Tag Archives: Rozeminho

Brooklyn Nine Nine (Pilot – Episode 6)

Posted on by
Reply

brooklyn-nine-nine

Roze-Verdict: If you find “stupid” funny and weirdly witty jokes funny, then it’s a MUST WATCH.

Plot: Detective Jake Peralta is one of the best in his department showing his love for putting away bad guys and solving puzzles. The only puzzle he hasn’t solved, is how to grow up. Once a new captain is appointed to the department, Peralta has to learn to respect the rules.

Starring;

  • Andy Samberg as Detective Jake Peralta.
  • Stephanie Beatriz as Detective Rosa Diaz.
  • Terry Crews as Sergeant Terry Jeffords.
  • Melissa Fumero as Detective Amy Santiago.
  • Joe Lo Truglio as Detective Charles Boyle.
  • Chelsea Peretti as Administrator Gina Linetti.
  • Andre Braugher as Captain Ray Holt.

I didn’t even know Andy Samberg had a comedy show coming out up until I saw the Jame Franco Comedy Central Roast, and watched him get constantly roasted about it getting cancelled within the first month (LOL). I knew I had to watch it especially after Samberg’s hilarious “roast”, I don’t think many people got it but he totally channeled into my sense of humor which is why I was pretty stoked that his brand of humor totally comes out in Brooklyn Nine Nine.

I think there was a lot of negativity about this show, just because so many shows get cancelled every year and why would this be different right. From the pilot alone I’m expecting some great things from the show. First of all the cast is awesome, we have the likes of Andy Samberg, Chelsea Peretti and Joe Lo Truglio who rarely fail to get laughs and their combo of funny is a match of gods. That is if their brand of humor resonates with you. The mix of overconfident, immature, boorish, eccentric behavior that exudes when their characters clash makes for a lot of funny situations and jokes. We also have Terry Crews who is a legend for many reasons, first being his sensual peck flexing and of course his badassness in general. We are also gifted with the casting of some lesser known actors who have just as big roles as the others, not breaking stride.

I think for a comedy series to be successful it needs to have an ensemble cast so that there’s a lot to play with in terms of character development and subplots. A lot more ideas can be generated when there’s more characters than just a few, this way we aren’t getting the same old generic episode plots. Of course there are the likes of “Two and a Half Men” and “2 Broke Girls” which seem to thrive but eventually the characters get dull. What I like about Brooklyn Nine Nine is that we’re given a large cast of different personalities and characteristics which opens up a massive door of joke opportunities which they utilize successfully making for a hilarious show. The characters are likable and interesting resulting in a fun and relaxing watch.

Based on the pilot I thought that each episode would present a case that the characters would have to solve, which posed a problem for me. If they were to go in that direction, 1) 21 minutes is not enough to sell a smart-ish crime plot, 2) what’s stopping it from becoming a carbon-copy of CSI but in spoof form and 3) eventually it would get boring. Luckily the show doesn’t emphasize too much on the crime solving but more on the wacky office antics.

If I was to find a description for Brooklyn Nine Nine, I would say it’s a cross between Archer and The Office with an awesome theme tune (not an overstatement). Just because we have a protagonist who feels he can do what he wants for being the best, who is surrounded by odd sometimes incompetent colleagues and the one perfectionist (Lana = Santiago). But then we have the humor of The Office and borderline Family Guy because, well a lot of the time they’re in the office doing a lot of dumb crap.

Man of Steel (2013)

Posted on by
Reply

2013_man_of_steel_movie-wideRoze-Rating: 4.5 / 5

Probably one of the most anticipated films this year, Man of Steel is a total reboot of the Superman franchise. Was it needed? I think most fans of the superhero would agree that it’s been due ever since the surge of comic book films over the past few years. Man of Steel explores the origins of Clark Kent tracking back to the demise of Krypton, fast forwarding to Kent’s journey to self actualization hoping to discover his destiny on earth.

I’ll confess that I haven’t actually seen any previous Superman films, so I’m quite clueless in terms of comparing past films with this one although I am aware of some Superman facts (who isn’t?!). One thing is for sure and that’s Man of Steel trumps its predecessors in the special effects department because this film boasts some of the best CGI and action sequences of the past decade. A lot of people don’t seem to be a fan of Zack Snyder, I think mostly due to his unique style. His past films include 300, Sucker Punch and Watchmen. All films which are far from bad but have something in common and that is a distinct visual style. Man of Steel joins his list of visually stunning films and may make the list of the most aesthetically pleasing films of all time. It’s hard to find a scene which isn’t beautifully shot or constructed. The film is clean, crisp, slightly grainy and contains some of the best lighting I’ve seen. Only negative would be that the sun seems to be conveniently placed in the background for more scenes than it needs to be.

