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'Breathtaking' Houston candlelit concert celebrates 100 years of Warner Bros.' most iconic film scores and TV tunes

Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros. concert

'Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros.' showcases Warner Bros. most memorable tunes in Houston.

Photo via Fever Entertainment

Quick — name some favorite movies. Chances are, many of them were produced by the iconic Warner Bros. Studios, which turns 100 this year. As expected with one of the biggest and most influential film studios in cinematic history, this year will see myriad anniversary celebrations, including one here in Houston.

“Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros.” toasts the studio's century in cinema with a concert of greatest hits from some of its most influential, groundbreaking, and popular films and TV shows.

The showcase of scores including The Lord of The Rings, The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Harry Potter, Batman, and even Friends will be performed by Listeso String Quartet on Saturday, April 28 (7 pm and 9:15 pm) at the Lone Star Flight Museum (11551 Aerospace Ave) in what producers promise will be a "breathtaking" candlelit setting.

Tickets start at $45 and can be purchased here.

Houston was one of the first-announced 25 cities worldwide taking part in the commemorative international concert series, including New York, London, Paris, Singapore, Milan, São Paulo, and Mexico City. More cities have since been added for a total of 100 worldwide.

Instantly recognizable venues across the globe were chosen for their "historic nature or unique character, from iconic cathedrals, theaters, museums and gardens, with breathtaking candlelit settings," per Warner Bros. press materials. Production partner Fever Entertainment transforms each destination into a candlelit concert.

“The “Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros.” concert series is a true celebration of storytelling, music, and creativity,” said Peter van Roden, SVP, Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, in a statement. “From the musicals that we know and love to the iconic films and television series that have shaped generations, Warner Bros. has long been a leader in entertainment, and we are thrilled to bring this unforgettable event to our fans and music lovers from around the world to honor this momentous occasion.”

By the numbers, Warner Bros. boasts one of the most prestigious and valuable content catalogs in the world. Its more than 145,000 hours of programming includes 12,500 feature films and 2,400 television programs comprised of more than 150,000 individual episodes.

Warner Bros. is also home to some of pop culture and entertainment's most recognizable franchises, such as Looney Tunes, Wizarding World, DC, Friends, Game of Thrones, Hanna-Barbera, and more.

As for the concert, expect a soaring night of familiar soundtracks, theme songs, and classic tunes, sure to conjure up some of the most memorable scenes in the movies. Think Willy Wonka strolling through his chocolate factory with "Pure Imagination," the chilling theme song from The Exorcist, the singlong charm of A Star is Born, and for some Texas vibes, Selena singing "Dreaming of You."

Here is the full concert lineup, with movie and theme song/score/suite.

The Wizard of Oz - Somewhere Over the Rainbow (1939)

Casablanca - As Time Goes By (1942)

Singin’ in the Rain - Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

A Star is Born - The Man That Got Away (1954)

Scooby Doo - Theme Song (1969)

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - Pure Imagination (1971)

The Exorcist - Theme Song (Tubular Bells) (1973)

Purple Rain - Purple Rain (1984)

Batman - Main Theme (1989)

Friends - I’ll Be There for You (1995)

Selena - Dreaming of You (1997)

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Suite (2001)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Hogwarts’ Anthem (2005)

Inception - Time (2010)

Man of Steel - Flight (2013)

Wonder Woman Suite (2017)

A Star is Born - Shallow (2018)

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“Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros.” will be performed by Listeso String Quartet at 7 pm and 9:15 pm Saturday, April 28 at the Lone Star Flight Museum (11551 Aerospace Ave). Tickets and more can be found here. $45.

Movie review

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd chase their dreams in music-heavy Power Ballad

Photo by David Cleary for Lionsgate

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd in Power Ballad.

Writer/director John Carney is one of the great purveyors of movies featuring music (as opposed to musicals) in the 21st century. Starting with Once in 2007 (which was turned into a Broadway musical several years later), he has made music-themed stories like Begin Again, Sing Street, Flora and Son, and now Power Ballad.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a former wannabe rock star who is now the lead singer of “Ireland’s #1 Wedding Band,” The Bride & Grooves. While they mostly play smaller weddings, a gig at a country estate leads to an encounter with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band member struggling to make it as a solo artist. Rick and Danny wind up bonding in a booze- and pot-filled jam session, sharing various song ideas.

After returning to Los Angeles and desperate for a hit, Danny steals one of Rick’s songs, which miraculously turns into the No. 1 “How to Write a Song (Without You).” Rick, initially overjoyed that something he wrote has become big, is crushed when he finds out Danny didn’t give him credit. His quest to find a way to prove his worth sends him into a spiral, upending the ordinary life he had built.

Co-written by Peter McDonald, the film is a nice exploration of two men trying to hold on to their music dreams. Their individual circumstances could not be more different, but each of them knows the ups and downs of the business as well as the other, as well as the ineffable magic of creating that one great song. While the music scenes are hit-and-miss because of a reliance on lip synching, the scene featuring Rick and Danny trading ideas is electric with creativity.

Oddly, though, the film could have used a bit less music and more of a focus on the two men’s personal lives. Rick wound up living in Ireland after falling in love with his future wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), while on tour with his former American band. He spends a decent amount of time with her and his daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), but his story needed a few more family scenes to drive the point home. Danny’s personal life is all but nonexistent, giving his arc less impact than it could have had.

Instead of loved ones, Carney and McDonald try to give Rick and Danny more depth through friends and business associates. Rick’s bandmate Sandy (McDonald) is a ride-or-die kind of guy for him, but his presence is only good for a few humorous distractions. Danny’s manager Mac (Jack Reynor) is difficult to parse, as he goes to bat for Danny on multiple occasions, but also seems to keep him at arm’s length.

It’s long been joked that Rudd never ages, and that youthfulness serves him well in this role, in which his character is supposed to be much younger than his actual age of 57. His energy and enthusiasm make his character appealing throughout, even when Rick starts to go off the deep end. Jonas is decent in his role, selling the music side well, but there might be a reason his character doesn’t have many scenes requiring him to show emotions.

While Power Ballad has all the hallmarks of another great Carney music movie, it’s missing a few pieces that could have put it over the top. It’s still a fun film with an insanely catchy song at its center, but it’s not quite as memorable as most of the filmmaker’s previous efforts.

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Power Ballad is now playing in theaters.

movies music film