Review: 'Pitch Perfect 2' (2015)

Universal Pictures 

Pitch Perfect 2 is exactly what you would expect from a sequel to a movie that doesn’t really need a sequel. Everything Pitch Perfect did its follow up not only does but does it bigger. There is more music, more harmless humor and even more of a gooey-soft message about friendship than before. Because of this, if Pitch Perfect was your thing then this up sized version of it called Pitch Perfect 2 will not have much trouble entertaining.

This time around, the Bella’s, now all seniors at Barden University, find themselves catching heat for a performance at the Kennedy Center for President Obama that featured an exposed Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) after a major wardrobe malfunction. So, as a result the University prohibits the singing sorority from bringing in new members. In addition to this, the a cappella association that they belong to, led by commentators John and Gail, with John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks (also directing for the first time) reprising the roles, have suspended the group from competition unless they can win the upcoming world championship.

The penalty handed out by the University  doesn’t keep the Bella’s from finding loop holes, leading them to allow Emily (Hailee Steinfeld), a freshman whose mother (Katey Sagal) happened to be a Bella herself, to be a part of the group. While Steinfeld plays a big role in both the story and singing portions, it is again Anna Kendrick as Becca that is given the biggest work load. Looking ahead to post-graduation life, Becca is struggling to balance time with the Bella’s and as an intern at a recording studio. With not much of a surprise, Keegan-Michael Key as Becca’s boss provides a few laughs especially when it comes to him constantly belittling another employee.

It is of course though Rebel Wilson as Fat Amy that is given the duty of handing out a strong majority of the humor and in the process valiantly rivaling Kendrick for the most screen time. Wilson, hugely successful and a pleasant surprise to most the first time around, cannot quite connect with the jokes here but they never feel awkwardly out of place and at least aren’t totally recycled like marketing suggested.

Unlike before though, Fat Amy is more than just comic relief, as she is one half of the films romantic storyline (even if that storyline could be considered comic relief itself). Already having a ‘friends with benefits’ or really just a ‘benefits’ type of relationship, Bumper (Adam Devine) finds himself wanting more than just that with Fat Amy. Due to this, DeVine is given some decent screen time which is always a plus.

Like the first installment though, Pitch Perfect 2’s main focus is competitive singing and like the Treblemakers once were to them, the Bellas biggest threat in competition is Das Sound Machine, a German based a cappella group. Machine seems to be a fitting description for this group as they physically move completely in sync while doing the same vocally. As these sequences are more technically complex than when other groups are performing, they feature nice camera work that along with the vocal talent involved make them a joy to watch. If the Bellas and Das Sound Machine aren’t enough for you though, even the Green Bay Packers get in on the singing. In a sing off in the basement of David Crosses a cappella obsessed character, Clay Matthews and a handful of teammates go up against other groups, turning out to be the film’s most entertaining scene.  

A lot of enjoyment to be had when it comes to Pitch Perfect 2 relies on not just if you like the first but more what kind music your into and watching others dance and sing this music. If you’re like me and enjoy pop or hip hop music than it’s hard not to enjoy this experience. There are some classics scattered into the mix but for the most part, the musical numbers are based in pop, hip hop or both.   

Regardless of why you have enjoyed Pitch Perfect 2 or the franchise as a whole, if you find yourself fond of what is being done, your in luck. With box office returns on this second installment coming up big, a third go around for the Bellas, even though it has been suggested that the group is moving on with their life’s, is more than likely to happen sooner than later. Looking beyond that even, the musical format that this franchise has used allows them to keep things fresh when it comes to song selection and even presentation, meaning that the Pitch Perfect brand will go on for some time. Things may not end well down the road, resulting in lack luster theatrical releases or even straight to video releases like we have seen with Step Up and Bring It On series’ but for now it is alright to just set back and enjoy two solid first acts. 

Grade: B-

Review: 'Run All Night' (2015)

Warner Bros.

Looking back at the string of Liam Neeson action genre based films that have been prevalent over the past half-decade or so, I can’t say that I have been all that trilled with any of them (the ones I have seen anyway) since 2009’s Taken. In this time frame, two of these films came from director Jaume Collet –Serra, as he teamed up with Neeson for Unknown and Non-Stop. With Run All Night, we find the director and actor together once again with results pleasantly different than before. Collet-Serra and Neeson, along with the rest of the cast, easily turn Run All Night into something that has a little more depth and substance than we are used to seeing from Neeson as of late.