In my second viewing I grew to appreciate Snyder’s storytelling technique, it’s unique and efficient which totally enhances the viewing experience. I really like how we start off in Krypton and get to see it on the big screen which I don’t think past films ever touched on. This would be a massive win for the fanboys out there. Once the film makes it to earth we’re entertained to a number of flashbacks which occur parallel to Clark’s journey to self actualization. The flashbacks have a lot of substance and we get to learn about his past and the ideologies that he was brought up with. This gives reason to some of his actions in present time. This was probably my favorite aspect of the film because some of the flashbacks were incredibly emotional, (Spoiler! If you’ve never heard of Superman) namely Jonothan Kent’s death scene which I totally loved. I mean I would never risk my life over a dog but that moment where he holds his hand up and accepts that he’s going to die for the greater good of mankind but also Clark was incredibly emotional but also hit on how much trust Clark had for his father to just let it happen.

I was quite pessimistic about the casting of Henry Cavill at first but once seeing him play the Man of Steel for real, he proved to be a perfect casting. He didn’t just get totally ripped for the part but he captured how human Superman is for such an extraterrestrial being. Small things like acting all cool when wanting to smash a brotha’s face in and that look of remorse when reluctantly doing what’s necessary. Michael Shannon as General Zod was a total win, you wont get anyone more intense and scary than that guy. The “I will find him!” quote will live on in my mind for a long time. I also really liked Lois Lane (Amy Adams) as a character in this film, she wasn’t a damsel in distress and when she was she took matters into her own hands. The fact that she can take her liquor says a lot about her character in general.

Lastly for a superhero film I think the action was awesome and far from generic. It definitely got your adrenaline pumping. I liked how the kryptonian’s fought, it seemed really appropriate that they could shift from punch to punch with intense velocity. If they can jump for miles then shouldn’t they be able to punch really fast? The action sequences had a genuine video game and comic book look to them from the fighting movements to the fire explosions; which proved to be the theme of the fights. Even though I found the action pretty epic, I think that’s where Man of Steel put a lot of people off, leading to quite a few negative reviews. The first half of the film was perfect in terms of narrative which made the action satisfying for me, but once it started you never had a chance to breath; it was relentless. After awhile all the noise, music and explosions start to lose impact and an emotional disconnect starts to develop which is why I think some people ended up leaving the film unsatisfied. That being said any action junkie would love this film.

Despite the lack of fun and joy with this first installment of the rebooted superman series, there’s a satisfying amount of action and narrative to keep you glued to the screen. Man of Steel is a total origin story of where superman came from and how he became more than a kryptonian but a symbol of hope to mankind.

On a final final note, Hanz Zimmer is a genius, the score for this film is amazing. I like how it’s present throughout which is definitely important for comic book films. I feel that comic book films nowadays lack a distinct theme song.

What do you guys think of the new superman? better than the classics? Do you agree with the critics or do you think they are being picky for the sake of being haters?

Gangster Squad (2013)

Posted on by
Reply

gangster-squad-poster

Roze-Rating: 3.5 / 5

In this period gangster thriller we are sent back to 1949 post WW2. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) returns from war and back to sunny Los Angeles where things have changed drastically. Mickey Cohen is a power hungry gangster who is willing to do anything in order to grow his empire. His ambitions to own the whole of the west coast drives him to countless murders in what he calls “progress”. Before it’s too late Cheif Bill Parker (Nick Holte) contacts O’Mara and urges him to get a team together later known as “The Gangster Squad”. They’re mission is to take down all of Mickey Cohen’s crime operations before they grow too big to take down.

I expected this film to be loaded with plot twists, character development and periodical references. I suppose I thought it would be challenging LA Confidential or any other good period gangster films. Instead it lacked in all those areas and wasn’t as serious as I thought it would be. This was a good and bad thing because it ticked all the boxes that I like in a fun cop film but with a cast that it boasted and the performances it had; the lack of substance was unsatisfying.The plot is simple which didn’t really leave much room for an explosive film, which was disappointing especially when you have such an intense character like Mickey Cohen as the villain. That being said once you realize what direction the film is going, then you can sit back and enjoy it. As soon as I heard the music during the opening scene with Josh Brolin, I could tell it was going to be more fun than dramatic.

