weekend event planner

Here are the top 14 things to do in Houston this weekend

“ICONS KLINKO” at Nicole Longnecker Gallery

See stars like Britney in their most iconic forms at Nicole Longnecker Gallery.

Photo courtesy of Markus Klinko and Nicole Longnecker Gallery

This weekend gets jazzed up with the Broadway smash Chicago — starring a familiar Houston face — while Cirque du Soleil dazzles under the big top. Yet another cirque makes a splash with performances in 35,000 gallons of water.

A star-studded art show opens with iconic images of pop culture's biggest names, while a globally renowned troupe from Harlem dances into town. And is there anything better than ice cream for breakfast? (Read on.)

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, February 2

Holocaust Museum of Houston presents "The Life and Art of Alice Lok Cahana" opening reception

Artist and Holocaust survivor Alice Lok Cahana made a vow as she faced the horrors of Auschwitz, and later, the Bergen-Belsen camp - if she survived, she would not hate those who imprisoned her and those who murdered her family. Holocaust Museum Houston will celebrate Cahana (who died in 2017), not only as an artist, but as a devoted friend, loving mother and resilient survivor. Through Sunday, April 9. 6 pm.

Cirque du Soleil presents Kooza

A return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil, this traditional circus homage combines acrobatic performances and the art of clowning while exploring fear, identity, recognition, and power. The Innocent's journey brings him into contact with comic characters from an electrifying world full of surprises, thrills, audacity, and total involvement. Through Sunday, March 5. 7:30 pm (Noon, 3:30 & 7 pm Saturday; 1:30 & 4 pm Sunday).

Cirque Italia presents Water Circus

Cirque Italia presents their new show, featuring a stage that holds 35,000 gallons of water over which performers make dazzling moves, thrilling the audience with every feat. Cirque Italia has sought to bring a high-class experience to audiences all over the United States since its inception in 2012. This year will be no exception as they take you on an exhilarating expedition in search of a pirate’s booty. The event will be located in a tent in the parking lot of Houston Premium Outlets. 7:30 pm (1:30, 4:30 & 7:30 pm Saturday; 1:30 & 4:30 pm Sunday).

Friday, February 3

Truffle Masters Pre-Party at Central Market

DR Delicacy is slated to host their highly anticipated event, Truffle Masters. To mark the occasion, Houston chefs will take over the upstairs of Central Market to delight guests at this celebration of all things truffle. During the kick-off party, an assortment of wines and champagne will be served as guests sample bites that incorporate truffles. Participating chefs include Michelle Wallace (b’tween Sandwich Co.), Alex Au-Yeung (Phat Eatery), David Skinner (Eculent), Jassi Bindra (Amrina), and Joseph Geiskopf (Ciel), and more. 6:30 pm.

The History of YouGenious: Selected Stories and Acapella Songs

Come sit a spell and sip some BYOB alcohol as YouGenious (aka The Misfit of R&B) talks about how he became one of Houston’s most legendary, underground performance artists. (These are his words, BTW.) He will tell stories about his favorite performance antics, strip club encounters and lost loves. These are the tales that inspired the songs he’s been singing for the past 20 years (including his classic “Sex on a Spoon) and he will strip them down butt-bald-nekkid! 7 pm.

Performing Arts Houston presents Dance Theatre of Harlem

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Dance Theatre of Harlem Company tours nationally and internationally, presenting a powerful vision for ballet in the 21st century. The 17-member, multi-ethnic company performs a forward-thinking repertoire that includes treasured classics, neoclassical works by George Balanchine and resident choreographer Robert Garland, as well as innovative contemporary works that use the language of ballet to celebrate African American culture. 7 pm (2 pm Saturday).

Theatre Under the Stars presents Chicago

20 years ago, the Miramax-produced film adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical won a bunch of Oscars. If you ever wanted to see the stage version, then here’s your chance. After 25 years, this is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one show-stopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen. Through Sunday, February 12. 8 pm (2 & 8 pm Saturday; 2 & 7:30 pm Sunday).

Saturday, February 4

Jeni’s Ice Cream for Breakfast Day

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams will present their annual Ice Cream for Breakfast Day celebration. Last year's runaway hit flavor, Maple Soaked Pancakes, is returning for a limited time. The first 50 Splendid Rewards members will get a free, very limited Ice Cream for Breakfast Day mug. Visitors can also enter a giveaway for free ice cream for a year by taking a photo in your PJs at a Jeni’s shop, sharing it with the hashtag #icecreamforbreakfast, and tagging Jeni’s on social media.. 9 am.

Brave Little Company presents Grandpa's Garden

Meet Bebe and her grandpa, who’s a world champion gardener. If you’re ready to learn something new, he’ll teach you how to plant your own fruits and vegetables. But curious Bebe can’t stop wondering what’s in grandpa’s mysterious shed - and she needs your help to find the key. Bebe and her grandpa will explore the garden - and their own roots and legacy as African Americans - through song, senses, and stories. This musical will celebrate Black history through one family's story. 10 am and 1 pm.

