[art]seen – Page 416 – Reviews by University of Michigan student writers about arts and culture on campus & around Ann Arbor.

REVIEW: The Room

March 18, 2014March 18, 2014 Jeffrey Sun

Apparently during the Saturday showing, somebody threw a football at the screen and almost broke it. It was intense on Sunday, but thankfully less intense. The entire event felt a little like the meeting of a secret society. The movie is so bad that an audience can easily be kept entertained throughout its length by simply reacting in predefined ways to its awfulness. Plastic spoons are thrown at the stage when an inexplicable painting of a spoon is shown. Footballs are passed around when an inexplicable football is being thrown around by the characters. The audience chants “Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!” over an overlong (and inexplicable) tracking shot of the Golden Gate Bridge (which has nothing to with the movie). The audience shouts “Meanwhile in San Francisco” is shouted whenever (and it’s often) an expository shot of San Francisco is shown, only to have the action return to the titular room. It goes on.

I would recommend seeing the movie first, maybe with a couple of people who haven’t seen it either. For one thing, you’ll hear almost none of the dialogue in the cinema over the shouts of people quoting the dialogue. For another, I suspect that the true badness of the movie comes out more when you can see it taking itself seriously, without the crowd.

The screening is, of course, more of an event than a movie, and so I can’t review it as a movie as much as an activity. I went with three other people, two of whom loved it and one of whom didn’t like it, so it really is a matter of taste more than anything. It’s incredible fun if you like that sort of thing. If not, you might feel left out and bored. It’s certainly a totally different event than the usual midnight screening.

PREVIEW: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

March 17, 2014March 17, 2014 Thomas Degroat

What: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Who: put on by Musket

When: March 21 at 8pm, March 22 at 8pm, and March 23 at 2pm

Where: Power Center for Performing Arts

Cost: $7 for students, $13 for adults

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical that tells the story of window washer J. Pierrepont Finch who, after he obtains the eponymous book, starts to rise in the ranks of the World Wide Wicket Company, eventually becoming chairman of the board.

REVIEW: Aca-Mazingness

March 17, 2014March 17, 2014 musickim

When did a cappella take the U.S. by storm? This is a question I would love to know the answer to. Whether it was with the beginning of the renowned television show Glee, or the widely popular movie Pitch Perfect, a cappella has become a staple in the American music world over the last 5 years. Its popularity snuck up on the country and caused more intense fan followings than many music groups had ever seen before. Don’t get me wrong though. I happily, without embarrassment, find myself in this category, having watched Glee as well as Pitch Perfect and fallen in love with this refreshing and genuine style of music. There seems to be something so unique about a live performance of a cappella. Personally, I like to think it’s the magical, indescribable power a group of people share when they put together their talents to create not just a concert, but an experience for their audience.

I also always find myself amazed by the amount of skill it takes for an a cappella group to perform. They are left, vulnerable, on a stage with nowhere to turn but each other. They are forced to perform without studio alterations, without the forgiving edits of a camera, or the gift of a monophonic piece. They must stand, proud of what they are and how much work they have put into their craft, and perform a moving compilation of songs that not only entertains the audience, but in the case of the ICCA semifinals, also wins over the judges. But as I had expected, I was not let down.

Every group that got up on stage Saturday night killed it. Despite my personal favorites, I enjoyed all 3 hours of a cappella performances from schools across the Great Lakes region and hope to attend many more a cappella concerts in the future. Of course, I must say I was biased in cheering on The G-Men, the University of Michigan’s a cappella group that competed at the semifinals, and was ecstatic when they won. Their set, the finale of the first half of the concert, was an outstanding mixture of energy, choreography, soccer jerseys, beet boxing, breathtaking belting, and heavy harmonies. The few men who had the chance to solo stole the hearts of the audience. But in terms of soloists, The G-Men had some tough competition to reckon with. The first singer to take the stage commanded the crowd with an amazing sense of confidence. A singer from Oakland University’s group Gold Vibrations, she started the night out on an impressive solo full of controlled runs, belts, and all around aca-mazingness. Another female soloist from University of Toronto’s Tunes. Beats. Awesome. sang a hauntingly beautiful rendition of “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus. And of course there were many outstanding male solos, including Gold Vibrations’ performance of John Legend’s “Ordinary People”. Also, Ten40 Acappella from Bowling Green State University had a fascinating rendition of “Scarborough Fair” by Simon and Garfunkel that brought quick goose-bumps. I definitely left the concert that night thinking I will be back for more a cappella, and soon.

