Pitch Perfect 3

Dinner and a Movie

By Steve Herte

Pitch Perfect 3 (Universal, 2017) – Director: Trish Sie. Writers: Kay Cannon (story & s/p), Mike White (s/p), Mickey Rapkin (book), Stars: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Hailee Steinfeld, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, Kelley Jakle, Shelley Regner, Chrissie Fit, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins, Michael Rose, John Lithgow, Matt Lanter & Guy Burnet. Color, Rated PG-13, 93 minutes.

Though it didn’t have as much exciting routines as the first two, this sequel was still a fun movie. What was sung was done well and choreographed nicely.

Now graduates of Barden College, the Barden Bellas are all in situations and occupations they would rather be out of and back together as a group. An invitation is sent out by Emily (Steinfeld), now a senior, to Beca (Kendrick), Fat Amy/Patricia (Wilson), Chloe (Snow), Aubrey (Camp), Cynthia Rosa (Dean), Lilly (Lee), Ashley (Regner), Flo (Fit), and Jessica (Jakle) to a “reunion” at Barden to hear the new Bellas she leads. The girls jump at the chance to sing together again and arrive in matching outfits only to be told they won’t be singing, only watching the new group.

Dejected, they gather at a bar when Aubrey hatches an idea to join a USO tour through an invitation she’s sure she can get from her father (Rose). The element of a competition arises when the group learns that DJ Khaled (himself) will be on the tour to choose the best new musical act to open for him. The next thing you know, they’re in Spain, where they meet their serviceman guides.

In a huge helicopter hanger the girls meet the other groups, all who use instruments. Also in tow are the two goofy commentators from the previous two movies, John (Higgins) and Gail (Banks), eager to do a documentary of the final failure of the Barden Bellas. (No American group has ever won this competition, much less an a cappella group.)

A riff-off (pick a topic and sing a song relating to it back and forth) between groups fails at the sound check. Amy’s dad Fergus (Lithgow) appears at their hotel trying to be “a better father” to her while working on his own criminal agenda. Beca becomes enamored with DJ Khaled’s promoter Theo (Burnet) and Chloe links up with Chicago. A surprise visit to DJ Khaled’s party ends badly when Aubrey accidentally sets the suite on fire.

With seemingly no hope of winning the competition the Bellas rally around Aubrey’s suggestion to sing for the sheer joy of it and do several well-received performances in other countries. But DJ Khaled only wants Beca when Theo plays him a tape made by her on his vintage mixer before the party went up in flames.

Fergus kidnaps the group, minus Beca and Amy, and promises to dump them overboard from his yacht if Amy doesn’t come back to him. An outrageous rescue is in order, a competition is to be won and a series ends with a big number.

Though a little light (compared to one and two) in the a cappella performances, this film almost makes up for it in the humor, full of sexual innuendo. Not what I would call a vulgar humor, but close. Aside from the harmonies sung by the actual actors, the most jaw-dropping scene is Rebel Wilson becoming a one woman army, doing all her own stunts and martial arts moves. Second to that is John Lithgow’s Australian accent, which was flawless. I’m almost sad that this was the final movie because I’ve come to like the “group that could” even while being put down by their competition and the constant jibes by John and Gail. Ciao Bellas!

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 martini glasses.

L’Adresse

1065 6^th Avenue, New York

www.Ladressenyc.com

When I saw the location of this restaurant I wondered how I missed it when I pass this way every Tuesday. The restaurant has been in existence for two years and, before that, was known as Coffeemania.

Right across 6^th Avenue from Bryant Park, this is a winner of 40 national and international awards for coffee excellence – a place with a French name, Russian food and American recipes. The large front windows are hung with elaborate paper snowflakes. Inside, the warm wooden paneling and the golden glow from the small hanging swags and insets on the wall reflect off the shiny bare-wood tables.

Seated on a comfortable banquette facing inward, my server suggested a “dirty” martini (one with olive brine added) and I agreed. Using the only gin I’ve never sampled, The Botanist Islay dry gin, we concocted a satisfying cocktail.

Soon I was able to choose three courses and a wine. The wine was the easiest, a 2009 Pinot Noir Spätburgunder from Philipp Kuhn vineyards in Pfaltz, Germany. It had a light nose and tart berry flavor with light tannins and a beautiful ruby color. It was the perfect accent for all my dishes.

First up was cauliflower soup with a soft poached egg and chili garlic oil. The flavor was redolent of bacon and the garnish looked like a carnival with yellow from the egg yolk, red from the chili, pink from thinly sliced cauliflower and green from a sprig of cress. Every spoonful was a delight.

Next came a roasted beet salad with quinoa, goat cheese croquettes, and a honey champagne vinaigrette arrived lined up on a long oval dish like a float in the rose parade. Three slices of watermelon radish added a festive target-like decoration. It tasted every bit as good as it looked: nutty and rich, with cheesy surprise accents on a red carpet of savory beets. Kind of Russian, very American, with French style.

My main course was easy. I love Pelmeni – traditional Russian dumplings stuffed with beef and pork. Here it was served with salsa and crème fraiche instead of sour cream, making a spicy accent to the delicious, savory ground meat in the tender pasta-like pocket. The black plate was a dramatic contrast to the white dumplings. And if that wasn’t enough, a side dish of truffled fries with Parmigiano Reggiano, chives, white truffle oil were served in a paper cone inside an aluminum cylinder and were accompanied by a fresh catsup dipping sauce. I haven’t had such great Pelmeni since the restaurant Pushkin closed.

Every dish had a unique combination of American, French and Russian and the dessert was no exception. Smetannyk is the most ordered dessert here and I could see why when I tasted it. This Russian 11-layer sour cream cake was rendered more American with crushed graham crackers between the layers. It was sweet, tart, crunchy and delicate all at once.

I followed this with Moscow’s bestseller, Raf Coffee. The unique thing about this coffee is that it has the taste and texture of melted ice cream while being one of the best cups of coffee I’ve had in a long time. Sweet, creamy and with a true coffee flavor.

Distilled in copper from rye and wheat grains, my after dinner drink, Rye & Wheat No. 1 from Polugar, Russia, is a unique vodka (not made from potatoes, as regular vodka is) with a strange bread-like flavor. It was exactly the right drink to finish an American/French/Russian dinner.

There are several other Russian-inspired dishes on L’Adresse’s menu which would have me running back. But it also has French delights and American comforts.

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