Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam

A recurring them throughout “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam,” released in 2010, is how one loses their essence and identity when looking for something bigger and less successful. Ryan Cracknell said in his review, “It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy as the bubble gum sequel hardly attempts to add any sort of depth or purpose to its characters.” Instead, it looks more like a commercial for the soundtrack.

Cracknell said, “Don’t get me wrong, Camp Rock wasn’t exactly a P.T. Anderson exploration of character nuance. It was a cutesy summer film aimed at pre-teen girls with crushes on one of the brothers Jonas. Relatively harmless, it was lightly enjoyable and disposable at the same time. This time around, things are a little more snarky.” The story is not about teenage love and music put wanting votes and doing large performances that distract from dull music.

Cracknell said, “Channeling equal parts American Idol and Glee, Camp Rock 2 adds far too much glitz to the summer camp atmosphere. Camp is a place normally reserved for lake-side belly flops off rickety docks, poison ivy and slop house mashed potatoes.” This time it’s fireworks and spotlights as the competitive Camp Star locates right next to Camp Rock. Sacrificing relationships for professional material, Camp Star is a place of all work and no unstable docks. It’s a place of high expectations and surplus. Because of this expensive method, it’s threatening to actually close down the comfortable Camp Rock. The best solution they can come up with is to make a performance contest on TV. Cracknell was funny when he asked, “Where’s Simon to smack some sense into these folks?”

Even though they were past the peak in popularity, the Jonas Brothers were still more familiar than they were in the first film. It’s not a surprise when all three Jonas Brothers have taken on the starring roles instead of just Joe Jonas and small parts for his brothers. Cracknell said, “And while I do consider them much more talented than most of their other teenaged Disney peers, their mix of music and goofiness (not to mention pretty-boy hairstyles) make me think of The Monkees. Whether or not that’s good or bad depends on your view of The Monkees, I guess.”

Demi Lovato got her break starring as Mitchie in the first movie (something I didn’t know is that she was on an episode of “Barney”). Cracknell noted, “She was quirky, a little bit awkward and adorable in a Blossom sort of way. Here she’s a little too Mean Girls minus the sarcastic wit. Her character is the biggest disappointment in the film, getting shuffled aside to play the buzzkill of the Camp Rock group.”

“Camp Rock” isn’t really the huge popularity that “High School Musical” was. Cracknell noted, “Still, this second outing feelings like a bookend to a profitable era for Disney. No doubt they will reinvent themselves shortly with a new flavour of the month.” “Camp Rock 2” isn’t ending off on a high note, except for that nobody will have to deal with it any longer.

I’ll be honest, this film I surprisingly liked better than the first one. I guess the reason why is because the first one was just a pain and hurt to watch and this one is just a basic bad sequel. There wasn’t anything that really drove me to my boiling point, but I was noting everything that just made a typical sequel bad. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to watch it, especially for those who were fans of the first movie. However, for everyone else, you can just watch it once and never have to see it again.

Stay tuned later today when I review my usual Christmas film.

Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie

If Disney is slowly trying to get every child into looking and acting like Miley Cyrus (with all those tattoos), parents might want to have their children watch “Wizards of Waverly Place” instead.

Despite “Wizards of Waverly Place” not being as tense as “Hannah Montana,” its first official movie, released in 2009, is a surprisingly helpful and family-friendly movie that should keep tweens wanting magical powers, not tattoos.

Roxana Hadadi said in her review, “Though stars Selena Gomez, David Henrie and Jake T. Austin aren’t nearly as Broadway-ready as those kids from “High School Musical” or as goofy as the ones from “Hannah Montana,” it’s their acting skills that carry the film, which was watched by 11.4 million viewers when it premiered back in August.”

