Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) Review

"You are one of us, you paid the registration fee."

Sequels have often had a bad rep for being poor imitations of the originals, with 22 Jump Street truly capitalizing on this common perception by being ridiculously self-mocking, so it is no surprise that some are quick to condemn the struggling sequel. You either have the incredibly drawn-out and pointless additions that add nothing to the series (looking at you The Hangover) or the rare gem that is the well-constructed sequel; particularly hard to find in today’s movie climate. When you combine musicals and sequels you have another thing entirely. Enter stage left: Pitch Perfect 2.

Aca-arriving in full force, the new feature directed, produced and starring Elizabeth Banks sees the Bellas suffer an unfortunate embarrassment at President Obama’s birthday, where Patricia, more commonly known as ‘Fat Amy’ (Rebel Wilson) exposes herself to the crowd while performing an aerial routine. Left humiliated, the team are forced into signing up for the World Championships in order to regain their former glory, led by the eager Chloe (Brittany Snow). Beca (Anna Kendrick) also begins interning at a local recording studio. There are a number of new faces along for the adventure, such as the leaders of ‘Das Sound Machine’, Pieter Kramer (Flula Borg) and Kommissar (Birgitte Sorensen), a rival German group also competing for the title. Miss True Grit herself, Hailee Steinfeld also makes an appearance as Emily Junk, an aspiring songwriter and Bella Legacy.

Character development seems to have been a major focus in this film, with Beca’s career aspirations being fully explored with the world of record producing, Chloe’s unwillingness to graduate is questioned and ‘Fat Amy’ has an intriguing new romance. Kendrick and Wilson have some tender friendship moments, with both ladies bringing the humour for this female-solidarity film. Showing off her vocal range is Steinfeld in her role as Emily, a relatively goofy but positive new recruit whose keen to plug her new song ‘Flashlight’ to the world.  Guatemalan new-comer Florencia (Chrissie Fit) is particularly impressive with her on-screen presence, delivering some commendable lines rooted in harsh reality.

The most impressive performances come from Wilson, Kendrick and new-comers Sorensen and Borg, who are electrifying as the strong-faced and strangely intriguing German Acapella group. The latter two produce some rather visually and vocally fierce covers of Muse and Imagine Dragons material that add a more feisty edge to the clean-cut acapella, and the dialogue between the two and Kendrick is thoroughly entertaining. Of course, funny commentators Gail and John are back (portrayed by Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins, respectively) and their jokes are particularly on point, with Gail’s side-eyed humour combatting John’s blatant sexism.

Although the story provides excellent development for some characters, others are left in a stay of disarray, with the quirky Lilly (Hana Mae Lee) not having nearly as many laugh-out-loud moments, and after a while the joke (being that she says bizarre things quietly) wears a little thin. Similarly Stacie Conrad seems to have taken up a position at the side-lines instead of centre stage, as we see very little of Alexis Knapp’s formidable character.

Arguably, the story is more likeable and cohesive, expanding the universe of competitive Acapella into international waters, whilst featuring performances from popular singing groups Pentatonix and Penn Masala. This offers the opportunity for more intense and diverse sounds from different countries, and the film delivers some memorable numbers including its own original song ‘Flashlight’. Musical films often tread a fine line between repetitive singing and actual dialogue, but Pitch Perfect 2 manages to create a suitable balance between the two (this one’s no Les Miserables!). However, there are certain plot points that are not fully developed and could have definitely been improved, leaving the film feeling a little half-finished.

Not one to end on a sour note, the movie brings the aca-edge and though it suffers from a few missed high-notes it is a perfectly pleasant watch, that doesn’t quite possess the X-Factor but still makes for reasonably satisfying viewing. Despite it not being aca-mazing (we’ll stop now), Pitch Perfect 2 does defy the convention that sequels are never as good as the originals…just. 

Tomorrowland (2015) Review

"Everyday is the opportunity for a better tomorrow"

Theme park rides and movies were always going to be an odd combination; how can something that lasts a mere few minutes ever be translated into a big screen epic that last two hours? Disney has had some success with Pirates of the Caribbean (you know, the one where Johnny Depp plays an eccentric hobo pirate), and failures with The Haunted Mansion (whose only redeemable feature was Inspector Lynley). So amidst much trepidation, Disney’s latest futuristic feature, Tomorrowland, flies into view, but does it sky rocket to success or fall to mediocrity?

