Flick of the Month: A Knight’s Tale (PG-13)
Keeping with the theme of Heath Ledger appreciation from last month, my film of the month is none other than A Knight’s Tale. Like many of my prior selections, I grew up with this movie and only recently watched it for my first time as an adult. I was pleasantly surprised at how genuinely good this movie is. It could be the nostalgia talking or the fact that this movie is an excellent, feel-good story for all ages.
Ledger’s performance as Will, a young squire who “pretended” his way to the top, is classic and comforting. He and his band of squires and tagalongs make for hilarious dialogue and touching expressions of camaraderie and loyalty. Paul Bettany plays the scribe with more issues than we can count, including a rather intense gambling issue, which ultimately leads to a very … nude introduction to his character. If you think he looks familiar, you might have seen him as Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in addition to his lengthy filmography. Bettany’s role brings so much humor and cringing to A Knight’s Tale that, whether you love him or hate him, you will hardly be able to forget him.
Another squire named Wat is played by Alan Tudyk. I was shocked to learn about Tudyk’s wide variety of roles – most of which I had never realized were him. He is credited with many Disney voices, including Heihei from Moana and the toucan from Encanto. It was fascinating to put his face – one I’d grown up watching in this very movie – to the name I’d seen as a voice actor for so long.
Feminists can appreciate the feisty characters of Jocelyn and Kate, who are surrounded by men that want to make them feel inferior but do not allow them to do so. Kate, the blacksmith, does not have a romance arc within this film, which I find to be refreshing. Jocelyn is the main love interest but is certainly not an easy catch for any of her suitors; she is beautiful, she is bold, and she is empowered. She outwits many of those around her and is not afraid to refuse a man, regardless of his wealth or status. She was never a match for Count Adhemar, the entitled noble, or, should I say, he was never a match for her clever tongue. Given the era the movie takes place in, those two are as progressive as any woman under those constraints could be.
Mixing the modern with the medieval was an interesting choice that was in and of itself a success. We all know Freddie Mercury wasn’t at the Round Table with King Arthur, but the addition of his music to the soundtrack could’ve convinced you he was. The language was more current than Olde English, since they’re not totally going for historical accuracy here, and was much easier to digest as a result.
As of the time this article was written, A Knight’s Tale is streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime.
Show of the Month: The Morning Show (TV-MA)
Call this the second month in a row we’ve had a heavy-hitter TV show feature: AppleTV+’s The Morning Show is earth-shattering and exactly what we needed. The show, riddled with an all-star cast including Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carrell and many more, focuses on the #MeToo movement and what it looks like from every perspective. It is dark and angry, and many times, it is not easy to watch. However, it is imperative that people watch this show to see what sexual harrassment, assault and all that comes with it can do, has done and how those in power get away with it.
Everything about this series screams of quality, especially its characters. One of the most captivating aspects of The Morning Show is that it introduced each character at the beginning in a vanilla, inoffensive way in which you thought the bad guys were obvious. As the narrative progresses, the most innocent characters reveal themselves in deeper and darker ways until the entire collection of enemies and heroes completely swap sides. It goes to show how it can be anyone. It can be anyone. Each character deals with these revelations in real-life ways that are so completely relatable – subtle in the way some of these wrongings are committed, but just as wrong so that you can pick out similar things in your experiences and finally realize that it is just that: wrong. Inappropriate jokes are just as guilty as other forms of misconduct. We enable, we are complicit, and we watch things happen that should never happen. The Morning Show exhibits this in a multifaceted examination that educates us but still lets us invest in a rich story with dimensional characters who will stay with you.
Most things I recommend are light-hearted and have a certain level of humor to them. This one, my friends, is not a light watch. It forces you to analyze your complacency, your actions and the actions of those around you. It teaches you to never stay quiet if you see something wrong. It values the truth and integrity as well as provides a realistic look at all kinds of misconduct and how real people feel and how they handle it. Though it’s a dramatized version, the lesson is the same. If there is one show that anyone watches in 2022, let it be this one.
