Tag: Michigan theater

REVIEW: Cocaine Bear

Sappy Leave a comment

To be completely honest, I was rather disappointed after watching this movie. Perhaps it was because my friends hyped it up so much or the comedy just wasn’t to my taste, but it had too many plotholes for it to be satirically viable. Having a comedy movie be understandable is a personal preference though, so I’m sure a lot of people didn’t mind that. There were certain scenes that I found funny since they caught me off guard (I won’t elaborate much to avoid spoilers), but most of the time I got upset about the character development and storytelling.

They use gore and of course, the consumption of cocaine, as their comedic selling point, so if you’re easily squeamish or not interested in that I don’t recommend this movie. Well, I don’t recommend it in general. There are also lots of jump scares, so beware if you’re startled easily! If I had to rate it on a scale of 1-10, I’d give it a 4.5; that may be a controversial statement though.

I did end up watching this movie twice to show others how ridiculous it is; I guess watching this with others could be a good bonding experience! The second time around I could understand more of what was going on. Many of the characters have Southern accents and there are a lot of characters in general that become hard to keep track of, so if you can watch it with subtitles it’d be super helpful.

To summarize, I don’t think this film was a must-watch.

PSA: I had mistakenly thought and questioned how much of the film was true but none of it is, which may have played a factor in my disappointment. Now that you know what you’re getting yourself into, give the movie a shot! Or don’t, it’s up to you.

PREVIEW: Michigan Pops Orchestra Concert “A Night at the Popscars”

Sappy Leave a comment

As we approach the end of the semester, the time for the Michigan Pops Orchestra’s concert approaches too! This semester’s theme is “A Night at the Popscars,” meaning they’ve selected a variety of music that’s related to Oscar and other award-winning films.

Many pieces they have selected are teased on their poster (the featured image above) which can be found around campus and on their Instagram @michiganpops. It looks like Howl’s Moving Castle, Star Wars, and West Side Story will be featured, with Howl’s being my most anticipated one!

I’m wondering how the Pops members will have done justice to the Oscar-winning films with their own directing and acting. I’m sure they won’t disappoint though, and I’m looking forward to which movies they’ve chosen to recreate (Star Wars probably being the most likely one).

The concert is at 7:00 PM at the Michigan Theater on Saturday, April 8th. Tickets can be bought online, at the ticket office, and sometimes at Mason Hall, or you can even get a free ticket with a passport of the arts!

PREVIEW: Michelle Zauner in Conversation

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The author of the 2021 American Book Award, Crying in H Mart, is coming to the Michigan theater on April 23rd, Sunday, at 7:00 PM. There will be pre-signed books with potential personalized signatures as well as a speech about the background of her memoir. Michelle Zauner wrote about her experience growing up as a Korean American, specifically focusing on her tumultuous relationship with her mother.

I highly recommend reading this book. It was the first book I read as a college student and a game-changer in my journey as both a reader and writer. Her expression of emotion and vulnerability regarding culture, food, and family had me crying toward the end. It also is the first memoir I read that inspired a whole new genre for me to explore in my own writing.

Although I first learned of Michelle Zauner through Crying in H Mart, she’s also famous as the lead vocalist for a band named Japanese Breakfast that creates alternative pop songs. In fact, before she was an author, she made a living off of music.

Since many of this event’s tickets have been sold out, it may be difficult to attend. However, I’ll do my best in writing a thorough review to give others the same learning experience!

UPDATE: DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS, MICHELLE ZAUNER MOVED THIS EVENT FROM APRIL 5th TO APRIL 23rd.

REVIEW: Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra – Dvorak Symphony No. 7

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Despite having performed at the Michigan Theater several times as part of the Michigan Pops Orchestra, last Saturday was the first time I experienced the stage as an audience member. It is truly a gem on campus–the shining gilded walls, rich carpets, and warm lighting never fail to transport you to a different world. Plus, where else can you hop over to your nearby movie theater to see your local symphony orchestra play live?

On Saturday, March 18th, I had the pleasure of hearing the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra perform with violinist and International Tchaikovsky Competition medalist Kyung Sun Lee. Initially drawn in by the promise of Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2, I was also awarded lovely performances of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 and Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun”.

The concert opened with “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun”, featuring a solo meandering flute that is later joined by mellow horns and shimmery harp runs. Strings provide a soft, dreamy foundation for the woodwind melody to unwind and give the impression of a rolling, natural landscape. The ensemble did a wonderful job of melding sounds together into a cohesive form despite the fluid nature of the piece.

