The Brave One Review

The Brave One Review

High School Musical 2 Review

High School Musical 2 Review


Before I say anything in this review, let me just be allowed to point out that High School Musical is a phenomenon like no other. It has been quite some time since I've seen hordes of people fall in love with such overhyped films, and it isn't even released in theaters.
High School Musical 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the TV sensation High School Musical (who could have guessed eh?). and it picks off where the quality of the last film left off, and went completely downhill from there.
I have many friends who had adored the first film for its charming and funky music, its lovable characters and its simple, albeit overused, plot. Then again I have friends who absolutely despite it for just the same reasons. Me? I came in just in the middle. I liked thi first film for its songs, its moves. They weren't exactly broadway stuff but it was entertaining, and it was for a much younger audience orientation, so that was easily dismissed. The plot was a huge cliche... so? It was for kids, oting wrong with cliches. Besides it was Disney, if ever there was a king company of cliches it would be these guys. Sure the songs grew old after you hear it around every corner, but at the very least I respected High School Musical for what it at least attempted to do and what it actually managed to achieve with its young viewers.
I respect it no longer. In a large way, the sequel is a bigger bolder success compared to the first film, a lot more people watched it.
But then again I hated it.
The plot is still cliche ridden. But props have to be given to the writers for trying to spice up their cliches with slightly less cliche-ridden factors. What you end up with is still a cliche (no idea how many times I will be saying that in this review) of a story that is actually frustrating, confusing, mindless and just plain awful at the same time. The change of scenery to a counry club is a nice twist, and the summer theme is refreshing. Then again after a few scenes of mindless swimming at the middle of the night, frolicking in huge golf courses and dining luxurious meals, we start forgetting these is a "High School" musical, something that at least made the first film charming.
Then we move on to the numbers. I don't expect these guys to pull off Tony-award winning material, but at the very least keep us entertained, not groaning in pain. The first musical had several songs that I at least enjoyed and even the lowest, cheesiest of the songs was still bearable.
Now it's gone on to a whole new different place. It seems that the director has lost all abandon. there are barely any songs that get me going, about one or two that I actually felt the groove to. The rest was sloppy ad ill-conceived, their lyrics horrid and the acting sordid. I felt like I was watching two llamas attempting to stand on their two hind legs.
But hey, let's not be mean, right? This is High School Musical. Haaaaiiiii.... If this movie had gone first there was no way I'd see any of my batchmates attempt to pull this version off in the first batch of broadway kick-offs as they did with th first film.
And don't even let me go on about the acting. Zac Efron may have gotten points from me with his turn as Link in Hairspray, but his performance here lands him back where he started. Let's just hope that his puppy-don't-get-mad-at-met face doesn't grace the screens of his upcoming film Footloose or we are all seriously beggining to see the end of a short Muscial Revival era.
But to be fair, Zac was nowhere NEAR as horrible as Vanessa Hudgens (and I'm not talking about her recent nude fiasco as well). This half-Filipina (and she never ever really mentions that half thank god) is the prime epitome of clueless with just a hint of ditzy and a lot of I-wanna-strangle-you-to-end-this-movie-right-now. Seriousyl, get some acting lessons. Even the Harry Potter cast is better than you (cringing fake laughs and all).
But it wasn't all bad, thank god. Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel were adorable once again as Sharpay and Ryan Evans. One of these two had more entertainment value than the rest of the cast put together. Somewhere along the line I began wishing that these two were the main characters of the entire series instead of those two love-struck-dead birds. By the end of the movie, I was pleading for it.
God give me strength because now they plan the third move... onscreen! And as an avid movie fan I am forcing myself to go watch that too. I just hope beyond all travesties (though the chances are extremely slim) that they get it right that time.