 

Casey (Britt Robertson) and Athena (Raffey Cassidy). WB

Starring George Clooney and Britt Robertson, the film centres on a former boy genius, Frank Walker (Clooney), who teams up with a bubbly Casey (Robertson), and an animatronic robot girl, Athena (Raffey Cassidy), travelling to a futuristic dimension (“Tomorrowland”) where actions have severe consequences. Hugh Laurie also stars as the leader of this strange world, David Nix. Cassidy and Robertson make an energetic impact on the movie, with the former’s dead-pan delivery being one of the most memorable moments. Robertson’s goofy but likeable persona highlights her as one to watch, combining the rebelliousness and optimism of the character perfectly.

 

David Nix (Hugh Laurie) and Frank Walker (George Clooney). WB

It seems evident that Tomorrowland is Brad Bird’s baby, a product of passion and creativity with a sense of wistful optimism that can only come from something so innocent. The message of the film is an ode to ‘dreamers’, environmentalists and simply those who refuse to be pessimistic (careful folks, it can kill you apparently!) and this certainly isn’t a bad mantra to be projecting, giving audiences an opportunity to be invigorated.

Casey (Britt Robertson) in Tomorrowland. WB

Whilst Tomorrowland is admirable and ambitious in many aspects, it is weighed down by a certain unevenness in segments where you know something is going to happen, but it simply takes too long to do so. The 2 hours 10 minutes running time is vastly overstretched and the film could be greatly condensed which would garner a stronger impact, one where the narrative doesn’t lose its way amongst the first act only to be regained moving into the second.

 

Tommorowland. WB

Despite the few missteps, the film is still strikingly thought-provoking and innovatively designed, with a beautiful sense of imagination echoed through the vast landscapes and mesmerizing architecture. Set designs seemingly straight off a Disney theme park, that are surprisingly not overly cheesy or ‘fake’, Tomorrowland sticks to its original roots and shows that adaptations can be spectacular.  

Dracula Untold (2014) Review

"There is always a price for power" 

Gary Shore’s directorial début seems to be imitating what Michael Bay does with robots except with vampires, although even that may be too much of a compliment. But where Bay succeeds in fooling audiences with sizeable explosions, Shore only manages to temporarily dazzle before the inviting aura fades and the half-structured underbelly of the film is exposed.

Starting out in a similar manner to I, Frankenstein, it portrays itself as an origin story to the eponymous supernatural villain – except in this he’s not a villain at all. Falling into the horrific trope of good-guy-gone-bad, the movie tells the story of Vlad the Impaler (portrayed by Luke Evans), who wants to protect his homeland but is forced into making a deal with the Devil (who happens to assume the form of Charles Dance) to achieve this. For a film with promising dramatic plot lines it manages to be exceptionally dull at times, particularly when new characters are brought in only to die in an anti-climactic manner mere moments later.

Whilst Evans strives to make a notable impact on the film, others are not so determined or fortunate; Sarah Gadon (who plays Vlad’s wife, Mirena), fails to provoke any emotion and her character seems to be around to merely state the obvious (such dialogue gems include “you came back” and “what’s wrong”). Her dialogue is so predictable that you could create your own game of script bingo in the time that it takes her to utter out a single meaningful sentence. The character development is disappointing across the board, from Vlad’s aforementioned wife to the mysterious Turkish Sultan Mehmed II (Dominic Cooper), it is never truly clear what their motivations are and all characters appear to be grossly underwritten.

There are, however, some redeeming qualities of Dracula Untold; the visuals are remarkable and the battle sequences are gripping in a similar style to The Hobbit or Maleficent. Unfortunately, these moments provide only light relief in a film that seems intent on boring you to death with its unremarkable characters and flaky dialogue.

Whilst Shore’s directorial début may possess more of a plot than the entire Transformers series, it seems to be suffering from a distinct identity crisis. It is not gory enough to satiate those with an appetite for full-out violence and blood and not romantic enough for those looking for their new Twilight fix. Dracula Untold should be left to rest in its poorly constructed pieces.

Brandon Flowers - The Desired Effect [Album Review]

Brandon Flowers, front-man for The Killers, sets his sights on the 80s for his second solo studio album, The Desired Effect. But is it a resounding success or disappointing failure? For our track-by-track review, see below. 

Opening up the dreamy new album is ‘Dreams Come True’. This one’s got a real country feel to it, and is quite different from other previously heard material from the album. Full of echoing trumpets, solid drum beats and a strumming sound that keeps the track travelling at a frenetic pace, we’re picking this one as the ‘marmite’ track of the album. It’s so intriguing and bewildering at the same time, we’re not quite sure what to make of it. The lead single from the album is up next, it's ‘Can’t Deny My Love’, which makes a statement that's hard to forget. Unapologetic and striking, this becomes easily identifiable in the sea of recent songs which can't help but sound the same. From the resonating synth beats to the breaks in instrumentals for a chorus-esque sound that builds and builds until you can’t get enough, this track stands out on the album as a winner.