The film starts like a usual episode of “Wizards of Waverly Place,” all about the Russo family, where three kids Alex, Justin and Max (Selena Gomez, David Henrie and Jake T. Austin), all have magical powers they got from their dad, Jerry (David DeLuise). Despite Jerry giving up his powers when he married their mortal mom, Theresa, played by Maria Canals Barrera, he teaches the kids their spell-learning and training for the day when the three of them will fight to become the family’s full wizard – the winner will get all the magical powers and the other two will lose theirs. Even though the oldest brother Justin studies for the test everyday, 16-year-old slacker sister Alex would like to use her powers for her own purposes, like turning the family’s train shop into a train car that can take her and best friend Harper, played by Jennifer Stone, to a party that her parents’ don’t want her to attend.

As a result, her parents find out about her train shop-turned-train car attempt and force Alex to join them on a family vacation to the Caribbean, where Jerry and Theresa first met and fell in love. Just one condition: Theresa, who doesn’t like it when her children use magic to go against her or what they want, forces them to leave the wands at home. Obviously, Justin – who can’t stop using the family’s titanium wand, which works best for him – sneaks that with them, while Alex – who swiped the family’s book of forbidden spells from Justin without his knowledge – packs that in her luggage. The two bring their competitive attitude with them, as well, and soon their different interests (and Alex’s misbehavior and not being able to get along with her mother) make Alex wish her parents had never met. That was bad, Alex.

Hadadi noted, “It’s at that point where Disney takes a little dash of pop culture know-how from “Back to the Future” and some more from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and uses those tidbits to round out the storyline: If Alex, Justin and Max can’t reverse the spell or get their parents to fall in love again, they’ll disappear (kind of like Marty McFly). And the only way to reverse the spell is using the Stone of Dreams (kind of like Nicholas Flamel’s alchemy work), which is conveniently buried on the same island the kids are staying at and which Justin and Alex go after.”

Even though you can predict the story – this is Disney, and siblings have to get along while parents faithfully love them – it’s the kids – acting and surprisingly believable special effects which make the film work. Hadadi said, “Gomez is a master at being the annoying, selfish Alex, and her portrayal of a typical 16-year-old rings entirely true (trust me, I’d know), while Henrie works well as the know-it-all Justin, who thinks magic is the only way he’ll amount to anything. The film does a good job at building upon the familial relationships that the show uses on a weekly basis, and though scenes like Alex’s and Justin’s (numerous) heart-to-hearts drag on, they’re necessary to further the film’s plot.”

Put that together with some surprising cool effects, like when Alex and Justin use levitating rocks to cross a huge abyss or their weather-heavy magical fight to be the full wizard, and the film should hold fans of the series while also making some exchanges. Hadadi noted, “It’s frothy and actually fun, and though the special features are somewhat lacking (there are some interviews with the film’s producers and stars about stunts and special effects, but they’re nothing spectacular or particularly insightful), at least it’s not a “Party in the U.S.A.””

That’s actually a good thing, since I never was interested in seeing this show. However, this film is actually good, seeing how it took place in between seasons. I don’t think that I will check out the show after seeing this, but I had an enjoyable time seeing this. If you were a fan of “Wizards of Waverly Place,” then you should see this movie. I think that anybody could see this movie and enjoy. However, if you don’t like the whole “Back to the Future” “It’s a Wonderful Life” copycats, then it may not be for you. For anyone else, check it out and see it for yourself.

Hold on to your seats because tomorrow I’m going to look at the “Camp Rock” sequel in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Jim Schembri started his review by saying, “TWEENS everywhere, brace yourselves for another mega-dose of old-school, clean-cut, family-friendly Disney values as the whole wholesome gang return to dance, jump and sing their way through their final year at the only public high school in America that doesn't have a metal detector.”

Singing basketball player Troy (Zac Efron) is still really in love with his fellow classmate Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), but while their one-step at a time love for each other knows no bounds there is now the fear of separation.

Gabriella has to leave to get a first look at a potential college, meaning that Troy must have to separate on good terms. He also has to fight with choosing between what he wants and what his somewhat insistent father, played by Bart Johnson, wants.