There’s enough action to keep the average film viewer satisfied but on the second viewing you realize it’s not as thrilling as it could have been. The shootout’s are loud but there isn’t much to them making them seem generic. Maybe I’m being overly fussy but I felt there was a missed opportunity in that aspect of Gangster Squad. Nevertheless they were still fun to watch.

The cast is amazing, I mean two of my favourite actors on screen… banging… again. So it was always going to be hard to hate this film when Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are acting together. Luckily they put in some pretty good performances. A lot of people didn’t really like Goslings high pitched, slightly odd accent and I think the director must have caught on to it because it gradually subsided as the film progressed. I didn’t mind it to be honest, it gave his character more of an identity. The rest of the cast were incredibly solid, it was the second time I’ve seen Josh Brolin play a lead role and he nailed it. Now I wish he was the new batman. Sean Penn as always is amazing as the power hungry Mickey Cohen, if there was more to the script, giving him more of a dynamic than just a short tempered gangster with a tolerance to killing then he would easily be one of the most menacing villains of 2013.

Gangster Squad really is style over substance. It’s glossy and pristine, despite it being shot in dark surroundings for most of it, you can catch the colours of neon signs and red lipstick very clearly. It’s definitely nice to look at, which is one of the main positives of this film, it captures that time period pretty well in a unique fashion.

Despite some disappointment over Gangster Squad, I actually quite enjoyed it. It seemed like the perfect film for me, I like gangsters, I like snappy one liners and I like shootouts. Was the film perfectly executed? No, but it’s fun and entertaining enough to watch til the O’Mara-Cohen showdown.

The Impossible (2012)

Posted on by
Reply

the-impossible1Roze-Rating: 4 / 5

Based on a true story, The Impossible is an adaptation of what a family of five had to endure during one of the most devastating natural disasters to occur in our time. Maria (Naomi Watts), Henry (Ewan McGregor) and their three sons take a trip to Thailand for the festive holidays. Following Christmas day the family spend time at the hotel swimming pool not expecting what’s to come. Once the tsunami hits they are split in half not knowing if they have all survived. Only hope and the will to live pushes them to believe that somehow they will find each other.

I will say straight away that this film doesn’t fail to pack a punch emotionally. It’s intentionally powerful and so it should be for such an amazing story. it’s nothing short of a miracle what the family had accomplished after such a catastrophic event and it’s a story that needs to be told. There are a lot of encouraging and powerful themes explored in this film which can drive anyone to inspiration. It shows how heroes can come in any shape and sizes and all it take is a simple touch to say everything is going to be fine to heighten someone’s spirits.

This film for me holds two of the most powerful scenes of 2012. The opening scenes where the tsunami hits the hotel is both terrifying and realistic that your heart pounds uncontrollably. I felt emotions stronger than any other film that I’ve watched before, there was a genuine fear and realization about how vulnerable and alone you are in such a disaster. Recreating that event to the level of realism they did is pretty amazing, and it’s hard not to appreciate that scene. The second scene features Ewan McGregor where he calls his father-in-law to tell him their situation. I’ve not seen a moment as intense as that in a film this year, the amount of emotion he puts into it is infectious and if you don’t feel just a little emotional then you are obviously too manly for this film.

Performances from everyone needed to be intense and inevitably they were with such an awesome cast. I’ve missed seeing Ewan Mcgregor on the big screen, and he really proves how much of a talent he is. Props also going to the three kids, couldn’t have been easy parts to play but they got through it convincingly. Lastly Naomi Watts easily steals the show with such a devastating performance, capturing probably every emotion you could get in such a situation, and at the age of 44 it’s amazing how young she looks.

The only negative I could find with this film is that it didn’t seem to explore the people who weren’t so fortunate to find their families, there was a lack of tribute to the unlucky individuals. I can easily see where people could get easily offended, especially if they were victims of the tsunami or a similar disaster. Admittedly it could have really done with it towards the end because it became quite evident that they lost things to film and it ultimately played out the sentimental tone a bit too long. All in all, an amazing story told well through the media of film.

Hit & Run (2012)

Posted on by
Reply

90243_galRoze-Rating: 3 / 5

Dax Shepard tries his hand at directing his first mainstream film, Hit & Run. The film follows a young couple who are based in the middle of nowhere not exactly by choice. Charlie Bronson (Dax Shepard) is in the witness protection program having been caught up in a past crime. During the one year the couple have been together, Annie (Kristen Bell) is largely unaware of Charlie’s past and even his real name. His past gradually starts to unravel as the couple get involved with an adrenaline pumping road trip with the sole purpose of trying to get Annie to her dream job interview.

