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Arts and Entertainment

A&E 10/25/22 10:08pm

Review: Meghan Trainor's ‘Takin’ It Back’ takes listeners on another predictably mediocre ride

By Francesca Bliss

Meghan Trainor’s latest album “Takin’ it Back” is both predictably underwhelming and, unexpectedly, not entirely bad. While Trainor’s musical formula has remained almost unchanged since her early success circa 2014, this album adds a refreshing layer of synthesizers  in addition to the brass, “retro” bassline and doo-wop melodies that are emblematic of Trainor’s music. Although Trainor made some slight but meaningful changes to her musicality in parts of this album, the themes of her lyrics are practically copied and pasted from her previous work. 

A&E 10/25/22 10:05pm

Review: ‘Midnights’ not worth staying up for

By Hugo Gerbich-Pais

It is obvious that Taylor Swift needed to have gone to bed earlier and reviewed her work before releasing Midnights. Failing to live to up to the sophisticated and heart-wrenching story telling that brought her critical acclaim, Taylor Swift’s “Midnights (3am Edition)” sees her return to her “You Need to Calm Down,” “Look What You Made Me Do” and “Blank Space” eras, but at least those songs were danceable. While not terrible, the album falls flat, despite several songs showcasing Swift’s songwriting and vocal talent.

A&E 10/25/22 10:03pm

Review: Arctic Monkeys continue to evolve their sound on ‘The Car’

By Jacob Pellegrino

Arctic Monkeys are back, and if you’re still looking for another “AM,” you’re out of luck. That’s not a bad thing, though. As a group, the band continues to evolve their sound and avoids repeating the same style. “The Car” continues in the general direction of “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” while reviving elements of their earlier work for a project that emphasizes their comfort as a band.

A&E 10/25/22 9:58pm

Review: Cate Blanchett stuns in ‘Tár’

By Jay Collura

The opening act of “Tár” features one of the most technically impressive shots of the year: a ten-minute, unbroken conversation in which Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) lectures a group of students about the relationship between art and artist in the world of classical music. As both the shot and conversation continue, Lydia’s snappy retorts and oppressive assertions reveal a darker, pretentious nature previously unseen. It becomes clear from this moment that “Tár” is much more than a movie about a composer and her music. Instead, the film is a masterful depiction of an artist’s ego and the consequences she faces for abusing it.

A&E 10/25/22 9:57pm

Review: Like Big Daddy, ‘American Horror Story’ doesn’t disappoint

By Riya Misra

Admittedly, anticipation was not high for "AHS: NYC," season 11 of "American Horror Story," Ryan Murphy's critically acclaimed horror anthology series. Coming off the heels of "Dahmer" and "The Watcher," both chart-topping Ryan Murphy productions, "AHS: NYC" felt more like a whisper of an afterthought. Devoid of any trailers or promotional material, save for a handful of posters featuring inert and glossy models, limbs splayed, decked out in leather and bondage gear, many fans feared that "AHS: NYC" would mark the final pitstop of the show's downward plummet. 

A&E 10/25/22 9:55pm

Review: Declan McKenna concludes U.S. leg of ‘Zeros’ tour with a bang — literally

By Andrea Plascencia

What I anticipated to be a concert full of unfamiliar fans — myself included (though I hate to admit it) — ended up being quite the opposite. “Brazil” singer Declan McKenna made his final stop on the U.S. leg of his “Zeroes” tour this past Thursday at Warehouse Live here in Houston. The night began with confused fans packed into a separate part of the venue because “soundcheck was taking longer than expected,” and concluded with fans cheering as McKenna completely demolished his guitar on stage during the final song in his set, “British Bombs.” 

A&E 10/25/22 9:53pm

Scream for these Haunted Houses

By Jazmine Castillo

With Halloween right around the corner, here are some of the best haunted houses around the city, from family-friendly frights enjoyable for your most faint-hearted friends to the ultimate horror experience that will have you jumping around every corner. Every owl can find a fun time at one of these haunts, no matter if they shriek at the sight of a monster or are scare connoisseurs who fear nothing. All of these haunts are open through the weekend leading up to Halloween — but be warned, not all are for the faint of heart.

A&E 10/25/22 9:51pm

New MFAH exhibit aims to redefine Black power

By Claudia Lin

The Museum of Fine Arts’ new exhibit “Gordon Parks: Stokely Carmichael and Black Power” explores race and power through the lens of Gordon Parks’ camera. The exhibit, which opened to the public on Oct. 15, features a diverse range of Parks’ photographs, which all aim to offer a nuanced perspective of civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael and his advocacy work. 

A&E 10/25/22 9:50pm

‘Pride and Prejudice’ adapted for today

By Madison Barendse

Last weekend, Rice Theatre performed Kate Hamill’s unique adaptation of the Jane Austen classic, “Pride and Prejudice.” While the show stays true to the main themes and plot of the novel, it revives the source material through a modern comedic lens. Each member of the small cast gets a chance to shine, often playing multiple characters with hilarious results. Additional performances will be featured Oct. 27 to 29 at 8 p.m. in Hamman Hall.

