Arts and Entertainment

Tomás Jonsson prepares to perform debut album

For most people, May of 2020 was a time of indoor confinement, computer screens and desperate clinging onto tidbits reminiscent of a previously existing normalcy. Tomás Jonsson, a Will Rice College senior, was no exception. Left to his own devices, the confinement would soon mark the unanticipated beginning of a new era in his life.

Review: ‘What If…?’ is a worthy watch for Marvel fans

At the heart of Marvel’s “What If…?” is, unsurprisingly, the question: “what if?” The series, which is the first animated entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is based on a popular comic book series of the same name. “What If...?” opts for a similar anthology format, with semi-standalone plots in each episode that eventually converge toward one storyline in the finale. Unlike the comic series, which has the expansive Marvel Comics’s canon at its disposal, the show opts for a smaller scope with only characters that have already appeared in the MCU. These creative guardrails on “What If...?” are the central problem of the show’s first season, which has flashes of immense storytelling potential amidst a more inconsistent affair. 

Haunted houses that call H-Town home

October is here, and with Halloween right around the corner, many of the more brave owls will find themselves looking for a frightful time beyond the hedges. With that, the Thresher delivers, with some of our favorite haunts around Houston. Most of these are not for the faint of heart, but we did include some family friendly ones so your friend who was too scared to watch “Squid Games” can tag along. Go visit, if you dare, and scare away your semester sorrows in fun costumes and screams galore. 

Review: ‘No Time to Die’ thrills audience with James Bond’s latest adventure

When “No Time to Die” first was delayed due to COVID-19 in April 2020, many felt that this film was doomed. With great controversy surrounding the script, casting and even Daniel Craig himself stating that would only play Bond for the money, the consensus was that Craig’s final outing as 007 would be mediocre at best and disastrous at worst. Now releasing nearly 18 months after its anticipated release date, I can safely say that “No Time to Die” is one of the best films of the franchise.

Review: Don Toliver adds more variety to his sound in his sophomore release, ‘Life of a DON’

“Life of a DON” is a much more varied effort than Don Toliver’s “Heaven or Hell” (2020), a variety that pays off and makes for good listening. Toliver maintains his distinctive autotuned sound while working more nuance into his work.

Review: Alley Theatre’s ‘Sweat’ fails to provide emotional crater it promises

It’s Sept. 29, 2008. In the town of Reading, Pennsylvania, two men occupy a claustrophobic square of harsh white light — one marked by a black eye and white supremacist face tattoo, the other bearing the pen and notepad of a parole officer. The scene is static, the performances tense. This is Lynn Nottage’s prize-winning play “Sweat,” performed at the Alley Theatre in Houston. 

Review: ‘The Lamb’ attempts horror, delivers boredom

Ingvar and Maria are stressed — they are running through the farm looking for their precious Ada. After a few frantic minutes they find her and proceed to wrap her in a blanket — the harsh Icelandic weather isn't good for her. The film pans out as they pick her up and that was the last moment I took “The Lamb” seriously. Suddenly staring back at us is the behind of an infant with the head of a lamb. “The Lamb” was one of the worst films I have ever seen and was a disappointing debut for Norwegian director Valdimar Jóhannsson. It deserves a generous one star. 

Review: ‘Squid Game,’ is it worth the hype?

Even if you aren’t one to keep up with the latest entertainment trends, you’ve probably heard of “Squid Game.” This new Korean Netflix show became the most watched show in 90 countries within ten days of its release, making it a larger global phenomenon than anyone likely expected. 

Amber Mark talks crowd connection, inspiration at ACL

Amber Mark hopped on stage at Austin City Limits weekend one with an immediate presence as her fans cheered, unfettered by the merciless 1 p.m. sun. For the entirety of Mark’s set, fans danced and sang along as she and her band wove their way through an impressive discography. Throughout, Amber Mark peppered the audience with commentary, ranging from asking who was a nineties kid and explaining how her music is meant to unite and bring us together.

Best and Worst of ACL: Live music returns to Zilker Park

With live music returning and Austin City Limits music festival once again taking over Zilker Park this fall, the Thresher made the trip to Austin to enjoy ACL ourselves. With two weekends and as many performances as we could fit in under our belt, we have compiled our highlights of the festival: the good and the bad. 