The irresistibly smooth and strangely inviting ‘I Can Change’ is track 3, and this one is pure perfection. Sampling the 1984 track ‘Smalltown Boy’ by Bronski Beat, it combines new wave and old classic to make something that is thoroughly fresh and addictive. ‘Still Want You’ combines resounding backing vocals from some fantastic female singers and experimental beats which elevate this track to angelic heights, providing some fantastic contrast for the individual verses. ‘Between Me And You’ is a more understated track from the album, that combines some beautiful vocals from Flowers with electro beats and soaring synths, culminating with a wonderfully atmospheric chorus that feels larger than what it is.

‘Lonely Town’ – We’ve talked about this one in a longer review, here, but essentially, it possesses the remarkable ability to feel equally nostalgic and recognisable as well as new and original. It’s a 80s inspired anthem if we ever heard one. Track 7's ‘Diggin’ Up The Heart’ is a more alternative rock-country smash, which is a jolly fun addition, possessing a beat that you can really get behind and dance to. After 6 very 80s tracks though, it does sound a little bit repetitive after a few good listens. ‘Never Get You Right’ starts out slow, but Flowers truly gets this one exactly right, infusing triumphant sounding chorus with twilight beats and a fluid bass. Flowers is comfortable showing off his impressive vocal range, and this one has a few falsettos that are very easy on the ears. A real gem of a track.

‘Untangled Love’ – For some reason, this one sounds almost equally as nostalgic as ‘Lonely Town’, it just doesn’t seem to be a style of song that many people are doing in mainstream music anymore, and this is what makes it sound outstanding. It’s got those cool hooks and will no doubt become one fans can easily sing along to in arena tours. ‘The Way It’s Always Been’ brings the album to a suitably slow finish. Overall, the album has been filled with mostly highs (albeit a few lows), and poignant lyrics that resonate far belong completion. 'The Way It's Always Been' is perhaps it’s a little too drawn out for some listeners liking, but it ends the album on a relatively memorable note.

Overall verdict:

Full of plenty of 80s inspired belters, Flowers, despite being known for the lead of The Killers, manages to compile a very cohesive pop album that would put many other musical artists to shame. He shows that he can put his talents towards an impressive second solo studio album, which soars triumphantly for the most part. The Desired Effect is successful in drawing a whole new audience to Flowers’ brimming talent who will no doubt be enticed by the smooth synths and atmospheric tracks that truly sound larger than they are, giving a sense of gravitas to the whole album. 

Life Is Strange - Episode 3, 'Chaos Theory' [Review - SPOILERS]

Well, if you ever needed a more apt title, Life Is Strange's latest 'Chaos Theory' is pretty up there. Focusing on how small changes can have a dramatic effect, episode 3 will have you truly gob-smacked by the ending act. Needless to say, there shall be some spoilers ahead. If you'd like to skip the spoilers completely, scroll down to our 'overall review' section below, and save yourself the trouble. 

The new episodic 5-part game by Dontnod Entertainment and Square Enix has certainly garnered a considerable amount of attention due to its intriguing time-rewinding and mystery element. Players have the option of making certain decisions that will have great (or minor) impact on the gameplay and characters in the game. Centring around Maxine (but don't ever call her that) Caulfield (Hannah Telle) a student at Blackwell Academy who suddenly finds she has the able to control time. 

Plot summary/commentary (many spoilers): 

Reuniting with her former best friend Chloe (Ashly Burch) after saving her from being shot to death, the two embark on an adventure to figure out what really happened to missing student Rachel Amber, whilst also trying to understand what Max's visions mean (incoming Tornado anyone?). After the most recent attempted suicide (or actual death) of Kate Marsh, a bullied student at Blackwell, Max is now knee-deep in the aftermath of whatever choice the player made. So now we open up with Max and Chloe who decide that the only logical next step is to break into Blackwell Academy at night. No, we aren't kidding. 

The two musketeers arrange to meet outside the Academy, and after narrowly missing Principal Wells, Max is able to escape the dormitories and reunite with her friend. Sufficed to say, the lip-syncing is still terrible but we're loving the developing characterisation, as we get a chance to see more of Max and Chloe as characters and friends, although not as much as in 'Out Of Time'. There is a great deal of back-and-forth collecting in this episode, which - if you're aware of the great bottle saga 2015 in episode 2 - you'll know can be incredibly tiring after a while. 

