Elton John’s Big Houston Farewell, Oscar Movies and Holiday Lights: The Best Things to do This Weekend

Houston’s weekends are packed full of events, but how many of them are truly worthy of your time? PaperCity’s own Weekend Guru Matthew Ramirez cuts through the clutter to give you the best options in this weekly series

Award Worthy Movies

Friday night turned into a washout and the rest of the weekend is going to be frigid, so what better way to spend the time than at the cozy confines of a movie theater? The awards season is starting to ramp up in earnest (as evidenced by the Golden Globe nominations that were announced this week), and that means some of the best reviewed movies of the year are now showing in Houston.

First up: make the trek out to Cinco Ranch’s Alamo Drafthouse, and catch Chang-dong Lee‘s poetic Burning, a meditative, poetic slow-burn (sorry) of a movie about a bizarre love triangle that includes the likable Steven Yuen in a villain role that both renders him charming and quietly evil. Its suspenseful final minutes will either blow your mind or leave you with more questions than answers.

Either way, it’s beautiful looking, and Chang-dong Lee captures both bustling Seoul city life and rustic mountainsides with startling drama. Showtimes vary.

Then, River Oaks Theatre premieres two movies at the top of my watch list: Alfonso Cuaron‘s Roma, his first film since 2013’s Oscar-winning Gravity, a documentary-like look at one year in the life of a middle-class Mexican family in the 1970s. And there’s The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos‘s follow-up to 2017’s excellent The Killing of a Sacred Deer, which takes place in 18th century wartime England, centered on Emma Stone’s character Abigail, who finds herself in the middle of a war for her affections between Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) and Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz), and full of Lanthimos’ trademark deadpan humor and fatalism.

Both open at River Oaks Theatre this weekend; showtimes vary.

Elton John’s Swan Song

Elton John is the rocket man, the guy in glasses and flashy outfits, who said goodbye to the yellow brick road and lit a candle for Princess Diana. He’s all those Wikipedia-level facts that you and your mom recall.

However, something Sir Elton doesn’t get a lot of credit for is his ability (maybe some would call it opportunism) to shift between sounds and genres, flashing from glam-rock to George Michael-ish adult contemporary, turn-of-the-century pop, and all the way through this year, when he collaborated with Atlanta’s off-the-wall rapper Young Thug for what is genuinely one of the best songs of the year (an interpolation of “Rocket Man”).

This is Elton John’s farewell tour, so don’t miss your chance to see a legend for the last time. Saturday and Sunday at the Toyota Center, with doors opening at 8 pm both nights. Tickets start at $59.50.

Lights, So Many Lights

Another year, another Lights in the Heights celebration. Centered around Sonoma Wine Bar, this year sees Santa’s return as a photo-op, a holiday popup shop, a mulled wine stand, hot chocolate to-go, and, of course, a tour of homes with breathtaking holiday light showcases. Saturday, December 8, from 6 to 9 pm. Free to attend.

And further, there’s always the Houston Zoo Lights, the spirited, ticketed after-hours romp through the zoo. Sip hot chocolate while strolling through 15 miles of LED lights, including a giant Christmas tree. It’s open everyday through Sunday, January 13.

Doors open earlier this year, at 5 pm, and stay open through 11 pm. Adult tickets are $23. It’s cheaper for children and groups and on special themed days.