Rice University’s Student Newspaper — Since 1916
Sunday, October 06, 2024 — Houston, TX

Arts and Entertainment

A&E 2/16/16 7:50pm

‘The Final Project’ debuts with found footage aesthetic

By Ryan Lee

Any aspiring filmmaker knows that the film industry is an unforgiving one. Financial- and distribution-related woes inevitably weigh down even the purest of passion projects. Even if the film manages to wring itself through the logistical nightmare, it will be splayed out to the saturated market to be torn apart by the circling critics. Under this spotlight is Taylor Ri’chard’s directing debut, “The Final Project,” in which a group of college students investigates the paranormal activity of a historic plantation in Louisiana.

A&E 2/16/16 7:34pm

Cooking Girl trumps Mala Sichuan

By Denise Lee

Ever since I left the birthplace of Sichuan food, I have always craved the exciting juxtaposition of the two sensations. Naturally, I was thrilled when I found out that there were not one, but two Sichuan restaurants inside the Houston loop where I could satisfy my spicy Chinese food cravings without making the lengthy drive out to Chinatown. During my recent visit to Cooking Girl, I sought out the classic dishes in order to adequately compare the two establishments.

A&E 2/16/16 7:29pm

‘Eurydice’ cast attempts to salvage mediocre material

By Cannon Lewis

The unique power of myth is simplicity. By reducing characters to a few key traits and flaws, myths allow a reader to reflect on those qualities in their own life. In contrast to myth, real life is complex and difficult to understand, filled with self-contradiction, unclear motivation and shades of gray.

A&E 2/2/16 9:17pm

Spotlight shines as unlikely Oscar contender

By Ryan Lee

With the 2016 Oscars just around the corner, most pundits have truncated the official list of eight Best Picture nominees to an unofficial shortlist of three: the gripping “The Revenant,” the provoking “The Big Short” and the oddball – “Spotlight.” Mainstream media have largely sidelined “Spotlight,” which is a true story about the Boston Globe’s investigation of the Catholic Church child sex scandals in the early 2000s.

A&E 1/25/16 10:51pm

The best TV you will watch all year: Four series to binge watch

By Sophie Newman

Let me begin with this disclaimer: I watch a lot of TV. When people ask me, “Have you seen this show?” And I have, I try to brush it off casually, as in “Oh, I have passively watched a few episodes, but I definitely didn’t see the entire three seasons in one binge session on Saturday night, when I should have been socializing, or eating or otherwise experiencing life outside my bed.” But I’m coming clean.

A&E 1/25/16 10:51pm

Zombies breathe new life into literary classic

By Ryan Lee

In a world where matchmaking is everything and “sensible” ladies are confined to the drawing room, the last thing the Bennet sisters need is to fight off a horde of zombies, yet that’s exactly what happens in the upcoming film “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” Austen purists might object: “Subtlety is all but ruined in this heightened culture of ours.” Zombie aficionados might lament: “I find it hard to believe Lizzy Bennet can knock down an actual zombie while wearing a corset.” Notwithstanding, whether one be posh or nerd or somewhere in between, I believe there does exist a Venn diagram where the Victorian gentry and the walking dead overlap.

A&E 12/11/15 1:07pm

Mental melodies: The science behind study music

By Lydia Dick

As much as we hate to acknowledge it, exam time is upon us. Soon every nook and cranny of Fondren will be full of students glued to their textbooks and laptops, maintaining a level of focus that is only possible when 30 percent of your final grade is on the line. While we all have different study habits, listening to music while studying is nearly ubiquitous among students.

A&E 12/5/15 5:00pm

Hot Review: The Revenant

By Kaylen Strench

Towards the end of The Revenant, the main character, Hugh Glass is told: “Revenge is in God’s hands.” Glass states the phrase to himself again, at the end of the film, at the moment at which his time for revenge seems to have finally arrived. Alejandro Inarritu’s The Revenant, set in a harsh pocket of 1820s American frontier, is certainly about revenge, but it focuses even more on duty, perhaps the real question raised by the advice given to Glass.

A&E 9/17/14 5:04am

Savory Spice Adds Nuanced Flavor to Rice Village

By Walden Pemantle

The average customer could feel a bit overwhelmed entering the new Savory Spice shop on Times Blvd. in Rice Village. Looking for sea salt? Will that be regular or smoked? If you’re looking for smoked, would you like it smoked with hickory, alder wood or chardonnay oak barrels? Questions like these could plague the casual shopper, but for discerning gourmets looking for unique spices to enliven their dishes, the Savory Spice shop will seem a remarkable addition to the shops at Rice Village. 

A&E 9/3/14 6:23am

Pasha adds Turkish spin to Middle Eastern favorites

By Walden Pemantle

Pasha stands in a converted house along University Boulevard on the outskirts of Rice Village. Though the quaint Turkish eatery may look uninteresting from the outside, inside, red walls decorated with paintings and china set the backdrop for a much more charming meal than the restaurant’s dirty awning and neon signs would have you think.

Editor's Picks

Most Popular

The Rice Thresher