With summer having finally arrived, The Michigan Review proudly presents some of our “Songs for the Summer”, as presented by our staff writers. Jake Thorne: “La Grange” by ZZ Top (1973) While its official commencement remains set in stone on calendars, the real beginning of a Michigan summer remains up to interpretation. For some, the mere blooming […]
Category: Arts & Culture
CBS’s Strange Angel Details the Dangers of Straying from God
Ernest grips his knife as he pursues his prey. He’s brought his new neighbor and friend, Jack, out to the desert to kill him. As Ernest approaches Jack, the latter confidently yells, “I am he, the truth!” Immediately, wings of flame burst from his back. Ernest believes he has summoned an angel, and he prostrates […]
‘Boys State’ Review
Toward the middle of the new documentary Boys State, Robert MacDougall, a young Texas teen who is running for Governor of the Boys State in Texas, makes a confession. “As to the political views in my speech voiced in my speech, those are not my own.” He explains that despite being pro-choice, MacDougall decided to […]
The Cinderella That Could: Stephanie Cmar’s Miracle Run on Top Chef
The COVID-19 Pandemic has been some of the most challenging months of my life. Many people have lost their jobs, and many have also lost their lives. It has challenged us as a nation, and it has challenged me as a person. In March, I began looking for anything that would distract me and give […]
‘The Plot Against America’ Review: A Terrific Adaptation
Photo Credits: Michele K. Short / HBO The Plot Against America, one of HBO’s newest miniseries, is a terrific adaptation of Philp Roth’s ingenious alternate-history. The show, adapted by David Simon and Ed Burns, brings a new dread and urgency to Philip Roth’s brilliant 2006 novel. Simon and Burns, the creative minds behind the HBO […]
COVID-19 Recommendations
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are now at home looking for something to pass the time. We thought it would be a good idea to give our readers some recommendations. These recommendations include books, movies, television shows, and new hobbies to try and pick up during this period of time. Stay safe […]
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Review
While seeing The Rise of Skywalker, I could not help but think of The Last Jedi. When I reviewed The Last Jedi back in 2017, I was incredibly positive about the movie. The Last Jedi was easily the smartest and most innovative movie in the franchise since The Empire Strikes Back. Rian Johnson subverted expectations […]
Inherent Vice: Adam McKay’s Vice struggles to find a message in muddling Biopic
In February of last year, I attended the AEI Eastern Policy Summit at the University of Virginia, which was a weekend filled with great speakers and fascinating discussion and debates. On the first night, Dick and Lynne Cheney came and talked about Lynne’s book on James Madison. I was shocked at their charm and camaraderie, […]
The Debasement of Political Satire
Monty Python was a popular—and brilliant—mid-1900s British sketch comedy troupe. Recently, I’ve been watching clips of their eponymous TV series, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which satirizes British culture. Their political sketches, such as Party Political Broadcast and The Ministry of Silly Walks, critique politicians and excessive bureaucracy, respectively, and are pretty funny. More importantly, they […]
Bending Realities: ‘Westworld’ and Our Conception of Free Will
“Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality?” Oh many times, Jeffrey Wright, many times—perhaps more now than ever before. I never thought a show could bring out this feeling in me, but it turns out that a TV addiction has its perks. ‘Westworld’, a show I was unfamiliar with a mere month ago, […]