'Looper' and 'Pitch Perfect': Weekend Movie Trailers & Reviews
by Andy NeuenschwanderWhat to see this weekend? The line is drawn pretty clearly in the sand, demographic-wise, between the weekend's two big openers. There's a third major opener too, "Hotel Transylvania," but it's pretty clear when you're shelling out money to see that one (hint: it's when you have kids that you have to drag along).
For the adults, here are the choices:
"Looper"
Rated R, 1 hr 58 mins
RT Score: 92%
If you met your future self, you would probably have a lot of questions to ask. Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) doesn't, but that's only because he's supposed to kill his future self. Joe is a "Looper," an assassin working for the mob who executes enemies that they send back in time from the future. Things get complicated for Joe, though, when the mob sends his future self (Bruce Willis) back to be killed.
There are plenty of technical questions about this, but don't expect "Looper" to answer them: this is more about young vs. old, future vs. past/present, and what happens when you're told to do something that you're not convinced is right. Also, Joseph Gordon-Levitt wears a bunch of makeup to look like Bruce Willis, so that alone makes it worth seeing.
"Pitch Perfect"
Rated PG-13, 1 hr 52 mins
RT Score: 75%
You can call it "Glee: the College Years" if you want to. We won't blame you. But really, this story of a ragtag college a capella group is more "Bring It On" or "Stomp the Yard," only with more singing and less dancing/cheerleading. The story follows Beca (Anna Kendrick), who unwillingly becomes the leader of her new college's a capella choir, transforming it into a hip new group that can win Nationals or something. I hear that's what glee clubs do.
There's nothing that will surprise you in this fairly formulaic affair, but it has two very important things going for it: it has a young and talented cast (including Kendrick and "Bridesmaids" roommate Rebel Wilson, who is sure to be a star soon), and it balances the proper amount of irony so that it doesn't take itself too seriously. That's what made "Glee" great back in the day (you know, in season one), and it works here just as well.
"Pitch Perfect" opens in a limited release this weekend, so you may have to wait before it comes out near you.