Category: Arts

Sacha Baron Cohen has done it again! Almost. If I had not seen the first Borat, I would have said that this move was just phenomenal. However, my roommates and I decided to watch the first movie after we finished the second, and I had forgotten how hilarious it was.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm follows a Kazakhstanian reporter who must redeem his transgressions from the last movie (where he mostly just embarrassed his country) by bringing a gift to some of Trump’s closest supporters in order to gain his favor and put Kazakhstan on the in with the world’s most powerful leaders. When his original plan does not work out, he must try and offer his own daughter as this gift.

The Borat in this film seemed to have a lot more heart (and a more cohesive storyline) than the original. We actually do see some genuine moments between him and his daughter, and the movie is less focused on Borat’s shenanigans and more on following a plot line. I liked this aspect, however it felt much less like a mockumentary as it did an actual movie, and that was not exactly what I had sat down expecting to watch.

I did particularly enjoy the role of his daughter, and I would say that she was possibly as funny if not funnier than Sacha Baron Cohen. The two of them worked well together and had great chemistry when improvising the different scenes, and I liked how she made him seem more human. I also thought she did some great and hilarious acting on her own as well, and it was nice to have more of a variety of scenes than just Borat making a fool of himself. She had a nice character arc, and I do think she brought the movie up from being just average to pretty good, because another movie of just Borat may have seemed repetitive or uninteresting.

I also had forgotten how incredibly raunchy and offensive Borat is, and it really made me laugh to see him in Texas, asking for horrible things from people and them not blinking an eye. My roommates and I kept having to remind ourselves that other than Borat and his daughter, these were not paid actors, just people who had signed a contract and agreed to be in something that they had no idea what it was. I really enjoyed watching him make fun of pro-choice people, those who believe Coronavirus hoaxes, and just Trump supporters in general. It was also definitely a bit scary seeing how many people did not even seem fazed when Borat said something horribly offensive or wrong, because they truly believed it. Especially when he stopped at a Trump rally, and we saw people heil Hitler, sing about killing various types of people, and generally be incredibly offensive.

Overall, I would say the movie was good, but not even close in caliber to the original. But I definitely thoroughly enjoyed it, and I would recommend for anyone who has a thick skin and doesn’t get easily uncomfortable! It is currently available on Amazon Prime Video.

As soon as the music started, I suddenly remembered how much I love classical music, and how much I miss seeing it live. A literal pang went through me- how cheesy, right?? But I do miss live theater and live music. However, this digital presentation was certainly still very enjoyable and I especially liked how different the pieces were from each other. I also really appreciated how many pieces they did, as a quartet doesn’t usually do 5 pieces in the same show!

I particularly enjoyed the two pieces by Coleridge-Taylor, Five Fantasiestücke, Op. 5 (Mvts. i, iii). They both sounded so different than pieces I have heard before, with so much more intricate tunes and a ton of interesting chords as well. The first movement I loved, and it was so rich and deep. Such a contrast to the Mozart piece that they had played before it, which sounded similar to the music I would typically expect from a string quartet. The third movement was also very unique, and I loved the way the different instruments played off of each other, creating different tunes that sounded so nice together. It also had such a beautiful contrast between slower, sweeter parts and high, excited ones. I love when a piece can bring together two very different paces of music and still make them sound like such a coherent work.

I also especially liked the Debussy piece, Quartet (Mvts. iii, iv), as I always enjoy pieces written by him. I really like impressionist composers, and his music is very familiar to me. Many people know him for Clair De Lune, but he has several other pretty famous pieces as well. The interaction of the different instruments really made the music interesting, especially in the start of the third movement, which was so languorous and gentle. It made me imagine sitting on the front porch after a long day, watching the sun set with a cup of tea in your hand and your dog at your feet- that is to say, very peaceful. The fourth movement was so powerful and quick-moving, and you could even see this in the physical movements of the players as they moved their whole bodies with the music. I loved as the instruments separated into their own parts, and then came back together in unison several times to form such beautiful harmonies. The swell at the ending of the fourth movement into its finale was probably my favorite part of the performance.

Overall, this was a gorgeous set done by the Takás Quartet. Each was so unique and distinct, and I love when a group does many shorter pieces so I get to experience more artists and works of music. The digital presentation is streaming through Saturday October 24, so go watch it if you see this in time!

