This Week in Entertainment
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
The sixth installment in this action-adventure series takes the popular historical fiction format to the early 18th-century Caribbean during the golden age of piracy. Game play features an assortment of new weapons and tools, ship-driving ability and an enhanced multiplayer experience, as well as downloadable upgrades. Available for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U.
Prism
Katy Perry
Three years after the release of her incredibly successful "Teenage Dream," Katy Perry returns with her third studio album, featuring more of her trademark pop sound. She has already picked up where she left off: Her lead single "Roar" has topped the Billboard Hot 100. Strong sales of her promotional singles, such as "Dark Horse," suggest Perry will be back to dominating airwaves for the rest of the year.
Bad Grandpa
Inspired by a series of vignettes in both the Jackass film series and television show, Johnny Knoxville reprises his senior-citizen Irving Zisman character in a loosely plotted journey across America with his grandson. Comprised of numerous stunts and pranks filmed in front of unsuspecting "real" people across the country, the movie pushes the limits of gross-out comedy. R. 108 minutes.
Reflektor
Arcade Fire
The hotly anticipated double-album follow-up to Grammy-winning Album of the Year The Suburbs has been preceded by a controversial guerilla marketing campaign and the release of lead single "Reflektor," but much of what to expect from the album has been left to mystery. The band debuted three new songs on Saturday Night Live last month, and early reviews indicate that the band remains an indie rock pioneer.
The Counselor
From acclaimed director Ridley Scott (Prometheus) comes the first film based on an original screenplay by author Cormac McCarthy, who is perhaps best known for his novel that inspired the Academy Award-winning No Country For Old Men. The film tells the story of a successful lawyer (Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave) who gets into more than he bargained for when he delves into the underworld of drug trafficking. R. 111 minutes.
Monsters University
The follow-up to the 2001 hit family comedy Monsters, Inc. was a hit at the box office this summer and should be a big seller in home release as well. The prequel tells viewers the story of how Mike (Billy Crystal, Parental Guidance) and Sulley (John Goodman, Flight) become friends in their college years. Bonus features include the exclusive short film "The Blue Umbrella," behind-the-scenes documentaries, audio commentary and deleted scenes.
More from The Rice Thresher
Jones wins men’s and women’s Beer Bike races, GSA snags alumni
Jones College won both the women’s and men’s Beer Bike 2024 races, while the Graduate Student Association claimed the alumni team win. Hanszen College bike teams were the runner-up in the alumni and men’s races, while Brown College was the runner-up in the women’s race. Martel and McMurtry Colleges did not bike in the alumni race, according to the Rice Program Council’s final report, and the GSA was disqualified from the men’s race for accidentally sending out two bikers simultaneously.
Super Smash Bros. ultimate tournament sees smashing success
The Super Smash Bros. Club held their second annual ultimate tournament Friday, April 12. Club president Jashun Paluru said all Smash players were welcome, regardless of ability, experience or involvement in the club. The event was held in collaboration with Owls After Dark, a late-night activity series headed by the Rice Student Center, at the Rice Memorial Center’s Grand Hall.
‘Off the beaten track’: Commencement speakers through the years
A former American president, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Nobel laureates and the founder of Khan Academy. All may share similar traits or levels of fame, but there’s another, quieter, common ground: They’ve all spoken at Rice’s commencement.
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