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Arts and Entertainment

A&E 3/11/25 10:47pm

Spring Break Reading Recommendations

By Emelia Gauch

No matter if you’re curled up at home or relaxing on a beach, Spring Break is meant for R&R — resting and reading. If you want a compelling book to dive into this coming week, look no further than this list of five recommendations, all published within the last three years.

A&E 3/11/25 10:43pm

Spring break on a budget with these fun spots

By Angelica Hernandez

Though it might not feel that way for those with midterms and essays due this week, spring break is approaching quicker than you may think. If your bank account tells you you’d rather stay home, check out these affordable spring break options. 

A&E 3/11/25 10:40pm

Anwuli Chukwumah chases indigo

By Angelica Hernandez

Anwuli Chukwumah says her creative process is like scratching an itch. A double major in studio art and architecture, the Martel College senior creates with a wide variety of materials, including found objects, ceramics and drawings, often tied together by a distinctive shade of indigo blue.

A&E 3/4/25 11:09pm

Musical apocalypse hits Rice

By Angelica Hernandez

Music, screaming and laughs filled McMurtry College commons Feb. 27 to March 1, as Lovett Theatre and McMurtry Arts Committee brought to life the horror-comedy-musical: “The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals.”

A&E 3/4/25 11:08pm

Students react to Sarofim

By Charlie Cruz

For years, art students say they’ve worked within the constraints of the aging Sewall Hall and the “insufficient,” inaccessible Hamman Hall. But with the 80,000 square-foot Sarofim Hall set to open next semester, students are preparing to transition into a purpose-built space that finally feels like home.  

A&E 3/4/25 11:06pm

R&B legends electrify Toyota Center on Mary J. Blige’s “For My Fans” Tour

By Arman Saxena

A sold-out crowd at Toyota Center witnessed three R&B legends combine forces on Feb. 18, delivering a night that was equal parts nostalgia, powerhouse vocals and pure soul. Titled the “For My Fans” Tour, Mary J. Blige’s first major outing since her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction felt like a homecoming of sorts — not just for Blige, but for openers Mario and Ne-Yo, who brought their own timeless hits and crowd-pleasing flair to the stage.

A&E 3/4/25 11:03pm

‘Perforations’ celebrates fashion, art, sustainability

By Charlie Cruz

Inside Anderson Hall, student designers, models and artists gathered for “InThread” and “Archi-Arts,” two student-run showcases that blurred the line between fashion and visual art. This year’s shared theme, “Perforations,” explored transformation — through cut fabric, layered textures and fragmented materials.  

A&E 2/25/25 11:47pm

With ChòpnBlok, Ope Amosu centers flavor and community

By Arman Saxena and Juliana Lightsey

Ope Amosu used to host small dinner parties out of his friend’s apartment by the Galleria, serving a menu of his own West African fusion recipes. His intention was to have a completely new guest list at each dinner, in order to get a diverse variety of feedback on his food – but people kept asking to come back.

A&E 2/25/25 11:45pm

A&E predicts the 97th Academy Awards

 

Christmas for cinephiles is near as the Academy Awards will be announced on Sunday, March 2 starting at 6 p.m. CST. From controversies to big snubs and surprises, this Oscar season has already been memorable. Here are our predictions for the 97th Academy Awards.

A&E 2/25/25 11:43pm

Rice Zine Fest creates collages

By Angelica Hernandez

Calming beats, the chatter of conversation and the smell of oranges hung in the air the evening of Sunday, Feb. 23, in Lovett College’s basement, dubbed ‘Lyle’s’. Magazines, scrapbook paper, art books and stickers were spread across a few tables, along with mandarin oranges. Throughout the night, students made collages and zines, noncommercial or homemade magazines, with supplies provided by Zine Fest organizers at Rice Zine Fest’s first event.

A&E 2/25/25 11:42pm

Analog artistry in FOTO 205

By Kristal Hanson

At a time when digital photography is instantaneous and ever-present, FOTO 205 offers something different — a return to the patience of film photography. Taught by Eli Greene, the course introduces students to film photography, darkroom techniques and the fundamental concepts behind the photographic medium.

A&E 2/18/25 10:43pm

Review: Drake and PartyNextDoor’s “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” is lackluster damage control

By Charlie Cruz

Drake and PartyNextDoor’s “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” is an embarrassment — 73 minutes of recycled ideas, lazy songwriting, and some of the worst attempts at experimentation Drake has ever put on wax. It's a bloated mess of an album, proving that just because two artists have chemistry doesn’t mean they should make an entire project together. But the biggest issue isn’t just the lackluster music — it’s the fact that this album is Drake’s first release after his career-altering loss to Kendrick Lamar. Instead of delivering something impactful, he gives us limp attempts at reassurance and 21 half-hearted party songs.  

A&E 2/18/25 10:41pm

‘¡Ritmo!’ 2025 brings art, soul and celebration to campus

By Charlie Cruz

The Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice hosted its annual ¡Ritmo! showcase Feb. 3, filling the Grand Hall with music, dance, poetry and Latine culture. This year’s event, themed “Arte y Alma (Art and Soul),” brought students together by highlighting the connection between artistic expression and cultural identity.

A&E 2/18/25 10:40pm

Review: ‘Brave New World’ is the Marvel universe at its worst

By Jay Collura

With each passing year, I have begun to question my undying allegiance to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I have seen every single film in theaters since 2011’s “Thor”; I was there at opening night for “Infinity War,” and inevitably, I will be seated front and center for, at the very least, “Fantastic Four” later this year.

A&E 2/18/25 10:39pm

Review: “Companion” is defined by its twist

By Jay Collura

Talking about “Companion” is nearly impossible without spoiling the movie. I know this to be true because the film’s own marketing spoils its first-act twist. If you enjoy horror-tinged thrillers, I recommend you stop reading and go see “Companion” - it’s nothing mind blowing, but it is a solid, if shallow, movie.

A&E 2/18/25 10:38pm

Review: “I’m Still Here” is a defiant and intimate portrait of a family under dictatorship

By Arman Saxena

Nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, “I’m Still Here”, arrives with plenty of buzz, positioning director Walter Salles’ film squarely in the spotlight. It’s not exactly surprising: This is the same Salles who helmed “Central Station” and “The Motorcycle Diaries”, both lauded for blending socio-political commentary with humane, character-driven storytelling. In “I’m Still Here”, he returns to these strengths, exploring one of the darkest chapters of Brazilian history — its 1964-1985 military dictatorship — through the intimate lens of a single family. 

A&E 2/18/25 10:37pm

Spotlighting Black media

By Arman Saxena

This month is Black History Month — so what better time to engage with media highlighting members of the Black community in the United States and around the world? Here are some incredible works by Black artists that illustrate a small sliver of the diversity of the Black experience.

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