A&E 10/18/22 10:38pm

Review: ‘Amsterdam’ is a humorous escapade turned lackluster political allegory

By Saswat Pati

Unlike most films I watch, I genuinely had no idea what kind of movie “Amsterdam” was going to be when I first walked in the theater. All I knew from the trailer was that it’s a comedy that seemingly had assembled a dream team of actors, with almost every role filled by either an Oscar-nominated actor (Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, Robert De Niro and Rami Malek), well-renowned comedian (Chris Rock) or musical superstar (Taylor Swift). From the trailer, it looked like whatever “Amsterdam” was going to be had to be good. With this much talent, backed by Oscar-nominated director David Russell, how could it not?

A&E 10/18/22 10:35pm

Review: Surf Curse abrasively experiments with smoothness on ‘Magic Hour’

By Landry Wood

Each of Surf Curse’s LPs have featured the band on the cover, but “Magic Hour” — the group’s fourth full-length release and only project since 2019’s “Heaven Surrounds You” — is the first time the portrait has included more contributors than founding drummer, vocalist and frontman Nick Rattigan and guitarist Jacob Rubeck. 

A&E 10/18/22 10:29pm

Budget Bites: Fall for these Trader Joe’s items

By Sydney Park

‘Tis the season of pumpkin spice and everything nice. If you have been searching for cheap, festive meals to get you into the fall spirit, this review is for you. Every year around the month of October, Trader Joe’s releases a limited amount of fall-themed items in its stores. There are a wide array of impulsive purchases you can make, from ‘autumn-scented’ candles to Halloween cookies to pumpkin ravioli. Among the many tempting options, I chose to review muffins, bagels, brioche and soup, all at affordable price points. 

A&E 10/18/22 10:26pm

New ramen shop’s good, not killer

By Morgan Gage

Tokyo-based ramen chain Killer Noodle has made its way to Houston, expanding from its  location in L.A. into the Space City. Touting spicy bowls, Killer Noodles serves tan tan men and spicy Sichuan dan dan noodles, a lighter option than the tonkotsu that most ramen shops in Houston serve. The chain’s California locations have boasted high praise, and the new location in the Heights seems poised to follow suit. With a range of appetizers, three styles of ramen, two options for vegetarian ramen and a list of potential bowl toppings, Killer Noodle is sure to impress even if it falls just short of the lofty expectations it sets for itself.

A&E 10/18/22 10:24pm

Local markets on their A-trade

By Sara Davidson

Houston is the fourth largest city in the nation, and with all of that real estate comes plenty of markets to serve the community. Everything from your traditional farmers market to ones with  dancing and carnival rides can be found around the city. Some are only a couple metro rides away from campus, while others offer the chance to see more of Houston’s suburbs. As the weather turns to fall, these outdoor markets are the perfect way to support local Houston businesses and have fun while doing so. 

A&E 10/18/22 10:20pm

Best and Worst of ACL 2022: Artists you did and didn’t miss

By Morgan Gage , Michelle Gachelin and Shreya Challa

Every year, festival-goers congregate at Zilker Park for the Austin City Limits Music Festival. This year, the Thresher once again made the trip to see for ourselves what the hype was about (and also to see SZA, who did not disappoint). For those who might want a recap or weren’t able to make it out to the festival this year: first, check out our Spotify playlist, and second, read on for our take on the best and worst performances from both weekends.

A&E 10/18/22 10:13pm

Meet the ACL Artist: Maude Latour colors the stage with new sound

By Morgan Gage

On Oct. 8 in the Texas summer heat, Maude Latour took the stage at Austin City Limits Music Festival with glittery makeup and upbeat music. Just before performing her song, “Lola,” Latour led the crowd in a chant of the lyrics, “Keep my girls protected. I’m turned on when I’m respected,” before dedicating the song “to queer people, to trans people, to trans youth and to protecting the right to choose.”

A&E 10/4/22 11:49pm

Review: Freddie Gibbs showcases his versatility on his big-label debut ‘$oul $old $eperately’

By Jay Collura

After signing with Warner Music, Freddie Gibbs released his first album in two years last Friday, “$oul $old $eperately.” Gibbs has been a mainstay of hardcore and boom bap hip-hop over the last decade, acclaimed for his collaborative projects with legendary producers The Alchemist and Madlib. His work with the former landed him his first Grammy Award nomination with “Alfredo” in 2020, and the albums produced by the latter (“Piñata” and “Bandana”) are certainly some of the best hip-hop albums of the 2010s. 

A&E 10/4/22 11:48pm

Review: ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ is a Slow Start Redeemed by a Strong Third Act

By Saswat Pati

There has perhaps been no movie in recent memory that has had as much controversy surrounding its release as “Don’t Worry Darling.” While the details could be an article within itself, I can say that this film is not nearly the catastrophe that the controversy surrounding its release would lead you to expect. In fact, “Don’t Worry Darling” has one of the strongest third acts that I’ve ever seen in a movie. If it were not for lackluster pacing in the first two acts, this would be a four star movie.

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