PREVIEW: THE MUSIC OF STUDIO GHIBLI スタジオジブリ

If you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli or the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra this event is for you!

The Music of Studio Ghibli event takes the whimsical soundtracks from some of Hayao Miyazaki’s most famous films: Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro and recreates the full soundtracks on the Michigan Theater stage for a live audience to experience.

Studio Ghibli has held the hearts of many throughout childhood, including my own and I’m so excited to be able to experience these films in a new way. Even if you aren’t familiar with these films or Studio Ghibli in general, I would still recommend purchasing a ticket. The music of these films is like a warm hug; comforting and bright. It automatically brings a smile to your face.

The event is this Saturday, November 19 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, November 20 at 3:00 pm.

It’s your choice of an evening concert or matinee! Tickets are going fast and can be found at the link below!

THE MUSIC OF STUDIO GHIBLI

REVIEW: BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

The story of the Black Panther has always been more than just the origins of another superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film itself has become a symbol of grace and beauty; a wealth of black pride that celebrates African culture through the fictional country of Wakanda. Chadwick Boseman was the face of that country; the perfect embodiment of what the Black Panther was meant to be. As an actor, he possessed such a quiet, gentle, yet commanding presence. He could convey so much with the slightest movement or expression and when he entered a room you knew you were in the presence of a king.

I’ll admit that I was a bit apprehensive to watch a Black Panther film devoid of Chadwick Boseman. At the same time, I was curious to know how the film could honor his memory while passing along the mantle of the Black Panther. I can say that the film achieves both tasks beautifully.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever  begins with Shuri (T’challa’s younger sister) pleading internally with whatever powers that be that her brother be saved, only for her prayers to be met with silence. In the first five minutes of the movie, it’s made known that the Black Panther, the protector and king of Wakanda, has passed. It’s heartbreaking enough when it’s purely a fictional death. However, both the audience and cast aren’t simply mourning a fictional character, but Chadwick Boseman. The film portrays a hauntingly beautiful funeral ceremony in remembrance of their leader and then the screen transitions into the Marvel logo. However, instead of the usual frames of marvel movies appearing in the lettering, all the frames were of Chadwick in the original Black Panther film. It was a beautiful tribute that assured the audience that this film would not be brushing past the death of it’s hero.

Throughout the film, we see how different characters struggle and process the grief of losing such an important figure in their lives, however it’s made clear that as important as the Black Panther is, Wakanda is not any weaker because of his absence. The entire world is after vibranium and certain powers believe that they can simply walk into Wakanda and take what they want. However, they are brought to justice swiftly and easily. It’s a beautiful scene in which the audience realizes where Wakanda’s power lies. It doesn’t exist in one person alone, but in all of Wakanda. The country is in mourning, and there is no weakness in that grief. The film makes a point of Shuri not taking on the mantle of the Black Panther until the very end of the movie.

Wakanda is clearly the most powerful country to exist. And yet, a new power lies beneath the depths of the sea, a power that may rival even Wakanda; the civilization of Talokan. Talokan is another Vibranium rich civilization that is deeply inspired by Mesoamerican peoples.  There are beautiful parallels shown throughout the film that tie Wakanda and Talokan together. Both are proud civilizations and both have reason to despise the rest of the world. There is turmoil, there is anger, grief, and human weakness, but there’s also a strength that persists; a strength that exists in seeing the suffering and pain of those around you, having the ability to seek retribution and choosing mercy despite it.

It’s a beautiful film that touches on aspects of material power; what people will do to obtain it and what people will do to protect themselves from others greed.

 

 

 

 

Preview: Don José Marti Open Mic

This Sunday, November 13th, from 7pm – 10pm at the Rackham Graduate School, The Beta Upsilon chapter of Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc. are hosting their second annual Don José Marti Open Mic! 

This Open Mic is inspired by one of Beta’s pillars, Don José Marti, who was a Cuban nationalist, poet, journalist, and publisher who is considered a hero in the Latin American liberation movement. This event will represent a large variety of art forms: They welcome writers, musicians, vocalists, actors, dancers, and visual artists to present their artwork or perform in front of a live audience. I specifically liked that they mentioned that performers of all skill levels are welcomed in the Performance Application form. I’ve been to a few open mic events, and have been wanting to expose myself to more. There will also be food catering by a Latin American Cuban Cuisine. If you like poetry, spoken word, short stories, music, dances, visual arts, acting, and photography, this is the event for you! Seems like it will be an exciting night of appreciating and celebrating the arts! 

Make sure to fill out the RSVP Guest Form!

PREVIEW: Campus Orchestras

Nothing quite beats a post football game concert. So if you find yourself having free time after shedding your maize and blue, you should head to Hill Auditorium this Saturday at 8 pm. Both the Campus Philharmonia Orchestra and the Campus Symphony Orchestra will be performing. Their performances will include Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Symphony No. 2 in D, movements 1 and 2, Bartok: Romanian Folk Dances, and Sibelius: Finlandia. So be sure to check it out!

 

REVIEW: Celebrasia

*The image above is rXn, CSA’s dance group*

Celebrasia is definitely one of the events on campus with the best attendance turnout. The posting wall was flooded with people, truly resembling a night market, and people had already begun waiting in line thirty minutes before the performance. Unfortunately for those who didn’t come early, there weren’t enough seats (even for the performers); the aisles and back of the auditorium were flooded with people too, and they all stood for the entirety of the two-and-a-half-hour show. It was impressive how eager everybody was to watch the student organizations.