Nicole Longnecker Gallery presents "ICONS KLINKO" opening reception

"ICONS KLINKO” will feature international photographer Markus Klinko. Klinko has photographed the likes of Beyonce, Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet, Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Naomi Campbell, and Iman. His editorial clients include Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, and Interview. Through Saturday, March 25. 4 pm.

14 Pews presents Carole King Home Again — Live in Central Park

This documentary presents the music icon’s triumphant, 1973 homecoming concert in Central Park, before an estimated audience of 100,000. The film presents the complete multi-camera 16mm footage filmed and recorded, but never before released. Alongside the complete performance footage is the behind-the-scenes story of King’s remarkable transformation from an in-demand staff songwriter to an iconic artist in her own right. 5 pm.

Sunday, February 5

The Modern Art Gallery and IYO Visuals present Southern Glory

The Modern Art Gallery (The MAG) and IYO Visuals present this collaborative exhibition, featuring more than 20 local and globally recognized visual artists. The exhibition will also serve as the grand opening exhibition for The MAG, a 23,000-square-foot contemporary art gallery located at GreenStreet, downtown Houston’s premier mixed-use district. The MAG aims to distinguish itself as an artist-first gallery concept, collaborating with artists and sharing their visionary work with local and global audiences. Through Friday, March 31. 11 am.

ReelAbilities: Houston Film and Arts Festival

ReelAbilities: Houston Film and Arts Festival, a free, city-wide festival that promotes inclusion and celebrates the lives, stories, and talents of people with disabilities, will offer a multi-faceted experience of art, music, speakers, and films that offer uplifting impressions for audiences about people living with disabilities. The ReelArt Opening Reception will take place this Sunday. Events take place at multiple locations; go to the festival website for more information. Through Thursday, February 23. 1 pm.

Main Street Theater presents Permanent Collection

African-American businessman Sterling North has been named the new director of the Morris Foundation. He soon discovers that this world-famous art collection includes several significant African sculptures tucked away in storage. His proposal to add them to the public galleries is opposed by the Foundation's long-time education director. Spurred on by a zealous local journalist, the clash quickly escalates to public accusations of racism and a bitter struggle for control of the collection. Through Sunday, March 5. 3 pm.

Movie Review

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie serves fans with Easter Eggs galore

Photo courtesy of Nintendo and Illumination

Yoshi, Mario, and Luigi in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

When The Super Mario Bros. Movie came out in 2023, it had two big things going for it. Audiences had little experience with a fully-animated video game adaptation, and certainly not from a property as revered as Super Mario Bros. And coming from Illumination Entertainment and featuring an all-star cast, the massive budget for the film was on the screen, showing how much effort the filmmakers put into at least the visuals.

Three years later comes the sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, passing over a massive number of Mario games to go straight to 2007’s Super Mario Galaxy, originally put out for Nintendo’s Wii system. This time, the returning Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), now joined by Yoshi (Donald Glover), are sent on a mission to save Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) from the evil clutches of Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), who’s trying to prove his worth to his dad, Bowser (Jack Black).

And that is about as much actual story there is to be found in a film that feels like a slog even at a brief 98 minutes. The filmmakers — directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, co-directors Pierre Leduc and Fabien Polack, and writer Matthew Fogel — have lots of fun inserting references from a bunch of different Mario games, but they pay little attention to giving the characters anything to do that makes sense.

Instead, small groups are shuttled around different points in the galaxy — sometimes using game mechanics, sometimes not — to accomplish minor goals that are forgotten almost as soon as they’re named. Nothing they do rises to the level of exciting or even interesting; everything is merely an excuse to showcase another part of Mario lore for the masses.

It’s impossible to call the filmmaking lazy, as the visuals remain top notch and it’s clear the entire crew put a lot of effort into making every scene as appealing as possible. But the film is certainly cynical, throwing out empty treats like Fox McCloud (Glen Powell) or Bowser Jr.’s magic paintbrush to give Nintendo mega-fans a rush of serotonin without attaching those elements to anything substantial.

This critic has long railed against using big-name actors in voiceover roles, arguing that few people know or care whose voice they’re hearing in animated films. Somehow, this film makes the idea worse, as the voices of people like Key, Glover, and Safdie are changed so that you would never know it’s them, something that’s especially strange for Glover since Yoshi only says one word — “Yoshi.”

Even stranger is that, after making a joke in the first film about Mario not having an Italian accent, Pratt goes in and out of an accent in this film. At least he and Day feel like they’re having fun. Bowser is sidelined for a good amount of this film, giving Black not much to do overall. Taylor-Joy and Larson might as well be anonymous actors for all the impact they make on their roles.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the worst kind of fan service, delivering a shiny product that might make some people feel good in the moment, but something that is forgotten the second they step out of the theater. If Nintendo is to continue adapting their properties, they’d do well to give their fans a film they want to see more than once.

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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now playing in theaters.

movies film