PITCH PERFECT 2 (SPOILER-FREE) REVIEW

What Is It: Pitch Perfect 2 is the sequel to 2012's runaway hit Pitch Perfect starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin, Ben Platt, and Adam Devine.  This time, we catch up with the 3-time national champion a capella group The Barden University Bellas in their senior year of college.  For Chloe (played by Brittany Snow), it's her third go-around at senior year having failed Russian Literature three times in order to remain a part of The Bellas.  The movie opens with The Bellas performing for the president (yes, President Obama) on his birthday when a wardrobe malfunction results in a national scandal and the Bellas are subsequently suspended from the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella (ICCAs).  Their victory tour is taken away from them and given to professional German a capella group Das Sound Machine and the only way to make their way back into the good graces of the ICCA is by winning the World Championship of A Capella in Copenhagen.

My experience: I absolutely loved the first movie and so I knew I had to see this one as soon as possible.  I went to see it one Saturday morning with my friends and it did not disappoint.  Aside from the fact that I am a huge music nerd, this movie shines light on the talented people who sing a capella and I can tell you from experience that it is NOT easy.  I enjoyed the fact that this sequel was able to keep the same character traits that we had come to know and love in the first film and further expand them to make them even more loveable. 

Why You Should See It: If you see this movie for nothing else, you must see it for the comedic genius of Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins whose characters John and Gail have now started their own podcast called "Talk-apella" and their ridiculous banter will have you laughing from beginning to end.  The movie is also packed with amazing cameos from President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, the Green Bay Packers, The Sing-Off champions Pentatonix, The Sing-Off contestants The Filharmonic, Snoop Dogg, comedians David Cross and Keegan Michael-Key, and The Voice judges Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Pharrell Williams.  If you love a capella, or have a girl-crush on Anna Kendrick (because, let's face it, who doesn't?), you should get out there and see this movie immediately!

The Future: There have been rumors that Rebel Wilson has already signed on for Pitch Perfect 3 and with the success of this film, a third installment seems inevitable.  We will definitely be keeping you posted as we learn more about another sequel.  In the meantime, you can catch a capella group Pentatonix opening for Kelly Clarkson on her Piece by Piece Tour this summer, the "Bella legacy" Hailee Steinfeld in Taylor Swift's new music video Bad Blood, and director-producer-star Elizabeth Banks in two more blockbuster movies this year: Magic Mike XXL and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2.