After using explosives to break open the door to the Principals office (and then rewinding time so they don't get caught) the two find several files on Rachel Amber, pompous idiot and all round psychopath Nathan Prescott, and even a few files on little old Max. Blue haired wild-child Chloe then suggests a swim, and the two almost get caught by 'step-douche' David. 

After several menial tasks, we get to explore into the back-story of Chloe a bit, something which we haven't seen much of. We know that her dad died in a car accident and ever since then she's never been the same, but at the moment it doesn't seem like much. Oh how wrong we are. After much Joyce/Max bonding, Max manages to hack into David's computer and sees the files he has. Cue intense screaming match with David, Joyce and Chloe (if you side with Chloe that is, and not David; seriously, who would side with David?!). 

The dialogue is as cheesy as ever, but it's become somewhat of a trademark by now that we sort of love it. The indie tunes, the 'nobody understands me' clichés, it's all strangely likeable, it reminds us a bit of Pretty Little Liars (plenty of secrets, after all!). The time travelling element remains the best feature as it is up to the player to figure out tactics and decide which moments to rewind to get a better result. Ultimately though, if you spend enough time looking out for things to interact with, you'll usually end up with the right conclusion. 

After the bust-up with David, Mad Max and Chloe head to the diner where they see Frank's RV. Keen to take a closer look, Max uses her abilities to get them in. There, they find that Rachel knew Frank rather intimately, and the two were very close. This upsets Chloe considerably, who is frustrated with everyone in her life, and is upset at her father for 'leaving' her (this girl does know he died right? He didn't just one day decide he wanted pancakes and up and left?). Chloe and Max get into an argument, which ultimately leads us to one hell of a finale for episode 3. Whilst looking at a picture Joyce had given Max of a time when Chloe and Max were kids, Max suddenly gets strange vibrations...and transports herself back in time to when Chloe's dad was still alive.  

At this point, you are thinking something along the lines of: oh shit, we're going to try and save her dad aren't we. And sure enough, saving her dad is the ONLY option in this segment, as you go through an epic journey to try and save her dad, including: unplugging the phone so he can't get a call, hiding his keys in a vase, trying to warn them both to no effect, trying to ring Joyce which doesn't work out, and many, many more. Eventually though, you throw his keys into the sink and advise him to take the bus. Huzzah, you think! We've saved her dad! We are amazing! Or so you think. Back in the real-world however, everything has changed. Victoria is now friends with you, Warren is interested in another girl and Kate...well, actually, we don't know what's happened to Kate. But what about Chloe and William? Rushing over to Chloe's house Max finds out that William is indeed still alive, Step-douche is now the bus driver (not the security guard) and Chloe is...in a wheelchair. 

Hold on, what? Yes, in some sort of weird twist of fate, Chloe is now in a wheelchair complete with neck brace and headgear. OK, time-out. What just happened? Naturally, this is where the episode ends and you're left wondering whether the previous two episodes are now null and void because genius Max has essentially erased them. Never mess with time, people! 


Overall Review (spoiler free): 

Whilst there are certain parts of the episode that are a little dull and seem to go no where (hunting for stuff you don't need, talking to people who ultimately have no impact on the story in any way) there are more favourable elements. These come in the form of the scenes with Chloe, where we really get a stronger feel for the characters and become invested in their success (or failure) and hint at what might come in the future. The characters are intriguing and original and although the sometimes glacial pace can make events seem a little too stretched out, there is enough original and exciting game-play elements to make it worth a go. The time-travelling and time-controlling are the best features, which stretch new boundaries for game playing and invite the player to take a different route where their actions really do have consequences, beyond the simple answer-clicking. Negatives however are the continual terrible lip-syncing (although providing you're not looking directly at the character these can be avoided) and the pace, which could be greatly improved in some areas, as it feels like you are on a bit of a journey - you know something is going to happen, but you don't really know what you're doing in the mean time. 

Similarly to the last episode's ending, this one really takes you by surprise, however. It is unique, genuinely unpredictable and invigorating as it sets up a whole new world for Arcadia Bay residents, and you just know that this is going to have a great impact on the last two episodes. It propels the narrative closer to its end goal, and you feel as if there has been some real progress made towards the ending of the 5-part series. As always, the graphics are beautiful and atmospheric, and the soundtrack adds to the whimsical nature of this mysterious story. It's surprisingly relaxing for a game that doesn't let you catch your breath for particularly long towards the end. The final act of Episode 3 is particularly impressive, and if you can manage to get through some of the more tiresome elements (although we're being particularly critical) then you will no doubt enjoy this startling revelation.