So this documentary was meant to explain whether or not we are living in a simulation, and give some basic evidence to support the theory. I am sure you want to know, are we living in a simulation? And the answer is, I have no idea. The movie was incredibly confusing, circling back on itself multiple times, and none of the ideas presented connected to each other or to an overarching theory at all. I spent the entire movie trying to figure out what point each story or explanation was trying to make, and I got nothing.

The first thing I found confusing about the documentary was that most of the interviewees were not introduced nor explained to have any sort of credibility at all. Other than one person, who was an Ivy League professor, the people presented were mostly shown as avatars, and claimed layperson jobs. Most of them had just experienced what they described as some sort of realization that they live in a simulation. I really think the movie could have been a lot more coherent and convincing if there were more credible, actual sources, and information that made sense to back up the theory instead of random people telling their stories about why they believe this is a simulation.

Something I also believe that the movie missed out on was sort of stepping back into the big picture of the simulation theory. Even just an explanation of exactly what it was would have been very helpful, as many of the different sources that spoke about the theory described it in opposing ways. Some claimed that there were higher beings controlling us video-game style, and some said we are just being watched in a laboratory. This would have been intriguing if the ideas were presented sequentially, but all of the different theory explanations were intertwined as the documentary continued, which made it very hard to follow. It would have made the documentary much clearer to me if it was presented less as a collection of stories and ideas, and more as a coherent theory or conviction that we do live in a simulation.

Overall, I would not recommend this documentary unless you have a lot of prior knowledge about the simulation theory. As a newbie to this idea, I felt constantly lost and like I had missed an important point that would have brought all the different ideas together into an actual argument. I think the stories told were interesting, but at the end of the movie, I still felt unconvinced, and felt that I had not actually gained any information about this idea at all. I am now intrigued about the simulation theory, but find it hard to make it applicable to my own life or musings because this documentary simply gave me nothing to work with or think about.

After an impressive showing at night one of the 44^th Ann Arbor Folk Fest, the second night had a high bar to clear, but it did not disappoint! In fact, The Ark reported in the livestream chat during Saturday’s show that over 3300 households from 22 countries participated in the 2021 Folk Fest. Saturday evening’s performers included Bruce Cockburn, Dar Williams, David Bromberg, Todd Snider, George Winston, Vance Gilbert, Dom Flemons, Matt Andersen, Crys Matthews, Sierra Ferrell, Andrea von Kampen, and the RFD Boys, along with Jeff Daniels as MC.

As was the case with the first night of the Folk Fest, it would be impossible to offer thoughts on the amazing array of performers for night 2. However, a few of the artists that were highlights for me on the second night were Andrea von Kampen, George Winston, and Crys Matthews.

Andrea von Kampen’s performance featured a relatively minimalist acoustic aesthetic that included just her and her guitar in her living room, and it was exceptionally effective. On top of that, it’s hard not to be inspired by her artistry as a singer-songwriter only in her mid-twenties. I found her final song, a cover of “Hard Times Come Again No More,” to be especially resonant during the current pandemic circumstances.

Next, solo pianist George Winston’s set was notable because it was the only set of the Folk Fest that was exclusively instrumental. He spoke at the beginning of his portion of the Folk Fest, but otherwise all of the piece titles were captioned on the screen rather than verbally introduced, giving audiences over thirty minutes of uninterrupted music. Winston’s performance, which was truly a sonic respite from the world, featured pieces such as “Moon” and a medley “Carol of the Bells/Cloudburst.”

Lastly, Chrys Matthews, along with special guest Heather Mae, performed a dynamic and powerful set of songs. Described on the Ark webpage as an important part of the “new generation of social justice music-makers,” Matthews “has been compared to everyone from Toshi Reagon to Tracy Chapman and Ruthie Foster.” After opening the set with her song “Selfless,” which tells the story of a healthcare worker who loses their own life while saving others during the COVID-19 pandemic, Matthews continued with a tribute to the late Representative John Lewis, “Call Them In.” Another highlight was her joyful song “Six Feet Apart,” which gives perspective to what we can still do during the pandemic, including singing and dancing:

Six feet apart won’t stop us

Don’t need to hold you in my arms, I still know you in the dark.

Just ‘cause I can’t kiss you underneath the moonlight

Doesn’t mean you have to feel alone tonight.

Let’s get closer

From six feet apart

Because the 44^th Ann Arbor Folk Fest was virtual, even if you missed the livestream, you can still watch it as a rebroadcast through February 7! To purchase a pass to watch the Folk Festival, visit https://theark.org/folk-festival and click on “Festival tickets on sale now.” I especially enjoyed this online production, and I look forward to hopefully attending the Ann Arbor Folk Fest someday live and in person in Hill Auditorium!