Arts and Entertainment

Review: ‘Bridgerton’ season two still doesn’t nail the ending, but it's entertaining nonetheless

Dearest readers, it has been almost two years exactly since I have seen the ‘Ton so abuzz with whispers of a show that allots equal screen time to searing eye contact as actual dialogue. Season two of “Bridgerton” premiered March 22 on Netflix to general elation from slow-burn romance lovers and utter dismay from those who will suffer friends donning fake British accents for the next month. As a proud member of the former group, this was an exciting time. 

Review: Denzel Curry embraces a softer sound and opens up on ‘Melt My Eyez See Your Future’

Known for his aggressive vocal performances and experimental rap stylings, “Melt My Eyez See Your Future” is Denzel Curry’s most emotionally vulnerable project yet, portraying his own inner musings instead of an alter-ego’s. Curry described his inspiration for the album as “a combination of what’s going on right now in the world and Akira Kurosawa films.” Known for his distinctive style, Kurosawa created movies that are often considered in the canon of art cinema, a sense of artistic intentionality that Curry embraces throughout the album.

Review: ‘I Know NIGO!’ is a project rooted in collaboration

If you’re like me, you were probably surprised that Japanese fashion designer Nigo was releasing an album and even more surprised to see the star-studded feature list: A$AP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, Pusha T, Clipse, Pharrell, Gunna, Kid Cudi, Teriyaki Boyz, A$AP Ferg, Pop Smoke and Lil Uzi Vert.

Notes from Music’s Biggest Night: Best and Worst moments of the Grammys

With over-the-top live music performances, fashion and drama packed into its three-and-a-half hour runtime, the 64th Grammy Awards offered viewers plenty of entertainment. Held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada for the first time after being postponed in January, this year’s show tried to broaden its audience and boost its pandemic numbers — the worst of all time. Returning host Trevor Noah carefully toed the line with light, safe quips, likely in an attempt to avoid another slap like last weekend’s Oscars. For those still recovering from Saturday’s Beer Bike and Sunday’s midnight deadlines, the Thresher condensed the night’s events into its most memorable moments.

Black Art at Rice: Preston Branton draws inspiration from cartoons

Preston Branton, a Jones College senior majoring in architecture, uses digital methods, charcoal and pencil to create art inspired by the human experience and his love for cartoons. He reflects on his artistic journey, the art he aims to create and the feelings he hopes it will evoke in viewers, as well as the intersectionality of his Black and queer identities.

Catch live music at these venues

Houston is home to a host of talented musicians, comedians, poets and more, including some right here at Rice. They showcase their artistry at various venues around the city, each with their own unique flair and personality. Here are some of the worthwhile spots, including many with open mic nights for anyone — i.e. Rice students — to try out their art  on stage and wow the crowd. 

Review: Machine Gun Kelly, are you okay?

Since rapper turned self proclaimed “new face” of pop-punk Machine Gun Kelly released “Tickets to my Downfall” in 2020 and broke into the pop-punk scene, Kelly has been the subject of public vitriol, and his recently released album “mainstream sellout” revolves around this, lamenting his perceived outcast status, pop-punk gatekeepers shunning his music and his own struggles with mental health. The 2022 release is, unfortunately, an album that feels forgettable in its sameness between songs and as if it borders on parody of the genre with none of the humor of satire.

Beer Bike shirt designers talk inspiration

The festivities of Beer Bike pick up and will continue throughout the week, and Beer Bike itself quickly approaches this Saturday, April 2. Students will don their college Beer Bike as their college teams race around the track and vie for one of the most hotly contested titles at Rice — champions of Beer Bike 2022. For the first time since Beer Bike 2019, eager students will be able to not only wear their college’s shirt but will be able to display the designs with pride while they cheer on their college biking and chug teams. The artists and designers behind the Beer Bike shirts emailed the Thresher about their inspiration for the shirt as well as the thought that went into the design process.

Acappellooza raises vibrations in this year’s showcase

Last Saturday, March 26, Rice’s five a cappella groups combined forces for an evening of performances that couldn’t have been more pitch perfect. The Philharmonics, Basmati Beats, Nocturnal, the Apollos and Low Keys each took the Grand Hall stage to perform their sets featuring creative arrangements and mashups of popular hits. The groups came together at the end of the evening for a joint performance of Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open,” with singers from the featured groups alternating solos.

