Month: November 2019

REVIEW: Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Lucy Leave a comment

Let me start off by saying, most of this movie was not what I was expecting at all, and it was wonderful. I was so worried about the cliche of a movie about a transgender woman, but it was so real, and not cheesy at all (at least in terms of sexuality). It was still cheesy in lots of other, good ways. Just as a reminder, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is the story of a transgender woman and her botched sex change surgery, trying to achieve stardom while searching for love. Let’s unpack that a little.

For starters, the movie includes a super cool, modern (for 2001) insertion of drawings and visual moving art into the film. The art helps explain several of Hedwig’s songs and personal history through abstract sketches that came in and out of the actual movie scenes incredibly fluidly. This was not something I knew would be part of the film, and I loved how it helped illustrate her earliest memories. They also displayed some of her hardships through these illustrations that definitely came across much more classily and understandably in picture form than they might have if they were just regular scenes in the movie.

The music was definitely also a highlight, if not the best part of the whole film. I really enjoyed the very broad range of emotions and outfits (on both Hedwig and the rest of the band) that accompanied each different song. While they were all rock songs, they still had that element of theater-style music that helps to continue the story, and I thought that was an interesting combination of genres.

The storyline and emotional intensity of the plot absolutely came through, which can be very difficult when adapting to a movie from a live show. Although I think some of the more subtle messages of the storyline of Hedwig’s love life might of gone over my head, I still definitely understood each character’s feelings for each other, and their relationships were often complicated and intriguing. That being said, I definitely did not understand the ending of the movie at all. While I don’t want to spoil it, I will say that it is confusing to say the least. I am not really sure how Hedwig ended up feeling or who she ended up with romantically, if anyone at all. Her turbulent relationships were not always completely clear, and it did feel like I was missing some information, especially on the relationship she had with one of her fellow band members. Perhaps the musical contains more information or more scenes that help to explain what seemed like some plot holes.

In any case, the movie absolutely captured my attention from start to finish, and was definitely one of the ones where I was able to forget about anything except the storyline unfolding. It was an absolutely wacky story, but somehow it totally worked with the characters and actors on screen. It was funny, sad, thought provoking, and engrossing, and now I want to see the musical on Broadway even more than I did before! I would highly recommend this movie for anyone who wants both a unique and provocative watching experience.

REVIEW: WSG Autumn Salon

Shannon Z Leave a comment

On a mildly dismal Friday afternoon in Ann Arbor, I braved the bitingly cold winter currents to trek over to the Autumn Salon exhibition presented by the WSG Gallery on S Main. The idea behind Autumn Salon‘s clustered arrangement originates from the famed Salon de Paris, in which artwork is hung from every available space in the gallery, pinched together in forced dialogue in their nearly floor-to-ceiling occupancies. Not only was the Salon de Paris considered the greatest Western art event of its time, during 1748 to 1890 France, its signature method of exhibition was also adopted as the focus of many painted works of the century.  As I wandered through the WSG modern-day interpretation, a visual mingling of color, medium, and style, I could sense a similar cohesion of artistic energy that flowed throughout the gallery space.

I had the chance to speak with Adrienne Kaplan, a WSG member known for her large and expressive painted portraits of human faces – she informed me that there was no intentional ‘theme’ to Autumn Salon besides that of the mode of exhibition resembling the original Salon de Paris. Nevertheless, as I made my way around the maze of closely hung artworks, I couldn’t help but notice a pattern between the selected works – many depicted the essences of nature, the human figure, or both, with some utilizing the repetition of organic forms found in the natural world as motifs and/or inspiration.

Among those that I found myself most drawn to were two works by WSG Visiting Artist Helen Gotlib: Water Garden V and Water Garden VII. Both pieces consisted of woodblock prints accented with gold leaf and presented on hand-dyed paper. Compared to the boisterous energy emanating from neighboring exhibition walls, these two pieces instilled within me a sense of peace and calm. As I observed the endless ellipses and fingerprint-like patterns formed by the woodblock prints, my eyes naturally began to travel, almost in a hypnotized state, up and around each aged tree ring until they were almost oscillating in rhythm to the tree’s ‘story’.

WSG member Lynda Cole is another artist whose work seems to explore organic forms and their repetition, almost through a hypnotic lens. Pictured here are images of her original digital drawing, Nautilus Ghost, and their placement in the exhibition – this piece immediately caught my attention for how well it epitomizes the, personally ephemeral, sensation of ‘floating’ – the mesh-like form seems to both cascade and twist into itself before disappearing into a flat void.Nautilus Ghost : original digital drawing printed with pigment ink on archival paper : various sizes : open edition

I left these two artists’ works and the beautifully overwhelming Autumn Salon with a vaguely fulfilled sense of loneliness – the exhibition made me feel swallowed in various different artistic voices for its clustered arrangement of works, and both Cole’s and Gotlib’s pieces visually engaged me much like an optical illusion would.

 

WSG Autumn Salon will be on view until November 23, 2019, so be sure to stop by the WSG Gallery to see these works and more in person!

PREVIEW: La Bohème

JM Leave a comment

Don’t miss the School of Music, Theatre & Dance’s production of La Bohème, featuring the University Opera Theatre and the University Symphony Orchestra. The opera’s music is by Giacomo Puccini, and the libretto (words) are by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. The opera, which takes place in Paris and tells a story of youth and romance, enjoys enduring popularity despite the fact that it premiered over 100 years ago in 1896: The New York Times called La Bohème “the world’s most popular opera,” and the musical Rent is actually a modern reincarnation of Bohème.

