weekend event planner

Here are the top 8 things to do in Houston this weekend

Don your ugly sweater and catch a screening of the beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Story.

We're at the halfway mark to Christmas, which means a ton of holiday-themed events. Think movie screenings, caroling, and even horses (more on that soon). Here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, December 12

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Movie Party at Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra
Alamo Drafthouse LaCenterra will be showing several holiday-themed films this weekend: Love Actually, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, The Holiday and, of course, the classic A Christmas Story. But it's kicking things off with a screening of the 1989 yuletide installment of the Griswold saga, where Chevy Chase stars as a incessantly incompetent dad who tries to give his family a good, memorable time for the holidays. 7:30 pm.

Natasha Leggero and Moshe Kasher at Improv Houston
Natasha Leggero and Moshe Kasher are a married pair of comedians who each have some impressive credits. Leggero co-created and stars in the Comedy Central period-piece farce Another Period, while Kasher is best known for co-hosting the now-defunct podcast The Champs with Neal Brennan. But ever since they got together for their Netflix special The Honeymoon Standup Special (where Leggero was pregnant with their first child), they realized they work better as a team. 8 pm (7:30 and 9:45 pm Friday; 7 and 9:30 pm Saturday).

Friday, December 13

Crockett Kids Orchestra at Understory
Construction/development company Skanska will be hosting up to 40 pint-size prodigies from Crockett Elementary for a festive lunchtime performance on The Great Steps of Understory in Bank of America Tower. The local community will have the chance to support these up-and-coming artists through a fundraiser by Skanska, which will help supply much-needed instruments and equipment. This will be both an educational experience for students and the chance to support one of Houston’s extraordinary performing arts programs. Noon.

Budweiser Clydesdales at Space Center Houston
We've already talked about Space Center Houston lighting things up this holiday season with its new, Galaxy Lights experience. But, this weekend, the Budweiser Clydesdales will be around making things even more festive. Eight, high-stepping horses, measuring up to six feet tall and weighing more than 2,000 pounds, will be parading around Space Center Houston’s entrance with president/CEO William T. Harris and resident mascot Commander Quest riding the hitch. 6-8 pm.

Saturday, December 14

Dixie's Never Wear A Tube Top While Riding A Mechanical Bull at Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
Since the title is definitely a mouthful, we were curious about what this obviously over-the-top show is all about. It appears this is the latest production to star Dixie Longate, the fast-talking, gum-chewing, ginger-haired Alabama gal who previously won over off-Broadway audiences with Dixie's Tupperware Party. This one has her giving hysterical life-lessons learned after a hard night of drinking. And, apparently, a box of moon pies and a cardboard cutout of Julie Andrews is involved. Runs through December 22. 2 and 8 pm (1 and 5 pm Sunday).

Keeper of Atlantis & the Cryptographers at Cactus Music
This will be the one and only show of Houston's own Ramon "LP4" Medina, also known as Keeper of Atlantis. A member of psychedelic rock group The Linus Pauling Quartet for nearly a quarter of a century before the band parted ways, he'll be performing and promoting two new releases he's done with his backup band, the Cryptographers. Both albums, which consists of home studio recordings and other misfit songs, will be available for sale with bonus assorted goodies from the LP4 vaults. 1 pm.

Sunday, December 15

A Christmas Story Market & Movie Night at Karbach Brewing Co.
Karbach Brewing Co. is getting in the holiday swing of things with its Christmas holiday market. Guests can get some holiday shopping done at the Shop Local Market in the Biergarten and enjoy an ugly-sweater contest, Rock-A-Bully Christmas pet portraits, art stations for kids, and oh-so-much-more. Following the market, Alamo Drafthouse will bring out the big inflatable Rolling Roadshow and be pouring the beer for a screening of A Christmas Story at 6. Noon.

The Gumbo Jam at Shoeshine Charley's Big Top Lounge
This weekly, Louisiana-inspired jam session is home to all things funky and groovy. Singers, rappers, poets, musicians, and horn players from all over can show up and party to the loose, laid-back vibe of #TeamHornSection and The Gumbo Band. Come be a part of this social and musical gumbo — while also eating the best gumbo in Houston. Anybody down with the Cajun stuff — whether it's music or cuisine — should be down with this. 8:30 pm.

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Movie Review

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck square off in Netflix crime thriller The Rip

Photo by Claire Folger/Netflix

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in The Rip.

For as closely tied together as Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are, it might come as a surprise how few times they’ve led a movie together. They’ve appeared alongside each other in Good Will Hunting, The Last Duel, and Air, but the only time they were on equal footing in a story was Kevin Smith’s Dogma. So the fact that they are the two true stars of the new Netflix movie The Rip makes it a rare opportunity for the longtime friends to square off against each other.

Damon and Affleck play Lt. Dane Dumars and Detective Sgt. J.D Byrne, respectively, the two highest ranking members of a Miami police department squad that specializes in drug and drug money raids. A tragedy to begin the film already has the team — which includes Detectives Mike Ro (Steven Yeun), Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), and Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandina Moreno) — on edge, with the FBI and DEA breathing down their neck.

Going off a tip, Dumars gathers the team to raid a house in nearby Hialeah that is supposed to have a stash of a relatively small amount of money. But when they get to the house occupied only by Desiree Molina (Sasha Calle), they discover close to $20 million. The team, required by law to count the money on site, must not only fight the urge to skim a little off the top for themselves, but also worry about the Cartel and other agencies that might want a slice of the pie.

Written and directed by Joe Carnahan, the film is a surprisingly effective crime thriller made even better by its high-quality cast, which also includes Kyle Chandler as a DEA agent. The story is designed for the audience to not know who’s trustworthy until the last possible second, and the various twists and turns it takes are well done, with barely a hint of narrative cheating.

Taking place entirely at night, the mood is set right from the start, with the only surprise being that Carnahan didn’t add in rain for extra effect. He keeps things tense with a number of subtle elements, including having the house located in a seemingly deserted cul-de-sac. This allows for the characters to remain on high alert at all times, with anything out of the ordinary — an unexpected noise, a flashing light, etc. — adding to the stress of the situation.

The only element that could have used a bit more of a punch-up is the characterization. The story is set up to cast suspicion on almost everybody, making it tougher to understand exactly what type of person each of them is. As the two leads, more time is spent with Dumars and Byrne, leaving everyone else with slightly underwhelming arcs. It’s to the credit of the actors that everyone else below Damon and Affleck is still compelling.

Damon and Affleck play their sometimes friendly, sometimes adversarial roles well, showing an ease together that’s a result of their friendship and the acting skills they’ve honed over 30+ years. Taylor, an Oscar hopeful for One Battle After Another, and Oscar nominee/Emmy winner Yeun have a pedigree that elevates their supporting roles. Chandler, Moreno, and Calle each get just enough to demonstrate why they were cast in their respective roles.

Damon and Affleck have had their individual ups and downs throughout their careers, but when they choose to work together, the results are usually good-to-great, as they are in The Rip. It’s a different take on a crime thriller that features a story that will keep viewers guessing until the very end.

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The Rip is now streaming on Netflix.

movies

weekend event planner

Here are the top 8 things to do in Houston this weekend

Movie Review

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck square off in Netflix crime thriller The Rip

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