Schembri noted, “The third instalment of the phenomenally successful - and purely accidental - Disney film franchise is the first to hit the cinema, and while it certainly has the candy-coloured innocent charm of the first two TV movies, the strain is beginning to show as the kids work extra-hard to fill the big screen frame with their youthful energy and playful scheming, with mean girl Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) still the only dramatically interesting character in the class.”

Alternately animated and expressive, “High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” released in 2008, overstays its welcome, being 20 minutes longer than it needs to, thanks mainly to a final congratulatory roll that just doesn’t want to end.

With that, it is hard not to feel some amount of affection for this confection, since we see the kids graduate and leave to college, where they will continue their education, meet new people and maybe see what love life is.

I know that this was the only theatrically released film in the trilogy, so you might be thinking why I didn’t review this last year? Because I wasn’t going to watch the trilogy out of order! It made more sense to wait until I saw the first two before watching this one or else I wouldn’t have understood anything.

As everyone might guess, I think this one is alright, but I’m not the right age group to see this. Even when these films were coming out when I was in high school, I wasn’t even interested in seeing them since I was at that age where I didn’t watch anything on the Disney Channel. I know there is an audience and fan base for these films, so if you liked the first two, then you can see this one. Everyone else can stay far away from this if you’re not into teen musicals.

Let’s take a break tomorrow from all these musicals and look at another Disney Channel TV show film in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

The Cheetah Girls: One World

Disney Channel’s “The Cheetah Girls” are back once again, trying to get that big break that really launches their career.

Now having the subtitle “One World,” this 2008 sequel in the movie franchise sees the three teen rock singers traveling to India, simply because one of the girls’ cell phones has such bad reception that she mistakes the invitation on the other side and hears Bollywood instead of Hollywood.

Disney’s first “Cheetah Girls” a few years prior was credited for having heard, a good beat and a little soul. However, now only the beat remains. Marilyn Moss said in her review, “Still based on the book series by Deborah Gregory (who also co-produces here), this latest cheetah creature is bare-boned and rift of the originality it once displayed.”

Moss continued, “Dan Berendsen's story -- with teleplay by Berendsen, Nisha Ganatra and Jennifer Small -- has little originality and heart, but director Paul Hoen does all he can to perk it up. He's aided by some pounding musical numbers, though they're about as shallow as the rest of the story.”

The girls – Chanel (Adrienne Bailon), Dorinda (Sabrina Bryan) and Aquanetta (Kiely Williams) – look so desperate at times to get the story started and get moving. They scream and jump up and down as is relatable to their age, but very soon we see that’s basically all we’re going to see. Moss noted, “Fatima Robinson's choreography and Donald Duncan's photography are lively but can't really salvage the telefilm's flatness.”

The good thing is that the locations – the cities of Mumbai and Udaipur – put a little color and spark, and some songs do lighten up the film, including Cheetah Love and I’m the One, both written by Kara DioGuardi, along with Dance Me If You Can, written by Matthew Gerrard & Robbie Nevil.

However, as often happens, the story line that joins the music isn’t really at the standards. The girls get to travel, find (and sometimes lose) romance and even sing as hard as they could. Sill, sometimes determination can go just a little much, and jumping up and down and squealing can get very annoying.

I’m sorry, but after Cheetah Love, the film goes downhill very fast. The film is definitely the worst in the trilogy. There’s nothing salvageable and nothing can save it from being so bad. This is definitely the worst sequel I have seen this month. I just cannot stand this film after the opening song. Just do yourself a favor and don’t see this movie, if you liked the other films. However, if you liked the past two films and enjoy this one, I can’t say that there isn’t an audience for this, because there has to be, but for adults, just avoid this one.

