REVIEW: Sing-Along White Christmas

What does a tissue, a feather, a bottle of bubbles, a party popper, a plastic horse, a glow stick, and a hand clapper have in common? They could all be found in the goodie bag I received, as I entered the Michigan Theater last Friday night, ready to belt out the classic songs of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.”

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Donning the Santa Hat handed to me along with the goodie bag, I felt like an elf from the Polar Express. I followed the hordes into the theater, where the antique Barton organ was humming old classic favorites like ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and the ‘Chipmunk Song.’

The theater was packed with mostly families starting new traditions, and old friends remembering the past – a glorious mash-up of the new and classic, the young and old, coming together to celebrate the holidays. And if anyone could turn “White Christmas” into a “Rocky Horror” style experience, it is the Michigan Theater.

The red curtain lifted and the eponymous title song, “White Christmas” came on. In case you didn’t know the lyrics (????), the words were digitally projected onto the screen and looked just like the subtitles of those Disney Sing Along tapes we all watched so long ago. Throughout the movie, the subtitles prompted us to retrieve certain items from our goodie bag. Every time Emma the hotel clerk takes out her hankie, we shook our napkins (very lady-like, of course) at the screen and cried, ‘Boo-hoo.’

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Grab your bubbles! It’s starting to snow!

The movie is centered around performances, and so, to imitate our role as an audience member for both the fictional performances as well as the movie itself, we were encouraged to flap our hand clappers when Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye finish their big dance number, or when Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen take their final curtsy. But, basically, we could “hand clap” whenever we wanted (very much like in a poetry slam when you snap for anything that you find especially smooth). Among this particular audience, the hand-claps seemed to be synchronized with the kissing scenes. It was like we were all back in seventh grade when we had to say something at the sight of kissing. Except, instead of “eww,” we let out a collective, “ooh!!!”

At the final scene when the General (who owns the hotel which has been financially saved) blows out the candles on his cake, we were prompted to get out the poppers. We all waited, hands at the ready. Anticipation bubbled throughout the theater, as we waited for him to signal the celebration. It was as if we, the audience, were part of the movie! Suddenly, POP!!!! Streamers flew every which way throughout the theater and the smoky smell of gunpowder filled the air.

If you ever get the chance to take part in a communal sing along experience, do it! Even if you don’t like to sing. Because it isn’t all about the singing. The community of movie watchers and you become one. Together, you bond over the 5D experience of the movie. The smells, the sounds, the tangibility of the fictional movie become real with your help! You help bring it alive, which is an amazing thing to experience. The Michigan Theater is unique in that they put on events like this: events that you the audience member bring to life; events that will become an annual tradition time and time again. Someday, when I’m 89 years old, I hope to bring my friends, my kids, and grandkids back there to the ole’ Michigan Theater and sing along to “White Christmas” tunes, just like I did in 2014.

 

 

PREVIEW: Sing-a-Long White Christmas

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For those of you who have practiced such discipline and have restrained from listening to holiday music before Thanksgiving, congratulations! (I can’t say I’ve been as strong…darn that Vince Guaraldi). Once the feasting has subsided this Thursday, it is officially appropriate to rock out to festive music! And what could be more fun than ringing in the holiday spirit than with a sing-a-long of the beloved holiday movie, White Christmas?

The 1954 classic film, featuring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, tells the story of two war buddies turned entertainers who fall for a pair of sisters (Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen). The boys follow the girls to a resort, conveniently owned by their former commanding officer. But the resort is in jeopardy of getting shut down. What better excuse to stage a show than to help save the resort?

If you’ll be in town for the long weekend, come get into the holiday spirit at the Michigan Theater! It’s been scientifically proven that singing is good for your mental health! Trust me…Buzzfeed says so… 🙂 http://www.buzzfeed.com/juliapugachevsky/reasons-why-you-need-to-start-singing.

What: Sing-a-long White Christmas

When: Friday, November 28 at 7:30 pm.

Where: Michigan Theater

How Much?: Students (w/ ID) – $13.00

*Come early for caroling with the Barton organ from 7-7:30. 