Before I even sat down to watch this film, I was really rooting for it to be a big hit. Not because Kristen Bell is in it looking super fine, but because it’s a Dax Shepard project. He wrote it and co-directed it, and it really puts things into perspective about how far he’s come since those days he worked at Punk’d. For those reasons I just wanted to like it a lot, but there honestly is too many problems with this film to truly consider it a good film.

The cast is undoubtedly awesome with appearances from Kristen Bell, Tom Arnold, Bradley Cooper and Beau Bridges. The entire cast play their characters the best they can but they are largely let down by the writing. The characters weren’t written well enough to fully meet the potential they had. Each character has their own little charm which made them unique and potentially memorable, but the lack of thorough writing to fully explore them and crucially their dialogue effectively made them seem bland. Which is such a shame because I started to like the characters, I just didn’t feel they were real enough.

What really let the film down was the storyline, some parts kinda annoyed me. There was a bit too much wrong with it for me to take it seriously, even for a comedy. The reason for this is because the premise is quite promising and with such a premise, you could do so much with it to make it funny and realistic at the same time. I think there was a lack of seriousness within the characters, where they were being chased and potentially killed, it ruined it for me because I thought it was pretty stupid how they would still be fixated on getting to the job interview.

What I did love was the film making, for his debut in directing a blockbuster film, there was a lot of substance behind filming the chase scenes. In reality they were quite boring scenes but the way he utilised the camera positions and angles really made it exciting to watch. It’s a good film to watch if you don’t want anything too serious.

This is 40 (2012)

Posted on by
Reply

this-is-40-1Roze-Rating: 3.5 / 5

Judd Apatow brings back Pete and Debbie from 2007 comedy hit Knocked Up to explore their lives a few years down the line. Their kids are older, busines isnt flowing and the rest of their family are being uncooperative, the recipe for a destructive marriage. As their problems become more evident as well as their increasing age, they realise that there isn’t much time to fix their relationship before their lives become a waste.

I think most people would agree that this film is slightly too long with a 133 minute running time, although it is filled with quite a bit of substance. I think it was a pretty good idea to revisit these characters since they were a memorable part of Knocked Up. Creating new characters from scratch would definitely not have been as appealing. Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann ooze this wacky, cheesy, genuine chemistry that not a lot of actors can produce. Their similar sense of humour is a joy to watch, largely driven by improv which Paul Rudd seems to execute with pure hilarity. There really isn’t much wrong with the acting although I think the older child (Maude Apatow) may have been a bit too intense and loud at times, but in reality I guess kids can go apeshit like that. The cameo’s were definitely the main highlights of the film, which is probably not the best thing for a movie, but they did offer a lot of the laughs. Huge props to Melissa McCarthy who has convincingly cemented herself as one of the best comedy actresses.

The storyline is pretty relatable which is why it’s generally an entertaining watch. I think any big fan of Paul Rudd will like this film a lot because his brand of humour is present throughout and its hard not to like this guy. It may not be the most original film but it still does the job in keeping us laughing and entertained. I think the problem with a film like this is that the subject is too serious to make an absolutely hilarious film, because there’s too many breaks of serious scenes before the laughs come in. Either way it’s definitely worth a watch if your a fan of Judd Apatow films and you want something down to earth with some comedy.

Battleship (2012)

Posted on by
Reply

battleship-pic-1Roze-Rating: 3.5 / 5

Based on the board game, Battleship explores the concept of the game while adding an extraterrestrial edge. Alex Hopper (Taylor Kitsch) is your stereotypical screw up who doesn’t take any responsibility, until an incident involving a chicken Burrito and an exceptionally attractive girl forces his brother to push him into the Navy. Despite seemingly finding his niche, his careless ways hold him back from excelling in his field of work. It takes the threat of an Alien attack on earth to reassess his ways and work at his full potential to save the world.

I can totally understand why this would be hated by a lot of critics and people who like films with a bit more substance because there is a lot wrong with this film. Despite the problems it actually ended up surprising me a lot in terms of its concept and premise. When I heard that it was based on the board game I instantly thought “bull sh*t”, I didn’t see how the Alien apocalypse genre would be able to incorporate the board game. But after watching it, I am not ashamed to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course that is probably largely due to the low expectations I had of it. Granted if I had went in expecting a lot out of it I would probably be smashing the film.