Tomorrow I will be looking at the last of the “High School Musical” trilogy in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

Camp Rock

Neil Genzlinger started his review by saying, “Some hacker needs to go to work on the Disney computer that randomly mixes the same 10 plot lines and 15 young actors to create new movies and television shows. One of the character threads in there, that of the spoiled teenage diva, desperately needs to be excised; it is so very, very tired that it has begun to drag down any script it finds its way into.”

Like the one for “Camp Rock,” a highly promoted musical movie starring the then new band Jonas Brothers and released in 2008 on the Disney Channel. The movie has some highlights, but a lot of it is centered on the local diva of the main camp that it’s hard to focus on the good areas. You’re so livid at having this slowly made up character that you have seen countless times.

Mitchie (Demi Lovato) really wants to attend a rich-kid rock-and-roll camp, but her family can’t afford it until her mother (Maria Pilar Canals-Barrera) gets hired as the camp rock, letting Mitchie to attend on a discount. Also at the camp is a useless rock star (Joe Jonas) doing some image therapy, along with that intolerable diva (Meaghan Jette Martin). Genzlinger said, “It’s a sort of glass-ceiling character for these movies and shows; either the writers of such stuff think that young viewers can’t handle anything more than blatantly obvious good-gal/bad-gal dynamics, or they have no idea how complex and varied real high school social life is.”

As we’ve seen before, Mitchie tries to hide her identity. The necessary romance, food fight and climactic talent show also are in the movie. Some rather toe-tapping song and dance numbers are included (many of them at the end, in the talent show).

The film has two highlights. One is when the Jonas Brothers (in the movie they’re a band called Connect Three) perform a song Play My Music to the gathered campers, showing the energy and stage presence the film’s other performers don’t have. Genzlinger said, “The other is a fleeting “Barney” wisecrack early on, Ms. Lovato having once been a cast member of that kiddie show with the irritating purple dinosaur. It goes by quickly, but it leaves something pleasant to ponder during the more formulaic patches of “Camp Rock”: it appears that either Barney has switched to a career of flipping burgers, or he has been turned into burgers.”

I’m sorry, but this movie is probably the worst I have seen. I know that’s quite a verdict to make, but this one was just so annoying to watch. I just wanted the film to end because of the constant themes that have been repeated countless times, but with these rockstar, pop artists that are nothing but teenage idiots. If you want to watch it, go ahead, but for people that are not in the age range targeted for this film, they will be really aggravated while watching this. Yes, I know this is my 900th review, and I had to make it on a film that I really got annoyed at.

Look out tomorrow when I look at the last in “The Cheetah Girls” trilogy in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

Twitches Too

The enjoyment a lot of folks have with magic is very believable and has been around as long as the beginning of human life. To be able to think up objects, move things around and influence your environment with nothing more than your mind is what we would all love to have at some point. Despite most witches in fiction being villains a good witch can give great potential for an exciting story. If you start with a good witch and double her you get one of the famous films from Disney, “Twitches,” twin witches. Doug Maclean said in his review, “The film is another from Disney that is geared towards the ‘tween market so please don’t approach this movie with adult sensibilities.” It is meant to be fun for kids and be interesting for the parents. It succeeds perfectly in both ways. Since this combines the constant interest in magic with the natural request of twins they have a novel plot tool going here. Put a little royalty into the film and you have the creation of a new fairy tale for everyone. Maclean noted, “In some ways this is Disney going back to their roots and performing a bit of recombinant genetics.” Disney started with magic and witches back in the forties. They have more films and television shows with princess that is hard to keep up with. Disney even has a number of films with twins with the original and remake versions of “The Parent Trap.” It seemed only fitting for all these themes to eventually make their way into a single production.

