Chicago

Chicago- *SPOILERS!* 

In the genre of movie musicals, Chicago is a big one. It is the winner of 6 Oscars,  it is absolutely adored by critics and is based on one of the most popular musicals of all time- but does it actually live up to all of the hype?

Let's start with the plot and the way in which the story is told .The film is about two murderesses , Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart , in 1920s Chicago- it charts both their trials and their attempts at fame as they fight for the fame that will eventually save their skin.

This storyline is interesting to watch and it is a clever satire of both the justice system and celebrity culture- how quickly fame can come and how easily ‘stars’ can fade into obscurity. It also makes a good point that when it comes to celebrities, the public doesn’t really care about what the person has done in reality

– they just see a pretty face and believe what they are told. It makes all these points without shoving it in the audience’s face- it is very subtle and you have to figure it out for yourself, which is a very different, but very clever way to show the message.

Although not very many of the characters are likeable, they aren’t supposed to be- you are supposed to hate Velma, you are supposed to want both girls to be found guilty, you are supposed to have a sense of injustice when they both get a happy ending.
It could be said that if you don’t support the main characters, then the plot just feels empty- that might be one of the films only flaws, although it is a small one that may only bother audience members a tiny amount towards the end. It could also be said that a movie needs likeable characters to succeed – if you are looking for this, then Chicago probably isn't for you. On the other hand,  the villainous nature of both the main characters helps to enhance the message of the film, otherwise  it probably wouldn't mean as much.

All the actors do a great job- there wasn't  a single character that was miscast or a single actor that looked out of their depth.

Another element that makes the film work are the songs – they are all brilliant , memorable and catchy and are combined with brilliant choreography, by the legendary Bob Fosse, that looks so well rehearsed and precise that the movie looks fresh from the West End or Broadway.

However, the crowning achievement of the film is how well put together it is- the whole thing flows so well, the songs the songs seamlessly weave their way into the narrative, the cinematography and the overall look of the film suits the overall style perfectly, the camera shots and angles portray just the right feeling and tone for the story that they are trying to tell- it all just works so well.

Overall, it is an outstanding film that I would recommend to anybody who likes musicals or is looking for something with a darker tone and a story where the characters are less moral than your average protagonists. 

Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect is  a chick flick about an all girl acapella singing group called the Bardem Bellas and their attempts to win a championship competition After a disastrous defeat at last year’s finals, they regroup in the new year and get five new members, including the main protagonist, Becca.

This is one of the major problems of the film – the lead character. She is boring and clichéd- the ‘bad girl’ who acts all tough and behaves like she doesn’t care, but eventually grows to love the nerds she is forced to hang around with for whatever reason.

We’ve seen this type of character a million times before in a million different chick flicks- why repeat a worn-out stereotype instead of coming up with something new and original that they could later be credited for?  Her relationship with her ‘DJ-ing is not a profession’ father is also very overdone.

However, the rest of the cast is brilliant, especially the comic relief characters of Fat Amy and Lilly- those two are the ones that make the movie. Rebel Wilson is a comedy genius  who should definitely continue to be in more chick flicks- she was hilarious in Bridesmaids and now having been given a bigger part as Fat Amy in this movie she completely steals the show. It also helps that they are supported by a brilliant script, meaning that when the jokes work, they really really work and it’s hysterical.

The other element that makes this movie as good as it is the music- they take songs that are popular with the target audience and remix them to make something totally unique – and it works fantastically. The musical numbers make for some of the best scenes- including the ‘Riff off’ where the acapella groups have a competition at the beginning of the year.

A possible reason for this movie's growing popularity amongst teenage girls is because it takes components we all love- it is a Glee-style format in a chick flick style-and it remixes into something new and unique enough to stand out and become a firm favourite with its target demographic.

On the other hand, Becca’s romance with Jesse, a member of rival acapella group the Trebletones, was not necessary and took up time that could have been spent on other characters and plot points- we could even have had more of Fat Amy- Rebel Wilson improvisations were cut out in many scenes to make room for said pointless romance and a lot of unnecessary scenes.

A final issue is that the film feels very short and it has no real depth to it- however, this doesn’t matter too much- if you just accept the film for what is – silly fun- it makes for a very fun watch.