The other night, having nothing else to do, I popped in the DVD of High School Musical just to see what the "fuss" is all about (My younger sister owns the HSM dolls, clothes, towels, movies, CDs, video games, sheet music, etc). Though not usually drawn to the musical genre or Disney Channel dramatic fare, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this film held my interest and entertained me for its duration.

Plot-wise, HSM doesn't deviate too far from standard Disney programming. When new girl to school Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) begins to form a relationship with school beau Troy Bolton (Zac Efron),it draws the ire of popular girl Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) and facilitates an overhaul of East High's social cliques.

What sets the storyline apart from, say, a typical episode of Hannah Montana, though, is the way the school stereotypes are portrayed. Instead of getting too preachy, Disney instead wildly accentuates those stereotypes and lets the simple messages of diversity and acceptance speak for themselves. Troy is the All-American boy every girl has a crush on, Gabriella is the stunningly beautiful girl next door, and Sharpay is the over-the-top princess who rules the school with her status.

Of course, HSM needs to (as a musical) ultimately be judged on the quality of its musical numbers...the category in which it succeeds fantastically. From the very beginning, when a karaoke DJ hands microphones to Troy and Gabriella and tells them "you might thank me for this someday", viewers will realize the quality of the musical numbers about to come. Though Efron does not provide his own vocals, he IS able to adroitly portray the conflicted Troy (basketball vs. singing) through acting and dance. Hudgens' tunes are usually softer, but very poignant ("When There Was Me And You", in which Hudgens flies solo, is my favorite piece in the film),while Tisdale is probably the most talented actor/singer/dancer of the bunch in her fantastically choreographed and special effects-laden numbers.

So, if you are a parent/older sibling who wants to know what make your child/younger sibling go crazy over HSM, I would encourage you to sit down and watch this film (preferably with them). Even the most jaded critics will be humming (or outright belting) the catchy melodies long after the end credits roll.

Don't take this the wrong way, I adore Disney, their animated shows and films I still watch. However, some of their shows and films now I cannot stand, Hannah Montana and Cory in the House especially. And I have to say I do not like this movie at all. I like musicals and I like high school films, and I liked the idea and it should have worked but it didn't. The only real redeeming quality is that the choreography is actually quite impressive.

However, the cinematography is nothing special, while the score and songs are disappointingly forgettable, plus is it me or did anybody feel there were too many songs? The story is incredibly simplistic and predictable, the script is very fluffy and weak, the pacing too rushed, the morals are cloying and the direction is lethargic. The acting is bland too, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are alright I suppose but they lack chemistry and I never warmed to their characters, maybe because the characters in general were so unlikeable and clichéd. As for the supporting performances they are poor in general especially Monique Coleman. The singing was okay but there was too much of it I think.

Overall, I didn't find it that great, sorry. 1/10 Bethany Cox

The founder of the Magic Kingdom, old Walt Disney himself would be proud of what a bonanza his successors have developed with the High School Musical franchise. It's become quite big, bigger than what Disney had with Davy Crockett when he was alive.

What the Magic Kingdom has done has just taken the concept behind Fame and brought out to red state America from the mean streets of New York. The freshly scrubbed and immaculately dressed kids from East High in Albuquerque seem to break into song and dance at a whim just like the cast of Fame did.

The six stars of High School Musical and its successors, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgins, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, Monique Coleman and Ashley Tisdale are certainly an appealing bunch. Efron seems to be doing well away from Disney, he got good reviews as high school heartthrob Link Larkin in the remake of Hairspray.

But I like Tisdale as Sharpay Evans. She and Grabeel are a brother and sister act who are the accepted leaders in every sense of the word of East High's drama club. It is the custom and tradition in East High that they ARE the leads in any musical production.

So when jock Efron and new girl Hudgens start showing an interest in musical theater and threaten Tisdale's turf, out come the claws. Bette Davis wronged has nothing on Tisdale. And she's such a nice kid on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Kenny Ortega is the man responsible for the concept of High School Musical and its sequels. He did the musical Newsies also for the Disney studio and look at the numbers there and in High School Musical and you can't miss the similarities.

I never realized the popularity of the High School Musical until a touring company came to my city of Buffalo and Shea's Theater was sold out and mobbed by teenyboppers trying to get in. And this was a road company production, not with any of the stars. Truly a moneymaker that old Walt would be proud of.

And it's good and entertaining as well.