Tag: Michigan theater

REVIEW: Fight Club

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On yet another numbingly cold night in Ann Arbor, the Michigan Theatre stood dazzlingly bright amongst the empty streets, promising warmth and the excitement of another cult classic in its Late Nights at the Michigan series. If you have a pulse and live in America, you either know about Fight Club or you’ve seen it. Regarded as David Fincher’s directorial masterpiece, or at least undeniably his most popular film, the 1999 dramatic thriller offers everything that other films don’t: a seemingly insane and ripped Brad Pitt, a smoker who attends meetings for cancer patients, and a plot twist that leaves you analyzing every scene of the film for days on end. The plot can’t be explained without ruining the fun, but be aware that every scene packs a punch and leaves you breathless.

Also revered for Gone Girl and The Social Network, David Fincher’s distinct style is what makes Fight Club a masterpiece. Sharp monologues and witty dialogue inject life into the characters, somehow sculpting believable people that are so bizarre and morally corrupt that the concept of hero versus villain goes out the window. Once you become fully invested in the unpredictable lives of these troubled people, Fincher draws you in with clever shots and action sequences, balancing bloody fists with genius cinematography and a bold anti-capitalist war cry. The plot never stays in one place, constantly escalating and spinning, but the ride is exhilarating and somewhat relieved by clever deadpan humor. Each shot is a stunning puzzle that offers perfectly placed hints.  Fight Club is a total psychological riddle garnished with tasteful edginess and outright fury— a dangerous recipe that Fincher does best.

My admiration grows with each movie screening I attend at the Michigan Theatre. Historic and timelessly elegant, the theatre somehow still feels cozy, offering a sense of community through the collective anticipation that all moviegoers feel. There is something especially magical about an energized group experience in the midst of a lonesome pandemic. Throngs of students chatting and munching popcorn on a weekend night is an almost forgotten spectacle. The Michigan Theatre’s elaborate COVID-19 precautions ensure that the experience is free of anxiety, allowing a couple of hours of carefree escapism into a world untainted by COVID numbers and homework deadlines. If you find yourself longing for a temporary vacation from the burdens of college life, or you’re noticing that your Friday nights could use more excitement, check out the Late Nights at the Michigan series. Upcoming screenings include Princess Mononoke, Star Wars: Episode II, and The Princess Bride. Student tickets are only $8.50, so get them while you can!

PREVIEW: The Shining

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On January 21st, Michigan Theater offers a very special and spine-chilling event: a one-time late-night screening of The Shining. When it comes to psychological thrillers, no film will have your heart racing like this cult classic.

Loosely based on a real setting, the 1980 film follows a family that moves into the snowy mountains to act as caretakers for a seasonally empty hotel. Without much to keep them busy, the family encounters an array of sinister forces, falling victim to the darkness of the hotel’s history; from psychic powers to hallucinations to isolation-induced insanity, the horrors accumulate as the winter progresses.

The film has gained a large following since its release, bits and pieces of it permeating pop culture. From the quote “Here’s Johnny!” to the image of two ghostly-looking girls standing in an empty hallway, each moment of The Shining offers a memorable piece of artistry that stands the test of time. Everything is intentional; after watching this film a handful of times, I still notice delicately placed details with each watch— and the electrifying acting (or was it even acting?) of Shelley Duvall and Jack Nicholson will never fail to keep me on the edge of my seat.

Experiencing a cult classic and visual masterpiece on the big screen is a rare opportunity that can’t be passed up. The lavish interior of Michigan Theater slightly parallels the elegant atmosphere of the film’s infamous hotel, adding another dimension to the immersive experience. If you enjoy horror, snowy days, big hotels, and human villains who convey demonic evil, you’ll love seeing The Shining at Michigan Theater. Grab a couple of friends and spend your Friday night celebrating an old gem.

REVIEW: Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

Nellie Shih Leave a comment

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie follows the crew of bounty hunters aboard the Bebop as they chase after a biological terrorist who intends to wipe out the human population of Mars with an unknown pathogen. The film takes place between episodes 22 and 23 of the original anime series, and was released three years after the original series’ conclusion. 

I have never seen the original Cowboy Bebop series, but I still very much enjoyed the film and felt like I was keeping up with the story, characters, and world. The film throws you right into the world without much exposition, but I prefer that a film won’t drag out an introduction. There were some moments where I was unsure if I was missing some context or if I was just a little confused about the storyline, but nothing was too big of an obstacle in my overall comprehension of the film. The film does not rely heavily on the lore of the original series, which allows new audiences to enjoy the film alongside long-time fans. 

I was most impressed by the film’s soundtrack, art, and action. Yoko Kanno, the original series’ composer, returned to score the film and perform the soundtrack with her band. The soundtrack elevated the atmosphere of the film, whether it was upbeat rock instrumentals in action sequences or subtle, more moody music as the crew chases after the bounty. 

As for the art, I thought the backgrounds were particularly worth noting – they were all incredibly detailed and drawn from interesting perspectives and angles. I liked the use of bold but less-saturated, almost matte colors. I also really enjoyed the character designs, specifically for Spike and Ed. I found Spike’s ridiculous height to be amusing, especially in the montages of him walking through crowds. I think his design is very clever, with his long and lanky stature contrasted with his suave and easy going demeanor. On the other hand, I loved Ed’s ridiculous way of moving around – the way she flails her limbs and entire body around while moving can be likened to a wet noodle. I loved how the animation showcased both that Ed is a child and a genius – for example, there is a scene where she is hacking into a database to retrieve crucial information for Spike as sea creatures swim across the screen and attack the windows that pop up. 