 

REVIEW: Whiplash

Whiplash (2014) was a difficult movie to watch. I find myself hoping that this world driven by high-level stress, intimidation, and discrimination would never exist. The cast and crew did some serious work in illustrating this level of frustration and unpredictability.

The movie features a story of a young and aspiring jazz drummer at a fictional prestigious conservatory called Shaeffer Conservatory, who interacts a private teacher that tries to make his life as a drummer extremely difficult. The two become involved in a very strange relationship tied with the desire for success and the obsession with music-making. The movie stars Miles Teller as Andrew Neyman, the drummer; and J.K. Simmons as Terence Fletcher, the terrifying teacher.

Terence Fletcher, the director of the topmost band at the prestigious Shaeffer Conservatory in New York City, is a mysterious character. We never know what he could actually be thinking. He yells a lot, but sometimes he can be affirming, too. He occasionally smiles or even shows tears, but those emotions feel fake because of horrid actions he takes to “get the most out of the musicians.” It was terrifying to see. Fletcher used multiple homophobic, sexist, racist, ageist, and demeaning comments in general to his band members, exercising power harassment. And to think the next Charlie Parker can, or has to, survive all of these oppressions to get to the top, to build thicker skins? I’m glad I’m not at Shaeffer.

This movie also shows how male-dominated the jazz world is. There were exactly two female players in the entire movie. Just two, out of dozens. One was in the lower-level jazz combo, and she messes up her solo quite more than her male counterparts when Fletcher comes to observe. Another was not given much airtime. Is this really how females are regarded? If the directors like Fletcher actually exist, there is no way female players can thrive — with no regard to their ability as a player. It’s one thing to be extremely strict and unyielding; it’s another to be discriminatory and threatening.

The terrible leadership of Fletcher is not to say the well-written plot and stellar acting should go uncredited. I felt like I was on a roller coaster all the way; I could never expect how a scene would turn out, and it was thrilling. Miles Teller acted out the agony of wanting to become the best and please Fletcher so realistically; J.K. Simmons fit into the role of stubborn and unpredictable director perfectly. Not to mention, the music they played were high quality — living up to the name of the nation’s top conservatory. The amount of cursing and violence was a little out of my taste, but I guess that’s why the movie is rated R.

In a nutshell, Whiplash is a movie worth watching — but not for everyone. The scenes can get pretty graphic with blood, violence, and verbal abuse. You don’t have to be a music student to appreciate this movie, either, because this movie is more about life than about music. If you have some free time before you feast on those Thanksgiving dinners, check it out at the State Theater.

PREVIEW: Whiplash

Whiplash (2014) features a story of a young and aspiring jazz drummer at a prestigious conservatory, who interacts a private teacher that tries to stop him from his success as a drummer. The two become involved in a very strange relationship tied with the desire for success and the obsession with music-making. The movie stars Miles Teller as Andrew Neyman, the drummer; and J.K. Simmons as Terence Fletcher, the terrifying teacher. This movie has received high ratings on IMDB (8.6) and Rotten Tomatoes (96%). If you are musical, artistic, passionate, and/or curious about what goes on in the music industry, you would find this film interesting!

Check the State Theater website for showtimes. In addition to these showtimes, there is a mobility-impaired accessible showing at the Michigan Theater at 7:30pm on Thursday, November 20. Tickets are $8 for students with ID.

Whiplash is 106 minutes long, and is rated R.

Preview: Porco Rosso – State Theater

Porco_Rosso_(Movie_Poster)

What: Porco Rosso – Film
Where: State Theater
When: Wednesday 12 November, 7pm
How Much: $8 Student, $10 General Admission

Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and released in 1992, ‘Porco Rosso’ follows an Italian WWI flying ace now acting as a bounty hunter targeting “air pirates.” A Strange curse transforms him into an anthropomorphic pig. Magic, action, love and intrigue drive this youthful and entertaining plot.

Preview: Grave of the Fireflies

Grave of the fireflies

What: Grave of the Fireflies (film)
Where: State Theater

When: Wednesday 5 November, 7pm
How Much: $8 students, $10 general admissions

Released by Studio Ghibli in 1988, ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ is based on a semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka. Written and directed by Isao Takahata.

Set in the Japanese city of Kobe, this film follows two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, as they struggle through the last months of the Second World War.