MEOW!
High School Musical Nostalgic Insights: Horrible.
High School Musical 2 Nostalgic Insights: Despicable.
High School Musical 3--Senior Year Nostalgic Insights: HELP ME!!!!!!!!
Nah, I'm kidding with you all. I didn't even think they were all that bad growing up. However, I never saw them as great films, or films that should be regarded as masterful works of art. It was for a younger generation, and I certainly wasn't a part of it. That being said, they were...fun, I think. Even the high schoolers who were a fan of these films saw it as an escape from their actual high school activities. East High was probably the cleanliest high school ever captured on film/television--no drugs, no sex, no swearing--just pure innocence from day to night, with the occasional pointlessness of awkward drama. Personally, I wouldn't mind going to a high school like that. I mean, they seem like nice people; I think it would be awesome hanging out with Troy and Gabriella, or Kelsi and Ryan. Sharpay? Maybe, but I'll get back to you on that.
Still, what do I think of these films today? Should I stick to the status quo and become a quote-unquote hater, or should I break free and realize that there is a star that I can reach?
Well, let's start at the very beginning. It's a very good place to start, ya know...
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL
Ah, this was the start of something new, and it is...feh. I found it to be a missed opportunity when it could have been something special. How so?
When I see a title like High School Musical, I see a truly hilarious satire on how high school can be over-dramatic but because it's owned by Disney, it would have to be fantastical while still remaining appropriate for children, something along the lines of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (Yeah, it's Nickelodeon, but if you've seen it, you know what I'm writing about). Problem is, when executing that concept, it's a.) not that funny--Ryan Evans (Lucas Grabeel) is treated as an unfunny stereotype for the most part b.) with a couple of exceptions, the songs are not well-written--I mean, my god, TEN PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN WRITING THE SONGS, PEOPLE--and c.) there's an air of artificiality in the proceedings. If you don't make a film like High School Musical a satire, then at least give us a story and characters with real, heartfelt emotion. I smiled during a few moments--yes, I smiled during "We're All in this Together"--but other than that, I couldn't care about what was going on in the film. I couldn't care about Troy and Gabriella's relationship, I couldn't care about the Drama Club vs. the Basketball team--overall, my face was like this: -_- .
But again, there are a couple of positives. I did like a couple of songs; "What I've Been Looking For" and its reprise is actually pretty catchy and enjoyable to listen to, and I think "Stick to the Status Quo" is a great song regardless of where it comes from. It's witty, it's memorable, and best of all, it's one of the few moments in this film where it's satirical while keeping your interest in these characters. Also, for a film targeted towards children, it does have a positive message to send, even if it's a message that anyone over the age of 12 has heard a million times. Ya know, accept people for who they are, and not *what* they are, and blahdeblahdeoh well, I still approve this message.
Aside from those couple of positives, High School Musical is one missed opportunity that could have used several more laughs and fewer people writing the songs. Cheesus, TEN PEOPLE DO NOT NEED TO WRITE THE SONGS, I REPEAT!
On the plus side, THERE'S A FAKE CAMEL WITH SHADES IN THIS FILM!
From one year at East High to a summer of...pink...let's move on 2...
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2
How do you make a sequel even bigger than the first? Make ELEVEN people write the songs instead of ten, THAT'S HOW! But does that make it a bad movie musical? Well, in many ways, it's worse than the first--there are not enough memorable musical numbers, and there are some truly cringe-worthy elements. Plus, there are no fake camels with shades in this film. I am appalled.
Still, I can find a few positives. "I Don't Dance" is an awesome number choreographed by Kenny Ortega, and the song itself is enjoyable to listen on occasion. The message remains positive for its target audience, even if its message can be found in something superior like Ferris Bueller's Day Off: life comes at you pretty fast, so enjoy the ride while you can. The song "Everyday" supports that message very nicely, despite how corny it can be at times. The best aspect of High School Musical 2, however, is the character development of Ryan Evans (Lucas Grabeel); this time, he's a fleshed-out, three-dimensional character instead of an unfunny, one-dimensional stereotype. He also FINALLY departs from playing second fiddle to Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale).
