I figured with the escalating cost of tickets, I'd pick a movie that was a week old and tried to catch Spy. Unfortunately, the price hadn't dropped, so I ended up with Pitch Perfect 2 and just for the heck of it, since it's on the way out, another horror flick that really gave the creeps... even with our censors at work. Pitch Perfect 2 [2015]Stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin, Adam Devine with Katy Segal, John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks Directed by Elizabeth Banks Excuse the reference, but watching Pitch Perfect 2 is like watching the second season of K-On!! It’s more of the same, it’s comforting and utterly enjoyable even if it goes a little too long in some directions that might distract from the core concept, but at the same time, give us more of what we enjoyed last time. A couple of years on, story-wise, and our Barden Bellas are riding high, so for the sake of story, they get knocked down a peg or two after a performance results in a most unfortunate of wardrobe malfunctions. From there, the Bellas have to fight to regain their dignity and standing as an acapella group, and take their place on the World Championship stage against an impressive German group, Das Sound Machine. On the individual side, Beca (Anna Kendrick) looks to the future while Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) possibly finds love with former acapella rival, Bumper (Adam Devine). The main addition to the cast is Hailee Steinfeld as Emily, a legacy whose mother was a Bella and she brings an interesting air tot he mix. She’s also the only new member as part of their punishment, the Bellas are not allowed to audition new members. Of course, you realise what an odd thing this is as all the other members are also graduating. Oh, yeah - spoiler… but again, the K-On!! reference. Suffice to say, if you enjoyed the first movie, you’ll find lots to enjoy here and Elizabeth Banks does well in stepping up from Producer to Director, while putting in her return appearance as Gail, the co-host commentator of an acapella podcast. Perhaps it’s also to her credit for securing a string of surprising cameo appearances from numerous stars, including NFL team members of The Green Bay Packers and a particular quartet for a hilarious mid-titles scene at the end of the movie. The snarky one liners fly fast and furious securing a high hit rate of hilarity against groaners, including giving Anna Kendrick some of the funniest awkward comebacks against an imposing - and stunning - Kommissar of Das Sound Machine (Birgitte Hjort Sørensen). The performances of the songs as well as most of the choreography are impressive, especially once they get to the World Championship. Still, it’s the camaraderie of the girls and hanging with them that’s enjoyable. This is a case where the sequel doesn’t try to fix anything broken, playing to its strengths without trying too hard. They know what works and that’s what they deliver. In that respect, it scores high. Rating: ***1/2 / 5 One more review after the break... Partridge Publishing / Barnes and Noble / Amazon / ISBNS Net (for best deals) - Please support by buying or recommending to others, then I can watch more shows and do more reviews. Thank you. It Follows [2014]Stars Maika Monroe, Lili Sepe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi and Debbie Williams Directed by Robert David Mitchell Through most of the 80s and the 90s, sex and death in horror films were closely linked. It happened often enough that it became a rule cited in Scream. You could almost consider it a terminal cliche in a horror flick. In most horror flicks, having sex was a death sentence and even The Cabin In The Woods made a point of it, although they had a different reason for such things happening. For It Follows, there is a curse involved that is passed like a sexually transmitted disease. There isn’t any explanation how it started but here’s how it works. If you have it, you will see this supernatural being coming for you. No matter where you go, it will follow you, and if it catches up to you, you’re chances of survival goes from slim to none. Your one chance of surviving it is to pass it on to someone else. If that other person doesn’t pass it on and is killed by the curse, then it comes back to you. Once you’re touched by the curse, even if you pass it on, you will still see this being who can take the form and shape of any person. Anyone untouched by the curse won’t see this being, so trying to explain it to someone else makes it difficult. Sounds complicated? For Jaime “Jay” Height (Maika Monroe), it takes a while for it to sink in once the curse is passed to her. It takes a while more before her sister Kelly (Lili Sepe) and their friends to accept this concept. Jay also struggles with the issue of surviving the curse, because there is no escaping it. Perhaps the concept for a sequel? From a cinematic standpoint, it’s a visually creepy and disturbing scenario that plays up the horror very well without a reliance on gore effects or jump-scares. It amps the creepy factor very effectively by keepig things simple in the area of filming, utilising a string of actors or performers to bring this entity to life, especially with the mystery of the final form that Jay confronts towards the end being uniquely disturbing. Maika Monroe, superb in The Guest, does incredibly well carrying the movie, ably supported by the rest of the young cast. The adults are mostly absent with the story very streamlined and focused on their efforts to escape the curse; a scenario that most adults would dismiss easily if their child told them such ‘tales’. Director Robert David Mitchell took some interesting steps in the overall design for the movie, giving it a somewhat obscure time space. There is the feel that this movie could be contemporary but also could be set anytime in the last 30 years. The music being minimal and atmospheric enhances the eerie atmosphere. In all, this is a standout horror flick that is able to get under your skin and settle in your mind. It might even make you wary of anyone who might be following you around. Rating: ****/5
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