High School Musical 2

Description

What time is it? Time for High School Musical 2 , the sequel to the Disney Channel smash that aired on Aug. 17, 2007 and became the most-watched basic-cable show ever. School is out, and Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) are looking forward to a summer to remember, but Troy also needs to make bank so he can go to college. As it turns out, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), the self-proclaimed primo girl of East High, has her eye set on primo-boy Troy, and gets him a job at the country club her parents own. It looks great for Troy when Gabriella and the rest of the Wildcats are hired also, but when he gets preferential treatment from the club manager (Mark Taylor) and others, it puts all of his relationships in hot water. Everyone's back from the original movie, including Zac's buddy Chad (Corbin Bleu), Sharpay's brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel), and Gabriella's friend Taylor (Monique Coleman). And the songs on the hit soundtrack often parallel the originals and are just as catchy: the Troy-Gabriella duet ("You Are the Music in Me," which is later Sharpay-ized into a rock version), the sports-flavored hip-hop number ("I Don't Dance," but this time on the baseball diamond instead of the basketball court), the Gabriella lament ("Gotta Go My Own Way"), the climactic stage duet ("Everyday"), and the mass-ensemble closer ("All for One"). But the sequel doesn't just stick to the status quo. Other songs include a flashy opener ("What Time Is It"), Sharpay's poolside feature ("Fabulous"), a percussive ensemble number ("Work This Out"), and Zac's solo ("Bet On It"), and the dances are even bigger this time around, relentlessly high-energy and often spectacular. In addition, the "let's put on a show" angle ! is only a subplot and the romance is now front and center--which means High School Musical has lost a bit of its innocence. But it's still wholesome viewing for tweens of all ages. Sharp-eyed Disney Channel fans will spot Miley "Hannah Montana" Cyrus as an extra. --David Horiuchi On the DVD The extended-edition DVD adds one new scene, in which Sharpay and Ryan perform the Hawaiian-themed "Humuhumunukunukuapua'a," which not only is fun but adds a bit of character development for Ryan. This number (which was on the CD as a bonus track) is incorporated into the movie and also accessible from the bonus-features menu, along with a four-minute blooper reel and music videos for "You Are the Music in Me" (one U.S. version and a Mexican version with Paulina Holguin and Roger) and "Gotta Go My Own Way (Canadian versions in French and English, both with Nikki Yanofsky). A "dance rehearsal cam" shows the choreographers and cast working on nine numbers (36 minutes total). Director-choreographer Kenny Ortega coaches, offers pep talk, and declares, "If it wasn't for Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, we wouldn't be here!" There are two sing-along options, one with English subtitles and a "karaoke" version with English subtitles but no vocals. --David Horiuchi Beyond High School Musical 2 Our High School Musical Headquarters High School Musical 2 on Blu-ray High School Musical 2 soundtrack High School Musical High School Musical (Remix Edition) High School Musical , The Concert: Extreme Access Pass Director Kenny Ortega Star Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Mark L. Taylor, Bart Johnson, Robert Curtis Brown, Jessica Tuck, Alyson Reed, Chris Warren, Ryne Sanborn, Kaycee Stroh, Olesya Rulin, Tanya Chisholm, Zac Efron, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman Special Features: Full Frame - 1.33 Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English, French, Spanish Additional Release Material: Featurette - Rehearsal Cam Watch The Dance Rehearsal Footage Along with the Movie Music Videos Interactive Features: Karaoke - High School Karaoke Sing Lead Vocals with Help From Optional On-Screen Lyrics Runtime: 111 minutes Year of Release: 2007 Review: It's a wonderful movie - I absolutely love this movie and it works great. Review: A return to Mickey & Judy & Busby - Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, and Kenny Ortega are this generation's Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, and Busby Berkeley. In this 2nd installment of the High School Musical franchise, Troy & Gabriella return in colors that pop off the screen (reminiscent of Technicolor), songs that stick in your head, and plot complications where nobody actually gets hurt. The chemistry between the leads is definitely there; you really believe that Troy & Gabriella are made to be together. The story is pretty predictable; the gang gets jobs together at a country club where self-centered Sharpay (played to excellence by Ashley Tisdale) reigns supreme as a member. You can guess it...this time around, she sets her sights on Zac and attempts to bring him into her world (think Caddyshack snobs) and break up his relationship with Gabriella so that she (Sharpay) can sing with Troy at the Country Club's annual talent show. The choreography is fantastic; the way that sports are integrated into the dancing (this time it's baseball) is something that Gene Kelly would have been proud of. From the opening number (What Time is It?"), it is hard not to get caught up in the innocent fun of this movie. Many tributes abound to MGM musicals...even Esther Williams gets a nod in some of the pool numbers. The movie is slightly over the top at times, but never to the point where it's not enjoyable and fun. The DVD has a few extras: some fun bloopers, sneak previews, music videos, and karaoke. The best part for those who love dance are the rehearsal to final number views, which allow you to see how the number grows and becomes the rip-roaring sequence that we see in the final film. I do agree with some of the other reviewers that it's disappointing that the film isn't in widescreen for the DVD release, but a small point; neither were Mickey & Judy's films! NOTE: Now that it's available, I highly recommend the High School Musical 2 Deluxe Dance Edition !