Fabulous Schmabulous
Because I have this sudden urge to over-analyze such triviality before I move on to more serious stuff (i.e. work).
Normally I would be typing away a rave Pirates of the Caribbean review, but unforeseen circumstances rendered me unable to watch said awesome installment and instead I proceeded to watch Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure on Disney Channel yesterday.
So I spent almost two hours with my butt glued to the couch as I accompanied my pudgy 13-year-old cousin watch Sharpay roam around New York. Five minutes into the film I rolled my eyes, turned to my sister, and said, "Trust me, I know how this would end. Welcome to clichelandia." Beloved fans, kill me now.
But I decided to endure the film anyway, hoping against hope that there would be some glimmer of promise in this Disney-inspired flick. Moreover, I wanted to see Alec Mapa, that irresistible Fil-Am comic. True enough, not only did I get the ending right, I also managed to witness the slow death of some of my brain cells.
So, Sharpay Evans. (played by Ashley Tisdale). Ho-hum. If you ask me, I really wouldn't have found her annoying in the last 3 HSM movies. In fact, she fascinated me, the ambitious, ditzy girl who rightfully occupies frenemy status. But her characterization in her own movie was just downright pushing it. Channeling Elle and Bruiser Woods just isn't classy. Down to the pink color too!
So she starts off with a dream--such a lofty, ambitious dream, we all then sympathize with her. Then she gets whiny, impossible, impractical, and picks fights with a pompous 12-year-old (Bradley Steven Perry, played by Roger Elliston) and his dog. And yes, she lands the plum Broadway role at the very end of the movie (see? What did I say about cliches?) thanks to her....dog.
Even the song numbers, which made HSM movies a hit nevertheless, were uninspiring. I can't recall any song except for 12-year-old Roger's audition song about him and his dog.
Oh sure, there's the mandatory love interest, (Peyton Leverett, played by Austin Butler) who IMHO uncannily looks like her own brother, Ryan. The sensible, artsy fartsy NYU film student reminded me of Mark from RENT, but that's just me. Anyway, I found him too sympathetic, too obvious, too...good to be true.
You don't befriend obnoxious, self-centered blondes all decked out in pink and turn them into the centerpiece of your short film assignment. You just don't. Even if said blonde learns the errors of her ways later on realizes she's not being true to herself, shuns her "idol" who is in fact a bitch (the Broadway "star," Amber Lee Adams, played by Cameron Goodman) ditches the attitude, and finds true love. (cliche again! They just keep on coming!)
There was a scene where Sharpay complains of having to clean Amber's toilet just to prove herself worthy of the New York limelight (she was briefly Amber's personal assistant). While I understand Amber's bitchy request as mean and dehumanizing, I think the movie failed to underscore the fact that acting, theater work, is hard work, and may actually include menial work similar to toilet-cleaning. I'm surprised Ashley Tisdale, who BTW was also Executive Producer, did not see this.
The film could have included more stage scenes so as to accurately depict Sharpay's actual travails into the world of acting. Not doing so highlights Sharpay's arrogance all the more and her being out-of-touch with the theater world and therefore ill-suited to see her dream into fruition.
I was in theater for one year myself (first year high school, Dulaang Sibol) and was made to clean the theater toilet by myself (we all had to) as a requisite for membership. No kidding. And there's the value of theater work right there--learning to adjust to situations, as a role would call for, and sheer perseverance on the task at hand, as several script-readings and rehearsals would.
I also hate the fact Alec Mapa was severely underutilized, with his acting prowess, if I may say so myself, reduced to mere director and with Mapa uttering nothing more but de rigeur directorial lines such as but not limited to, "Cut."
Ryan, Sharpay's brother who never failed to leave me in stitches in the previous HSM movies, only made a single appearance--at the end of the movie. Faaail.
Ashley Tisdale's a great actress. Unfortunately I think this movie just pushed her character out too far, and failed to grasp the possibilities of her role. The dialogue, the plot, eeech. She can't empower the way Elle Woods, the character she seems to be imitating, does. Despite all the promise of finding her self, fulfilling her dreams, etc., it still doesn't cut it.
All fluff, no substance.. Dim the lights, I don't think I'll be giving a standing ovation for this one. :)