Black Art at Rice: Magdah Omer discusses identity and new exhibit

Magdah Omer, a Baker College senior, discusses their upcoming exhibition, “be water my friend,” at Sleepy Cyborg, opening Oct. 15. Omer’s art featured in the exhibit explores the fluidity of self and identity and utilizes acrylic paint on various unconventional canvases, including clothes, furniture and even people. The exhibit draws inspiration from Agnes Pelton, Özlem Thompson and Hilma af Klint. Omer said they hope that, through viewing and experiencing their artwork, people will gain better understandings of their own selves. The opening reception is on Oct. 15 from 7 - 9 p.m. with the exhibit open through Oct. 24.

Weekly Scenes and Screens: Oct. 6

Review: ‘The Guilty’ disappoints in comparison to the original

There’s been a much-maligned trend in movies lately where studios take old, beloved intellectual property and reboot it for modern audiences. “The Guilty” presents something of an interesting experiment from Netflix, then. Although it’s an almost exact remake of a Danish movie of the same name, the original is neither old (it was released just three years ago) or beloved (while it opened to critical acclaim, it made just 4.6 million dollars). Theoretically, this should simplify the path to success for an adaptation. Despite this, “The Guilty” comes nowhere near surpassing an excellent original. 

(More) ACL artists to look out for this weekend

Last week, the Thresher compiled our recommendations of smaller artists to look out for at ACL this year. Now that the festival’s second weekend is rapidly approaching, we wanted to share even more artists that we’re excited to see. We would hate for you to miss out on any incredible performances, and on the chance to possibly meet other people with similar (amazing) music tastes. Read on to discover your new favorite artists, check out our guide on navigating the festival this year and listen to our favorite tracks of the festival this year. To hear all of the Thresher’s song recommendations from artists at ACL this year, listen to our playlist on Spotify.

Out of the Box Art: Unusual venues to visit in Houston

With the weather becoming more bearable and life beyond the hedges calling, new activities to explore in Houston are a high priority for many students. Never fear, the Thresher is here with a couple of places worth checking out to explore art — and take some cool photos too. Some are outdoors, most are free and all are fun; here are some of our favorite unusual art venues.

Review: ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ rushes and dissatisfies fans

When “Venom” was first released in Oct. 2018, the idea of Spider-Man’s greatest villain — previously seen in “Spiderman 3” — leading his own movie created much skepticism for critics and fans alike. However the film itself exceeded all expectations. The story of investigative journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and the parasitic symbiote Venom teaming up to save the world was a hit, and the film grossed $856 million globally. While not an outright critical success — the film holds a 30 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes — the original “Venom” was a crowd pleaser and, in my opinion, a solid popcorn flick.

R2: The Rice Review creates space for literature and community at Rice

Nearly 300 Rice community members showed up under the glowing string lights of Ray’s Courtyard on Sept. 30 to both perform and listen to Rice students and alumni read poetry and prose, perform original and cover songs and more at R2: The Rice Review’s fall Open Mic Night. 

Must-see horror: scary movies to watch this fall

As the humid Houston air drops cooler and Rice Coffeehouse begins to sell more hot drinks than iced, everyone knows what that means — it’s almost Halloween. Debatably one of the best holidays, Halloween isn’t just about the day everyone gets to dress as sexy versions of their favorite characters but also the entire month leading up to it. While taking a break from drowning in midterms, this season is a great time to cuddle up with your partner, friends, or even just yourself to watch some scary movies that distract from the real horror of your grades after that recent exam. 

Rest & relaxation: four places to unwind near campus

During midterm season, it’s important to prioritize mental and physical wellbeing while ensuring all your papers are cited and your benzene rings are perfectly drawn. Here are the Thresher’s suggestions for places or options to relax and unwind off-campus. 

Clarissa Tossin’s ‘The 8th Continent’ opens at Brochstein Pavilion

The third installation of the Moody Center for the Arts’ Off the Wall series, Clarissa Tossin’s “The 8th Continent” opened at Brochstein Pavilion on Sept. 24 and will remain there until Aug. 27, 2022. “The Off the Wall series is a partner with the core residency program at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,” Alison Weaver, executive director of the Moody Center, said. “We commission an alumnus of the program to come back to Houston and create a site-specific work that’s on view for one year.”