TV Binge & Netflix A-Z: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt [Season 2, 2016]

In true TV Binge glory is the next Netflix A-Z selection for U.  You got it! The newly released Season 2 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.  In case you missed it, I was a huge fan of the first season. You can read the review HERE.  I was literally counting down the days to when this would be available on Netflix and I started it up right when I got home from work that Friday night.  I know its already a month or something since its been out but I’ve been working on this new system of having a lot of backlog ready to be written so it gives me time to give whatever I watch a chance to sink in and think about before writing about it.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt [Season 2, 2016]

Creator: Robert Carlock & Tina Fey

Cast: Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski, Carol Kane, Sara Chase, Ki Hong Lee, Mike Carlsen, Tina Fey, Lauren Adams, Amy Sedaris

Its hard to not fall in love with Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.  The characters are too lovable in their silly and outrageous way.  Its fantastic to open up the show with the same theme song that caught me in the first season.  It really shows the tone this series is aiming for.  I just absolutely love it from its hilarious characters to Netflix letting us Kimmy-fy the page which makes it all sparkly and awesome.  I’m not a pink person but Kimmy Schmidt and its characters are all just sparkly and infectiously fun! 🙂

In Season 2, we pretty much pick up from where we left off in the first one.  Titus is still dreaming about pursuing his career in singing on Broadway or something along those lines.  Kimmy is adapting to her new life in New York and the modern technology and getting over Dong who married to an older lady to not get deported.  Titus and Kimmy’s landlord, Lillian is still awkward and hilarious and this season, she’s all about saving the change in her neighborhood. While, the ex-Mrs. Voorhees goes back home to live with her parents and embrace her roots but that is a whole new life to her also, while avoiding her divorcee life of having not been split with more money and scared with the reality she will have to face if she returns to New York.  Of course, she eventually does and with Kimmy’s encouragement, tries to be independent instead of a gold digger.  While this is Kimmy growing up from her 15 year old mentality to a grown-up and her adventures, its equally about the people around her and their adventures because in a way, even if they have been living in this reality all their lives, they still each have their own delusions and live in their own fantasy and they are each growing as a person as well.  Each is as naive as Kimmy is and its funny to watch their endeavors.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt always seems to surprise us with some popular cast, just like Tina Fey who is the show creator takes on a much more involved role this season and no one delivers her content quite like she does. I’m a huge fan of Tina Fey so it was a welcome addition to see her as a psychiatrist that helps Kimmy Schmidt but also has her own issues.  At the same time, we have Lisa Kudrow that comes in as Kimmy’s mom that the season trickles with information that its building to her facing her eventually.  At the same time, we have Anna Camp drop in for a few episodes.  If you don’t know who she is, she’s in one of my favorite movies, Pitch Perfect. And there’s Jeff Goldblum who plays a Dr. Phil-esque type of guy.  Funny how he’s gone such a long way from what I remember him in Jurassic Park. Then, there’s David Cross.  While I haven’t seen a whole lot of movies that I remember him profoundly other than maybe Alvin and the Chipmunks, I know I’ve seen in other stuff that has made me laugh.

You know what? I don’t want to ruin Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and let you just have fun! If you haven’t checked it out, you should! Overall, Season 2 was a ton of fun.  The cast is still as fun and charming as always.  The comedy works (for me).  Yet, there’s still a lot of good things that we can learn from this series.  Plus, it has a ton of really great cameo roles.  Maybe some of them will return. Who knows, right? Right now, I just can’t wait for the next season, which is going to feel so long!

Have you seen Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt? 

Pitch Perfect (2012)

I saw Pitch Perfect right before February started and the Valentine’s marathon started.  Between then and now, its been constantly in my DVD player and accompanying me during workouts and late night when I felt like I needed to breathe between Sparks adaptations.  I am totally obsessed and I think I’ve seen it in the past 2 weeks at least 10 times.  With that said, you already have a good idea where this is going but lets start with a little synopsis!

Director: Jason Moore

Cast: Anna Kendricks, Brittany  Snow, Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine, Ben Platt, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins

Beca’s (Anna Kendrick) dream is to make music but her father insists that she goes to Barden University and try that out beforehand.  He ends up making a deal with her that if she puts herself out there and doesn’t enjoy it in the end, then she is free to go.  With that said, she tries out for the all girls acapella group Barden Bellas under the encouragement of one of the group’s leaders, Chloe (Brittany Snow).  Barden Bellas suffered from their current leaders embarassement in the finals the previous year and they are trying to regroup with new members and hopefully right the wrong by winning against the other group, all guys acapella group, The Treblemakers led by Bumper (Adam DeVine).  Beca joins the group and has a hard time going along with the leader Aubrey’s (Anna Camp) lack of desire to stray from tradition and control, especially in regards to her growing friendship (and attraction) with new Treblemaker member, Jesse (Skylar Astin).

When Pitch Perfect first came out, I kind of dismissed it.  I don’t know why because this stuff calls out to me all the time.  But as time went by, reaching about the end of last year, I started liking Anna Kendrick for her song Cups and then I remembered how much I really love Brittany Snow.  I really think it has to do with the fact that there hasn’t been a lot of this type of singing competition things thats peaked my interest and I was starting to fall out of liking Glee also. From my intro paragraph, you already know I LOVE it! I seriously am obsessed.  Pitch Perfect is an awesomely fun movie with great covers and nice little parts other than just the main competitions. I personally loved The Riff Off! I was even thinking if someone does that in real life, it would so cool!

Not only is the main character, Beca played by Anna Kenrick really cool to watch, everyone else really builds up to be fantastic side characters as well as the Barden Bellas start to bond.  They do some pretty ridiculous things and well, I’m not a huge Rebel Wilson fan to begin and even I started loving her character. She has some of the most hilarious moments and lines.  Thats exactly it why this movie is great.  Not only do they have great tunes, awesome characters and bonding but it even has humor, at times, witty and smart and others, just plain silly and ridiculous but it all works out to be the perfect amount of fun. One of the crazy moments was realizing that Aubrey is actually the crazy religious lady in True Blood, you know, ex-wife of Steve Newlin.

Now, looking at the boys.  I know no one in this and the main focus is on the Treblemakers as a group with a bigger focus on Skylar Astin’s character, Jesse who is pretty much the love interest of Beca.  Its kind of funny because the geeky/nerdy factor of this group was crazy.  Its kind of silly but fun, still.  Bumper is such a jerky character and Adam DeVine does it so well.  He’s jerky but at certain parts, so funny.  However, I really love Skylar Astin.  I’ve never seen this guy before but Jesse is a pretty cool character as in he’s not only very knowledgeable with music (and sings great) but he has great taste in movies.  Plus, the character itself sets the movie off in a very positive attitude.

Seriously, other than the bits of throwing up that makes the movie a bit disgusting to watch during a meal.  The rest of it is totally impressive, fun, entertaining, toe-tapping, sing along, humorous.  Its pure awesomeness and I totally regret not seeing it sooner! I can’t wait for the second one! If its even a margin as good as this one, it’ll be pretty epic 🙂

What did you think of Pitch Perfect?