SING 2
****
Director: Garth Jennings
Screenwriter: Garth Jennings
Principal cast:
Matthew McConaughey
Reese Witherspoon
Scarlett Johansson
Tori Kelly
Taron Edgerton
Bono
Country: USA/France/Japan
Classification: G
Runtime: 110 mins.
Australian release date: 26 December 2021.
Sing 2, directed by Garth Jennings, is a totally uplifting antidote to these Omicron-blighted times - it’s a spectacular, computer-animated production from Illumination Entertainment (home of the Minions), full of music and movement that’ll get you singing and dancing in your seat. A fitting sequel to the first Sing, which graced our screens in 2016 and was also written and directed by Jennings, many of the same actors have resumed their original voice roles and been joined by a host of A-list newcomers; even U2’s Bono has joined the cast and you don’t get much bigger than that.
In this outing, the ever-optimistic koala Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), a theatre impresario, is once again trying to save the diminishing fortunes of his theatre troupe. He is devastated when talent scout Suki (Chelsea Peretti), ups and leaves midway through their current show, claiming that it doesn’t have the necessary ‘oomph’ to take it to the next level. Buster refuses to take no for an answer, however, and convinces his group to accompany him to Redshore City, a Vegas-style metropolis, rehearsing in the bus en route. His aim is to have them audition for Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale), a Trump-style bully in control of a very flashy hotel, who can back an extravaganza like the gang’s new sci-fi show, Out of This World, an idea dreamed up by Gunter, the dancing pig (Nick Kroll). Buster gets the go-ahead from Crystal but only on the proviso that he includes Clay Calloway (Bono), a retired superstar musician who Buster claims to know personally. The rehearsals are chaotic and some in the company begin to question their abilities, like Rosita the pig (Reese Witherspoon) and Johnny the gorilla (Taron Edgerton). On top of all this, Calloway is proving difficult to contact and if Buster can’t succeed in convincing him to join them, the repercussions will be dire. How much pressure can a koala bear?
Sting 2 has a stellar voice cast, which also includes Scarlett Johansson, Halsey, Tori Kelly, Pharrell Williams and Jennifer Saunders, among others. There’s even a ‘grin’ (apparently, the correct collective noun) of adorable tap-dancing pygmy possums, who perform a magnificent Busby Berkley-style number at the end of the show. The terrific song list features well-known tracks like Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy, Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy and, of course, U2’s I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. It is definitely worth donning a mask and heading off to the cinema to escape into this madcap world of colour and movement for a couple of hours of pure fantasy entertainment. Suitable for all ages, Sing 2 will make your day a better one - guaranteed.
Screenwriter: Garth Jennings
Principal cast:
Matthew McConaughey
Reese Witherspoon
Scarlett Johansson
Tori Kelly
Taron Edgerton
Bono
Country: USA/France/Japan
Classification: G
Runtime: 110 mins.
Australian release date: 26 December 2021.
Sing 2, directed by Garth Jennings, is a totally uplifting antidote to these Omicron-blighted times - it’s a spectacular, computer-animated production from Illumination Entertainment (home of the Minions), full of music and movement that’ll get you singing and dancing in your seat. A fitting sequel to the first Sing, which graced our screens in 2016 and was also written and directed by Jennings, many of the same actors have resumed their original voice roles and been joined by a host of A-list newcomers; even U2’s Bono has joined the cast and you don’t get much bigger than that.
In this outing, the ever-optimistic koala Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), a theatre impresario, is once again trying to save the diminishing fortunes of his theatre troupe. He is devastated when talent scout Suki (Chelsea Peretti), ups and leaves midway through their current show, claiming that it doesn’t have the necessary ‘oomph’ to take it to the next level. Buster refuses to take no for an answer, however, and convinces his group to accompany him to Redshore City, a Vegas-style metropolis, rehearsing in the bus en route. His aim is to have them audition for Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale), a Trump-style bully in control of a very flashy hotel, who can back an extravaganza like the gang’s new sci-fi show, Out of This World, an idea dreamed up by Gunter, the dancing pig (Nick Kroll). Buster gets the go-ahead from Crystal but only on the proviso that he includes Clay Calloway (Bono), a retired superstar musician who Buster claims to know personally. The rehearsals are chaotic and some in the company begin to question their abilities, like Rosita the pig (Reese Witherspoon) and Johnny the gorilla (Taron Edgerton). On top of all this, Calloway is proving difficult to contact and if Buster can’t succeed in convincing him to join them, the repercussions will be dire. How much pressure can a koala bear?
Sting 2 has a stellar voice cast, which also includes Scarlett Johansson, Halsey, Tori Kelly, Pharrell Williams and Jennifer Saunders, among others. There’s even a ‘grin’ (apparently, the correct collective noun) of adorable tap-dancing pygmy possums, who perform a magnificent Busby Berkley-style number at the end of the show. The terrific song list features well-known tracks like Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy, Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy and, of course, U2’s I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. It is definitely worth donning a mask and heading off to the cinema to escape into this madcap world of colour and movement for a couple of hours of pure fantasy entertainment. Suitable for all ages, Sing 2 will make your day a better one - guaranteed.