weekend event planner

Here are the top 15 things to do in Houston this weekend

Houstonians have numerous entertainment options this weekend. Certified rock and roll legends will take the stage at NRG Stadium, and one of country music’s rising stars is performing at Toyota Center.

Sugar Land celebrates the art, and the Houston SPCA will celebrate a big birthday. On the food front, taco lovers will be heading downtown to devour bites from some of Houston’s best restaurants, and mudbug fans can make the trek to Tomball for a Cajun celebration.

Read on for details of these happenings and all of this weekend’s other best bets.

Thursday, April 25

U.S. Coins and Jewelry presents National Coin Week
U.S. Coins and Jewelry will be celebrating 2024 National Coin Week by bringing in some iconic sports talent. Several sports legends will appear at the store for autograph signings, including three-time Super Bowl champion offensive lineman (and U.S. coin ambassador) Nick Allegretti of the Washington Commanders. Also appearing will be Rockets two-time NBA Champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich, former Astros pitcher & 7-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens, and former Astros first baseman & Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell. Noon (11 am Friday and Saturday).

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents 17th Annual Latin Wave: New Films from Latin America
The MFAH presents the 17th annual Latin Wave: New Films from Latin America. The line-up includes 10 recent releases from Latin America, including Felipe Gálvez Haberle’s The Settlers, María Alché and Benjamín Naishtat's Puan, and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Pictures of Ghosts. Attending in person are Chilean filmmaker Matias Bize (The Punishment), Paraguayan filmmaker Sebastián Peña Escobar (The Last Ones) and Colombian filmmaker Juan Sebastián Quebrada (The Other Son). 5:30 pm (7 pm Friday; 1 pm Saturday & 1:30 pm Sunday.)

DiningOut presents Top Taco Festival
At Top Taco, festival-goers will sample unlimited taco tastes and signature tequila cocktails from some of the best restaurants in Houston, voting for their favorites to crown four categories of awards: Top Creative Taco, Top Traditional Taco, Top Vegetarian Taco, and Top Cocktail. The event features two stages of live music and entertainment, creative tequila lounge areas, mezcal tasting, and some of the best chefs and mixologists in the city. Top Taco is a 21+ and over event only. 7 pm.

Friday, April 26

The Menil Collection presents "Abstraction after Modernism: Recent Acquisitions" opening day
The Menil Collection will present "Abstraction after Modernism: Recent Acquisitions," which highlights work made by artists who have forged new paths in their approaches to non-representational art. The Menil has actively grown its collection acquiring significant works by women and artists of color. The display includes work by Agnes Denes, Suzan Frecon, Sam Gilliam, Leslie Hewitt, Dorothy Hood, Ellsworth Kelly, Rick Lowe, and Richard Serra, among others. Through August 25. 11 am.

The Happening at the Orange Show
Sound, movement, words, noise, poetry, puppetry, inventions, installations, shapes---Houston's most creative minds are highlighted each month during The Happening, with the Orange Show's sprawling campus as their stage. Curated by artist Alexandra Lechin, no two Happenings are ever the same, and audiences will never know what they'll experience. Anyone interested in presenting a piece of work or engaging audiences in an activity is invited to submit a proposal to be part of an upcoming Happening. 6 pm.

Houston Ballet presents Academy Spring Showcase
The Academy Spring Showcase will feature the Houston Ballet Academy students who represent the future of ballet, with over 60 percent of the company coming through the Academy. The showcase gives students the stage to shine – whether it's performing works from the company repertoire or ballets created specifically for them. This year’s performance includes a world premiere by former Houston Ballet soloist Ilya Kozadayev entitled Echoes. 7 pm (11 am & 4 pm Saturday).

MuXer HTX presents 19th Annual Frida Festival
MuXer HTX’s 19th Annual Frida Festival kicks off with a Frida en Primavera VIP Reception, where guests can indulge in lite bites and drinks at the open bar while enjoying live entertainment, featuring Shame on Me and a Frida pinup-inspired fashion show. At the main event the next day, guests can immerse themselves in the beauty and creativity of Frida's world. The family-friendly event will feature an arts market, entertainment, and more to honor the legacy of the iconic Frida Kahlo. 7 pm (11 am Saturday).

Saturday, April 27

Disability Comic Con
Disability Comic Con is back, and this year's theme is "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility." Get ready for a day filled with super heroic fun, where everyone is welcome to embrace their inner caped crusader. Immerse yourself in a variety of engaging activities, including panel discussions, workshops, and cosplay contests. Meet some comic book creators, discover unique merchandise, and explore the vibrant artist alley. Don't forget to bring your own cosplay or create one on-site to truly feel like a part of this extraordinary universe. 10 am.

Houston SPCA presents 100th Birthday Bash
The Houston SPCA, the city’s oldest and largest animal rescue and protection organization, is hosting a 100th Birthday Bash for the community that will be a day filled with fun, including prizes and giveaways, live equine demonstrations in the Equine Rescue Center, a chance to meet wildlife ambassadors, Art Cars on display, free sampling at a beer garden, a coffee and lemonade bar, a live band, the Whatcha Cravin' food truck, free balloon animals and face painting, live feedings in the kitten nursery, pet adoptions, and more. 11 am.

Rails and Tails Mudbug Festival
The Rails & Tails Mudbug Festival will feature food, games, and live music. Guests can enjoy spicy boiled crawfish and other Cajun treats, along with a variety of festival foods and drinks. Vendors will be selling curated crafts and merchandise. There will even be even a “Cajun Kids’ Zone” with bouncy fun for the little ones. There will also be performances by Bayou City Brass Band, Platinum Players Zydeco Band, and The Stringbenders. 11 am.