This time around, the audience is introduced to Neeson as Jimmy Conlon, a former hit man for crime boss and life-long friend Shaun Maguire (Ed Harris), but an alcoholic, estranged father to his son and having to dress up as Santa Claus for a party Shaun is throwing as a source of income. Not many hours after this, Jimmy’s son Mike (Joel Kinnaman), a limo driver, and Shaun’s son Danny (Boyd Holbrook), a drug dealer, cross paths when Danny attempts to kill Mike after he wittiness him kill the men that were drove by Mike to Danny’s place because he owed money to them.

So what stops Danny from doing so? Neeson. Somehow, without any surprise though, Jimmy is at the right place at the right time and just before Danny is able to shoot Mike, Jimmy successfully does the same to Danny. Like any veteran killer would be, a cool, calm and collected Jimmy goes as far as to immediately call Shaun and tell them that he has just killed his son. This causes Shaun, and all the forces he has at his disposal, to go on the hunt for both Jimmy and Mike, looking for nothing less than the same thing Jimmy did to Danny.

From an action stand point, Run All Night is not much different than any other entry in Neeson’s recent action hero portfolio. Although it is far from a ‘shoot ‘em up’ style of action, the gunshots go way beyond countless, heavily occupying nearly every scene at some point and as it becomes clear that there is more here than just testosterone and bullets, the way these sequences are shot can cause for moments of frustration as awkward, camera close-ups and editing that is far too often too quick to switch frames. To go along with this, transitions from one scene to another or one part of New York to another, along with being unneeded, are hindered from poor CGI.

Although it has more going for it than the some of the editing, Brad Ingelsby’s script leaves some to be desired as well. It is saved by it’s intentions ultimately shining through and it’s dialogue is delivered but several decisions only cause for questions rather than satisfaction. A lot of this questioning is directed toward the purpose of certain characters. Common’s Mr. Price, a hitman hired by Shaun to kill Jimmy and Mike, is an underdeveloped character, causing for his involvement to always feel out of place and outside of getting half his face melted off, not all that amusing. To go along with this, due to his lack of purpose, why Shaun has a right hand man and even more pressing, why Bruce McGill is in the role doesn’t make much sense.

Where the script fails it’s audience the most though is it’s finale. Run All Night’s plot revolves around Jimmy and Shaun’s past and present relationship. So the climatic point of this arc should be the finale. Instead it only acts as a pre finale to the final scene. The final moments of the film feel a little farfetched but it is the final showdown between Jimmy and Shaun that fails to cap off what has been established and built up to that point. The lead up to this moment is solid, as it features somewhat meaningful encounters, whether on the phone or face to face, between the two but is concluded with just chasing each other and hiding behind trains while dodging bullets, lacking any type of needed dialogue that wraps up Neeson’s character arc and how it relates to Shaun.

Fortunately, these flaws are not severe enough to over shadow the work of the cast and Collet-Sierra. It is almost as if Collet-Sierra, realizing that the novelty of Neeson’s latest trend of the same type of roles he takes on is wearing off, saw something in Ingelby’s script and the character of Jimmy that would change things up a bit. Opposite of the Neeson’s past characters, Jimmy starts on the bottom and gradually grows stronger but not to the point that he is physically superior to his opponent. Jimmy’s character arc is one of redemption and attempting to make up for the past. And while there is plenty of fast pace moments, Neeson allows this arc to shine though with a delivery that is never rushed, giving it some weight and making it clear that he is beaten down by his mistakes and the scenario at hand, while tragic for several reasons, is a chance to make things better.

The rest of the cast, Harris and Kinnaman in particular, play well off of Neeson, also allowing things to develop naturally by never rushing things while buying in with their non-verbal delivery. To go along with the films performances, Boyd Holbrook turns in an entertaining performance even if only featured in the films set-up. It can’t go without mention though that, while these performances move the film along nicely and play a much larger role than Vincent D’Onofrio’s, it is his subtle but attention grabbing approach as Detective Harding that will have you wanting more of the character and D’Onofrio.

