Sing

The old “let's put on a show” adage is at the center of filmmaker Garth Jennings's Oscar-nominated animated jukebox musical, which features a playlist that adults will enjoy and enough cheerily colorful critter shenanigans to keep kids happy. Matthew McConaughey voices Buster Moon, a koala bear who runs a music hall where he serves as an enthusiastic MC. All of his productions have sadly bombed, and to save the place from creditors, Buster plans an amateur singing contest with a $1,000 prize. Unfortunately, while printing up the advertisements his doddering secretary announces the sum as $100,000. The plot runs along two tracks, with one involving Buster desperately trying to raise money—which leads him to a legendary star (Jennifer Saunders and—in a younger version—Jennifer Hudson) who is the grandmother of his sheep buddy (John C. Reilly). But the main emphasis is on the contest finalists—an arrogant Frank Sinatra-type mouse (Seth McFarlane) being pursued by a bunch of gamblers; a porcupine (Scarlett Johansson) whose punk boyfriend has just dumped her; a homebody pig (Reese Witherspoon) teamed up with a garrulous hog (Nick Kroll); and a Cockney gorilla (Taron Egerton) with a mellow voice and a mobster father. Added to the mix is an elephant (Tori Kelly) who sings sensationally but is hobbled by a seemingly insurmountable case of stage fright. Sing might not be the most imaginative film around, but a solid mixture of music and slapstick make this an engaging take on a familiar formula. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include character profiles (13 min.), “The Sing Network” clips (13 min.), a “Sing & Dance!” routine (7 min.), a “making-of” featurette (5 min.), a “Finding the Rhythm” editing segment (3 min.), the music video for “Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing” by Tori Kelly along with a “making-of” (3 min.), a brief “The Best of Gunter” montage, a music and lyric video for “Faith,” a lyric video for “Set It All Free,” the companion mini-movies “Gunter Babysits” (4 min.), “Love at First Sight” (4 min.), and “Eddie's Life Coach” (4 min.), and “The Making of the Mini-Movies” (6 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for this fun family film.] (F. Swietek)