Black-owned beauty: Explore these brands owned by Black women

The beauty and wellness industries are worth billions of dollars, but despite their massive consumer base, there has been a lack of dialogue surrounding inclusivity in product design and marketing up until very recently. Many Black women-owned beauty businesses are working to make the beauty industry more inclusive. Here are just a few beauty and skincare brands owned by Black women to invest in after Women’s History Month is over, including those that call Houston home. 

‘The Lost City’: A Crowd-Pleasing Comedic Hit

“The Lost City” is a well-crafted adventure-comedy perfect for casual viewing. Though by no means transcendent, “The Lost City” lives on the excellent timing of its jokes while giving surprisingly insightful commentary on the adventure genre. Though not a full parody, the film’s self-awareness allows for moments of true hilarity while leaving room for heartfelt scenes. Throughout the film, there were genuine moments of laughter from the audience in the theater. I believe this movie is one of the best comedies of the year so far and one that I would highly recommend. 

Y2K Style: Check out these 2000’s inspired outfits

It has been two long years since the last public, but after much waiting and anticipation, McMurtry finally held the first public of the year this past Saturday March 26: Y2K. Donning butterfly clips and fishnet, jerseys and glitter, Rice students drew inspiration from decades-olds trends for the party. The Rice community submitted their best 2000’s-inspired outfits from the weekend to the Thresher for us to compile.

Weekly Scenes and Screens, Mar. 23

Moody Center for the Arts celebrates fifth anniversary, return to in-person exhibits

Moody Center for the Arts officially rings in its fifth birthday this year. Since its opening in 2017, the Moody, according to Founding Executive Director Alison Weaver, aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue through the arts and provide an on-campus hub for artistic expression.

Check out these Houston women in the visual arts

March might be nearing a close, but Women’s History Month isn’t over quite yet, so I am here to give you a short list of women visual artists in Houston to engage with and continue to support even when the month is over. Research by the National Museum of Women in the Arts show that women visual artists typically earn less than men, are underrepresented in museum leadership positions and are significantly less represented in the 18 major art museums in the United States when compared with men — 87 percent of those collections are male. 

No car? Catch a bus to these cafes

We’re in the home stretch of the spring semester, with the promise of summer vacation just out of reach. Amid troublesome problem sets and unwritten papers, the Thresher is here to make sure you have one less thing to figure out — where to find coffee close to campus. No car? No problem. There are still many great cafe options for those who enjoy a non squirrel-ridden study environment from time to time, but are running low on goodwill from friends with cars (or on the patience required to drive in Houston). 

Archi-Arts celebrates its centennial with student art, performances

Archi-Arts, the annual art show organized by students of the school of architecture, has returned from a COVID-19 related hiatus  to celebrate its centennial on March 26 from 7 to 10 p.m. in Anderson Hall. The event will highlight the work of student artists and performers.  

Review: Charli XCX is content to dance alone in the flames of pop music in ‘CRASH’

When an artist’s ninth project feels nostalgic, it’s usually a bad sign. It figures that pop music chameleon Charli XCX would buck that trend, delivering tracks simultaneously yearning for early aughts dancefloors and pushing modern pop forward. Despite profound senses of déjà vu, “Crash” navigates between Charli XCX’s past sounds of moody teen pop (“True Romance”), diva snark (“Sucker”) and sawtooth buzz (“I Love It”). The results are solid but ultimately replaceable in the context of Charli XCX’s discography.

Spring Break Scenes and Screens

Review: Conway the Machine reintroduces himself and opens up on ‘God Don’t Make Mistakes’

In the past few years, Conway the Machine has been one of the most interesting rap lyricists active, crafting meticulous bars about street life and the perils of drug dealing. A member of Griselda Records with brother Westside Gunn and cousin Benny the Butcher, Conway has been gaining notoriety in the past few years, and largely crafted “God Don’t Make Mistakes” as an introduction for new fans who may have discovered him through high profile collaborations, like his appearance on “Keep My Spirit Alive” from Kanye West’s “Donda.”