Ring in the New Year

Party like the Mayans: CultureMap's round-up of the best New Year's Evehappenings in Houston

Courtesy photo
Blue Ridge Travel

If the Mayans are right, it might well be your last New Year's Eve ever, so you might as well make it a good one. Here's where we'd be if we could be everywhere at once:

MKT Bar — Pull out your finest black and white attire for the NYE party at MKT Bar. Located downtown at Phoenicia, black and white silent films and classic tunes spun by DJ G.K.S. will set the backdrop. Admission price is $20 and includes hors d’oeuvres and a champagne toast at midnight. For tickets, call 832-360-2222.

City Centre and Hotel Sorella — Catch the midnight fireworks display, as well as the interactive music and lighting set from DJ Kevin Friddell starting at 8:30 p.m., in the Plaza at City Centre. Warm yourself up at Hotel Sorella as Pianist Kirk Hale performs in the Lobby Lounge from 8:30 until 11:00 p.m., and take advantage of the hotel's overnight packages - rates begin at $249 per couple and include admission to Monnalisa's NYE party featuring music by the Norma Zenteno Band. Call 713-973-1600 for reservations.

The Capitol at St. Germain — This newly opened downtown supper club is offering a five-course dinner, champagne toast and party favors, and live music for $99 per person. In addition, receive a special $99 room rate at the nearby Magnolia Hotel. For more information, call 713-492-2454.

Stereo Live — Get set for 1,000 pounds of confetti to rain down upon you throughout the evening at Stereo Live's 4th Annual New Year's Eve Ball featuring beats by DJ BL3ND, Richard Vission & Christopher Lawrence. Cheers to not having to clean it up. For tickets, click here.

BlackFinn American Grille — Toast to prosperity at the Roaring Twenties Party at BlackFinn American Grille. Your $15 ticket to the Saloon Party includes a champagne toast at midnight and complimentary passed appetizers. Couples will enjoy two tickets to the Saloon Party, a four-course dinner for two and a bottle of champagne for $90. For reservations, call 713-651-9550.

Mad Hatta hosts at the J.W. Marriott — DJ Madd Hatta, host of the eponymous morning show on Houston's 97.9 The Box, is hosting a bash at the Galleria's J.W. Marriott hotel that will encompass five ballrooms and include entertainment by jazz guitarist Corey "Funkafangez" Stoot and three DJs as well as a champagne toast and discount bottles from sponsor Grey Goose. Dress attire is "NYE Swag" or "Paparazzi Perfect"; tickets are on sale Friday and Saturday in the lobby or by calling 281-830-2803.

Wortham Center — Meet the impending apocalypse with your classiest foot forward. The fourth annual NYE bash at Wortham Center features a red carpet entrance, fashion show, casino games, a light show, confetti drop and three DJs. General admission is $30 each or $400 for a group of four; VIP entry is $150. For full ticket details, click here.

Sparkle and Shine at Sullivan's — Enjoy a four-course dinner courtesy of chef Teli Trikilis before dancing the night away at the Ringside jazz lounge to tunes from The Brew, a Latin-jazz group sure to keep you grooving. Tickets are $25 to dance only or $89 to dance and dine. Call 713-961-0333 for reservations.

La Torretta Lake Resort — With the resort's future as uncertain as ours, it's the perfect match to dance away your cares and theirs on the banks of Lake Conroe. This country New Year's Eve gala features entertainment by the Josh Ward Band, a seated dinner and special rates starting at $299-per-night. Call 936-448-4400 for more info.

New Year's Eve Live — For a more family-friendly end-of-year bash, head downtown to Discovery Green's New Year's Eve Live. This free event spans the entire downtown park and the George R. Brown Convention Center and is an extension of the popular Glowarama, just with a new moniker. The festivities start early at 7 p.m. with an illuminated Art Car parade, live music, ice skating till midnight, magicians and more before a 3D light show illuminates the walls of the George R. Brown and a fireworks display fills the sky above.

Anvil Bar & Refuge — The accolades just keep on coming for this lower Montrose cocktail emporium. Celebrate New Year's Eve with the best in the biz at Anvil's Bubbles and Bourbon Bash, featuring elegant candlelight, live jazz music, a balloon drop and a fast-growing traditional midnight toast of either bourbon or bubbly. Don't be tardy to the party; it starts when the bar opens at 4 p.m.

Casablanca at Hughes Hangar — Flap your way into the new year at Hughes Hangar's Casablanca-themed bash, featuring an enormous heated patio and music. Admission is $25 per person, including a complimentary glass of champagne, and group packages are also available. Call 832-704-8964 or email info@hugheshangar for reservations.

Vintage Lounge — Open bar from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. (that's five hours), shot luge, a DJ, champagne toast and a live feed of the Times Square ball drop. VIP tables are available by request. Tickets are $80 through Dec. 24; $100 through Dec. 31.

