weekend event planner

15 top things to do in Houston this weekend: Star Wars, a Potter party, and more

Star Wars: A New Hope

Photo via StarWars.com

This weekend, our hometown heroes and bearded legends ZZ Top come home for a classic rock showcase. A local brewery serves up some Harry Potter fun, while Star Wars fans can blast off to a live symphony performance of A New Hope while watching the epic summer blockbuster.

NobleMotion Dance puts on a powerful performance, UH puts on some stirring Shakespeare, and a gamer/cosplay con hits west Houston.

Enjoy; here are you best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, July 27

Sawyer Yards presents Alison Donaldson: "Paper Trail" opening reception

In her first-ever solo exhibition, Alison Donaldson explores her love of deconstructing original artwork and piecing it back together into intuitively created works that are hybrids of collage and abstract expressionism. Each piece is made with torn or cut pieces of original, mixed-media artwork. Donaldson is a mixed media artist with a love of color and exploring modern ways to reimagine working with deconstructed artwork. Through Saturday, September 9. 6 pm.

Friends of River Oaks Theatre presents Blue Velvet (4K Restoration) and Raquel Cepeda Live

David Lynch's psychosexual 1986 masterpiece, starring Dennis Hopper, Isabella Rossellini and Kyle MacLachlan (who will be a guest on a future Friends on Film podcast episode) will screen and be accompanied by a live performance by Raquel Cepeda Duo at Friends of River Oaks Theatre’s July event. As an homage to the music of the film and enigmatic nightclub singer played by Rossellini, let Raquel Cepeda stir you with her sultry jazz vocals before the screening. The film will be screened using the latest 4K restoration. 7 pm.

The University of Houston presents Houston Shakespeare Festival: Macbeth

The Houston Shakespeare Festival opens their 49th season with Shakespeare’s “Scottish play,” as it’s usually referred to by superstitious theater folk. A Scottish general and his wife are plunged into a murderous quest by the prophecy of three mysterious witches. Consumed by brutal ambition, the couple’s bloodbath delivers the crown of Scotland to Macbeth. After unthinkable acts of betrayal, a price must be paid. Guilt, madness, and tyranny reign in a world where “fair is foul, and foul is fair.” Through Friday, August 4. 8:15 pm.

Friday, July 28

Urban South presents Houston Potterfest

Urban South HTX will host a Potterfest celebration in honor of Harry Potter’s birthday. Urban South’s Butterbeer draft and slush will be available in regular and non-alcoholic pours. Throughout the festival, attendees will enjoy a movie marathon, a Potter playlist, a costume contest, wand decorating, and a Diagon Alley vendor market. Compete in the costume Contest on Saturday, where they will award prizes for Most Creative Costume, Best Student/Professor Costume and Best Dressed Potter Pup. 7 pm (1 pm Saturday).

The Houston Symphony presents Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert

The Houston Symphony will perform John Williams’ epic score for Star Wars: A New Hope in concert. The symphony will screen the iconic 1977 film by award-winning director George Lucas, bringing its soundtrack to life. Regarded as one of the most important films in the history of cinema, this blockbuster commenced the start of the movie’s franchise, launched the careers of its young stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher, and revolutionized motion pictures. 7:30 pm (2:30 and 7:30 pm Saturday).

NobleMotion Dance presents PowerPlay

NobleMotion kickstarts its 15th season with a radical evening of dance. Section 6 immerses the audience in a simulated A.I. training program, as dancers invite participants into the action-packed performance. Sidelined playfully looks at power dynamics as it creates an absurd world where baseball umpires define the rules of the workplace. And Half-told Stories reveals a pivotal moment in the life of four women and features a collaboration with composer/multimedia artist Badie Khaleghian. 8 pm (4 pm Sunday).

White Oak Music Hall presents Blondshell – My Home is Your Playground Summer Tour

Indie-rock breakout star Blondshell (aka Sabrina Teitelbaum) is embarking on her first-ever, U.S headline tour, which will be making a stop in Houston this weekend. She'll be joined by rock trio Hello Mary. Blondshell's debut, self-titled album dropped earlier this April, while Hello Mary released their self-titled debut album the month before. Teitelbaum began teasing Blondshell in 2022, capturing the attention of music critics and fans along the way who were quick to latch onto her ability to layer her wry sense of humor atop weighty topics. 8 pm.

Saturday, July 29

Christmas in July at I W Marks Jewelers

One of Houston's oldest and most beloved jewelers is throwing a big Christmas In July event at its Bellaire location (3841 Bellaire Blvd.). Visitors can stroll the aisles and enjoy complimentary Jojo Burgers, live entertainment, score gift cards and more. Spread the pre-holiday cheer with a huge back-to-school drive benefiting the charity BEAR. (No holiday sweater required — it's July in Houston.) 10 am-5 pm.

Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show

Bluey's Big Play, the Emmy-winning animated preschool series, is taking the show on the road to theaters all across the country. Fans of all ages will get to see Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli as they’ve never seen them before, as the Heelers embark on their very first live theater show in the U.S., featuring puppetry, live actors, and iconic sets. Based on an original new story written by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, the stage show also contains new music by composer Joff Bush. 11 am, 2 and 5 pm (1 and 4 pm Sunday).

