High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)

3/5

High School Musical 3 is definitely the best of the series, objectively speaking. Die-hard fans will tell you that each has their own unique positive qualities, but in reality this one is the one with the most merit. The songs are vastly superior, the dances are much less awkward, and the overall production quality is easier on the eyes and ears. The director's creativity shines through once more, in both the simple but heartfelt songs and the frenetic dance numbers. This is actually the first time I found myself with a High School Musical song stuck in my head--two, in fact! Also, there are a number of inside jokes that only true fans will appreciate (and point out to the oblivious non-true fans), which is kind of cool I guess.

But in some respects, this movie was the same as the previous ones. The humor is just as innocent, the dialogue is just as cheesy, and the plot is just as predictable. But that's what makes it a Disney movie, and that's what gives it the charm and playfulness its huge female tween fanbase have come to love and expect. But I don't know how to recommend this movie. I wouldn't recommend watching this movie without watching the first two, but I wouldn't recommend watching the first two. So I don't really know where that leaves us. Oh well, make up your own mind!

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0962726/

High School Musical 2 (2007)

2/5

Apparently I am in the minority, but I thought High School Musical 2 was better than the first one. But not by much. The intro countdown to summer was actually really cool and creative, but after that it went downhill. Fast. With preposterously conceived perversions of reality that these "high school students" call "summer vacation" working in a country club. No aspect of the plot or story even remotely seems familiar to anyone going through high school and/or summer break. The characters themselves appear to be empty shells of what might have at one point in time constituted unbastardized versions of real people. The "adorable" relationships from the original become strained to their breaking points, just about eliminating the fun found in the first one. The benefit from this, however, was a more mature look at serious situations that might force audience members to question how they would react in similar scenarios.

Despite suffering from some weak synchronizing of song and video, the songs were actually a lot better than in the first one. More interesting, at the very least. Unfortunately, the dances themselves felt much more awkward and out of place; I wish that I could have told them to stop their dancing and that they would have then listened to me. While still unarguably a made-for-TV children's movie, it managed to make me laugh. Mr. Fulton (Taylor) was absolutely hilarious, even better than Ms. Darbus from the first one. Overall, I can't recommend this to anyone except those who have seen the first one and are in love with it. For everyone else, just walk away now.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0810900/

High School Musical (2006)

2/5

High School Musical is a made-for-TV movie--and it shows. The colors are oversaturated and almost garish, the acting is very much directed at the camera, and the plot and pacing progress in 20 minute increments. The story is simplistic and predictable, the characters are simplistic and predictable, and even the songs are simplistic and predictable. The musical qualities are just as uninspired and bland as the rest of the piece. In attempting to maintain its child-like innocence, the movie lacks a thematic maturity and professional sheen found in other films. And just to prove that those two are not mutually exclusive, compare this movie to any of Disney Pixar's nine nearly flawless films.

Still, the silliness is infectious and the budding romance is absolutely adorable. The characters' personalities, although flat, and their antics, although ridiculous, are pretty fun to watch. To the point where I wanted them to sing less because it took too much time away from the cheesy dialogue and preposterous scenarios. Another thing I liked was their wardrobe; they have some pretty awesome costumes. Still, I wouldn't recommend this movie to many people I know. (And the people I would recommend this movie to don't care about my opinions on movies anyway.)

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475293/