High School Musical
High School Musical
2006
OK. So, I had heard sooo much about how this movie is single-handedly defining the new generation of teens. According to my teen magazines I have been reading, HSM (as they call it) it is the "Grease" for a new generation, and also Zac Efron is totally hot. So I figured I had to watch this movie. Let me first just say that my research has found that:
a) there is currently a touring concert version of this movie
b) also a live stage show
c) and an ice show
d) and the sequel comes out this summer
e)
oh, and there is also a novelization. That I am not very curious to
read. How do you novelize a song and dance routine involving
basketballs?
But I digress.
This movie is actually really sweet and funny. It is also refreshing to watch a movie where the teens actually look like actual teens -- as in, this case appears to be at least ten years younger than the cast of John Tucker Must Die.
I guess everybody knows the plot by now. Dreamy basketball player Zac Efron falls for mathlete Vanessa Anne Hudgins -- and they both secretly want to be in the musical. The school's star actors, brother and sister evil duo Ryan and Sharpay, do their best to foil Zac and Vanessa's plans for musical superstardom. The basketball team thinks Vanessa is distracting Zac from the big championship game. The mathletes think that Zac is using Vanessa. Misunderstandings. Singing and dancing.
I guess it is kind of refreshing to see a movie where the singing is clearly being done by these actors, and so is the dancing. In that neither is really award-winning calibre, but the teens are having so much fun doing this movie, it is really uplifting to watch. Though can I say, Zac Efron is really, really, not a very good dancer. Or singer. But he does have the requisite puppy-dog eyes and shaggy bangs to make all 8 year old girls swoon.
I think my favourite part of this movie was the songs (and the soundtrack is apparently the #1 selling album of 2006 or something). At least two of the movie's stars - Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Anne Hudgins -- have released solo albums. Monique Coleman was on last season's Dancing with the Stars. Zac Efron is currently on the cover of every teen magazine I am reviewing for my YA Hotline project, and he will also be in the new Hairspray movie musical.
Rating: Great for kids ages 8+, especially girls (and older teens might like it too) (but they probably wouldn't admit that they like it)
