Pitch Perfect

I initially had no intention of seeing Pitch Perfect. I kept hearing people talking about it, but it didn't resonate with me. Fast forward just a few months short of a year after it hit theaters, and you know what changed my mind? We were at a Paramore concert and Haley Williams was sick, but went on stage anyway. She was talking to the crowd and telling them how close she was to passing out, etc. After she did her first song she said to the audience, "you know that scene in Pitch Perfect where the girl blows chunks all over the audience ... you guys have NO IDEA how close you just came to seeing it live" (or something to that effect) -- anyway, I said to myself, "if she (a singer you like) is talking about this movie ON STAGE, you need to go check this thing out!" So I did, and WOW, am I glad I did!

The movie is very similar to other strongly musically influenced movies such as Empire Records, The Fifth Element, and Hackers, where the music is like one of the characters it has so much of a role in the movie. Some people would compare it to Glee, but I disagree -- I don't think the humor is nearly as dark as it is in Glee (which is a series I don't like because it features that dark humor). Yes, there are some darker/sad moments, but overall the tone of the movie is light and fun (if slightly embarrassing/cringe-worthy at times).

I could TOTALLY do without the 2 gross-out scenes in the movie, though. Near the opening Aubrey throws up on stage, and they show it. And at about 4/5th of the way into the movie, Aubrey again throws up on screen, this time making a giant pool on the floor that one of the other characters ends up falling in. I didn't care for those two scenes at all (I really wish Bridesmaids hadn't opened the door to women doing gross-out scenes in movies, it was bad enough when the men were doing them =_=)




Anyway, along with the music (obviously) there is more this movie has to offer. To start with, the announcers for the a capella contests are HILARIOUS! John Higgins as John, and Elizabeth Banks as Gail are very funny with their off-the-wall comments and inappropriate humor and remarks. It starts in the very first scene of the movie, and they bring them back for all of the contests in the movie. Those two were very nearly my favorite part of the movie.

Next we have the characters, my favorites were:

Brittany Snow as Chloe

 Alexis Knapp as Stacie

 

and Anna Camp as Aubrey

Chloe is a very cute character, she gets Anna Kendrick's character (Beca) to join the group, and has a rather inappropriate way of doing it too. I am also a sucker for red-heads (even if they are fake red heads, which is the case with her).

Stacie is very funny as a character who is obviously a valley-girl-type who is over-sexed and can only seem to think in terms of sex. She has a couple of great lines, and it is hilarious watching the girls teach her to dance like a dancer and not like a pole dancer.

Aubrey is a character who grows on you. You will hate her at first, but by the end she was one of my favorites. She is VERY funny when she isn't in the scenes being the "boss" -- her interactions with Chloe showing sympathy for her "nodes" and when she deals with "Fat Amy" as she exasperatedly tries to figure out how to handle her, are very funny.

Over all, like Hackers and Empire Records, this movie is about a group of misfits coming together and finding their place in the world. It is about hopes and dreams, love and life, and the music weaves it all together to a FANTASTIC finale. Don't miss it if you like feel good movies (feel free to fast forward through the gross-out scenes, though, I certainly do).

Watch it :)