Buffalo Soldier National Museum presents Buffalo Soldiers Community Day

Please join The Buffalo Soldier National Museum, as they commemorate 157 years since the formation of the first Army regiments, which consisted of African-American soldiers. The community celebration will include activities like a DJ, a live artist, a bounce house, face painting, food trucks, artifact demonstration, and self-guided tours. RSVP for free admission. Noon.

I, Ruby: Vol 1 Art Exhibition Closing Ceremony

This collaborative effort between renowned Houston artist Jeanne Jones and Megan Olivia Ebel, the founder of Ruby Projects, will close this weekend with a closing ceremony celebration. The exhibition aims to celebrate a diverse group of emerging artists contributing to the ongoing dialogue of change and challenge in the contemporary art world. The exhibition encourages viewers to engage in meaningful conversations and explore fresh ways of perceiving and existing in the art world. Noon.

Karlous Miller: At the End of the Day...

As a comedian/actor, Karlous Miller is most known for being a veteran cast member on Nick Cannon’s hip-hop/improv funhouse Wild ‘N Out. Miller also hosts the popular 85 South Show podcast, along with Wild ‘N Out castmates DC Young Fly and Chico Bean. All three of them usually go on tour together as the Ghetto Legends (they recently dropped a Netflix special from one of those shows). But, this time, Miller is on his own, ready to do some hilarious damage at Cullen Performance Hall. 7 pm.

Sunday, July 30

Sing-A-Long Sundaze: Best of the 90s & On R&B Brunch

Head over to the ASM Boutique and Venue in Dickinson and grab a mimosa or a breakfast shot for the liquid courage you need to sing along to the greatest R&B hits from the ‘90s and early 2000s. Admission includes a breakfast buffet and an interactive experience with one of the best local DJs around, DJ Cidney Ray. A full bar will be provided along with mimosa specials. Come dressed to impress. Prizes will be given away for the best male, female and group costumes. 10 am.

VibeCon: A West Houston Expo

Come to Katy Vibes for the first-ever VibeCon, an afternoon of comics, cosplay and games. We'll be having vendors selling your favorite merch, a photo booth with a backdrop, game tournaments such as Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, a cosplay runway show with prizes, and a live Q&A with Houston pro wrestler Savage King. DJ Old Skool will be in the mix later in the evening. 4 pm.

ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert

American classic rock band ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd come to The Woodlands as part of their first co-headlining tour, The Sharp Dressed Simple Man. The tour combines the name of two of the bands' most popular hits, ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man." ZZ Top has released 15 albums in their career, most recently 2012's La Futura, while Lynyrd Skynyrd has released 14 albums in their career, most recently 2012's Last of a Dyin' Breed. They'll be joined by special guest Uncle Kracker. 6:30 pm.

Movie Review

Denzel Washington brings new spectacle to the Colosseum in Gladiator II

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Paul Mescal in Gladiator II.

There are some films for which making a sequel is natural, and others where a follow-up is wholly unnecessary. Gladiator, which made both tons of money and was named Best Picture at the Oscars, told an impactful stand-alone story that ended with the protagonist dead and no real loose ends. And yet because there’s always more money to be made, here we are 24 years later with Gladiator II.

The lead character this time around is Lucius (Paul Mescal), a general in a North African army who becomes a prisoner of war when the Roman army led by Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) bests him and his troops in battle. Taken back to Rome, he is put in the pool of captured men forced to fight at the Colosseum for the amusement of twin emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracella (Fred Hechinger).

Lucius is controlled by Macrinus (Denzel Washington), an ambitious schemer who bets liberally on his prized fighter and always has an eye to move up in the world. Meanwhile, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), the sister of Emperor Commodus from the first film, is now married to Marcus Acacius and has a unique connection with Lucius that is fairly obvious from the get-go.

Directed once again by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa, the film commits a number of sins throughout its 150-minute running time, the most blatant of which is that, aside from a few embellishments, it essentially tells the same story as the first film. Lucius, like Maximus, is a deposed military leader who’s out for revenge on the person who killed his family. Instead of one obnoxious emperor, there are now two. And the only way for Lucius to earn his freedom is to fight his way out.

Stories told in the same world can echo each other and, if done well, overcome those similarities. But Gladiator II is shockingly boring for a purported sword-and-sandals epic. Scott and his team try to introduce new elements to the fights, like a gladiator riding a rhinoceros or a ship battle inside the Colosseum (with sharks!), but most of the sequences are inert with no propulsion to them.

The action fails because none of the relationships in the film amount to much. There are stand-out characters like Macrinus and the twin emperors, but instead of creating antipathy or strong feelings of triumph or defeat, the story just kind of happens without any sense of excitement or importance. Much of that issue lies at the feet of Lucius, who simply doesn’t inspire in the same way that Russell Crowe’s Maximus did.

Mescal is a fine actor who’s done good work in more intimate roles, but he’s not up to the task of being an action star, at least not in this film. Any bombast he shows with the character feels forced, and the story doesn’t give him enough opportunities to counteract that lack. Washington, however, fills up the screen with his charisma, and it’s during his scenes that the film comes closest to being rousing. Quinn and Hechinger are a lot of fun as the twin emperors, but in the end they feel like retreads of Joaquin Phoenix from the original.

Any sequel should have a purpose that sets it apart from what came before, but Scott, Scarpa, and the rest of their team fail in that respect in Gladiator II. It’s a mostly lifeless film that delivers scenes that would be exciting if they had any kind of good story to back them up.

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Gladiator II opens in theaters on November 22.

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