The Disney Company basically made family entertainment. The kids watching their shows and movies are the third or fourth generation of Disney fans. This film is actually enjoyable to watch. It has humor, drama and little scary scenes, which is appropriate of everyone. “Twitches Too” is the 2007 sequel to “Twitches” but even if you never saw the first one you can quickly get into this one. Just be careful because anyone who hasn’t seen the first one will probably want to go back and watch it after seeing the sequel. Maclean noted, “This film premiered on their channel during their Halloween sweeps period and was tied in to the start of a new ‘tween series, ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’. Now the Disney Studios are releasing this movie to DVD with a ‘Double Charmed’ edition. This paradigm of premiering an original film on television and following it up a few months later with a DVD release works well. Disney always makes sure there is something on the disc that was not available on the televised version. If have a ‘tween in your home then you know this already; your DVD collection undoubtedly has more than a few Disney titles.”

The movie starts with a small recap of the first film. The story takes place in Conventry where a fight between good and evil occurred. In the middle of the fight twin daughters were born, Camryn Barnes (Tamera Mowry) and Alex Fielding (Tia Mowry). For their safety they were separated and sent to another dimension. At the age of 21 they finally met and found out they are witches with different types of magical powers. They return to Coventry, banish their evil uncle and free the land from darkness. They also found out they are princesses. At the end of the first movie it looked liked the danger was over but if it was they wouldn’t have made a sequel. The twin’s mother Queen Miranda, played by Kristen Wilson, is obviously worried. She looks at a picture of her late husband Aaron who was killed in the recent fight. Maclean noted, “As she walks through a dark passage a bluish glow follows; it calls her name. Clutching her book of spells Miranda runs out of the passage and uses her magic to seal it.” Back in the other dimension Camryn is having a difficult time mastering her magic. She is also getting used to have Alex living with her. Alex is excited about starting college. Unlike Camryn who had wealthy adopted parents Alex never had that sort of luxury. Both of Camryn’s parents Emily (Karen Holness) and David (Arnold Pinnock) know about her powers and that she doesn’t really have control of them yet. Both girls have an amulet that is one half of their real family’s crest. Camryn has a sun and Alex a crescent moon.

Two of the girl’s friends from Coventry, Karsh (Pat Kelly) and Ileana (Leslie Seiler) come through a portal in the swimming pool to tell the twins they are getting married. Both of them also have magical powers. The Queen wants the sisters to come back for the wedding. While talking it comes out that Camryn has been dreaming of her real father and drawing his crest, the crescent moon, Miranda’s is the sun which is the amulets the girls wear. Camryn goes back to Coventry but Alex stays behind for her first day at college. Camryn can’t wait to start the princess process. While Camryn is getting used to the life as a princess Alex meets Camryn’s ex-boyfriend Marcus, played by Nathan Stephenson. Camryn also meets a handsome young man Demitri, played by Chris Gallinger. Things get more serious when Miranda tells the girls that their uncle Thantos, played by Patrick Fabian, known as “The Darkness” is growing in power. The Queen needs them to perform a Vanquishing Spell during a solar eclipse when their powers are at their peak. Since Alex is represented by the crescent moon, the moon partially in shadow, she is easier to influence towards the darkness. Their father is in the Shadowland and has been trying to contact them. It turns out that Thantos is trying to get the girls to recite the wrong spell destroying the Shadowland.

The movie has everything a ‘tween could want. There is romance, action and some pretty good special effects seeing this is a television movie with a lower budget than other films like “Harry Potter.” Most important from a parental point of view the movie has some strong family values in it. Camryn’s adopted parents are patient and understanding, even when she tries her magic and destroys her dad’s car. They are steady in their relationship with their adopted daughter that they are fine with her getting to know her real mother who is a magical queen. There is also the always clichéd theme of love that conquers everything. When Camryn finds out the man she has a crush on is not a prince and doesn’t have magic she still has feelings for him. Then there is the other overused fight of good versus evil. When Alex is tricked by the evil forces it is clear that she is not herself. It can help children understand that in everyone there is a fight to do the right thing. From a technical viewpoint the film is paced just right for a younger audience. The exposition is kept easy and is given in small amounts interrupted with action. The special effects are simply eye-candy.

