Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
After a disastrous performance in front of POTUS Obama, the Barden Bellas need to resurrect their image. Cue more glorified karaoke. Fat Amy is publicly shamed for having an underwear free accident. The Bellas face sexism and a hiring freeze and slut shaming. The Bellas want to go to the World Championship. A new character shows up and takes over the movie and nobody cares. The Bellas bumbling ineptitude is mocked by evil Germans. One Bella gets a job making a Christmas album with a rapper.
Interest is impeded by the over-singing, sexism, weird plotting and useless characters. Nobody has a fierce moral sense and this wasn't indelibly etched on pop culture. This is not absolutely desirable. TPTB seem to have a persistent desire to annoy the viewer. This was burdensomeness. Nobody is a dispenser of compliments and this was not attractively presented. This was not change-making. Why do the Bellas all live in one house? The Bellas are all unoriginal thinkers addicted to singing covers. Nobody is aspirational. It is abundantly clear that the Bellas sometimes disappoint as they are virulently attached to covers.
The World Championships are full of stereotypes (the Canadians and the British) and sex jokes and racist jokes. The thing is the German team Das Sound Machine ARE better than the Bellas with far far better songs and performances. The Bellas sing an original song and somehow pay for plane tickets to fly out previous Bellas to perform with them. Groan. This was mediocre but still less embarrassing and naff than Celtic Women.
Best Lines:
“What an inspiration to girls all over the country who are too ugly to be cheerleaders.”
“I don’t speak loser.”
“The most significant conflict between America and Germany in history.”
“Running off stage to take a few more of our jobs.”
“An overweight girl dangling from the ceiling. Who hasn’t had that dream?”
“Go over to Hans Christian Anderson’s house.”
“That guy? He was pretty crap in the Star Wars prequels.”
“My brother tried to sell me for a chicken.”
“Which is a real thing apparently.”
“I’ve intentionally failed Russian Lit 3 times so I could be a Bella.”
“I had diarrhoea for 7 years.”
“Tramps.”
“Everyone has touched you.”
“Smelly and rainy.”
“Those aren’t words.”
“He’s got dreams for it.”
“WE SPIT ON ORIGNINALS!”
~
L.A Confidential (1997) Rewatch
Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, Kim Basinger, Danny Devito, Simon Baker, Matt McCoy and Paul Guilfoyle star in this movie based on an alleged classic novel. Opportunistic people commit brutal behaviour in 1950s LA. People have hidden monstrous natures, no moral compass, there are hostile tactics by often hostile types and this is ferociously complicated.
Deeply resentful types prowl around the scandal-ridden city. There is a mass murder in a diner. There is corruption and hookers who look like movie stars. Devito is a sleazy reporter, there is death and sleaze and lies. Bud (Crowe) has understandable rage issues. A snotty cop (Pearce) is a strict authoritarian. There are drugs, a tossed drink, unacceptable disloyalty, deeply damaging events, blackmail violence, unexpected consequences, death, cons, betrayals, a fist fight, passionate convictions and shared purpose.
This was good with rackets, social manoeuvring, more death, hypocritical derision, scathing judgement, gunfights and long held distrust in this searing insight into a long gone era.
Best Lines:
“He kills a dozen people a year.”
“America isn’t ready for the real me.”
“Your adherence to violence as a necessary adjunct of the job.”
“Use all necessary force.”
“Came on a bus with dreams of Hollywood and this is how they turned out.”
“Righteous trash.”
“You ignorant bastard.”
“Paying the consequences.”
“Stain the department for years.”
“Decades.”
“She is Lana Turner.”
~
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954)
Creepy.
Blade (1998)
Okay.
Universal Solider (1992)
Good.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
No.
Jurassic Park III (2001)
Okay.