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Tuesday, April 23, 2024 — Houston, TX

Arts and Entertainment

A&E 4/21/24 11:51pm

Jeremy Zucker is no longer a ‘sad-boy troubadour’

By Brandon Chen and Riya Misra

Jeremy Zucker’s arms, like most of his body, host a scrapbook of tattoos — a faded clementine peel, his childhood pets (Rusty and Susie), a Pinterest doodle of Sonic the Hedgehog with a bouquet of flowers. His middle finger is etched with a single tooth, hanging off a thin branch wrapping around the rest of his hand.

A&E 4/17/24 12:00am

Super Smash Bros. ultimate tournament sees smashing success

By Shreya Challa

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.

A&E 4/16/24 11:07pm

Tribute band ‘Suede Hedgehog’ talks inspirations, legacies

By Sarah Motteler

Last Thursday, the halls of the RMC were graced with smooth melodies and funky grooves courtesy of “Suede Hedgehog,” Rice’s very own tribute band to “Silk Sonic,” a musical duo made up of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. Although the tiny desk concert only lasted about 20 minutes the atmosphere was electric, and Coffeehouse — their venue — was packed with listeners.

A&E 4/16/24 11:07pm

Seniors showcase their artistic journey in ‘Opia’

By Juliana Lightsey

“Opia,” the title of this year’s visual and dramatic arts senior showcase, is defined by the artists as “the intense vulnerability of looking someone in the eye, and the beautiful discomfort of seeing yourself reflected in their gaze.” These concepts of introspection and interpersonal connection resonate powerfully across the diverse bodies of work produced by a class of 17 artists, who will open up their showcase to the Rice community on Thursday April 18.

A&E 4/16/24 10:41pm

Review: “Problemista” combines surreal comedy and poised satire

By Jay Collura

It’s a shame that I didn’t know about Julio Torres’ work before “Problemista” popped up on my radar. The Salvadoran comedy writer is a collaborator with many of the current best voices in comedy — he is a co-showrunner for the HBO show “Los Espookys” alongside Fred Armisen and was a writer on SNL from 2016 to 2019. “Problemista,” however, sees Torres taking center stage as he directs, writes and stars. The inherent gamble of this immense level of authorship ultimately pays off, as Torres has created an intensely reflective coming-of-age story filtered through a surreal, kaleidoscopic sense of humor — a unique combination and subsequent balance that will leave you wishing you knew about Torres’s work sooner.

A&E 4/16/24 10:40pm

Record stores that turn the tables

By Jay Collura

Record Store Day, a celebration of independently owned record stores, happens April 20 — but knowing where to celebrate can be challenging. Whether you are just discovering records via one of the 9,000 Taylor Swift vinyl variants, are addicted to flipping through the bins or infuriated by the fact that I referred to an LP as a “vinyl” earlier in this sentence, here are some local, independent record stores you should check out.

A&E 4/16/24 10:37pm

Items for your Houston summer bucket list

By Chiara Moretti

Whether you’re from Houston, working an internship or staying in town to do research, Houston has a variety of activities to keep you entertained this summer. Keeping these options on your radar will help you have a fun, relaxing summer before classes start back up in August. 

A&E 4/16/24 10:36pm

Movies coming your way this summer

By Arman Saxena

With this being the Thresher’s last issue of the semester, our coverage of the biggest movies of the moment will be on hold for a few months. However, that doesn’t mean Hollywood will be on hiatus. This year’s summer blockbuster season promises to be a big one, with some of the most anticipated films of recent years like “Inside Out 2,” “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Despicable Me 4” hitting the big screen in the next few months. Here are some other films coming out this summer that you won’t want to miss.

A&E 4/9/24 11:49pm

Museum fellows talk art, academia and experiential learning

By Noah Berz

On Monday mornings at 8 a.m., Ella Langridge walks upstairs to her desk at the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens and gets to work, sifting through photocopies of Americana and decorative arts with pasts unknown. Langridge’s job, as this year’s Jameson Fellow for American Painting & Decorative Arts, is to research these artifacts, uncover their histories and communicate their uniquely American stories to the collection’s thousands of annual visitors. 

A&E 4/9/24 11:48pm

Review: ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ is Peak Cinema

By Hamza Saeed

There is no easy way to quantify a film, much to the chagrin of lazy film critics and lazier audiences. We may try to force a movie to fit into a box labeled ⅗ or ⅘ , but occasionally, there appears a work of art that refuses such indignity. A breathtaking fabrication that rejects the premise of a “rating,” whatever that monstrous practice might entail. These magna opera simply are. Along this line of thought, it makes sense to characterize this film for what it is, rather than lambast it for what it is not. This movie is about giant monkeys and lizards fighting. 

A&E 4/9/24 11:47pm

Review: “Bryson Tiller re-envisions genre on self-titled album”

By Ashley Wang

Seasoned R&B singer Bryson Tiller has returned with his fourth studio album, a self-titled record that infuses cyberpunk aesthetics into both its visuals and its sound. On the eponymous album, Tiller, best known for hits like “Don’t” and “Exchange,” takes on the challenge of deconstructing his own artistic journey. “Bryson Tiller” is a multi-genre departure from Tiller’s comfort zone. It features pop, dancehall, neo-soul and drill elements next to his signature combination of hip hop and R&B. 

A&E 4/9/24 11:44pm

Senior Spotlight: Orion Miller spins his own tune

By Chiara Moretti

Orion Miller began playing classical instruments before most toddlers refine their motor skills. Now a bass performance major at the Shepherd School of Music, Miller’s passion for music began during his childhood in New York. Both of his parents are musicians and encouraged their children to play instruments — Miller began playing the cello at age three and bass at 11. 

A&E 4/9/24 11:43pm

Huberman and Hugetz observe American empire

By Arman Saxena

For around 30 years, filmmakers Brian Huberman and Ed Hugetz have been working on their seven-part series “Once I Moved Like the Wind: Geronimo’s Final Surrender to the American Empire.” The two present the fourth part of their film, titled “Carcosa” at Rice Cinema April 13 at 7 p.m.  

A&E 4/9/24 11:42pm

Wiess Tabletop to perform ‘Hello, Hamlet!’ this weekend

By Chiara Moretti

The Wiess Tabletop performance, “Hello, Hamlet!” is returning to Wiess College commons this weekend after four years. The show, according to members of the cast and crew, is a comedic parody of the original Shakespeare production. There will be three performances from April 12 to 14, each starting at 7:30 p.m. and free for all students and alumni. 

A&E 4/2/24 11:33pm

English majors open Pandora’s box for senior projects

By Sarah Motteler

While waiting for a train last summer, Gabby Franklin realized what her senior project would be: a modern play retelling the myth of Pandora’s Jar. Franklin, a Brown College senior, is required — like all seniors majoring in English — to participate in a yearlong seminar course, where students produce long-form writing projects.  

A&E 4/2/24 11:30pm

Fall humanities courses to restore your humanity

By Sarah Motteler

With spring semester rapidly approaching its end, students are beginning to look at fall course offerings. If looking at the general announcements is making you feel generally unhappy, consider adding one of these humanities courses for a little spot of joy in a sea of despair.

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