Say what you will about the film's wielding of stereotypes -- it genuinely loves its characters.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 10, 2016

What felt like winking cheekiness in the first movie can come across now more like clumsy provocation.

| Dec 31, 2015

A cappella isn't something everyone wants to do, as Beca constantly reminds us, but for this kid, it's all she's ever wanted to do. And when Pitch Perfect 2 is at its best, it makes you feel, for just a second, like you want to, too.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 17, 2015

The music is better and the comedy is worse.

Full Review | Nov 10, 2015

This is a rare comedy sequel that works, so let's hope they don't do a third.

| Aug 14, 2015

Anna Kendrick's Beca, a mash-up maestro, spends the movie looking like she'd rather scale a fish than scale her vocals. (Maybe because Kendrick is nearly 30, and she's still playing a college student?)

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 19, 2015

Ethnic clichés abound, college comes off as a free sleepaway camp, and the simple wonders of unaccompanied singing are inflated to Las Vegas-style bombast.

| May 18, 2015

Stop me if you think you've heard this one before.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 17, 2015

It's funnier than most modern teen-oriented American comedies, and ends on a high note that will leave you thinking it's a far better movie than it actually is.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 17, 2015

It actually is difficult to write a review of Pitch Perfect 2. First you have to think up and reject a bunch of adjectives and nouns to pair with "a ca," as in, "It's a ca-lousy" ...

| May 15, 2015

This sequel succumbs to a predictable syndrome and goes big when it should have gone home. Its self-satisfaction is a step toward cynicism, and that is what a Pitch Perfect film must never be.

| May 15, 2015

It may be calculated, but it gets the best out of a talented cast. And with a surfeit of charm and some killer wit muddled in, it'll surely win you over by the first big number.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 15, 2015

As second rounds of comedies go, "Pitch Perfect 2" definitely is not perfect. Its script is more than a smidge pitchy.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 15, 2015

What we have is an update that is tighter, slicker and fine-tuned in more ways than one - no doubt music to the ears of the fans of a flowering franchise.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 15, 2015

A movie with attitude and energy that's not as aca-amazing as the original, but still makes for semi-shiny summertime fun.

| Original Score: C+ | May 15, 2015

It's at least 20 minutes too long. But Banks marshals things with such cheery uplift you're all too happy to spend time in the Bellas' company.

| Original Score: 4/5 | May 15, 2015

The over-the-top racist caricatures feels horribly out-of-sync with the movie's positive message about girl power and friendship.

| Original Score: 2/5 | May 14, 2015

Despite stereotypical characters and many flat jokes, the charisma of the cast and energetic direction won me over in the end.

| Original Score: B- | May 14, 2015

It is an impressive feature directing debut, with Banks handling the high-octane chaos of "Pitch" with almost perfect aplomb.

| May 14, 2015

Acca-heaven!

| Original Score: B+ | May 14, 2015