One last note I would like to add is on the fantastic ending entertainment by Chris DuPont, a local singer-songwriter and graduate from University of Michigan. Even after 3 hours of a cappella, I was brought to the front of my seat at his emotionally driven songs and skillful guitar playing. Not only was it a pleasant ending to an exciting evening of competition, but I believe I have found a new artist to follow.

A picture of The G-Men on stage after their big win at the ICCA semifinals.

REVIEW: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

March 15, 2014March 15, 2014 Chelsea Zabel

When’s the last time you listened to music by itself? Not in the background, not while walking to class, not as you’re watching the music video, but just on its own; when was the last time? Before the evening of March 15, I probably could not have given an accurate answer. It seems that we’re always multitasking nowadays, and that being busy reduces our ability to sit and listen. That’s what I did during the performance from the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and I would recommend it to you.

The music hardly paused once the first note was played, and the entire performance was rather intimidating. Hill Auditorium’s stage was filled with extraordinarily talented musicians who played Bruckner’s 8^th Symphony, a rollercoaster of tempo and dynamics, for 90 minutes. 90 minutes that flew by because so much of the audience was entranced by the sounds the Israel Philharmonic was able to produce. I don’t know why I keep being surprised by how talented professionals are at their professions, but all of the musicians occupying the stage played their parts passionately (especially you, triangle player and cymbal player. You both played for just a handful of measures an hour into the performance and stole the show, at least from where I was sitting).

Of course, I’m no expert because most of the time, if I am listening to classical music then I am also studying. This time, however, there was nothing else to pay attention to but the orchestra. While listening to them, I got the full force of fortissimo without the ability to turn down the volume, not that I would have wanted to. I felt the floor shake under my feet with the vibrations emitted from the low brass section. When’s the last time you avidly observed someone play the timpani?

I would imagine that most of the audience would agree that what we heard was a brilliantly executed performance from the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. I feel privileged to have received that performance live; I know now that live symphonies are so much better than a YouTube playlist can produce.

Again I’m no expert, but I think that should make the following advice mean even more: don’t be afraid of classical instrumental music. I don’t think you’ll be bored, and I hope you’ll enjoy yourself. The university gives us great opportunities to see extremely talented people, so take advantage of it! In a few years you’ll have to pay full ticket price.

PREVIEW: The Room

March 15, 2014March 15, 2014 Jeffrey Sun

What: Midnight screening of The Room

Where: The State Theater

When: Midnight, This Friday and Saturday

The Room, a famously bad movie, is playing this weekend as one of the State Theater’s regular midnight screenings. There are plenty bad movies, of course, but The Room apparently has that elusive quality of being “so bad it’s good.” A combination of the filmmakers sincerity yet lack of skill, exaggeration, poor technique, and humorous mistakes are the elements which usually come together by some mysterious process to create the best bad movies. Elements which, if the hype is to be believed, The Room possesses in spades. So it’s perfect, if you’re into that sort of thing.

PREVIEW: ICCA Great Lakes Semifinal

March 15, 2014March 15, 2014 musickim

What: International Championship of Collegiate A Capella Great Lakes Semifinal

When: Saturday March 15, 7:00 pm

Where: Rackham Auditorium

How Much: $20 for students, $25 general admission online at http://www.ticketalternative.com/Events/26542.aspx, or at 6:00 at the door before the concert

Looking for something to do this Saturday night? Come see an amazing concert of the top A Capella groups in our part of the country! The concert will feature the top groups from the ICCA Great Lakes Quarter Finals. Whether you’ve been fantasizing about seeing a real life version of Pitch Perfect, or just need something to do instead of homework, come check it out. I’m sure you won’t be let down!