DVD OF THE WEEK
Pitch Perfect 2 (Cert 12) ****
THE Barden Bellas perform for President Obama and Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) suffers a wardrobe malfunction during a Miley Cyrus-themed aerial routine.
In the wake of Muffgate, commentators John Smith and Gail Abernathy-McKadden cast the Bellas into the wilderness and mock Beca (Anna Kendrick) when she claims they can become the first American group to win the World A Cappella Championships.
Beca, Fat Amy, Chloe, Stacie, Jessica, Cynthia-Rose, softly spoken beatboxer Lilly and new recruits Emily and Flo prepare for musical battle.
However, the path to glory in Copenhagen is blocked by well-drilled reigning champions, Das Sound Machine.
Lightning almost strikes twice in Pitch Perfect 2, a feel-great sequel that hits many of the high notes of the original film.
Actress Elizabeth Banks nestles in the director's chair and confidently conducts a choir of familiar faces through soaring musical mash-ups and pitch-slapping putdowns. Screenwriter Kay Cannon pads out her admittedly flimsy premise with parallel romantic subplots and introduces a Latin American exchange student, whose life-or-death heritage becomes a running joke that limps before the two hours are up.
Musical sequences are choreographed with verve, including a rousing finale that astutely goes back to acca-basics.
Wilson is rewarded with the film's only solo - Pat Benatar's power ballad We Belong - that builds to a rousing call to arms for the broken-hearted.
A two-disc box set comprising Pitch Perfect and the sequel is also available.
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