Special Projects

Review: ‘Something for Thee Hotties’ is an ode to Megan Thee Stallion’s fans

Megan Thee Stallion has had an eventful last couple of years. From her skyrocketing fame to the loss of both her mother and grandmother in the same month in 2019 to being shot by Tory Lanez and releasing her debut album in 2020, her rapid rise to stardom has not been spared from tragedy. She’s always used her music as a means to address these highs and lows and has a loyal fanbase, the “Hotties,” to support her through them all. It’s fitting, then, that her first major body of work released in 2021 is an ode to these fans, a mixtape of freestyles and unreleased tracks aptly titled “Something For Thee Hotties.” The collection serves as a testament to her immense talent and rapid rise to fame, a project that encapsulates everything that has led her to this point in her career while thanking her fans every step of the way. 

Review: Marvel swings and misses with ‘Eternals’

With a cast full of stars or soon-to-be stars and a director coming off of multiple Oscar wins (Chloé Zhao), “Eternals” was a movie brimming with promise. Unfortunately, audiences were delivered a congested and dissonant epic which struggles under the weight of its ambitions. “Eternals” is not without its strong moments, but this is a movie that got away from Zhao and Marvel. 

Review: ‘Spencer’ reimagines the Princess Diana biopic

It is hard for me to view “Spencer” as anything other than a pinnacle of Kristen Stewart’s acting abilities. Playing Princess Diana Spencer, one of the most famous, most photographed people in the entire world, is a daunting task — and not one that I ever expected to be taken on by Stewart. Considering all of the jokes over the years, whether they be about her stint in the “Twilight” series or her awkward, nervous demeanor in interviews, it was hard for me to imagine the actress taking on such an iconic biopic, especially one that has been done to both great laud and great mocking before. However, it is her performance precisely that makes “Spencer” shine.

Review: ‘Voyage’ is a satisfying finale to ABBA’s decades long career

Mamma mia — here they go again! Forty years after their eighth studio album, Swedish pop band ABBA has reunited for one final hurrah. After the band’s divorce-induced split back in 1982, the world thought they had heard the last of their new music, but ABBA has joined once more for a ten song, “trend-blind” album that chronicles friendship and heartbreak through angelic vocals and classic ’70s disco style. While some fans expressed worries that the band would stray too far from their original sound and it has already received mixed reviews from critics, I think this album is nothing short of a triumph that proves that ABBA has still got it. 

Be Bold

Soccer season of close games ends in penalty shootout

Rice soccer couldn’t survive their sixth straight overtime game last Wednesday morning, as they fell to Middle Tennessee State University in penalty kicks in the first round of the Conference USA tournament. The loss brought an end to a season that began with the Owls’ being nationally ranked entering the year for the first time in program history. According to head coach Brian Lee, while he is disappointed in the way the season ended, he always knew that last season would be a tough act to follow.

Volleyball caps undefeated conference season with sweep of UTSA

Ending their regular season on a strong note, Rice volleyball swept the University of Texas, San Antonio in their two-game series over the weekend at Tudor Fieldhouse. The Owls took all three sets in both matches against the Roadrunners, as Rice completed their second straight undefeated conference season and earned the No. 1 seed in the west division in the Conference USA tournament later this month. After closing their regular season with a 12 game win streak, head coach Genny Volpe said she was happy with the team’s improvement throughout the season. 

IM sports return from COVID-adjusted year

Student participation in intramural sports remains strong despite the challenge of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the pandemic, IMs have been forced to adjust due to health and safety protocols. According to Chris Watkins, the assistant director of competitive sports and coordinator of intramural sports, he and his team have had to get creative in order to provide students with an opportunity to compete. 

Owls explore sponsorships with new NIL policy

A few months ago, the NCAA announced a long-awaited rule change that allows collegiate athletes in all sports to benefit from their name, image and likeness (NIL), including through sponsorship deals. Since then, many Rice student-athletes have taken advantage of the new policy by garnering partnerships and sponsorships with local and national companies. 

Fall into these films this autumn

November is finally here, and that means the majority of the Rice community can be spotted walking to class in jeans and sweatshirts despite the 75 degree weather. While we sadly aren't able to force it into being fall in Houston, these autumn-themed films will definitely make it feel like you can. Whether you’re already planning for the upcoming holiday season or still recovering from your crazy Halloweekend, this list of movies is perfect for curling up with a mug of hot apple cider and wishing the weather would consistently stay below 80 as you patiently await Thanksgiving recess. 