The film started off with the right intentions, purposely trying to be fun and light hearted, which is what this film is all about. The characters they introduced were likeable and set up favorable characters for us to root for. The premise is also quite smart, they could have easily tried to use the board game idea with a less thrilling idea, but that being said the execution is what made the difference between an awesome film and a so so film. The main character driving the film is Alex Hopper played by Taylor Kitsch, a well written character with relatable characteristics. It would be quite hard too hate the guy, unless your driven to jealousy after seeing Brooklyn Decker doing her thing. Ultimately the plot of Battleship is commendable since everyone likes an Alien invasion and the way they used the Battleship board game concept ended up being quite smart and believable.

Something that let the film down a lot was the acting, I didn’t understand some of the castings especially for such a big budget film, you’d think they’d go all out. For example Gregory D. Gadson, I understand that he’s never had experience and he’s a Former US Army soldier but he just didn’t suit the character at all. One specific scene at the end is just ridiculous especially in the condition and shape he was in, it went over the line of acceptable. Rihanna was also slightly miscast, I thought her role was slightly too big for a person lacking acting experience, which was evident in some scenes, but that being said, she was surprisingly good. Despite from a couple of let downs in that department, I thought Taylor Kitsch was freaking bad ass, he’s obviously extremely talented because he was amazing in all his films this year. Hopefully he moves on to films with better scripts. Brooklyn Decker was also pretty good, she’s come a long way since Just Go With It, and showed some grit.

Lastly the effects used throughout this film are exceptional at most, but you could quite easily tell they got lazy with some parts. I think with the budget they had, they should really try make the most of every resource properly, and half assing some scenes wont make this a hit like they wanted it to be. There are also some scenes which logically don’t make sense, for example a scene where two characters seem to unnecessarily walk to the top of a sinking ship to jump off. The action was still pretty thrilling, especially the parts where the Board Game stuff comes to use, and a shoot-out at the end. If they would have kept to that standard of action then it would have been a perfectly epic action flick, but there isn’t enough adrenaline pumping scenes to reach that accolade.

Magic Mike (2012)

Posted on by
Reply

magic-mike-2Roze-Rating: 4.5 / 5

Seasoned male stripper Mike (Channing Tatum) has ambitions out of the stripping industry, but can’t leave until he makes enough money to pursue his true passion. In the mean time he sticks to making easy money hoping to achieve dual equity of the stripping business he works for. During one of his construction jobs he meets a young kid, Adam (Alex Pettyfer), who he takes under his wing and introduces him to the world of male stripping. As Adam gets sucked into the glamorized lifestyle he has grown accustomed to, he starts to wonder where his life is really going.

One of the more surprising films of 2012 for me, I expected it to be super raunchy and solely marketed at women, but there’s more to it than a few ripped guys taking their clothes off and making suggestive movements with their hips. The plot is engaging, keeping your eyes fixated on the film. It kind of reminded me of a less messed up version of Boogie Nights, minus the explosive ending. Which is what this film could have offered, there were parts of the story which could have been expanded and explored to make for a thrilling ending, but this film was never meant to go in that direction. It chose substance over thrills. The stars of the film were the main characters and male stripping. The way this film depicts the lifestyle of male strippers makes it seem glamorous and inviting. Making women feel like they wouldn’t mind having such an experience and men envying the characters lifestyle. This is what kept me engaged to the film and the characters. You understand why they are there.

The stripping choreography is smartly done because it finds the right balance between erotic and tolerable so that both male and women can watch it without one being uncomfortable or disappointed. It’s sexy enough for the women to enjoy and tolerable enough for the men. But it’s still enough to make us feel bad about ourselves. The music to go with the stage performances is pretty good, as well as the overall soundtrack for the film. Definitely wouldn’t have captured that rock star tone of the characters without it.

There are two different colour tones seen throughout this film which convey a different atmosphere. There’s a yellowish tone which is seen when the characters are living in the real world, out of their stripping lifestyle. It brings the film back to earth along with the characters, illustrating the reality of strife and labour. Then there’s a more colourful clear tone, which is seen during the stripping segments, making the industry look glamorous, appealing and addictive. It emphasises the reason the characters are there and why it’s hard to get out.

