Movie Monday

I don't like movie musicals. They are always so phony, whether it’s the solo performer alone in his room who breaks out into song only to be accompanied by a full orchestra or the man and woman walking down the street and suddenly bursting into song.

Phony. And phooey. I’ll accept the premise that Orcs exist before I accept that so many humans have perfect pitch.

Saying that, I must admit I loved the musical, Cabaret. The musical numbers appeared where they would appear in reality. All the other times, people talked - just like real life.

Which brings me to Movie Monday and High School Musical 3. I shudder to think I’m once more going to be subjected to perky, singing and dancing high school kids in a gee-whiz-like "real" high school setting. But it was this or Saw V, so here goes.

High School Musical 3 (review from trailers)

Let’s start, and I hope end, with Trailer #1. First scene, a row of lockers (what a polished hall floor!) It’s senior year and apparently everyone at this school is dancing through it.

We see two guys dancing in front of an old truck and then everyone starts dancing in some form or other. All the actors from the first two incarnations of this romp seem to be back, even the blond guy with his crazy hats. Were these screen writers all home schooled?

Wait a minute. We’re in the gym and it’s a basketball game. But this one is different. The heroine is in the bleachers, silhouetted, standing up and singing to the hero on the court. And, the hero is silhouetted on the court and singing back to her. It’s like the high school version of freezing time. (“I believe.” “That’s all I really need.”)

Oh, wait another minute. It’s like the high school version of freezing time and having the heroine give the hero the confidence he needs to go on.

Then we get everyone dancing - everywhere. Well, it is a musical. Everyone is so happy and perky. Though we do learn that our heroine and hero will be parting and she seems to be accepting it better than he is.

The screen flashes with: The Musical Experience of this Generation.

And you know, it probably is. Because with all my dislike of musicals and my mocking of this one, just like Andy Hardy, James Dean, John Travolta or Johnny Depp, this group of actors has caught the imagination of pre-teens and early teens. In many ways, these kids could do worse.

What I expect from the trailer: Singing, dancing, happy, happy, happy, some angst and watching this at least a few time with kids on DVD.