Friday 19 October 2012

Sister Act


The great thing about popcorn is that it makes you feel good... well that's what it does for me anyway! So by definition, popcorn movies should be feel-good classics, and they don't get much better than Sister Act. This movie has all the elements of a good popcorn movie... some big name stars, great support cast, a simple plot, fish-out-water comedy, the rise of the underdogs and a killer soundtrack. What more could you want?


When Sister Act was released way back in 1992, Whoopi Goldberg had a bit of an up and down movie career. After stunning the movie world in her debut performance in The Color Purple, she mixed the good (Ghost) with the pretty ordinary (Soapdish, Burglar). But Sister Act was definitely one of her finer moments and it would be possible to argue that she hasn't had the same success starring in a movie since.


As you would expect the plot is nice and easy to follow. Lounge singer Dolores (Goldberg) needs witness protection so she gets placed in a struggling convent. She takes over the choir which is sounds horrible and is in desperate need of help. Her worldly ways breathe new life into the convent and the choir, while the nuns teach her a thing or two about turning her life around. Isn't it lovely how God truly works in mysterious ways... On the surface this could have been another pretty average comedy, but the cast works brilliantly together and it is the music that really sets this popcorn movie apart from the rest of the crop.


Kathy Najimy made her debut in Sister Act and impressed as the exuberant Sister Mary Patrick. Wendy Makkena provides a nice counterpoint as Sister Mary Robert, the quiet little mouse who learns to believe in herself and become the star singer of the choir. Maggie Smith is also fantastic as the sour Reverend Mother who is eventually won over by the irrepressible Goldberg. Harvey Keitel even pops up as the mob boss who starts the whole action of the plot, which was a real win for the producers considering he was one of the biggest gangster-style actors of the time.

But as I mentioned, it is the music that is the true star of the show, with the story arc of the development of the choir really driving the movie forward. Seeing the awful rabble at the start of the movie turn into a world class group with perfect harmonies and an upbeat take on classic hymns is predictable but rewarding at the same time. If you don't feel even a little bit good after watching this movie, then you need to take a good, hard look in the mirror and stop taking yourself, and the world, a little less seriously.




Friday 12 October 2012

A Knight's Tale

Every now and then a truly great popcorn movie will feature the rise of a truly great actor or actress. Sometimes these stars burn so brightly that they are gone too soon, as was the case with Heath Ledger. And while A Knight's Tale certainly wasn't his greatest moment as an artist, it was probably his greatest popcorn moment of all time.


Ledger was nothing more than a fledgling teen heartthrob after a star turn in 10 Things I Hate About You, but A Knight's Tale allowed him to flex his muscles a little more and offer a slight hint of greater things to come. The fact that this film is in any way memorable owes an awful lot to the star quality of Ledger who is so charismatic and likeable, that even the paper thin and predictable plot and the often naff script seem charming and fresh.


However, following the true popcorn movie tradition, A Knight's Tale is also helped along by a great support cast. Mark Addy (the fat guy from The Full Monty), Alan Tudyk (the pirate in Dodgeball) and Paul Bettany (the creepy guy from The Da Vinci Code), are Ledger's sidekicks. Each has their moment and there is a genuine feeling of camaraderie among the boys. Rufus Sewell is also delightfully despicable as the villain of the piece, Count Adhemar.


One of the real surprises comes from Shannyn Sossamon, who made her film debut in A Knight's Tale. After beating out Kate Hudson for the role of Ledger's love interest, Sossamon is a good fit for the beautiful and mildly-sassy Jocelyn. She appeared destined for a big future after this movie, but her career never really took off despite the occasional critically acclaimed role, and she certainly has never returned to the ranks of popcorn movies again (something she is probably very proud of!)


However, the biggest surprise of this movie is the way in which modern day vernacular and music is integrated into the scenes. There are so many modern day references, that rather than trying to be clever about the way they are incorporated, A Knight's Tale simply swaggers along and says 'I am not even close to being historically accurate and I couldn't care less'. This approach is entertaining, endearing and let's you just enjoy the film for what it is rather than being put off by the contradictions. I mean, who can't help but smile when We Will Rock You is the the theme song for jousting tournaments. But probably the most audacious use of modern music, and one of the best moments of the film, is when Ledger and Sossamon turn a traditional medieval dance into getting funky to David Bowie... naturally this is the popcorn movie moment of the week...