Awards Season

Houston film critics honor 12 Years a Slave and Gravity as top picks

Members of the Houston Film Critics Society divided their love between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity in their annual awards. The critics picked Slave as the best film of 2013 and honored Chiwetel Ejiofor as Best Actor, Lupita Nyong'o as Best Supporting Actress, and John Ridley for Best Screenplay. The film, a harrowing look at slavery in pre-Civil War America, is based on a memoir by Solomon Northup.

Gravity, the ultimate "lost in space" movie, picked up five awards, including Best Actress Sandra Bullock and Best Director Alfonso Cuaron.

12 Years a Slave took four awards including Best Picture, while Gravity picked up five awards, including a Best Actress award to Sandra Bullock.

“These two movies for us represent not just the best film had to offer this year but also the great variety of film being produced, from incredible pieces of spectacle to the minimalism of Slave,” HFCS President Joshua Starnes said in a press release announcing the picks. “This was the closest the voting for director has been in the HFCS’ history.”

Other major awards went to Jared Leto as Best Supporting Actor for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, Disney’s Frozen for Best Animated Film, Denmark's The Hunt as Best Foreign Film and 20 Feet From Stardom as Best Documentary.

"Please Mr. Kennedy" from the Coen Bros.’ Inside Llewyn Davis was named Best Original Song while Adam Sandler received his second Worst Film award for Grown Ups 2.

The awards, which will be presented at the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston on Jan. 4, include a special tribute to Eric Harrison, the former chief film critic for the Houston Chronicle, and a founding member of the HFCS, who passed away on Nov. 16.

The Coen Brothers will be the recipients of the HFCS Lifetime Achievement Award and Edward James Olmos will receive the HFCS Humanitarian of the Year Award.

The third annual Texas Independent Film Award will also be awarded to one of these nominees:

John Wager’s Comedy Warriors, about returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans taking to stand-up comedy to adjust to their war injuries,
Bastian Gunther’s Houston, about an alcoholic executive recruiter coming to grips with his problems while scouring the titular city for a fortune 500 CEO to hire,
David Gordon Green’s meditative comedy Prince Avalanche,
An Unreal Dream, the award winning documentary about Michael Morton’s fight against his conviction for his wife’s murder,
Zero Charisma, a favorite at the South By Southwest Film Festival.

Sandra Bullock in Gravity

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Sandra Bullock in Gravity

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the people's champ

Houston rap star Paul Wall blasts off with concert at intergalactic art venue

Courtesy of Meow Wolf

Paul Wall and Lil' Keke will appear at Meow Wolf in March.

Two Houston hip-hop stars are teaming up for a one-night-only performance in a venue that’s out of this world. Paul Wall and special guest Lil’ Keke will perform at Meow Wolf on Saturday, March 7.

Held at Meow Wolf’s Theta Theatre, the after-hours show will blend Houston rap with the interactive art installation’s interdimensional experience. Tickets ($65) are on sale now for the performance, which will begin at 10 pm and is limited to people who are 21 or older.

“Radio Tave was built with nights like this in mind,” general manager Aaron Johnson said in a statement. “Paul Wall performing inside the exhibition brings Houston music into a space designed for sound to hit, linger, and surround you. This is a powerful moment for the venue and for the city.”

The Grammy-nominated Wall is known for songs such as "Sittin' Sidewayz," "Girl," and "They Don't Know," along with features on songs such as Nelly's "Grillz" and Mike Jones' "Still Tippin’.” He’ll be joined by Lil’ Keke, a longtime member of the Screwed Up Click who helped pioneer Houston’s signature slowed-down sound. The duo have collaborated on a number of tracks, including “Break Em' Off," "Ridin 5," and "Chunk Up the Deuce."

Meow Wolf opened Radio Tave, its Houston installation, in 2024. It guides visitors through an East Texas radio station that’s been transported to another dimension. Houston musicians, including rapper Fat Tony, contributed to the experience. Cowboix Hevvven, the venue’s honky tonk-inspired dive bar, features a jukebox with songs recorded by Texas artists for Meow Wolf. It received two 2025 Webby Awards for Webby Award (Critics' Choice) and the People’s Voice Award for Best Installation or Experience in AI, Immersive & Games.

concerts meow wolf