
This is the twelfth year for this holiday celebration, which kicks off with the lighting of the hotel’s 35-foot Christmas tree. This event will also feature holiday entertainment including performances of The Nutcracker by the Galveston Ballet, Christmas carols, and holiday music performed with flutes, as well as a special visit by Santa Claus and other guests. Throughout the evening, Hotel Galvez staff will collect monetary donations for the Salvation Army. 6-7:15 pm.

Downtown District presents Thing-A-Ma-Jingle on Main Street
The Houston Downtown Management District (Downtown District) is repackaging the downtown holiday experience with a lot of special events, including this new, signature happening. Recommended for ages 21 and up, the giant block party will feature a Black Friday Gift Market, Christmas karaoke, photo opps with Hipster Santa, lighting projections, and much more. Eventgoers can enjoy food and drink specials and live music at area bars and restaurants. 7 pm-midnight.

Goodfellas at Landmark River Oaks
Now that everyone is going ga-ga over The Irishman, the latest gangster opus from Martin Scorsese, starring longtime regulars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci — currently playing at Landmark River Oaks and on Netflix — Landmark will also be screening Scorsese's 1990 mob masterpiece as this weekend's midnight movie. This movie (which we still can't believe lost the Best Picture Oscar to Dances with Wolves so long ago) also stars De Niro and Pesci as the brutal associates of wiseguy-turned-informant Henry Hill (Ray Liotta). 11:59 pm.

Saturday, November 30

DC vs. Marvel II at Saint Arnold Brewing Company
It's the battle that will never die: DC vs. Marvel. Oh sure, DC's got the iconic superheroes: Batman, Superman, etc. But Marvel has the edgier superheroes, the ones who had to fight to prove they could protect the world. (Plus, they have the better cinematic universe.) Super Happy Incredible Toys and War'Hous Visual Artists have teamed up for this event, which will feature artwork from local artists, an eclectic vendor market, cosplay contests, and a brand-new beer garden and restaurant at Saint Arnold. Noon.

Merel and Tony at Cactus Music
For Small Business Saturday, Cactus Music will have a live performance from this alt/indie duo, who has released several EPs and composed music for such podcasts as This American Life. The pair will be performing selections from A Record Of Deported Persons, a collection of songs adapted from interviews with people who have been deported from the United States. (Tony received a grant from the city of Houston, through Houston Arts Alliance, to develop these songs.) 1 pm.

Chris D'Elia at Revention Music Center
Here's a little secret: We have some guys around the office who are big fans of Chris D'Elia. More specifically, they are big fans of his weekly podcast Congratulations with Chris D'Elia, one of many comedy podcasts where an LA-based comic rants and riffs on the world around him. But he's also a very popular comic, especially on Netflix. He's shot three specials for them, and he just shot another one in Minneapolis that's gonna drop next year. And he also has a killer Eminem impersonation. 7 and 10 pm.

Sunday, December 1

Big E's Lone Star Record Swap Meet at The Continental Club
Big E's Lone Star Record Hop Records is a local label that has given Houstonians such releases as The Ghost Storys' Subliminal Messages, Los Benders' El Mexican Custom Rackinrol and Tomcat y El Rock & Roll Combo's Grandes Bolas de Fuego. But this label is also around to hold record swap meets for thirsty vinylheads out there. For all the sellers and collectors around these parts who can't wait for another record convention to pop up, just bring a table and your records. No cover on table fees. 2-6 pm.

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.

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