What: Film – Harold and Maude
When: Monday the 15th of September 7pm
Where: The Michigan Theater
Cost: $8 for students $10 general
A wonderful film about friendship. Harold is a melancholic college graduate with a pushy mother. Maude is an 80 year old who has a lust for life, fun and sunflowers.
After meeting at a funeral they proceed to develop a wonderful and touching friendship.
With a soundtrack written and performed by Cat Stephens, this film about music, friendship and love is a classic to be enjoyed.
What: Annie Hall, a film by Woody Allen
Where: Michigan Theater
When: Monday the 9th of September 7pm
Cost: $8 with student ID, $10 general
Annie Hall marks the kick off of Michigan Theater’s “Monday Funny Film Series.” Every Monday from the 9th of September to the 9th of December, Michigan Theater will screen a previously released comedy.
Film List: http://www.michtheater.org/series/monday-funnies/
Annie Hall, starring Dianne Keaton and Woody Allen is a wonderfully comical, charming and excruciatingly awkward film about relationships. If you have never seen this movie you must do so promptly! It is a favorite of many a Allen fan, as well as others who aren’t so keen on the bespectacled comedian/writer/director/actor.
“A Long time ago in middle Europe, a decrepit, forbidding castle stood. Casting an ominous shadow…” Don’t bother reading through the description on the Michigan Theatre website, we all kind of already know the story of Dracula: boy falls in love with girl, boy cheats on girl, boy gets girl. Or something like that? It doesn’t matter.
What’s really important to know is that this is a rare, once in a lifetime screening of the famed, 1922 German Expressionist film, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Terror, and that there will be a LIVE ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENT (The Michigan Theatre is one of the few places in the entire country that has a working organ and actually uses it).
So, I hope to see you at the Michigan Theatre at 7:30. I’ll be that kid stuffing his kid with popcorn.
Fun fact: most of the original score was lost, so contemporary composers/musicians have provided their own soundtracks. I’m not sure what version this organist is playing, but I’m sure it will be fantastic!
Usually I’m running ten minutes late and only hoping to find a seat before the film starts – trying to find a red velvety chair rather than the lap of a stranger. Thursday night at the Michigan Theater, however, was an event. There are 1700 seats in the main theater because film going used to be an event – a night out at the cinema. Unfortunately, Ann Arbor rarely packs the Michigan Theater full these days (recent sell outs have included Michael Moore’s Slacker Uprising and Fahrenheit 9/11 as well as a Lord of the Rings showing). Thursday night held a sold out crowd, full of excitement.
Honored to be a part of the Sundance USA inaugural series, the crowd cheered Michigan Theater Executive Director, Russ Collins, announcement that we were making history as well as the pre-taped thank you message from Robert Redford. Unfortunately, once the film started, the crowd’s energy quickly faded.
‘Cyrus’, a new movie from the Duplass Brothers (The Puffy Chair, Baghead), tells the story of Cyrus (Jonah Hill- Superbad, Funny People), Molly (Marisa Tomei- My Cousin Vinny, The Wrestler), and John (John C. Reilly- Chicago, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story). Cyrus is the 21-year-old son and life partner of Molly while John is Molly’s first boyfriend since Cyrus was born. ‘Cyrus’ tells the struggles of this love triangle. It is only about this relationship as it takes place. We never receive information about Molly’s past or Cyrus’ childhood- we never even know what city we are in, just a generic American suburb. ‘Cyrus’ is, at its core, an in-depth analysis of the power struggles between the three. It makes us question the Oedipal suggestions of Cyrus and Molly’s relationship, the honesty of a divorced and depressed John, and the nature of innocence. The movie, however, is about a power struggle that has been played out and examined in culture too many times to count.
The Duplass Brothers did not want to make another crass, vulgar humor movie – Jonah Hill’s specialty. In the mostly-failed attempt to appeal to a wider, more mature audience, the opportunities to laugh with the whole theater were few. Instead of full on laughs, the movie tried to feed us awkward chuckles. When the movie finally finished, I felt drenched in the soppy relationship humor that plagued the movie.
Jonah Hill saved himself a few points when he came on stage wearing the traditional, maize & blue, block M fitted cap. His girlfriend, a Michigan student, gave it to him- he told the curious crowd. The Duplass Brothers saved themselves a few points as they introduced their editor and friend, Jay Doobie- a Northville native. Sundance USA, the idea, seemed to thrive in the Michigan Theater setting- ‘Cyrus’, the movie, failed to match the hype.
A ridiculous week of arts events awaits us- The Bad Plus on Thursday night, University Dance Company’s (Re)Visionary Dance on Friday Night, and Só Percussion on Saturday Night. That is truly absurd.
When will I do econ, Bennett
