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On the last day of his winter vacation, all Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) wants to do is play basketball. And all Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) wants to do is sit around and read. But their parents force them to go to the New Year’s Eve party at the ski lodge—where they’re put on the spot and forced to sing karaoke together. And they actually have fun doing it.
Back in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Gabriella, the bookworm, is the new girl at East High School—where Troy just happens to be the star of the basketball team. They end up in the same homeroom—and that’s where they first hear the announcement about the upcoming auditions for the school’s winter musical. Though he’s a jock and she’s a brain, they decide to give the musical thing a chance. But when they make it through the first auditions and get a callback, it throws off the school’s status quo. The basketball players are upset because the championship game is right around the corner. And the smart kids are upset because there’s a big scholastic competition coming up—and they need Gabriella’s brain. But that’s nothing compared to Sharpay and Ryan Evans (Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel), the drama club’s superstars, who are determined not to lose their starring roles.
This made-for-TV Disney movie has become the runaway hit of the year. The soundtrack has sold millions of copies, and the Emmy-winning movie has just been released in a new two-disc Remix Edition. And while this Grease-like high school musical is a bit corny and melodramatic at times, well, so is high school. So I guess that means it’s pretty accurate. And yes, it’s predictable and pretty obvious, too, but it’s a good wholesome Disney movie with a great message about being yourself and breaking out of the mold. So, for a preteen TV movie, it’s not all bad. The story is cute, the songs are sing-along worthy, and the choreography is pretty cool (especially the basketball scene).
It’s not exactly a movie you’re going to want to pick up for movie night with your friends, but if you have preteen kids (okay…girls), pick up a copy for their next slumber party. They can choose to watch the regular version or the sing-along version—and with all the extra bonus features and music videos and dance lessons included, the Remix Edition should keep a whole room full of giggly preteen girls busy all night.
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