Having The Qingyun Chinese Music Ensemble perform first was a good decision; it established Celebrasia’s emphasis on cultural diversity by presenting various Chinese instruments such as the erhu and guzheng. It was also my first time hearing traditional Chinese music performed live; the sight and sounds of their ensemble were captivating with its heart-tugging melodies and gentle rhythms.

One of the most hyped-up performances was by DB3, the all-male K-pop dance group. It’s unsurprising how excited the audience was, as DB3 went hard on promoting their concept: ‘School Daze’. Each member wore a cute school uniform, and on their Instagram, they posted pictures of their group and all members too. 

In contrast, Moli, the female Chinese cultural dance group performed right after, and it was one of my favorite performances. They incorporated their clothing and fans into the dance as if they were extensions of their body and wore multiple outfits throughout their act. It was amazing how they managed to change clothes in such a short time and still keep the audience engaged throughout.

It’s understandable why popular songs and more powerful moves earn the most cheers, but this group stood out to me because of how different they were. While I was extremely excited watching all the hip-hop dances, I was most awe-inspired by Moli’s choreography.

Revolution, however, had a fantastic performance that successfully fused both culture and hip-hop. This group was also extremely memorable because the audience would collectively scream oooh and sigh aww. Unlike other performances, if one of the members stumbled it still added to the cheerful atmosphere in that way. It was so much fun because of that, and I would giggle at how in sync we were as an audience. Revolution is an extremely large group, but no member shined less than the others as our focus was on the Chinese Yo-Yos being tossed and twirled and caught in sync with the music. Their performances always showcase how strong their teamwork is and how much the members need to trust each other because many of the moves rely on one another to be successful. In small groups, that’s already hard, so Revolution is especially extraordinary.

I haven’t touched upon all of the groups that performed, but not because they were lesser in any way. If I did, then this review would probably be 2,000 words. As much as I’d love to do that, I don’t think it’d do justice to every group’s hard work and talent. That’s why it’s up to you, fellow reader, to go check out their performances yourselves! Especially for the groups I haven’t mentioned. If you’re interested in who did perform,

I want to give a special shout-out to those who worked through the technical difficulties at Celebrasia like Female Gayo and Seoul Juice. It showed their professionalism as performers, and they still killed it despite the additional challenges.

Celebrasia is genuinely one of the most special events on campus. If you missed it this time, don’t miss it next year!

REVIEW: Simona

2:40 pm • Saturday, November 5, 2022 • State Theater

Simona was a lovely and in-depth documentary exploring the life of Simona Kossak and the marks she left on family, friends, and the broader Polish environmentalist community. A biologist and environmental activist who spent most of her life secluded in the Białowieża* Forest, one of Europe’s last old-growth wildernesses, Kossak’s story is told through conversations among family members, friends, and former colleagues, accompanied by archival photos taken by her life partner, Lech Wilczek.

I appreciated the candidness with which most of the interviewees discussed Kossak’s life. In particular, the ongoing conversation between Ida Matysek (the film’s main narrator) and her mother, Kossak’s niece, created an overarching narrative for the film that focused more on Kossak’s personal relationships with her family than her scientific career or activism. By balancing this narrative with insights from Kossak’s professional acquaintances and friends, not only did I gain a holistic understanding of how Kossak engaged with the world around her, but I learned about the dark as well as light sides of her history.

One of my favorite themes throughout the film was Kossak’s emotional connection with the animals in her care, which the film often  represented as intensely maternal. I came to understand that history would be remiss to say Kossak had no children–the devotion she demonstrated for the animals she raised was no less than that of a mother for a human child. In one heartbreaking story, Kossak raised a lynx she named Agata, who was killed in an domestic accident when Kossak’s partner, Lech Wilczek, lost his balance and dropped a bundle of firewood on top of her. Kossak canceled all engagements and grieved for months, and the incident also strained her relationship with Wilczek as if they had experienced the loss of a child.

Photo by Lech Wilczek; from Opowieść o Niezwyczajny Życiu Simony Kossak by Anna Kamińska, published by Wydawnictwo Literackie, Krakow 2015.

I am left with questions about Kossak’s affection for animals as compared with her love for the forest at large. As a biologist, her interest was in animal behavior, and in her activism much of her work dealt with preserving the diversity of animal species existing in the Białowieża Forest. I am curious about whether she was equally devoted to the conservation of plant life in the forest. One of the stories included in the film was about her efforts to save dying chestnut trees around the school where she worked, but the film framed these efforts more based on her partiality to the trees for sentimental reasons than for environmental reasons. Much of my reading on the subject of forestry and conservation lately has dealt with the importance of trees in global ecosystems, and I know research on the social relationships between trees is gaining more traction in the scientific community as of late. I wish I could hear Kossak’s take on these issues, and see how she would engage in activism against the accelerating deforestation of her beloved Białowieża Forest today. If I can ever find English editions, I hope to add her books about the forest and her experiences there to my shelf.

 

*pronounced bee-ah-wo-vee-EDGE-ah