Following Debussy was the highly anticipated Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2, performed by Kyung Sun Lee. Lee’s sound was distinctly dark and rich, even through bright double stops and etude-like passages at the beginning of the concerto. The concert program mentioned that she plays a Guanerius violin, which was interesting to evaluate the sound quality live. I could go on and on about why I love this concerto, but here I will specifically highlight the second movement. The delicate violin solo is extremely exposed, both in terms of being octaves above the orchestra bed of lilting triplets and by having a different rhythmic feeling. Lee’s interpretation was a touch faster than what I was used to, but beautiful nonetheless. Because of the awkward rhythmic timing involved, entrances and exits are extremely difficult to place–I felt like the orchestra could have spent a little more time nailing these down with the soloist.

Concluding the concert was Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7. Juicy, triumphant, and distinctly Czech, this work was a pleasure to behold. Even as a somewhat regular classical concert-goer, I have difficulty digesting entire symphonies. However, the parts that definitely grabbed my attention were the second (Poco Adagio) and fourth (Finale Allegro) movements. The Poco Adagio features a rich string melody that gets passed off to the warm brass, while the Finale Allegro is a dark and explosive conclusion to the work.

Overall, I had a wonderful time listening to the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. Looking forward, I hope to keep an eye out for the rest of the season to catch any interesting performances coming up!

PREVIEW: Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra – Dvorak Symphony No. 7

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This Saturday, March 18th, grab a seat at The Michigan Theater to hear A²SO’s take on Dvorak’s highly acclaimed Symphony No. 7 and Debussy’s charming “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun”. Additionally, violinist and International Tchaikovsky Competition medalist Kyung Sun Lee will be joining the orchestra to perform Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2. 

To be honest, nothing makes me feel more old than being able to look at a concert program and have a strong reaction to what pieces are included. However, when I saw Dvorak, Debussy, and Prokofiev all together on the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra’s next program, I got very excited. It seemed *just my cup of tea*–as the concert-going grannies might say. 

I expect this particular combination of pieces to create a really lovely soundscape–Dvorak’s dreamy Czech melodies along with Debussy’s distinct impressionist sound will provide the perfect stress-relieving break in the midst of exams. On top of that, Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 is among my favorite pieces of all time. While on the more conservative, melodically-rich side of Prokofiev’s work, the concerto is a patchwork of heartwrenching melodies and darker, turbulent passages.

Ticket information: https://a2so.com/event-directory/dvorak-7/?utm_source=sendinblue&utm_campaign=Bookers%20%20Dvorak%207%20%20Symphony%20Snaps&utm_medium=email

 

REVIEW: Corsage

Ella Larsen Leave a comment

7:00pm • Sunday, January 15, 2023 • Michigan Theater • SPOILER ALERT

I was easily absorbed into Corsage‘s slow-burning drama and sumptuous visuals. Corsage stars Vicky Krieps as Empress Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of Hungary, and imagines her story in the year following her 40th birthday. The movie explores themes of agency, beauty, and power, depicting Elisabeth struggling to free herself from the constricting roles of queen, wife, and mother. Its pace is slow and its tone is elegiac, defined by lush settings (the phrase that came to mind was fan-service) and the haunting, repetitive chords of Camille Dalmais’  soundtrack.

The movie leaned into the ever-salient, patriarchal ideology that a woman only has value to the extent that she is seen as beautiful. However, something I reflected on during the movie was that while Elisabeth was oppressed to the extent that she was a woman, she was also in a position of great power which could make her behavior feel hypocritical. Over the course of the movie, in order to accomplish her own goals of preserving her public image while achieving greater personal liberty, she exerted her authority as queen over her ladies in waiting. In particular, Elisabeth’s favorite confidant, Ida Ferenczy (played by Jean Werner), faced the brunt of the empress’s self-serving ill-treatment. Ida was prevented from marrying, and ultimately consented to impersonate Elisabeth at public functions so the queen did not feel the weight of preserving her image. Elisabeth demanded that Ida assume the austere diet she kept in order to maintain her famous 50cm waistline, while she finally helped herself to candied violets and cream cake. 

Of course, the narrative developed in Corsage was highly fictionalized, bordering on the counterfactual. This helped me put together some of the events which occurred near the end of the movie. In a move which was at the time inexplicable to me, Elisabeth enlisted an 18-year-old countess towards whom she had previously expressed envy to act as her husband’s mistress. This made more sense at the end of the movie, when Elisabeth threw herself off of the bow of a ship, a move which realistically seemed like suicide (or freedom, in the context of the movie’s themes).  This led me to interpret many of the film’s previous events as preparations allowing her to abdicate her many roles.

Overall, I enjoyed Corsage for its artistic cinematography and its complex depiction of power. I would recommend it whether you would like to untangle the film’s many salient themes or simply enjoy the outward beauty of its construction.