11-10-21 Crossword: "Falling Back"

Review: 5411 Empanadas brings outstanding food on opening day

On a restaurant’s opening day, some might worry that they’ll be met with a myriad of problems from low-quality customer service to absurdly long wait times. However, this wasn’t the case for 5411 Empanadas, which opened on Nov. 6. Located in Midtown about a 10 minute Uber ride from Rice campus, you’ll find a welcoming, modern ambiance, quick and friendly staff and, of course, delectably warm, made-from-scratch empanadas.  

CAMH’s ‘The Dirty South’ celebrates Black contemporary art and the place that made it

The “Dirty South,” an art exhibit on view at Houston’s Contemporary Arts Museum from Nov. 5 to Feb. 6, 2022, claims a nickname with roots as murky as the bayous. By the time Goodie Mob christened their home the “dirty south,” the term had been claimed for farmers, crooks and the poor. Perhaps the term “dirty south” reclaimed Northern snootiness or perhaps the distorted 808 kicks sounded like “dirty” grunge guitars. However, when “Dirty South” curator Valerie Cassel Oliver notes that the walls of the first section of the exhibit are colored the same as the clay-heavy soil of the south, it clicks for me: “dirty” is literal. This is the story of dirt.

Rice Cinema reopens, welcoming viewers to Sewall Hall

The Rice Cinema, or the Rice Media Center, reopened in Sewall Hall 301 on Oct. 1 after shutting its doors in June. Demolition of the Media Center began on June 28 to make room for the new Sarofim Visual and Dramatic Arts Building, which is projected to be finished between Aug. 2023 and Jan. 2024. 

11-10-2021 Crossword Solutions

Alumna Shannon Walker takes Rice mementos to the International Space Station

Edgar Odell Lovett’s eyeglasses, a stuffed animal, the crests of Rice’s 11 residential colleges and the logo of the Marching Owl Band were all among the objects that NASA astronaut Shannon Walker, Baker College ’87, MS ’92, Ph.D. ’93, brought to space aboard the first fully operational, crewed, commercial spaceflight in history. Walker visited campus on Oct. 12 to commemorate Rice Day, the day Rice University was formally opened in 1912. In an in-person talk, she discussed her recent trip to the International Space Station on the SpaceX CrewOne mission and returned the objects to campus organizations.

Distribution courses to spice up your spring semester schedule

As the deadline to register for spring semester courses quickly approaches, the pressure to craft the perfect schedule grows. But whether you are majoring in engineering, social policy analysis, computer science or English, somewhere in our time at Rice, we must satisfy all of the distribution requirements. Trying to find and fit three courses in each of the three distribution categories into your schedule may seem daunting, but to make planning a little bit easier, the Thresher has compiled a list of interesting courses without prerequisites that can fulfill some graduation requirements.

Beyond the gravel: how the John and Anne Grove came to be

Nestled between four South colleges is the John and Anne Grove, a tree-lined path of decomposed granite that stretches from Sid Richardson College to the Inner Loop. Trees aren’t the only thing that have blossomed in the shaded quadrangle — in the 1960s, love did too. John and Anne Mullen, the namesakes and benefactors of the Grove, met and fell in love in the same area where Rice students now walk everyday.

Astroworld leaves eight dead, hundreds injured

Eight people were confirmed dead, and hundreds injured, following a crowd surge at the Astroworld festival on Friday night at NRG Park. Astroworld is an annual music festival hosted by rapper Travis Scott. The eight victims were John Hilgert, 14 years old, Brianna Rodriguez, 16 years old, Jacob Jurinek, 20 years old, Franco Patiño and Axel Acosta, both 21 years old, Rodolfo Peña and Madison Dubiski, both 23 years old and Danish Baig, 27 years old.

Course poster removed due to copyright, amidst complaints of offensive images

A poster for HUMA 129: Who is a Terrorist? was taken down last week due to copyright issues, after the Humanities School received complaints about offensive images in the poster. The poster contained two images that Rice community members took issue with: an Israeli soldier and Leila Khaled in a keffiyeh, a Palestinian political symbol. A replacement for the flyer is in progress, which will not contain the copyrighted image.