Welcome to The Morning After, where I share with you what movies I’ve seen over the past week. Below, you will find short reviews of those movies along with a star rating. Full length reviews may come at a later date.

So, here is what I watched this past week:

Pitch Perfect

Glee clubs have been around for decades, but they have only tangentially played into television and films over the years, but with the rise in popularity of shows like Glee and games like Rock Band, it was only a matter of time before a feature film tackled the subject in depth. Pitch Perfect came out three years ago during the height of the genre and turned out a fun, engaging film that has now spawned an eagerly awaited sequel. In anticipation of the release of Pitch Perfect 2, I thought it was only appropriate for me to finally see what all the fuss was about.

The film centers on a self-conscious child of divorced parents whose lack of friends have made her an insular mess. Lost in the world of music blending, her father has mandated that she go to college and join a group to see what life is really about before she move off into the real world. Anna Kendrick does wonders as the confident, but ill-prepared young woman who finds friendship and family in the midst of a ramshackle group of girls forming an all girl A Capella group.

There are some very predictable elements in Pitch Perfect, but it doesn’t hamper the unfettered joy the film brings. This is a film about love, acceptance and friendship among individuals who might never have found each other were it not for their shared love of music. The performances are incredibly impressive and the characters are largely lovable caricatures, which only makes them more fascinating. I feel bad for having missed it the first time around, but I’ll be there cheering the Barden Bellas on in their next outing later this year.