Jasmine Hearn, an artist who incorporates dance, sound and costume into their performances, will be performing at the Moody Center for the Arts on Nov. 5 with three improvisational solo performances at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. with free admission. Hearn was commissioned as part of Moody Center’s Dimensions Variable series, which brings performance art to Moody in conversation with its current exhibitions. They will be performing dance, featuring sound and song, in conversation with Kapwani Kiwanga’s current exhibition at the Moody Center and is a part of their “Nile: A Wondering River” series. Due to its improvisational nature, they do not exactly what their performance will look like.
As spring course registration approaches, why not take advantage of all that Rice has to offer and venture into the arts? Whether someone is fitting the course between general chemistry and computer science or looking to add yet another art class to their schedule, everyone needs a change of pace, and these courses may offer just that. With everything from watching modernist auteur cinema to movement training for actors, Rice offers courses for a variety of interests. Not only do several of these courses fill distribution group one requirements, they also offer a new way to engage with the material, often with plenty of hands-on and performance-based work. So, before you completely fill up your schedule, try springing into these fine arts-based courses.
Wes Anderson’s movies exist between disagreement and divisiveness. He’s a filmmaker so distinct and unwavering in his style that you either love him or hate him, but his films aren’t likely to lead to spirited debate. Anderson clicks for some people, and for others he doesn’t. “The French Dispatch” is no different. As a solid but not stellar entry from Anderson, this movie should be enjoyable for fans of his work but an easy skip for his detractors.
The Moody Project Wall, a new initiative that sets aside a large interior wall in the Moody Center for the Arts for muralists, recently welcomed its first tenant: Houston artist Gerardo Rosales’s “¡Displaced Mundo!,” an original mural meant to call attention to the struggle of Venezuelans displaced by the nation’s current economic crisis.
Tomás Morín, a poet and assistant professor of creative writing at Rice, released his new book “Machete” on Oct. 12. “Machete” is Morín’s third published book, a poetry collection that he calls his most personal yet. Morín and other writers will come together for a reading on Rice campus on Nov. 16.
On paper, “Dune” should be one of the best films of the year. It features an all-star cast, has a critically acclaimed director behind the camera and features some of the best visuals I have ever seen in a film. However, it struggles to create a fulfilling story because of its focus on building the film’s world — and it is a huge world — that will be explored in subsequent films. Because of this, “Dune” lacks the three act crescendo to climax structure that is so critical to conflict storytelling, and the movie at times feels like endless rising action.
Last week, the Thresher asked our readers to shop at local businesses. With large department stores selling crystals and sage bundles (don’t buy white sage, not even from local shops, though — it is cultural appropriation and is not being harvested sustainably), it is important to respond to the increasing interest in witchcraft by supporting local shops. Whether you’re looking for a new deck of tarot cards, supplies for a spell or are just curious, here are nine local witchcraft and metaphysical supply stores in Houston for you to explore.
Lana Del Rey has finally released her newest studio album: “Blue Banisters.” Del Rey’s second album this year, “Blue Banisters” proves itself to be a deeply introspective album, with lyrics that feel like we’re reading from Del Rey’s personal journal. Through this album, Del Rey tackles issues of rocky relationships, family dynamics and friendship, while also taking her chance to respond to her recent critics with a voice as beautiful as ever.
Houston not only houses a premier museum district just outside of the hedges from Rice, but art scattered throughout the city. This art often holds greater variety and uniqueness, allowing for visitors to see new sides of the city and the artists that reside here. Whether you want a reason to explore Houston or are an art connoisseur looking for new museums to venture to, here are some venues to check out all around Houston.
Now that fall and the return of autumn seasonal drinks have finally rolled around, it is time to (pumpkin) spice up our playlists. Whether you use Spotify or Apple Music (and, yes, there is a correct answer), here are some good options to add to your queue. This playlist offers plenty of different genres and languages, ranging from Funk to Bossa Nova and from Korean to Hebrew that you may not have heard before.
By this point in the semester, it’s understandable to begin lacking emotional excitement for servery food. We’ve all had our fair share of grilled chicken, caesar salads and fries, which have become somewhat repetitive for the palate. Luckily, Houston is a culinary extravaganza for lovers of all cuisines. If you’re looking for new, fresh bites, take a look at four affordable restaurants close to campus for your next meal.
“Optimist” expands upon FINNEAS’s melancholy songwriting and production skills to create a compelling and interesting debut album. FINNEAS is largely known for collaborations with his sister, Billie Eilish, who he produces and co-writes songs with. However, he also previously released an excellent EP, “Blood Harmony,” and an array of singles. FINNEAS’s first full-length album continues the lyricism seen in previous stand-out tracks like “I Lost a Friend” and “I Don’t Miss You at All,” albeit with a slightly different feeling reminiscent of Billie’s more introspective “Happier Than Ever.”
While Houston may be home to The Galleria, the largest mall in Texas, malls aren’t the only place to scout deals and fresh clothing in Houston. Since “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis hit the Billboard charts in 2012, thrift stores have only been on an upward trend. Shopping for gently used items and clothes is not only good for the planet, but also for our wallets.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
