Maggie Betts’s debut film, “Novitiate,’ details the experiences of Kathleen, a young woman who decides to become a part of the Catholic Church as a nun. Set in the early 1960’s, viewers are invited to witness Kathleen grapple with issues of sexuality and her own personal faith, as her training proves to be much tougher and demanding than expected. Her story spans a decade, paralleling the times of radical historical change within the church. The film was showcased at the Sundance Film Festival and met with positive feedback. Check out the trailer below:
“Novitiate” is being shown at the Michigan Theater until December 17. Tickets for students are $7, with ID.
Many movies have been released over the years. There has been the good, the bad, and the just plain ugly, but no movie has had quite the same trajectory as Tommy Wiseau’s infamous production, The Room. Wiseau, a newcomer to Hollywood, chose to write, direct, star in, and most mysteriously, entirely fund his dream project. Full of unforgettably awkward lines and inexplicable directing choices, the movie was declared a disaster. But it has also become an eminently watchable disaster, spawning midnight screenings across the country every year. Part of that fascination has birthed a new project directed by and starring James Franco, The Disaster Artist, based on the novel by Greg Sestro, a friend of Wiseau’s who continues to write and produce films with him.
The film begins when Sestro (Dave Franco) first encounters Wiseau. Greg gapes in both horror and admiration as Tommy performs Shakespeare for the entire theater class. Much of the film encourages the audience to do the same. Goggle at James Franco’s wig! Giggle at his accent! Observe as he meticulously recreates your favorite scenes from The Room! The Disaster Artist mines what the audience already knows, making it feel perfunctory as it reveals each new puzzle piece. Perhaps it is because the puzzle seems too neatly put together. The awkward football tossing, Wiseau’s peculiar laugh, the iconic lines, each make an appearance in Tommy’s and Greg’s interactions. It is all a collection of references rather than a movie that can stand on its own. When the movie does try to chronicle Greg’s and Tommy’s lives before the making of The Room, it treads in clichés. It is disappointing that a character like Wiseau could be revealed to be simply just another failed LA dreamer, just another jealous friend. It is a case where humanizing the main character does not have the expected effect. Perhaps it would have been better to let the curtain be. The mystery behind it will always be more interesting than the truth.
One of the more intriguing narratives of the movie considers the friendship between Tommy and Greg. Tommy, throughout most of the film, exerts considerable power over the younger, impressionable Greg. He houses Greg in his beautiful LA apartment, drives him around in a Mercedes Benz. To its credit, the movie does not shy away from showing the problematic nature of Tommy’s controlling personality whether it be terrorizing actresses on set to manipulating his friendship with Greg to get what he wants. However, the movie does seem to justify his actions as stemming from a place of insecurity. It is problematic, then, that Tommy is still able to get what he wants from Greg with barely a protest. The characters of The Disaster Artist may be better written than those of The Room, but there is still a missing nuance that can’t be covered up with silly accent. It is hard to believe in characters who seem to be constantly winking at you.
The Disaster Artist knows what audience its playing for. Sometimes, that self-awareness can be captivating. Those who have seen The Room will certainly want to see this movie. However, for me, it actively decreased my investment in the characters, even as I laughed at the impressions and the recreations. It is a well-worn storyline in a well-done package. Both the Franco brothers and Seth Rogen, as the protesting script supervisor of The Room, give terrific performances. The older Franco also does well to meticulously construct and frame shots exactly as they were in the original film. But in the end, the film was a disappointment and unlike The Room, I’m not sure that I will be re-watching it anytime soon.
In collaboration with the Nam Center for Korean Studies and the Friends of Korea, the University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities has displayed an exhibit of selected images from over 300 photographs taken by Margaret Condon Taylor. As a Peace Corps member, Taylor resided in an area near the Ewha Women’s University, and used her camera as a lens of articulating her experiences as a “blue-eyed resident of an old Korean community undergoing rapid transformation” in 1969.
At the time, South Korea (Seoul, in particular) was on the cusp of undergoing rapid urbanization, eventually transforming into the sleek and modern jungle of the present, in its heavily electronic and fluorescent glory. Taylor’s images, however, “pay tribute to a time when community life in Seoul was still organized around alleyways.” The subjects of Taylor’s photographs are caught in the midst of their daily activities; some look directly at the camera, but most are unaware, concentrating on dancing, taking care of children, or socializing with friends. Her subjects are young and old alike; somber and joyful; serious and lighthearted. In the selected pieces, the subjects looking into the camera appear largely amused– whether it is because of the experience of having their portraits taken, or the novelty of encountering an “accidental photographer” with an interest in their everyday lives.
