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Tuesday, April 29, 2025 — Houston, TX

Arts and Entertainment

A&E 4/22/25 11:11pm

Rob Kimbro returns to Rice, focusing on ‘stories that matter’

By Charlie Cruz

When Rob Kimbro graduated from Rice University in 1995, he said he envisioned a career in the United States Foreign Service. Now, nearly three decades later, he returns as a full-time lecturer in the theatre program having established himself in Houston’s theater community and as a mentor to Rice students.

A&E 4/22/25 11:10pm

Review: “Sinners” is Hollywood filmmaking at its finest

By Jay Collura

Oftentimes, film critics (myself very much included) exaggerate the death of cinema as we groan about the dominance of intellectual property, when in actuality, many good, unique films constantly surround us. 2025 has been an excellent reminder of this; for every “Captain America,” there’s a “Black Bag.”

A&E 4/22/25 11:09pm

Choose your own adventure for summer reading

By Sarah Motteler

The summer, that much-needed three-month stretch of time between spring and fall semester, can be spent in many ways. If you’d like to brush up on your reading skills to stay prepared for your upcoming classes but don’t know where to start, consider the following five books and series, sorted based on summer plans for your convenience.

A&E 4/22/25 11:07pm

2025 Albums of the Summer

By Arman Saxena

From long‑rumored comeback records to underground favorites ready for a breakout, this summer is stacked with new music that could soundtrack every pool day, road trip and late‑night study session you have planned. Here are nine projects we’ll be spinning the moment they drop.

A&E 4/22/25 11:00pm

BASYK Cypher brings dance and community to life

By Charlie Cruz

The Grand Hall pulsed with energy and music on April 12 and 13 as Rice’s BASYK dance club hosted its annual Cypher showcase, highlighting a wide array of dance styles ranging from K-pop and hip-hop to ballroom performances.

A&E 4/22/25 10:58pm

Top films of the 2020s so far

By Jay Collura

As my time as the Thresher’s film columnist comes to an end, and with the decade almost half over, I wanted to spotlight my 10 favorite films of the 2020s. Despite a global pandemic, a writers’ strike and the decline of movie theaters, the 2020s have given audiences a great selection of cinematic experiences.

A&E 4/15/25 10:44pm

Media to celebrate Arab voices this month

By Arman Saxena

This month is Arab American Heritage Month  — so what better time to highlight media created by and about the Arab world? Here are some of the best works by Arab filmmakers, musicians and writers that showcase the diversity and complexity of Arab experiences. 

A&E 4/8/25 11:28pm

Review: "The Crux" Should Redefine Djo

By Ridhi Dondeti

Joe Keery’s work has been boiled down to Steve Harrington from “Stranger Things,” but this label shouldn’t define his 10 years in the entertainment industry. Keery, under his stage name “Djo", is the voice behind the TikTok hit “End of Beginning,” which was released with his album “DECIDE” in 2022 and climbed the charts for the first time in 2024.  With “The Crux”, Keery’s third album, he tries to separate his work as Djo and an actor, evidenced by the album’s visual of Keery escaping a building. 

A&E 4/8/25 11:27pm

Review: “Lonely People With Power” merges blackgaze fury with dreamy introspection

By Arman Saxena

Fifteen years into a storied career that’s crisscrossed the boundaries of black metal and shoegaze, Deafheaven has found a way to once again outdo themselves. “Lonely People With Power” feels like a triumphant return to the band’s blackgaze roots, fusing massive walls of guitar-driven sound with whispery dream-pop interludes, recalling their classic album trio of the 2010s (“Sunbather,” “New Bermuda” and “Ordinary Corrupt Human Love”). It also bears the learned refinements of “Infinite Granite,” the 2021 album where they dabbled more boldly in cleaner vocals and atmospheric passages. 

A&E 4/8/25 11:20pm

Review: sad women rejoice! Japanese Breakfast is back, and her pen is lethal

By Basma Bedawi

Michelle Zauner returns as Japanese Breakfast for the first time in two years with her new album “For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women).” The album comes 10 years after Zauner’s mother died, and Zauner said in a DIY Magazine interview that her grief speaks to the album’s theme of melancholy. This melancholy is potent throughout this album: Zauner has an incredible knack for turning her life experiences into pieces of masterful fiction set to music. She sprinkles blink-and-you’ll-miss-it metaphors and references throughout the album.  

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