The action sequences are perhaps the most impressive, not only because of the accompanying score but of the moves the characters use in their fighting styles. None of it is overly gorey, but there is just enough gore that you recognize how brutal the fights are. I’ve found that in recent action or superhero films, there is a lot of mindless fighting and shooting at faceless and nameless CGI antagonists, but the action in Cowboy Bebop feels more believable – you can better understand what it would be like for Spike to slam your face into a handrail than if he was shooting at you while flying through the sky on alien spacecraft.

Though Cowboy Bebop isn’t the genre I typically gravitate towards, I had a very enjoyable time watching it. I am interested in exploring the series, but for the time being I thought the film did an excellent job of introducing me to the world of the series.

PREVIEW: Cowboy Bebop

Nellie Shih Leave a comment

As part of the Michigan Theater’s Late Nights Series, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is playing tomorrow at 10pm. The film, alternatively known as Cowboy Bebop: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, is set between two episodes of the 1998 anime series, though it was released in 2001 after the completion of the series. The film follows Spike Spiegel and his crew of bounty hunters as their spaceship, Bebop, land on Mars in 2071 chasing after an ex-military officer turned biological terrorist. 

Several staff members of the original series returned to work on the film, including director Shinichiro Watanabe, writer Keiko Nobumoto, character designer/animation director Toshihiro Kawamoto, composer Yoko Kanno, as well as the voice actors. The film received some mixed but generally positive reviews from critics when it premiered, with the most praise for the score. It is interesting to compare the reception to the film compared to the recent Netflix live-action series, which was helmed by different creators but did bring back Yoko Kanno. As someone who has not watched the original series, it seems that there is generally more encouragement to watch the film instead of the live-action series in order to watch a continuation of the original that actually preserves its spirit and quality. 

Tickets are on sale for Cowboy Bebop: The Movie on Friday, Jan. 7 at 10pm!

PREVIEW: Licorice Pizza

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The trailer for Licorice Pizza is one of the best movie trailers I’ve ever seen.

I make this sweeping claim because even after watching it five or more times during the previews of Spiderman: No Way Home in theaters, I couldn’t tell you much about the movie other than it’s a coming-of-age film with a messy love story and Bradley Cooper involved. I think that’s what a good trailer does: it gives you just enough details to get you curious, while providing visuals that set the tone and era of the film. Give it a watch and let me know what you think!

I’m excited for a good story packed with messy, drama-filled teen angst. The last movie I watched that fit that bill was probably Lady Bird and I loved it. Watching these coming-of-age films can sometimes be painful – they have their cringey moments that remind me of similar cringey moments in my past – but that’s the reason why I love the experience. Nothing compares to that feeling when you read a book or listen to a song or watch a movie and something happens that makes you think “I’ve been there.”

You can catch Licorice Pizza at the Michigan Theater at various showings over the next few weeks! Get tickets here: https://secure.michtheater.org/websales/pages/info.aspx?epguid=83683564-3500-4e9a-8221-b074c769a042&evtinfo=717535~c76be4f4-22b5-4bed-a89c-7def863b8c53

Stay tuned for my attempts to figure out the meaning of the movie’s title after I watch it. Until then, please let me know if you’ve personally tried pizza with licorice on it and if you would recommend.

REVIEW: DUNE

Nellie Shih Leave a comment

Dune has topped the box office for the second week in a row, and its success has greenlit a sequel. Dune (part 1) is based on the first half of Dune, the first novel in a series of the same name by Frank Herbert. The film has opened to positive reviews, with praise for the scale of the film, director Denis Villeneuve’s ambition, and the technical aspects such as cinematography and score. However, some reviews argue that the film is too slow, and therefore it fails to resonate with certain audiences. 

I read Dune in anticipation of the film, and I was a little let down by the source material. I went into the film with low expectations, but I really enjoyed it. However, a lot of the criticism I have of the novel has yet to be addressed – the film is a hundred percent a set-up for Part 2, and I think its success relies heavily on how Part 2 turns out. If Part 2 is underwhelming, then I think that looking back, both parts will not be as spectacular as Part 1 seems in the present moment. 

My reasoning is that I have never been particularly drawn to the protagonist, Paul (played by Timothée Chalamet). In the novel, I found that Paul’s character was defined by the fact that he was good at everything that he needed to do, but I would have liked to see more of his struggle. Paul was raised to be a killer, so he falls under the kind of gravely-serious-assassin vibe a lot of female characters in action films possess. It makes sense that Paul would not be the most humorous character – that is not my critique at all. I believe this kind of characterization should not make Paul immune to internal conflict when considering his place in his family, as a politician, etc. In the film, Paul and his father, Duke Leto (played by Oscar Isaac) have a discussion about falling into power/it being forced upon him. This comes back to mind when considering where the position Paul ends up in at the end of the film. I am interested to see how his character is written in Part 2 as he juggles the new position, and where he is both physically and emotionally. There is a decent amount of development for several characters that needs to be furthered in Part 2, and I hope that we are able to see it come to fruition.

That being said, I am very much looking forward to Part 2 as I thought Villeneuve handled the adaptation process with an evident amount of care and grace. I am a huge fan of his work – I love Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and Prisoners – and it was very interesting to see how he would handle something that could potentially turn into a franchise. The film did feel much bigger than his previous work and I am unsure if I feel 100% positive about that at all times, and I prefer the more concise, intimate nature of his other films, but I think Villeneuve did a truly great job at adapting Dune. He was able to fit so much plot context and world building into 2.5 hours in a way that made sense to audiences that were new to the world (as I have heard from my peers who have not read Dune). I am apprehensive about the handling of the few female characters, as their minimal role in the novels are primarily tied to bearing children despite the many facets of their characters. But, I do have a lot of faith in Villeneuve, and I am excited to see his world of Dune expand in Part 2.