In the meantime, there have been two big releases this week that make up your alternative Christmas cinema viewing before Hugh Jackman's The Greatest Showman arrives on Boxing Day. So it's time for another review round-up here at The Welsh Geek Reviews, with short (but hopefully sweet) takes on these new films. We start off with a return from the aca-mazing Barden Bellas . . .
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld
Director: Trish Sie
The Plot: Most of the now-graduated Bellas find themselves at an all-time low, in jobs they hate or, in the case of Beca (Kendrick), quitting. After Emily (Steinfeld) gets them together for a reunion, former leader Chloe uses her father's military connections to book them onto the USO tour performing for the troops, and they find themselves in competition again: all of the bands on the tour are vying to be picked by DJ Khaled to open for him at the final big show. But where the Bellas go, disaster typically follows, this time in the form of Fat Amy (Wilson)'s estranged gangster father . . .
I unashamedly love the Pitch Perfect series, and it's not just because I'm in love with Anna Kendrick. Honest. The first film was a surprise hit, as a story about an all-female accapella group isn't something you'd expect to work, but it did - it was funny, the cast was wonderful, and the music was incredibly catchy. For this third (and mostly likely final) instalment, the writers and director have taken the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach and given us more of the same Pitch Perfect fans know and love - and that's not a bad thing. The story is typically silly, and the cast is as funny as always - Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins return as accapella commentators Gail and John, now filming a documentary about the Bellas, and there's even some jokes at the invisible nature of members Jessica and Ashley (the two who never even feature on the posters). The one real flaw is that the music has taken a back seat here: we do get some great vocal performances by the Bellas, but they're not the focus of the story this time and they're single songs, rather than the clever mash-ups of the previous two films.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
An excellent final outing for the Barden Bellas that's hilarious, silly, and full of warmth and affection for the characters. The music may have taken a step back here, but these Pitches are still on top form.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (12A)
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black
Director: Jake Kasdan
The Plot: The cursed Jumanji board game has transformed itself into a video game, in reaction to modern society. When four high-school teenagers find themselves in detention, they discover the game and decide to play - they find themselves sucked inside the video game itself, and transformed into the characters they chose: nerdy Spencer becomes smouldering, musclebound explorer Dr Bravestone (Johnson); football player Fridge becomes Bravestone's diminutive weapons valet Moose Finbar (Hart); self-conscious Martha becomes the kick-ass babe Ruby Roundhouse (Gillan); while self-absorbed Bethany becomes (to her horror) cartographer Prof Shelly Oberon, a middle-aged man. The four most overcome their differences and beat the game to escape, but they only have three lives each . . .
I'm a really big fan of the original Jumanji - I remember going to see it way back in 1995, so it has a very special nostalgic place in my heart. I even own the Collector's Edition DVD (no standard version for me, thank you very much). So, like many, I was worried when I heard that a new Jumanji film was being made. Thankfully, they haven't tried to do a remake, or a direct sequel, and the result is a very fun, entertaining romp set in that same world. There are some nice nods to the original film: the board game, when we see it, is identical, the main villain within the game is named Van Pelt, and the legend "Alan Parrish was here" is carved into a jungle house the characters discover. The focus of the film is on the comedy, rather than the action (a switch from the original, which was mostly serious with the odd humorous moment) and there are a lot of laughs to be found, mostly from the characters reactions to their new bodies - the four leads are clearly having a good time acting as teenagers, and the best moment is Martha (as Ruby)'s hilarious attempts at flirting after being given a crash-course by Bethany. It would be very easy to criticise the script, and much of the acting, but I'm not going to, as this isn't high-brow entertainment after all. What this is, is a perfectly acceptable, fun popcorn film that, thankfully, doesn't take a massive shit on the beloved original.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
A fun and entertaining film that doesn't try to be the original. While it's never going to win awards for its story or acting, the four leads are entertaining and the laughs and action come thick and fast. A film to switch your brain off and simply enjoy.
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