The photographs are all uncaptioned, and while at first I wished for some context to the situation and locations of the subjects, I soon realized that it is not really necessary to understand the broader context of the exhibit. The images work together to form a picture of South Korea’s 1969 society as a whole. As a Korean American who has also visited Korea last summer, I recognize certain elements and situations that are strikingly familiar, such as the old man sitting outside in a white hanbok (Korean traditional garment) andthe woman carrying a child on her back in a sling that my own grandmother used to carry me as a baby.
Taylor’s images display a society that is both historical and familiar, and portrays the different aspects of everyday Seoul life for a 1969 citizen. The exhibit will be on display until January 12th in the Institute for Humanities Osterman Common Room.
The Tiny Expo was not so tiny at all – it was great. The tables of artists and crafters were enough to keep an expo-goer busy for more than an hour, if you were lucky enough to get to every one because of the crowds. It is fulfilling to see community come together, and it is even better when it is for the sake of art.
Every table at the expo offered different work, such as toys, handmade jewelry, candles, origami, pins, zines, homegoods, pottery, prints, wellness products, bags and wallets, comics, crocheted accessories, and photography. While the jewelry tables were the most common at the expo, each brand still held its own unique style, whether that was being molded out of clay into miniature food pieces or being made of bicycle tires’ rubber. The expo had no shortage of creativity and energy, between the beautiful art and the lively artists who were eager to chat with everyone. One of my favorite artists I encountered was David Zinn, a street artist who does his vibrant, imaginative work primarily around Ann Arbor. (And he is a UMich alum… coooool!!!) Another was AlmaPottery, whose stunning metallic pottery pieces I stared at long enough to make up for not being able to buy one.
There was also the fun crafting going on in the “Secret Lab” basement of the library, which appealed more directly to children but was still worth taking a look at. With holiday-themed paper crafts, letter presses, pom-pom making, and screen printing, it was a good interactive addition to the expo. I think it has potential to be expanded on, maybe with more craft options or even workshops from the artists that would appeal to all ages.
A robust crowd attended the expo: plenty of children, drawn in by activities in the Secret Lab, and lots of adults, who support the community and its art. The only disappointment I felt about this crowd was the prominent absence of young adults. I did not notice many people who may have fallen between the ages of sixteen to thirty. For an event that is so welcoming to guests and vendors alike (the library gives the artists their tables free of charge, simply encouraging local art, as to most other expos/markets/festivals/fairs that charge for a space), I would have hoped to see more young adults interested in the expo. We are the ones fueling upcoming years of such expos and art in general. Art starts locally. There was beautiful work at the expo, work that I know many of my friends and other students would have appreciated. Hopefully in upcoming years it will be better publicized to pull in more college-aged people.
The Expo was an enjoyable afternoon that gave people the chance to see collection of varied, skillful, and inspiring work, done mostly by native Michiganders. The exposure given to these artists through Tiny Expo and the Winter Art Tour is an awesome opportunity, one that will hopefully gain a larger following in future years.
The All Media Exhibition at the Ann Arbor Art Center has showcased local artists since 1922. The annual competition enters its 95th iteration this year, promising an eclectic mix of work juried by Allison Wong (Director of the Wasserman Projects).
On view from December 15th – January 13th at the Ann Arbor Art Center (117 W Liberty St). Opening party and reception featuring winner announcements on Friday, December 15th from 6-9PM.
Looking for something to do to help you forget about the stress of exams and assignments this weekend? Violet is the perfect musical to do just that! The University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, & Dance brought to life this story that has hilarious, beautiful, and heartbreaking moments interwoven in. Even on a Thursday night, the audience was completely standing at the end after being left speechless.
Violet is about a young woman (Natalie Duncan) whose face was disfigured when her dad (Jamie Colburn) accidentally hit her with an axe. She grew up her whole life with people staring at her scar, or even worse, refusing to look her in the face. She finally decides to travel to meet a television preacher (Ben Ahlers) who she hopes will heal her scar. Along the way she meets Flick (Justin Showell) and Monty (Charlie Patterson), two soldiers on the road.
Natalie’s voice couldn’t have been any more fitting for the role of Violet. One must have a decent Southern accent and some killer vocal chords to captivate the audience; and she did just that. The audience was laughing while she was singing “All to Pieces”, about how she wants her physical features changed up like those of celebrities. They got chills during the strong performance of “On My Way” done by the cast. And they sobbed during Violet’s solo of “Look at Me”.
I typically recommend shows here and there to see, but this one cannot be missed. It is such a beautiful story with a cast who did not disappoint. The expected, but still shocking, amount of talent in this show blew the audience away.
There are still three shows left at the Arthur Miller Theatre: 12/9 at 2pm and 8pm, and 12/10 at 2pm. Tickets are $20 for General Admission and $12 for Students with ID. More information can be found at http://tickets.smtd.umich.edu/single/EventDetail.aspx?p=3355.
