Pitch Perfect: Ace-Awesome Edition

Jason Moore

BY Allan TongPublished May 5, 2015

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Pitch Perfect is back. The 2012 sleeper hit arrives in home theatres as a new Blu-ray to tie-in with the theatrical release of its sequel. For those who loved Pitch Perfect the first time around, this release offers a ton of bonus features to relive and expand the viewing experience. For newbies, Pitch Perfect will be a sweet surprise.
 
This musical comedy centers on a national a cappella competition that follows the progress of the all-female Barden Bellas, led by the uptight Aubrey (played by Anna Camp) who clashes with the rebellious but talented freshman Beca (Anna Kendrick). If Aubrey has any chance of winning, she has to loosen the leash around her girls, while Beca has to learn to play with the team. Beca, meanwhile, is singing on the team only to please her father, because she'd rather quit college and be a musician.
 
Her teammates are colourful, ranging from the outrageously extroverted Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) to the stone silent Hana (Lilly Onakuramara), who is also a superb beatboxer. The team is a patchwork of personalities, but their differences threaten to tear them apart. The plot is nothing new, but the script by Kay Cannon (based on a non-fiction book by Mickey Rapkin) is smart, funny and cynical enough to avoid corniness; the characters show their flaws and film avoids sentimentality.
 
It helps that the film features dazzling choreography. The performances are showstoppers, and the Blu-ray lets you sing along by displaying the lyrics on screen. Several of the deleted and extended scenes are funny, especially those with co-producer Elizabeth Banks (30 Rock) who also plays a commentator at the a cappella competitions. Meanwhile, two audio commentaries by the producers and director are chock full of production stories and informative anecdotes. Throw in the obligatory behind-the-scenes featurette and you have an impressive new Blu-ray package for a deserving film.

(Universal)

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