To call Run All Night an action flick would never be accurate, so looking for the typical Neeson, high-flying, action first type of movie, one is sure to be disappointed. This is a crime drama type of event with plenty of bullets and all though there are a handful of intense moments that could be considered action sequences, they are far from the films finer aspects. But this doesn’t mean Run All Night has nothing to offer, as it justify a viewing, maybe even a second, with it’s successful, redemption themed recalibrating of the Neeson vehicle that was starting to lose it’s allure

Grade: B-      

Review: 'Kingsman: The Secret Service' (2015)

Twentieth Century Fox 

For those who do experience it, Kingsman: The Secret Service is sure to become one of those movies that will force some type of grin or cheerful smirk onto your face at its mentioning. It’s not one that will be remembered for its story, characters and really won’t be all that quotable but you will be hard pressed not say you had fun as it’s bizarre, off-the wall quality of action sequences and moments will keep you entertained throughout.  Sure you can pick at the story over and over but with Kingman: The Secret Service, Director Matthew Vaughn gives us a reason to have fun at the cinema. 

Opening in the year 1997, Kingman: The Secret Service begins with secret agents Harry Hart (Colin Firth) and Merlin (Mark Strong) being saved by a fellow secret agent as he gives his life to do so. Soon after this, Harry goes to the home of the fallen agent’s wife and young son Eggsy, informing them to contact the spy organization if they are ever in any trouble. Fast-forward 17 years and we find Eggsy (Taron Egerton) contacting Harry at a time when he is not only in trouble but at a time when the organization is in need of a new agent. This is all happening as billionaire Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) is plotting to decrease the world’s population because of global warming.

You know it’s going to be one wild ride when Mark Hamel is a professor, tied to a chair and the secret agent there to rescue him fails to do so because he is sliced in half by a women who has swords for feet. This is one of the first scenes of the film and it really only gets wilder after that. Due to this, It quickly becomes clear that the story isn’t all that important, as the spectacle that is an action sequence, infused with comedy and just flat out bizarreness, is what is meant to catch your eye. To the benefit of the audience, it accomplishes this with ease.

Director Matthew Vaughn holds nothing back and at times, even amping up his already out of the ordinary visuals. Vaughn allows his style to take over by using a silly, one note premise that, while it doesn’t make much of a story, gives a base to his extremely fun action sequences. It becomes clear that he doesn’t want to take away from this entertaining experience with plot details and developments that could bog everything down. This doesn’t always work but in this case it works and then some due to Vaughn’s full commitment to not taking things all that serious.

Buying into Vaughn’s approach is his cast. Like the story, there isn’t much to the characters this cast portrays but they understand what they are working with and run with it. Firth and Strong are required to have a level of reserve to them but get to cut lose when moments of combat or chaos call for it. In a couple of big action sequences, Firth is amusing as a killing machine or just letting a few punks in a pub know who is boss. Strong’s character, Merlin, in charge of training potential secret agents, acts somewhat as a voice of reason and adds moments of compassion and whit to the cleverly done training scenes.

Fairly new to the scene, Taron Egerton as Eggsy fills the role well, getting to let loose a little more than most characters. What I like about the character and what Egerton brings to this is the clear evolution of confidence and comfort as the film goes on. In fact, becoming so confident that he negotiates doing a Princess from Sweden (Hanna Alstrom) from behind towards the films finale (yes this is worded awkwardly but not as awkward as what is said on screen).

The most outrageous character though belongs to Samuel L. Jackson as the villainous billionaire Richmond Valentine. Using a Mike Tyson-like lisp, Jackson may not make Valentine appear all that evil but it does go well with the nonsense antics that he is up to. The film’s final few scenes, features Valentine really only dropping the f-bomb and nothing more but with the lisp and Jackson’s distinctive delivery in general it’s hard not to be entertained.    

If there is anything to really fault Kingsman: The Secret Service for, it would have to be that it runs a little long, dragging at times. Along with this, a few of the action sequences turn very unsettling in very brief moments but these are small complaints that really won’t be much of a bother. With Kingsman: The Secret Service, Vaughn makes it very difficult not to have fun as he accomplishes something few directors that take on these type of premises forget to do: Entertain first.

Grade: B-