SCREAM!!!!!!!! YOU'RE A WILDCAT!!!!

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR

Once a Wildcat! Always a Wildcat! It's true! I've been a Wildcat since the HSM phenomenon began and I'm proud to be 30-year old Wildcat! I just wanna scream! WILDCATS!!!!!!!!!!

The third installment is about the return of the Wildcats of East High School. They are seniors now and must confront the prospect of being separated from each other after graduation. They stage a grandiose spring musical echoing their experiences, hopes and fear about the years to come. Troy & Gabriella are still ambivalent on their arduous situation. What to choose? Where to go? Love or Ambition?

High School Musical 3 is no different from the first two installments. This film is just big-budgeted. The flow of the story is cheesy and predictable. But being a Wildcat at heart I don't care about what the critics are grumbling. This is not their film for Ms. Darbus' sake! What I've been anticipating in the film are the songs and the ambitious choreography by Kenny Ortega who also directs the film. I'm telling you this third film truly delights me. I'm not sure if this will please the not-so-familiar-with-franchise-moviegoers coz I think they'll be dizzy afterwards.

It's hard to choose what's the best musical scene in the film but I will just enumerate them all. The opening scene features the first single called Now or Never. I like it coz the song is really cool and it's perfect for that basketball frenzy. Zac Efron who plays Troy Bolton again is now a full grown heartthrob. The second song is called “Right Here, Right Now” is the “most kilig ever” scene I think. I bet the girls will be giggling watching Troy & Gabriella up in a tree house under the moonlight. . Ooopss! Watch out for Gabriella's lingerie doing a peekaboo when they are waltzing on the rooftop with flowers and being soak in the rain in a song called Can I Have This Dance. I also love that song coz it reminds me of Start of Something New.

I think the song “I Want It All” by Ryan & Sharpay played again by Lucas Grabeel and Ashley Tisdale respectively is the most fabulous. I love the amazing colors , the broadway-inspired choreo and the song is really danceable.

Watching the whole cast in a song titled “ A Night To Remember” is breathtaking. It's about prom night and Kenny Ortega manages to hypnotize the audience with his genius style. It's not new but it's simply magical to me. His illusion never stops when the cast again struts their stuff in the Senior Spring Musical Medley. . It's not just charming but it's kinda whimsical too. Thanks to Sharpay! The last song called High School Musical is the perfect ending for the film with the whole cast in it. It makes me want to shed tears honestly.

I must say that Zac Efron is so effulgent in the film. There is a scene with him all alone that I really love. Prepare to thaw when he SCREAMS!!! That scene makes my day. Great musical direction again! Yeah, it's my favorite of all the songs. Though it looks like a rehash of Bet On It from High School Musical 2 but this one has a rock edge on it. I love the alternative beat and the song is truly alluring. Zac can definitely act and dance at the same time.

The only song that I'm confused is “The Boys Are Back”. It's not really consequential at all. I think it would be better if they just edited and include it in the DVD afterwards. I thought I heard Troy & Chad singing the boys are brokeback! Just kidding.

For me Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella still can't act decently a single scene. She's just there showing her underwear and cleavage. There's no emotion when she sings even if her voice is good. She is just cute and her smile is infectious but the songs are lost with her weak acting. Sharpay is still fabulous. Her voice is not that neat but she can steal the spotlight from the rest. Ryan is so gay in every scene he's in. Chad is always a helpless shadow of Troy. Monique should be thankful that she has at least 2 lines in the script. Kelsi however is still playing the piano and watching her in that gown? Whoaaa!! She's hot! Ms.Darbus is simply adorable.

After watching the film, I bet a huge fan will scramble immediately to the record bars and buy the soundtrack. All songs in the film are worth the dough. Stike 3 again! They did it again! Great job to all the guys who composed the songs.

The film has so many flaws and they're really palpable but the songs and dance choreography conceal everything.

High School Musical 3 is a perfect film to dawdle with your high school classmates. College friends should also watch this film and I guarantee that you'll be singing “I Just Wanna Be With You” after leaving the theater. I still have LSS on that song. Gosh! It's really cute. This film is a must watch if you're an enormous HSM fan! Don't miss it! When I saw the trailer I promised myself that I would watch this on the opening day. I did not break it and I will be watching it again this weekend and the next weekend!

This is a must watch!

RATING : 4.75* / 5*

THE PULCHRITUDE OF 11/11

A DAY TO REMEMBER THIS NOVEMBER Our baby David will rule the universe!!!!

MY IDOL STRIKES AGAIN!

EAGLE EYE

When I first saw the trailer of Eagle Eye, one song from the late 90's immediately came into my mind and that was Save Tonight. By who? Of course from “Eagle-Eye” Cherry and I still love that song! But this film is not about the singer and the song, it's about cyberspace dictatorship. I don't know if that's the fitting term but based on what's happening in the movie that's the nighest description. Watching Eagle Eye is like reminiscing some high-octane parts from Mission Impossible 1,2,3 and maybe some inspiration from I-Robot too. Some people may love this movie but for me I'm just so grateful to see Shia on the big screen before the year ends.

Eagle Eye tells a story about two strangers named Jerry & Rachel who have no connection to each other. One day they receive a call from the same female voice telling them that they have been “activated”. Both confused and worried of the dicey threat, they have no volition but to follow the specific instructions from that voice. It soon becomes lucid that a huge cabal is behind and the fate of their nation lies in the determination of these two unaware victims.

I'm still ambivalent if I really love this movie. I truly enjoyed this one but to love? Nah...Yeah ,my idol Shia is here but I didn't get what I wanted. I want to see him naked. Just kidding. I've seen their stunts and big explosions already from other detonative movies from the past. I actually didn't feel the tension of the movie at all. My heart wasn't palpitating that much and I didn't even fasten my seatbelt. As the movie continues with endless chasing and some impossible lams, it becomes a bit exhausting and it makes me soporific at the latter part. It's just me and I can't explain why? Maybe I was seedy that night?

Shia LaBeouf is still my man. He made me cry actually with his two drama scenes. Michelle Monaghan is definitely the next best actress. Give her some Oscar material and I believe she can grab that shining statue. She is really amazing. Rosario Dawson also surprises me here. Billy Bob Thornton does a decent job and The Shield's Michael Chiklis is truly remarkable in his small role.

Moviegoers who dig non-stop car crashing scenes with multiple explosions will definitely love this film. I really don't know why I wasn't impressed with their special and visual effects. Maybe because I've seen it already that's why it didn't amaze me. The story is interesting actually but some parts are over-explained. Although, I get their futuristic premise and when you think about it's quiet disturbing. There are no cool songs being played as background music and it makes me sad. The musical score is not that catchy too and it's really forgettable. However, DJ Caruso who also directed Shia's breakthrough hit “Disturbia” does a magnificent job and I really like his style of direction. Spielberg produced Eagle Eye and just expect some strange things here coz that's his gusto.

Eagle-Eye is interesting but it fails my meter to tag it as “amazing”. The movie is still pleasurable and it's not that really regrettable. Huge fans of Shia must celebrate his super stardom.For me, he is the future Tom Cruise and I hope to see him soon doing a Jerry Maguire. Shia strikes once again!!!

RATING : 4 / 5 *