The performances were solid. Channing Tatum is finally looking natural in these more serious parts, I always got the impression he wasn’t made for these roles, but he proves me wrong here. I’ve seen a few of Alex Pettyfer’s movies, and never really saw anything great from him, but this time round he probably makes his best performance, there’s some character development which he explores really well. As always Matthew McConaughey is slick, suave and as the girls would say, sexy, bringing back the “alright, alright, alright” craze. He’s been involved in a lot of great films recently, good to see him making some good choices. On the least impressive side, I had a slight problem with Cody Horn. She seemed really natural and genuine at first, then as the film progressed her face never seemed to change expression, it just seemed emotionless. Then during the more intense scenes I just didn’t feel it was real. For example a scene where she shouts at Channing Tatum’s character, it was good at first, then she went a bit over the top with it and it came off as awkward. I saw her in End of Watch and she was a proper bad ass in it, so there’s no doubt she’s talented.

Definitely worth seeing if your in the demographic that likes to see half naked men dancing in an erotic manner. If your not into that, then it’s still worth seeing for a worthy plot, performances and music, definitely one of the better films of 2012.


Safe (2012)

Posted on by
Reply

safe__spanRoze-Rating: 4 / 5

Luke Wright is an ex cop, living life as a cage fighter making his money from fixing matches so that his “employers” can make money off bets. One day during a rigged fight, he accidentally knocks out his opponent causing his Russian Mafia employers to make an example of his mistake by killing his family. They let him know that he will never live a free life again, being watched during the rest of his life. Luke drifts around New York with no path and considering giving everything up until he see’s a young Chinese girl being harassed by the same men that killed his family. He takes action and attempts to save the girl which saved him.

I’m glad Jason Statham has had a good run of good films, because I was starting to get worried he was picking films for the sake of being in them. 13 and The Mechanic to name a couple. But his judgement is slowly looking up with the successes of The Expendables 2 and this film Safe. It was really refreshing seeing Statham pick a script with a bit more substance. He plays a character with more of a complex, he has a past which he isn’t proud of, and has tried to get away from it by becoming a part of the Russian Mafia’s dishonest path for income. Of course once he makes an honest mistake, the Russian Mafia punish him in the most extreme way, sending him into a suicidal state. Definitely one his most interesting characters, and he pulls it off with ease showing his true acting abilities. I think people praise him too much for his ability to add action to a film with full affect, and forget that he’s a pretty good actor as well

The plot is a bit complicated and maybe seems quite implausible but it doesn’t reach the level of stupidity which makes it instantly bad. It’s an interesting premise and the chaos around it makes it even more entertaining. Obviously it wouldn’t be a Jason Statham without the action, and there’s no need to comment on it because he never fails to deliver in that aspect of films. One of the more surprising films of the year, and a perfect film if your looking for brutal action with a decent story to go along with it

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Posted on by
Reply

91328_galRoze-Rating: 4.5 / 5

The film follows Beca (Anna Kendrick) and her reluctant journey to college. She’s an outsider and can’t seem to find her own kind around the campus, until one day a struggling acapella group preach for her help. She learns to develop her hidden talents while making life long friends in the process, but her edgy style eventually conflicts with the leaders old fashioned mindset, which might be the solution to their trophy drought.

I thought this film was going to be a musical, thank fack it wasn’t, can’t stand them. I tried watching High School Musical once, literally couldn’t get through more than five minutes, but that’s probably a bad film to start with. Anyways, this is a genuinely funny film which has a really cool take on the acapella phenomenon. It was really refreshing to watch a film with modern music given the acapella treatment then mashed up with more music. I’m just thankful that they made it about the music but not to the point where they were singing through the story. It had a street feel with the underdog theme, which we’ve seen loads of times, but it was a lot harder to notice than other films. This is helped by the added comedy, weird ass characters and a romance sub plot.

The film was a lot funnier than I expected it to be. I think that’s why I was so surprised by how entertaining it was. All the characters were memorable and strange in their own way, which is why the cast should take a well deserved bow for playing them with commitment. Rebel Wilson totally steals the show though, her quirky, odd-ball humor fits in perfectly, making it possibly the best comedic character of the year. Adam DeVine makes a memorable debut performance playing a character he knows all too well from his Workaholics comedy series. But the most surprising performance of them all has to be Anna Kendrick’s. We’ve seen her play a lot of timid, goody two shoes characters and seeing her play a rebel with an attitude so realistically, showed she has diversity. Oh and she can sing.

Definitely the most surprising film of the year for me, and it makes me crave more films like this, I might even go watch all the seasons of Glee… Or not.