Link to the presentation: https://ums.org/digital-presentations/

This week from October 21st-24th, UMS will be streaming a digital performance of the Takács quartet in concert. This free on demand performance will include string quartet works by Florence Price, Mozart, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Bartok and Debussy. The quartet has selected single movements to record from each piece that embody the character and flair of the composer, instead of the typical entire string quartet format. Having originally been scheduled for a live UMS performance this fall, the Takács have embraced the digital music platform and have created a performance that I am excited to tune into this week. In addition to this performance, there is also a conversation (available on demand) between Professor Kira Thurman and Takács violinist Harumi Rhodes that discusses the works to be performed, specifically those that are from BIPOC composers.

For more information about the event and to watch the on demand performance please visit:

Takács Quartet (UMS Digital Presentation)

Borat 2, also known as Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, follows a similar format to the original Borat movie. In the  mockumentary/comedy film written and starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat, a Kazakh man, returns to America with his young daughter. It is scheduled to be released on October 23, on Amazon Prime Video. It takes place about 14 years after the original movie, and in this one, Borat learns more about American culture, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2020 elections. I am excited to watch this movie, because I found the first Borat movie to be hilarious, and I am hoping this sequel does not disappoint!

The link to watch Borat 2 on Amazon can be found here:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08K3SDZJ9/ref=atv_me_com_c_wiyi1L_naPxFB_1_1

Last night, Trevor Noah came on air in collaboration with the University Musical Society and the Ford School of Public Policy to speak on issues of today- voting, racial discrimination, and the great divide that our country is currently under. He received questions from University of Michigan students and spoke eloquently and distinctly to answer them.

Four students asked questions, and they were clearly well prepared. The questions were thoughtful and complex, and all different from each other. They covered a wide range of topics, from the role of black women in today’s society, to voter suppression, to making a found family when your blood family is not there for you. Each student asked two questions, and then there was a quicker, rapid-fire round at the end where the students each took turns asking one more, simpler question.

I am not sure if he had gotten the questions beforehand, but Trevor Noah had great answers for each one, no matter how difficult the question. A couple of the answers he said I feel really are worth sharing, in case you did not get the chance to watch this event.

First, a question that was posed to him concerned how black women can play a role in our society today. Noah described a story he had learned about a 90-something-year-old black woman who asked her son drive her hundreds of miles so that she could vote early for this election. He then described how the policies created by the American government that are negative almost always affect black women specifically in a negative way, and how important it is for them to have a voice and to vote to perhaps change these policies.

Another topic that I really felt resonated with me was when he answered a question about the importance of young people voting, especially speaking to those who feel disillusioned with the pace of governmental change and feel that voting does not make a difference. He described how a majority of the population who votes is older people, who do it out of habit. Which is silly, because the policies that are being voted in or voted out will not affect them for much longer, it is the young people who should be concerned with the policies being put into place! We are the ones who will be living with them for the rest of our lives. He also went on to say that voting may not bring about change as fast as you like, but not voting at all will mean that things will go the opposite direction, and the policies you believe in will be further away than before. So it is always important to vote, which can be as simple as finding an issue that you feel strongly about and voting for the candidate who moves that policy in the direction you believe is right.

In conclusion, Trevor Noah did a great job at answering questions and speaking clearly to voice his opinion on the issues brought up, as well as explaining them in a simple way that helped me gain more knowledge about the issues of today.

If you want to watch the lifestream, it is available to be watched on-demand for 10 days starting Wednesday, October 21 at 12 noon. If you register for the event, you can receive a link and password to the on-demand video. The link to register is here: https://universitymusicalsociety.activehosted.com/f/7

Do you enjoy watching Trevor Noah’s insightful and comedic news program, the Daily Show? Do you like to know about what is going on in the world around you? Do you just think Trevor Noah’s accent is absolutely mesmerizing? Then tune in to the private event hosted by UMS specifically for the U-M community this Tuesday, October 20th at 8:30 pm. The digital presentation is free for all with a quick registration on the UMS website, for a “causal and interactive conversation”. Noah will be speaking about our country, and how U of M can come together using the arts to pursue racial justice and connect despite the isolation of our community currently. The event will also include questions submitted by U of M students! I am excited about this event because I think Trevor Noah speaks very frankly and intelligently about our nation and its issues, and I enjoy the comedic twist he always puts on his presentations. I am also intrigued to hear what he will say specifically to U of M students and about our school.

Link to event registration/more information: https://ums.org/performance/trevor-noah/