Hotel ICON — Be the lord of the dance as the DJ spins his magic from 10:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. at Hotel ICON. Package deals start at $299 and include accommodations for two, champagne flutes delivered to your room, complimentary valet parking and VIP access to the Lobby Party with a midnight toast and favors. For a hair of the dog remedy on New Year’s Day, hit the make your own Bloody Mary bar at the hotel's a la carte Recovery Brunch. For party and brunch reservations, call 713-224-4266.

Hyatt Regency — Billed as "Houston's largest New Year's Eve celebration," the party spans four floors and features two live bands, a D.J., party favors, and the famous, 50,000-balloon cascade at midnight. The hotel's Celebration Package starts at $299 per couple, which includes ovenight accomodations. To reserve tickets or hotel packages, call (713) 654-1234 or visit NYEHouston.hyatt.com.

New Years Eve on the Square at Sugar Land Town Square — The city of Sugar Land plans two New Year's Eve celebrations: one for children (7-9 p.m.) and one for adults (9:30 p.m. - 1 a.m.) Entertainment includes nine-foot vines that come to life, giant roaming puppets and street performers, with a 3D Sugar Cube drop at midnight. For more information, click here or call 281-275-2885

...and one in Dallas

Lights all Night Dallas — Get out of town this New Year's and head north for Lights All Night in Dallas, a two-day dance fest featuring renowned DJs including Tiesto and Girl Talk alongside headlining performers Ghostland Observatory, Benny Benassi, RJD2 and others. For a full line-up and to purchase tickets (which start at $99 for single-day or $190 for the weekend), click here.

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Movie Review

Over-the-top acting and incoherent plot drag down Her Private Hell

Photo courtesy of Neon

Sophie Thatcher in Her Private Hell.

Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn is not someone who plays nice with the general film world. His 2011 film Drive introduced him to American audiences in a big way, but that pulsating thriller was followed up with artier films like Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon that eschewed coherent plots in favor of moody, atmospheric pieces.

Winding Refn, who hasn’t made a feature film in 10 years, has gone fully down the rabbit hole with Her Private Hell. Taking place in a liminal space that kind of resembles Earth but also feels like someone’s dreams/nightmares, the film focuses on Elle (Sophie Thatcher), an actor currently starring in a sci-fi film. Staying at a hotel with newcomer Hunter (Kristine Froseth), the two bond over their shared passion and the legend of Elle’s father, Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott), who’s now married to Elle’s friend Dominique (Havana Rose Liu).

After spending a good amount of (mostly incomprehensible) time with that group, Refn introduces Private K (Charles Melton), who seems to be living in post-World War II Japan. He is looking for his daughter, who might have been taken by a mysterious figure known as “Leatherman,” and he will stop at nothing to find her, fighting whoever stands in his way.

It becomes clear almost right away that Winding Refn has no desire to engage in traditional storytelling in this film. The main characters wander through neon-drenched streets and buildings, which are often surrounded by a mist that is referred to on multiple occasions but never explained. Everyone speaks as if in a constant state of wonderment, and there are many moments where it’s unclear if events are actually happening, part of a movie-within-a-movie, or something else entirely.

Unlike his previous films, Winding Refn has taken the characters in this film completely out of the real world, with every scene taking place in a sparsely decorated room or street that is obviously a movie set. While there are moments where this decision really works, especially the striking first shot of a human-like figure mixed in with a cityscape and clouds, most of the time it only adds to the stilted nature of the film as a whole.

In fact, the entire movie has the feel of an avant-garde theater exercise. Every actor seems to be trying to outdo the others with awkward performances and out-sized reactions. Two very specific characters make appearances in both sides of the story for seemingly no reason other than to inject their weirdness into both spaces. The shocking violence that crops up on occasion would have more of an impact if it was related to anything intelligible.

Thatcher (Companion) and Liu (Tuner) are among the young stars who have had breakout moments in recent years, but neither of them is served well by this hot mess of a movie. They, along with Melton, still demonstrate the talent they possess, but the oddity of the film weighs them down. Scott makes an impression for all the wrong reasons, while Froseth is called upon to play a character who might as well not be there at all.

If there’s any kind of message that Winding Refn was trying to convey with Her Private Hell, it’s lost among the flashing lights, overload of pink, and jewel-like structures. Filmmakers who try to make art for art’s sake have a place in the world, but this film too often feels like people are making things up as they go, with no real goal in mind.

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Her Private Hell opens in theaters on July 24.

movies film

Ring in the New Year

Party like the Mayans: CultureMap's round-up of the best New Year's Evehappenings in Houston

Movie Review

Over-the-top acting and incoherent plot drag down Her Private Hell

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