Houston SaberCats presents UH Night
Calling all Cougars! The Houston SabreCats will extend a warm welcome to the spirited students, alumni, and supporters of the University of Houston for a thrilling evening of rugby action. Show your Cougar pride as they come together in solidarity, painting the stands red and white with fervent cheers and unwavering support for the Houston SaberCats. Make it a night to remember as they unite as one powerhouse community. 7 pm.

Kane Brown in concert
Known for number No. 1 country singles, such “What Ifs,” “Thank God,” “Heaven,” and “I Can Feel It,” the two-time RodeoHouston headliner comes to Toyota Center to support his 2022 album Different Man. He will be joined by Tyler Hubbard and Parmalee. 7 pm.

Sunday, April 28

Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation presents Sugar Land Arts Fest
Sunday is the last chance to catch the Sugar Land Arts Fest, a two-day festival that highlights the cultural and artistic diversity of Sugar Land and beyond. Now in its third year, the event features a wide variety of art, including painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, glass art, woodworking, and jewelry. Attendees can also enjoy a wine and beer garden, cuisine from local restaurants, and live music during the festivities. Proceeds benefit the Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation. 10 am.

Houston Toy Museum presents Local Author Book Fair
Meet and greet local children's book authors in a nostalgic setting right out of a ‘90s elementary school book fair! Join the Houston Toy Museum as they welcome 10 local authors (including Zariah Cherry, Zoe Cherry, Natrix, Professor J and others) offering a variety of books for kids of all ages. They will have read-alouds from each author at different times throughout the day, plus fun activities for your children. Museum entry is just $5 and kids ages 5 and under get in for free. 11 am.

The Rolling Stones in concert
Yes, folks, it’s time for some satisfaction. You can close the weekend out by seeing the one-and-only Rolling Stones at NRG Stadium. Charlie Watts, the band’s sharp-dressed drummer, may no longer be with them (and us). But Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ron Wood are still out there, rocking-and-rolling it up. They’re on tour promoting their latest album Hackney Diamonds, which features appearances from Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, and, yes, their dearly departed drummer. 8 pm.

Photo courtesy of The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones hit NRG Stadium on April 28 for the Hackney Diamonds tour.

event-planner

Movie Review

Star TV producer James L. Brooks stumbles with meandering movie Ella McCay

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios

Emma Mackey in Ella McCay.

The impact that writer/director/producer James L. Brooks has made on Hollywood cannot be understated. The 85-year-old created The Mary Tyler Moore Show, personally won three Oscars for Terms of Endearment, and was one of the driving forces behind The Simpsons, among many other credits. Now, 15 years after his last movie, he’s back in the directing chair with Ella McCay.

The similarly-named Emma Mackey plays Ella, a 34-year-old lieutenant governor of an unnamed state in 2008 who’s on the verge of becoming governor when Governor Bill (Albert Brooks) gets picked to be a member of the president’s Cabinet. What should be a happy time is sullied by her needy husband, Ryan (Jack Lowden), her agoraphobic brother, Casey (Spike Fearn), and her perpetually-cheating father, Eddie (Woody Harrelson).

Despite the trio of men competing to bring her down, Ella remains an unapologetic optimist, an attitude bolstered by her aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), her assistant Estelle (Julie Kavner), and her police escort, Trooper Nash (Kumail Nanjiani). The film follows her over a few days as she navigates the perils of governing, the distractions her family brings, and the expectations being thrust upon her by many different people.

Brooks, who wrote and directed the film, is all over the place with his storytelling. What at first seems to be a straightforward story about Ella and her various issues soon starts meandering into areas that, while related to Ella, don’t make the film better. Prime among them are her brother and father, who are given a relatively small amount of screentime in comparison to the importance they have in her life. This is compounded by a confounding subplot in which Casey tries to win back his girlfriend, Susan (Ayo Edebiri).

Then there’s the whole political side of the story, which never finds its focus and is stuck in the past. Though it’s never stated explicitly, Ella and Governor Bill appear to be Democrats, especially given a signature program Ella pushes to help mothers in need. But if Brooks was trying to provide an antidote to the current real world politics, he doesn’t succeed, as Ella’s full goals are never clear. He also inexplicably shows her boring her fellow lawmakers to tears, a strange trait to give the person for whom the audience is supposed to be rooting.

What saves the movie from being an all-out train wreck is the performances of Mackey and Curtis. Mackey, best known for the Netflix show Sex Education, has an assured confidence to her that keeps the character interesting and likable even when the story goes downhill. Curtis, who has tended to go over-the-top with her roles in recent years, tones it down, offering a warm place of comfort for Ella to turn to when she needs it. The two complement each other very well and are the best parts of the movie by far.

Brooks puts much more effort into his female actors, including Kavner, who, even though she serves as an unnecessary narrator, gets most of the best laugh lines in the film. Harrelson is capable of playing a great cad, but his character here isn’t fleshed out enough. Fearn is super annoying in his role, and Lowden isn’t much better, although that could be mostly due to what his character is called to do. Were it not for the always-great Brooks and Nanjiani, the movie might be devoid of good male performances.

Brooks has made many great TV shows and movies in his 60+ year career, but Ella McCay is a far cry from his best. The only positive that comes out of it is the boosting of Mackey, who proves herself capable of not only leading a film, but also elevating one that would otherwise be a slog to get through.

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Ella McCay opens in theaters on December 12.

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