The opera is running at the Power Center for the Performing Arts from November 7 – November 10. The November 9 show is at 8 pm, and the November 10 show is a matinee at 2 pm. Tickets, which are $13 with a student ID, may be purchased at the Michigan League Ticket Office, or online.

PREVIEW: Parasite

Corrina Lee Leave a comment

You only ever see your own life fully. We are ignorant of any moment, large or small, that occurs beyond our limited eyesight. It is a breadth of ignorance too enormous to ever be acknowledged. There are billions of human lives, living and dying, and we can only feel one. Yet, inevitably, those other lives will push and pull on our own. Collisions between lives, then, are unexpected. You will never know who is significant until your self-centered perspective, so carefully cultivated, is in shambles all around you. In the film Parasite, the Kim family hope to use that same egocentric, obliviousness to trick the rich Park family and climb up the economic ladder. But they are, after all, subject to that same blindness. The collision between the two families, then, is a fascinating one, even more so because of the director and writer of the film, Bong Joon-Ho (Snowpiercer). Parasite is currently showing at the State Theatre. Tickets can be bought online or at the box office ($8.50 with a student ID).

REVIEW: The Lighthouse

Nellie Shih Leave a comment

A24’s newest film follows two lighthouse keepers in 1890s New England. Director Robert Eggers chose to shoot with vintage cameras and a constricted aspect ratio, all in black and white. To further enhance the setting, Eggers took great care to ensure all of the dialogue was period-accurate. As a result, the audience truly feels like they are on the island with the two characters. The Lighthouse is unique in the sense that it is more about the viewing experience rather than its technical elements.

That being said, while the film successfully brought the audience into the story, it was almost too successful. As the film progresses, the characters spiral more and more into madness, and it is easy to feel lost and overwhelmed. The film feels stagnant while Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe spout pure lunacy at each other and envision inexplicable and disturbing images. It is clear that the characters are developing more and more towards insanity, but it feels like the story is not progressing at all.

The issue with the pacing and plot development largely arises from the fact that the film is very predictable. Dafoe’s character often speaks in cryptic superstitions and warnings that are actually not at all cryptic, instead laying out what will happen in the film. The viewer knows exactly in what direction the story will progress, but it takes the film a while to build up to the climax. The viewer is left feeling restless and impatient, and the just-under-two-hour runtime feels much, much longer.

Simply put, watching The Lighthouse is exhausting. I personally would rather be exhausted by a film because I was emotionally invested in it rather than because I was also being driven towards hysteria. Still, it is very impressive that Robert Eggers was able to craft such an engaging and enthralling experience. Both Dafoe and Pattinson give masterful performances as well, as Dafoe expertly weaves comedy with authority and intensity. He starts at 100%, and ends at 100%. On the other hand, Pattinson starts with a more subtle performance, one that hints at an edge to his character. It is how he is able to underplay what is deep inside his character that makes the moment when his character snaps so enrapturing.

Ultimately, The Lighthouse is not for everyone, but I would still recommend seeing it. It is a very unique kind of experience, and it would be a shame to miss out on it.

REVIEW: Westbound Situation Album Release

hcobrien Leave a comment

This past monday, the Ark stage was brought to life by a new, young chambergrass group called Westbound Situation. The quartet, comprised of Grant Flick on violin, viola, mandolin, and nyckelharpa (ooooh), Matt Davis on banjo, Zach Brown on cello and Jacob Warren on bass, released their first album titled “Pilot.” The eleven track album features ten new compositions and one cover, a jazz big band piece titled “Kogi.”

The band laid down the album for the first half of the show, starting with “Griffin,” one of Grant Flick’s compositions. I found myself grooving with the chops and I still have the opening melody stuck in my head (it also probably does not help that I have not been able to stop listening to this album since Monday). Their tunes were charming but full of layers that combined to create a full sound. There was not too much chatting between numbers, but Zach did elaborate on the story behind “Upstairs Coffee,” a tune inspired by poor insulation, buckets and friendship;) 

For the second half, the band played some new tunes they had recently worked up, and Grant brought out the nyckelharpa which he described as, “a viola… only not.” They also invited Kristen Engebretson, singer, to join them for a number on stage. Her voice was sultry and warm and balanced well with the band. After a standing ovation, the group came out for an encore. They chose “Nocturne,” one of the only slower tracks on the album. The contrast from the upbeat tunes beforehand made the concert that much more intimate and was a sweet send off.

Westbound charmed the audience with their natural charisma and stage presence. They are a group that truly enjoys themselves when they play. It was almost like they were in their own musical world, inviting us in for an hour or two to share the experience with them. The crowd, huddled into the middle of the seating area to get the best view of all four musicians, was very involved, cheering at tune changes and impressive improv (which there was a lot of!!!) It truly seemed like they were just friends making music for the fun of it, and as an audience member, I enjoyed watching them interact and perform. 

 

Westbound’s album is released and available for purchase on bandcamp as well as streamable on spotify.

Links are below:

 

Artist Website:

https://www.westboundsituation.com/

Artist Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0UwUiw5AEUiYcB6ELJR025?si=EkRKfXLXSLaQ_rchWRoMbQ

Purchase Album:

https://westboundsituation.bandcamp.com/