Arts and Entertainment

Review: “Balloonerism” is a graceful tribute to Mac Miller’s legacy

Mac Miller’s “Balloonerism” is a delicate balancing act — a posthumous release that feels deeply personal yet walks the fine line between honoring an artist's legacy and commodifying it. Unlike other releases from late artists, which can feel like haphazard collections of half-finished demos (The Party Never Ends by Juice WRLD comes to mind), “Balloonerism” is a cohesive, almost ethereal work.

Review: ‘The Brutalist,’ while ambitious, is a brutal failure

If there’s anything “The Brutalist” is, it’s ambitious. Following visionary architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) through some thirty years of his life — from his post-World War II immigration to the U.S. to his struggles with a wildly ambitious project — “The Brutalist” reflects its namesake architectural style: massive, angular and carved out of stone. 

Review: Mercato and Co. delights

A new Italian-inspired coffee shop and grocery store hybrid has found its home on West University Boulevard. Mercato and Company, according to the cafe’s website, aims to provide customers with “a warm, inviting atmosphere that feels like home” and “a friendly and quaint experience.” When I visited, I was pleased to have these claims confirmed. The delicious food and charming ambiance combined to make Mercato a place I’d want to visit again soon.

Architecture alumna Luján builds community through art, design

Over a decade ago, Melissa McDonnell Luján ’10 was tasked with redesigning the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston as one of her Rice Architecture studio assignments. Now, after she was appointed the museum’s co-director earlier this month, she’s designing CAMH’s future.

Senior Spotlight: Naomi Doron makes citrus-colored connections

Whether working on a piece for her senior studio class, putting together a zine or doodling with friends, Naomi Doron never stops being creative. For Doron, a Jones College senior studying visual art and cognitive sciences, art extends beyond the actual piece — it’s a way for her to connect with others, she said.

Review: “The Book of Mormon” involves no reading

“The Book of Mormon”, a flashy musical that is not at all biblically accurate, came to the Houston Hobby Center January 7-12. The musical makes a mockery of the typical mission work expected from Mormons, covering everything from their racism, attempts at forced conversion and inner-religious conflicts, all while tap-dancing and singing away. 

Bad Bunny's "Debí Tirar Más Fotos" is a love letter to Puerto Rico

With “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” Bad Bunny kicks off 2025 with an electrifying return to his roots, creating an album that is equal parts tribute, reinvention and celebration of Puerto Rican identity. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio doesn’t just deliver 17 tracks; he crafts a vibrant journey that honors the traditions of his homeland while fearlessly reshaping the landscape of Latin music. It’s a bold, deeply personal statement that reaffirms his place not only as a global superstar but also as a cultural ambassador for Puerto Rico.

Stop-motion and scares: A&E’s best movies of 2024

From record-breaking blockbusters to subtle indie gems, 2024 proved that the cinematic landscape is more vibrant than ever. Directors took bold creative risks, reviving classic stories and exploring new genres with stunning ambition. Blockbuster epics returned in force and packed theaters, but smaller films also found their moments to shine, offering compelling narratives, unforgettable performances and daring visuals. With so many exceptional releases, The Thresher’s A&E writers faced a tough task in selecting the top ten — these are the films that defined the year in cinema.

Stop-motion and scares: A&E’s best movies of 2024

From record-breaking blockbusters to subtle indie gems, 2024 proved that the cinematic landscape is more vibrant than ever. Directors took bold creative risks, reviving classic stories and exploring new genres with stunning ambition. Blockbuster epics returned in force and packed theaters, but smaller films also found their moments to shine, offering compelling narratives, unforgettable performances and daring visuals. With so many exceptional releases, The Thresher’s A&E writers faced a tough task in selecting the top ten — these are the films that defined the year in cinema.

Review: “Look Back” is short but powerful

“Look Back” is one of the best films of 2024. Inspired by the tragic 2019 Kyoto Animation arson attack, Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of “Chainsaw Man,” crafts a deeply moving tribute that transforms real-life sorrow into a story of resilience and connection. 

“Mahashmashana” is cynical but has fun while doing it

This is it: your beanie-headed friend’s new favorite “underground” album. They probably mentioned that it dropped the same day as Kendrick Lamar’s surprise album “GNX”, and they definitely mispronounced the title. So just how good is it really?

Four movies you missed over winter break

Winter is the best time to be a movie fan. Hollywood studios always release their award-season hopefuls, new attempts at Christmas classics and movies (hopefully) good enough to convince the whole family to go out during the holidays. This year was no different, but certain films definitely stood out above the rest -- here are four films that were released over winter break that you may have missed.

Kyle Mooney talks killer robots, Limp Bizkit in film ‘Y2K’

Kyle Mooney’s sci-fi disaster comedy and directorial debut, “Y2K,” released in theaters on Dec. 6. Ahead of the release, the “Saturday Night Live” alum talked inspirations, set design and working with ’90s icons in a roundtable interview with the Thresher.

Replay 2024’s best albums of the year

Creative and dark, Ethel Cain’s ‘Perverts’ descends into the ambient abyss

What might Eve hear when she, in her shame, is ousted from the Garden of Eden? 

Nosferatu Review

Robert Eggers has returned for his fourth motion picture, a faithful remake of F. W. Murnau's 1922 film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.” Eggers’ “Nosferatu” is nothing less than a symphony, weaving together painterly gothic imagery and chilling supernatural atmosphere.

Amy Hobby: from Rice to Oscar nominee

Before its permanent closure in 2021, the Rice Media Center was home to film students at Rice. One particular alumna, Academy Award-nominated producer Amy Hobby ’87, has been one of the most notable people to come out of Rice’s film department, having worked alongside Tim Burton, David Lynch and Steven Soderbergh throughout her three-decade career.

Gift ideas to save you this season

If you’ve got a white elephant coming up that you’re scratching your head over or a Secret Santa that you can’t seem to crack, consider one of the six options below to perish your present woes.

Review: “Gladiator 2” is fine

Around the beginning of the semester, I found myself writing about legacy sequels, so it feels fitting, and somewhat indicative of Hollywood’s stagnation, to end the semester doing the same. “Gladiator II” is a direct continuation of the Best Picture award-winning “Gladiator”, with director Ridley Scott returning to his acclaimed film with an almost entirely new cast of characters. 

“Emilia Perez” rings shallow

France’s submission for the 2025 Academy Awards will likely be the country’s thirty-ninth film nominated in Best International Feature. Currently on Netflix, Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Perez” follows an overworked lawyer in Mexico who helps a trans cartel boss leave her life of crime and start anew.