4 out of 10

Review: Hairspray

HAIRSPRAY
When the year began, I must say with utmost sincerity that it was to be one of the most hyped up year for movies ever since The Lord of the Rings Trilogy ended. Very few years have thus for presented a platter of the most tantalizing dished of Hollywood goodies as this year had.
It is then in that view all the greater a tragedy that Hollywood has done nothing but leave behind it a trail of complete disappointments.
Not to say that the big names of Summer (Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Spiderman 3 and Shrek 3), a cornucopia of trilogies, was bad. I enjoyed Pirates; Shrek 3 made me laugh and Spiderman was a joy for the inner geek. That doesn't mean they were good either. Pirates was convoluted and trashed by Hollywood's desire for the big bucks, Spiderman was too flashy and over-the-top and Shrek... well it's getting too old too fast.
It is then with the greatest desire that I announce that one of the films I had been anticipating for this year redeems the farce of these films. Although I cannot say that it was the first film of the year to meet my expectations (that honor goes to the bloody joy that is 300) but it is also the first film to do so by appealing to my inner artist rather than showing me a lot of gleeful killing (Don't get me wrong though, I love the blood).
But before I go on I must first admit, Hairspray holds a deep place within my heart. Watching the trailer alone brings back memories and next to Chicago, it has the greatest hold on me in regard to me High School life experience. But do not regard that as bias, rather regard it as even higher standards set for this film. And I must say, upon learning that the same man directed The Pacifier I was all set for disappointment.
But that it did not do. The music was great, the dance moves terrific, the acting superb and it does this grand show while teaching us all an important lesson of prejudice, without becoming any notch above preachy.
I must admit however that the songs have become way too mainstream, it doesn't pack quite the ounch as I thought it would. Oh I assure you the songs are terrific, I found myself listening to the soundtrack for weeks. But despite its grandeur it feels off-beat to the sense that it does not bring the same edge as the original, though it does make for it by greater melody and adding a touch of gentle honey-sweet tenderness absent in the original.
So the music was superb, all well and good. But do the performers move to the same tune? The answer is an assured yes, but it's not the best. The dances are of course spectacular, any where short of that level would ruin the film for me. But the focus of the dance wasn't to amaze and wow but simple rather to entertain and before you scratch your heads on that I must say that yes there is a difference. One could make precise and complex choreography, intense and dramatic moves that could stun the audience. Hairspray nears that point but it abruptly stops shy of it, rather content at simple putting together dances that keeps the eyes dancing, the lips smiling and the toes tapping. But what may be one of their bigger flaws can also be one of the better assets.
You see, and I say this at the bottom of my heart, I was actually more delighted by the dance moves of HS 4-A (you guys still amaze me to this day I tell you that :D ) than the movie. Why? Their moves were simpler, relying more on pure energy than anything else. Which is why the dances were better, the fact that everyone was out there doing the same movements to such a powerful tune, add the fact that they really were possessed by some gleeful madness makes it all the more breath-taking. BUT!!! The fatal flaw was that I was totally oblivois of everything else in the play, even the props (I loved the costume and props guys... but Anna, keep yourselves away from black make-up hahah).
That is a mistake that the movie safely strayed far away from, giving much more attention to its heart-warming yet simple story and of course to what IS the film;s greatest asset--- the actors.
Nikki Blonsky is pure joy as Tracy Turnblad- the slightly over-weight yet spunky girl of 1962 Baltimore. She possesses every scen with innocent goodness that strayed form the rowdier original version of Tracy.
Michelle Pfeiffer is just tasty as the villain, she plays with such such poise and elegance and charming cruelty that she steals just about every scene.
Zac Efron makes a good Link, a much better role to the bland Troy Bolton of High School Musical. He is actually showing some potential here.
Christopher Walken is filled with childish mischief, James Marden acceptable as Corky, Amanda Bynes is a great perky Penny. Brittany Snow is a lovable mean dumb blonde. Queen Lattifah owns her character, I cannot imagine an actress more suited. and ELijah Kelly is very cool.
But the show stopper would be John Travolta in the drag as mother Edna Turnblad. While the original was hoarse, coarse and a complete man at first look, John Travolta instead tries to disappear under the wig and act as a real sweet, tender and sensitive mother should, a far cry from the original but it works like how a John Travolta charm should. Though his/her hip moves are no Grease dances, his acting alone while swinging those gayish legs and swaying those tender hands more than makes her quite the star.
Overall the movie was highly entertaining and add the fact that it actually had strong content, I would have to say that it is by far among the better films of the year. Sure enough it's not exactly Oscar material (the best modern reincarnatin of the musicals still belongs to Chicago) but it does pretty much beat the hell out of the recent pop-outs such as The Producers, High School Musical and Phantom of the Opera (Great value, still short of the magic). This little film packs a whopper.

9 out of 10