wrecking ball

Pitch Perfect 2
Directed by: Elizabeth Banks
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld, Adam DeVine, Skylar Astin, Katey Sagal

By: Nevra Azerkan
Rating: [The Breakdown]

It seems only yesterday that I was writing the review for the new out-of-nowhere hit, Pitch Perfect. At that time I got to see an early screening. This time around, I attended the Los Angeles premiere at the Nokia Theater at L.A. Live. Most of the cast was present to unveil the film to the anxious Los Angeles crowd.

We see the return of our favorites Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow and even to some capacity Skylar Astin, Adam DeVine, Anna Camp and Ben Platt. There’s a new addition of Hailee Steinfeld, who become a new Bella, as well as special appearances by Katey Sagal and David Cross. Elizabeth Banks not only stars in the sequel, but she was also given the director’s chair.

With Pitch Perfect we left off with the Bella’s holding auditions for next year’s class. So we see a few new additions, but they are mostly in the background. The group is invited to perform for the President of the United States and things turn for the worse when Fat Amy flashes everyone during their cover of “Wrecking Ball.” The Bellas are no longer able to perform, recruit or perform at their scheduled events. Those gigs end up going to a German aca-group that you will either find to be fierce or funny, but most likely both. In order to get the Bellas back in commission they make a deal: win an international aca-competition that no American team has ever won and be reinstated.

Of course hilarity is bound to come crashing through with this bunch and it does in spades. Sequels are always tricky, but Pitch Perfect 2 nails it. Storylines are focused on Beca and her internship with a music producer and Fat Amy’s love/hate relationship with Bumper. A nice surprise was how they were able to bring back Aubrey (Anna Camp) and make it seem natural. There’s also cameos from Pentatonix, Jimmy Kimmel, Rosie O’Donnell, Rosie Perez, Snoop Dogg, six members of the Green Bay Packers and The Voice coaches, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, Pharrell Williams, and Blake Shelton.

Pitch Perfect 2 is a blast and should not be missed. The ending was left open-ended and I had hoped they would leave it there, but Pitch Perfect 3 has already been announced and has a release date of July 21, 2017. Kendrick and Wilson have both signed on, so we will have to wait and see if they can pull off a creative way to keep their characters involved. But for now we can enjoy that they’re back, pitches.