October 24, 2008 High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures Rating: G
Making the transition from your television to the theater, Walt Disney unveils the third chapter of the "High School Musical" trilogy with "Senior Year."
As we once again journey to the hallowed halls of East High School, we find the senior class battling for a basketball championship, staging a spring musical and getting ready for prom.
Hoops superstar and all-around good guy Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and super-smart, super-sweet singer Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) are still together. But with apologies to Bob Dylan, the times they are a-changing. College is quickly approaching and they face the prospect of splitting up and heading their separate ways.
But that's a decision still to be made. Troy and his teammates work to find success on the court and then turn their attention to the Senior Prom and the spring production. It's a busy schedule for our favorite Wildcats.
"High School Musical 3: Senior Year" isn't very deep. But it delivers exactly what its fans want. You get show-stopping production numbers, innocent love between our stars with ever-scheming Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) plotting to steal both Troy and the spotlight away.
Other stars returning include Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman. They're joined by a new crop of students including a budding young basketball star and a transfer from England. Maybe there are future stories to be told with this next generation of Wildcats, but that's for another day. This installment is harmless fun. It's pretty, it moves along at a decent pace and the songs are catchy. Efron shows real talent whether he's acting, singing or dancing. And his castmates bring their familiar characters back to life with the confidence they've earned over the first two installments.
Fans will love it and parents will be able to tolerate it as good, clean fun.
On my rating scale, "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" earns a Triple.
PRIME PICKS TWO AND A HALF MEN Tonight at 7:00 PM Media Room Slash Dungeon
Charlie behaves strangely after an evening with his mother; Alan's date (guest star Janeane Garofalo) reacts oddly after making love
October 24, 2008
