Weekend Event Guide

Here are the top 7 things to do in San Antonio this weekend

Illuminating displays, awe-inspiring acrobatics, and rich cultural celebrations are sure to keep you busy for the next few days. Celebrate the traditions of Día de los Muertos at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center or Centro Cultural Aztlan. Laugh along to fresh jokes by Chris Tucker, or watch spectacular stunts at Cirque du Soleil’s new Bazaar production. For a complete list of events, go to our calendar.

Thursday, November 2

Centro Cultural Aztlan presents Día de los Muertos: "Altares y Ofrendas" opening reception
The celebration of death and life is expressed through art at this new Centro Cultural Aztlan exhibition. Opening reception highlights include complimentary live music by Pan de Muerto and Ponche de Frutas, refreshments, networking for young creatives, and an altar created by local artists. Guests will also enjoy a performance by the St. Anthony Catholic School Yellow Jacket Mariachi. For a list of participating altar artists and more event details, go to centroaztlan.org. Admission is free and open to the public.

Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center presents La Vida de los Muertos
The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center pays homage to the Día de Los Muertos holiday with a live dance production suitable for all ages. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets for a comfortable viewing experience. The event will also feature an exhibit of altars, each decorated with ofrendas, marigold flowers, and photos of the departed. La Vida de los Muertos admission is free and open to the public. Get more details on guadalupeculturalarts.org.

Chris Tucker: The Legend Tour
Comedian and actor Chris Tucker is back on the touring circuit after more than a decade with fresh stand-up material. Tucker is best known for his many roles in classic comedy films, including the Rush Hour series, Friday, and The Fifth Element. Get ticket information for the Majestic Theatre show at majesticempire.com.

Friday, November 3

The Light Park
Cruise into an illuminated wonderland encompassing millions of lights, all synchronized to holiday music by DJ Polar Ice at Retama Park. The Light Park is a one-mile, drive-thru experience complete with dazzling light displays portraying the magic of the winter holiday season. For more information, go to thelightpark.com. The Light Park is open through January 1, 2024.

Saturday, November 4

Photo courtesy of Chris Tucker

Chris Tucker will perform at San Antonio's Majestic Theatre on November 2.

Anuja SA presents the Diwali SA Festival of Lights
Indian culture and the richness of Diwali shine bright in the heart of San Antonio at Hemisfair. Other activities include Indian dance and musical performances, immersive light displays, a River Parade of Indian States, and more. Guests are encouraged to stick around for the fireworks display finale to experience the festival in full. This event is free and open to the public.

Sunday, November 5

Cirque du Soleil presents Bazzar
The latest production from Cirque du Soleil comes to life at the Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, in full extravagance. Bazaar is the first Cirque du Soleil show in San Antonio since 2016 and the first-ever big top show in the city’s history. Audiences can enjoy a mix of adroit dancers, acrobatic displays, and musicians within a traditional Middle Eastern bazaar setting that fully transports viewers to a world of centuries-old wonder and opulence. Performances are scheduled through December 3. Visit cirquedusoleil.com for details.

Tobin Center for the Performing Arts presents Whose Live Anyway?
Improv comedy takes center stage at Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. The current members of Emmy-nominated TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? come to San Antonio with their new 90-minute show. Audience members have the opportunity to guide the trajectory of the evening, with the cast members using their suggestions on the fly. Go to tobincenter.org to purchase tickets.

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Movie Review

Disney continues sequels streak with the beautifully animated Moana 2

Photo courtesy of Disney

Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) in Moana 2.

When Moanacame out in 2016, Walt Disney Animation Studios (the non-Pixar side of the studio) was in the midst of a creative boom, having released Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, and Zootopia over the previous four years. In the eight years since, though, the studio has — outside of the stellar Encanto — been in a rut, with studio mergers, a reliance on sequels, and the pandemic all combining for subpar products.

Unfortunately for Disney and fans of the first film, Moana 2 does not break that streak. Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) has become the go-to wayfinder for her tribe on the fictional Polynesian island of Motunui, traveling long distances on her own thanks to her special connection with the ocean. As the film opens, she’s continuing her mission of exploring other islands in the region in hopes of finding other people besides her own tribe.

A message from her ancestors gives Moana fresh hope, and she recruits tribemates Loto (Rose Matafeo), Moni (Hualalai Chang), and Kele (David Fang) to join her on a voyage to an island that may or may not exist. Naturally, along the way they meet up with the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who’s run into his own issue, being held captive by the bat-obsessed enchantress Matangi (Awhimai Fraser).

On the positive side of the ledger, the animation is as beautiful as ever, with the water and other scenery especially impressive. And the returning actors, including Cravalho, Johnson, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, and Rachel House, all bring nice touches to their performances. The songs, while not as dynamic as those from the original film, provide nice showcases for Cravalho, Johnson, and others.

But the film, which started off as a streaming series for Disney+ before being reworked into a movie, has almost none of the same feeling as the first film. The main plot is not very interesting, mostly because the obstacles thrown in Moana’s way are odd. The filmmakers’ choice to bring in three crewmates for Moana is also strange, as each of the characters acts more like a comic relief figure than an integral part of the story.

Moana and Maui remain the best parts of the film, but because they have to compete with other characters for attention, their collective impact is lessened. Matangi seems like she’s supposed to be the villain of the film, but her presence winds up being confusing. The filmmakers try to force some emotion into the film by giving Moana a clingy younger sister, Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), but like most of the other new elements, she too falls flat.

With any sequel, the hope is that it will recreate the magic that made the first film so beloved. Moana 2, while not as egregiously bad as some other Disney follow-ups, does not offer nearly enough to be compared favorably to its Oscar-nominated predecessor.

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Moana 2 is now playing in theaters.

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