And yeah, let's get to my biggest problem with this film. I like Ashley Tisdale, or at least, I did like her; I don't know where she is anymore. I will also come out and type that her rendition of "Kiss the Girl" actually has a catchy beat, and I will admit that I found Sharpay to be rather tolerable in HSM. In this sequel, however, she takes up approximately eighty-five point six percent of the picture, and at least after she arrives at the club, she tries one-hundred percent of my patience. I understand that's the point of her character, as she tries everyone else's patience, but a point can transform into a flame, and that flame can transform into a demon. Do you know where demons live in solitude? I thought so. Zac Efron, with the material he's given, does feel like he's trying as Troy Bolton, although he is responsible for the most cringe-worthy moment in High School Musical history. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you exhibit ZE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5bjq2r12JE. It's just...hilarious. It's supposed to be inspirational film-making and storytellling, and yet it ends up feeling like a prolonged blooper meant for the DVD market. Big mistake on Mr. Ortega's part.
So overall, whenever High School Musical 2 is good, it's actually very nice. The message is a positive one, and I think fleshing out Ryan Evans' character was a wise choice by the writers. Whenever High School Musical 2 fails, however, it's either incredibly annoying or ferociously cringe-worthy. I must also stress: WHERE IS THE FAKE CAMEL WITH SHADES? Well, maybe he'll be in the third one.
Or is he a she instead? Hmmmm...let's find out in...
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR
YES! THE FAKE CAMEL WITH SHADES RETURNS!
And by jove! High School Musical 3: Senior Year is actually...very good?
While this film carries some of the flaws that infected the HSM trilogy as a whole, Senior Year has an abundance of heart and spirit that results into a satisfying farewell for the East High wildcats.
But first, let's get the negatives out of the way so that we can save the positives for last, because after all, senior year is like that anyways. I think that the film should have focused on their entire senior year, instead of focusing on the later half. In fact--and I know it would make Disney feel like a crash grab for doing this, but meh--it would've been interesting seeing this film split into two parts, with one part being the fall semester, and the other being the spring semester. The first part would've been released around Christmastime, while the second part would've been released during the graduation season. I mean, some high schoolers would be fans of this franchise at that point, right? Probably? Anywho, I also felt that some of the songs are the most forgettable in the franchise; I can't instantly remember "Walk Away" like I can instantly remember "Stick to the Status Quo," although I do appreciate that there are now FOUR songwriters this time instead of ELEVEN. There's also the occasional annoyance of a couple of characters, such as Sharpay's new assistant named Tiara (Jemma McKenzie-Brown), who has one cringe-worthy moment near the end of what was already an outstanding musical number. And darn it all, I still stand by that it should've been a straight-up satire right from the beginning; it could have wiped away all of the flaws that this trilogy already contains.
Alright, positive time! Whereas the first two was made for television audiences, this film was intended for the big screen, and it's legitimately well-crafted in some scenes, such as when Troy (Zac Efron) is having such a mental breakdown that he just wants to "Scream." But it's not all style and lack of substance. Turns out I had to wait a couple of chapters to FINALLY connect with its story, characters and thematic elements. Anyone who has already graduated can understand the bittersweet melancholy of 'the end,' and while high school won't be looked back as 'the happiest place on Earth,' the positives that we created will always remain in our hearts. This film, despite its lack of authenticity for the most part, does a GREAT job capturing that feeling, even for those who haven't entered into high school yet; one thing that they will understand is the power of friendship, and that sometimes, friends have to part on their own separate journeys. One scene near the end executes that concept in a surprisingly honest and mature fashion, even for a franchise as child-friendly as High School Musical. And I swear, if you don't crack a smile once during the last twenty minutes, well...I think Hairspray would be a terrific alternative, but that's beside the point...or flame...or demon. I'm not starting this again.
The result is easily the best of the High School Musical trilogy. It's not a perfectly written movie musical, and I'm not going to watch it as much as Hairspray or another film that I'll review in a couple of days, but High School Musical 3: Senior Year has a lot of heart and spirit, and for those reasons alone, it's worth a positive recommendation.
For all of my complaints regarding this trilogy as a whole, I can see why people get a kick out of them. They have positive thematic elements, an optimistic ensemble cast, and quite possibly the cleanliest high school thus far in the digital age. For some, this will become pure nostalgia-fodder as soon as they enter into high school, and they could possibly break out into song in the cafeteria someday. Who wouldn't want to break the status quo, anyways? Out of five camels with shades, here's what I give each of these films:
High School Musical:
High School Musical 2:
High School Musical 3--Senior Year:
Until next time,
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME!
and MEOW, of course!
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