A Modern Day Grease for Tweens

After hearing Mary Griffith rant and rave about this movie for days in World History, I decided to go against my better judgement and watch the Disney Channel original movie, High School Musical. And boy am I thankful I did. Anyone who has, in the past, been a fan of other Disney favorites such as Zenon: Girl of the Twenty First Century, or Johnny Tsunami, will probably enjoy this tween flick also.

The movie features Summerland star, Zac Efron, as the popular captain of the basketball team and Vanessa Hutchinson (previously not very famous but immensly likeable) as the new girl searching for her place in the high school hierarchy. The two meet when they are randomly paired to participate in a New Year's karaoke competition while vacationing with their families. Upon returning to school, the two lovebirds realize that they are in the same homeroom together and become friends. The two realize that auditions for the spring performance are looming and they decide to challenge the Prince (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody star Ashley Tisdale) and Princess of the high school. And thus the drama insues.

The style of this film is in keeping with the style of previous Dinsey films: extremely upbeat with a cheesy script BUT it is a musical so they have to do something different don't they? Of course! All of the musical scenes are similar to music videos with awesome coregoraphed dances of everyday scenes. For example, basketball practice is a coregoraphed dance, lunch time is a time to dance on tables ETC. It so much fun to watch. You will, even if you don't want to, start singing the songs and falling in love with the characters. Even though the acting is a bit over done and the main characters don't know how to not smile, you really get involved in the movie. Its extremely energetic and light hearted. It represents, although a little sugar coated, the cliques in high school and you're sure to laugh at the director's interpretations of high school punks and nerds.

And for your viewing pleasure, there is a High School Musical dance along. During the commercials, they will teach you the dance moves so you can bring your inner tween out and dance to such hits as "Breaking Free" and "Start of Something New".

tonight 7pm Channel 24--Do it!

"This is formulaic, cookie-cutter television moviemaking at its most obvious. But if the formula works in the ratings, well, who's to argue? "--The Hollywod Reporter

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/reviews/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001881997


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