CHER: THE FILM COLLECTION

These days it's hard to imagine a time when Cher was anything less than a legend, an icon, and a superstar, but Cher: The Film Collection is an excellent sampling of her movie career.  When considered as a whole, we see a remarkable character arc - not necessarily in the characters in the films, but in Cher herself.  We watch as she evolves from an uncertain young star to an Oscar-winning actress.  The collection is, essentially, Cher's life story in just six films.

The first film, Good Times (1967),hearkens back to her Sonny and Cher days, and is in fact the only film made starring the husband and wife duo. Though smacking of the Sixties and less than amazing to say the least, Good Times is an entertaining little time capsule directed by William Friedkin.  When Sonny and Cher (playing themselves) sign on to make their first movie, everything seems groovy...until they discover that there is no script.  After scrambling to come up with a screenplay and battling with studio heads, Sonny and Cher decide that they don't need to compromise their standards for fame.  The film closes with a sweet rendition of "I Got You, Babe" as Sonny and Cher eat ice cream cones and frolic through the countryside.

Next up is Chastity (1969), an all-Cher vehicle written and produced by Sonny Bono.  It's hard to tell whether this would actually qualify as an exploitation film or if the production values are just so low that it makes the gritty subject matter seem that much more grim.  In any case, a 23 year old Cher stars as Chastity, a messed-up/free-spirited runaway who tangles with men, madames, and madness as she battles the demons inside.  It definitely comes across as a B-movie, but Cher holds her own and shows promise.

By 1983's Silkwood Cher finally has a vehicle to realize that promise as she goes toe to toe with Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell under Mike Nichols' direction.  This A-list film about real-life whistleblower Karen Silkwood gives Cher a chance to shake her glamorous image and tackle weighty subject matter, an opportunity which she does not squander.  Not only does she prove that she can convincingly play a working-class woman, she earns a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her efforts.

The second half of the collection brings us Cher as we know her, first with her Oscar-winning turn in Moonstruck (1987) as a widow who falls in love with her ex-fiance's younger brother (Nicholas Cage).  The metamorphosis her character undergoes in the film parallels Cher's career at this point: this is the moment where she goes from good to great.  1990's Mermaids finds her at the top of her game, confident and formidable as Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci's unconventional single mom.  Tea With Mussolini (1999) is an equally enjoyable outlet for Cher's considerable acting ability as she teams up with Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith, and Lily Tomlin in this dramedy set at the dawn of World War II in Florence.

Though somewhat uneven, Cher: The Film Collection truly captures the rise of a star, taking us from her humble beginning as the other half of Sonny and Cher to acclaimed actress.  Even the less-than-memorable early films have entertainment value, and the latter four could easily be considered classics.  The only omission is 1985's Mask, which is another testament to Cher's range as an actress.  Apart from that, this is a worthy example of a life in film.