Tamera and Tia Mowry really help this film move along. They should be used to where the twins separated at birth since this was the story of their TV show “Sister, Sister.” It is comforting to know that both are getting films on their own instead of just as a pair of twins. Maclean noted, “They are both talented young women with a natural knack for physical comedy. Since they are about to enter their thirties they may be going out of the ‘tween market and while regrettable it is understandable.”

I feel like I like this film just as much as the first one. I grew up watching “Sister, Sister” in the 90s and I had a fun time watching that, so I guess it doesn’t come as a surprise that I would get into these two films. I would definitely recommend this one for everyone who is a fan of the Mowry twins, to those who grew up watching “Sister, Sister” and if they enjoyed the first one.

Alright everyone, look out tomorrow because I’m going to review a film that I totally loathe in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

Lady and the Tramp (2019)

Tonight, I saw the live action remake of “Lady and the Tramp,” which was released on Disney+ last month. You could probably predict what I’m about to say, but let’s just look at the film first.

When Disney’s new streaming service started, it has given countless movies and television shows from the company and its handful of additional. One of the large porch titles – one of the only new releases included in Disney+’s schedule – is a live-action remake of “Lady and the Tramp.” Disney+ has also given the original 1955 animated version of “Lady and the Tramp,” so anyone who wants to argue the comparative qualities of the two will have the chance. Matt Singer said in his review, “I am not sure the comparisons will be particularly flattering.”

In all honesty, the new “Lady and the Tramp” is fine. With its cast of cute puppies and tame canine adventures, it’s obviously targeted at very young children – and it will almost certainly satisfy that random audience. Singer said, “Still, in a world where it will be available right alongside the original film — both at a click of the exact same button for the same monthly price — I’m not entirely sure why it exists, beyond refreshing this particular IP, reminding customers about the original movie, and slightly padding out Disney+’s lineup of “original” offerings.” It is harmless and pointless.

Once again, the film is about the romantic journeys of a treated family dog named Lady (Tessa Thompson) and a street dog named Tramp (Justin Theroux). As it often happens to dogs, Lady feels ignored after her owners Jim (Thomas Mann) and Darling (Kiersey Clemons) have their first child. She follows the Tramp and they roam around their rural little town – the time isn’t entirely evident, but it looks like maybe the 1920s – sharing plates of spaghetti and avoiding the local dog catcher, played by Adrian Martinez.

The film’s setting hasn’t been updated, but some of the more racially thoughtless parts have. The “Siamese Cat Song” – one of the most famous songs from the original, and also the one that has been labeled with racial stereotypes – has been changed for a new musical number from a different pair of twin cats who apparently are not Siamese.  There are other minor changes, mostly when seeing how it has been given a 2019 updated look. However, this is mainly the “Lady and the Tramp” we’re familiar with only with live-action actors and real dogs – however the dogs are sometimes changed with CGI doubles (Martin noted, “or their mouths are Mister Edified with computers to make it look like they’re talking.”)

The other dog characters include a Pekingese that sounds doubtfully like Janelle Monáe a wise old Bloodhound with the rich bass tones of Sam Elliott, and an almost-achingly pretty Bulldog voiced by Benedict Wong. They’re exactly supporting cast. The main actors are the protagonists. Theroux shows so much personality as the proudly loner Tramp, but Thompson is boring and forgettable as Lady. Singer said, “I’m not necessarily looking for a lot of “chemistry” between these voices, but a little more enthusiasm would have been nice.”

The new “Lady and the Tramp” is a slight improvement from the new “The Lion King” that loaded into theaters this summer and quickly became a giant financial success for Disney despite being interior to the original animated film in every possible way. Singer noted, “The Lion King’s animals were entirely CGI, and for all their photorealism, they barely displayed any emotions as they belted out show tunes or mourned the loss of a loved one.” At least the dogs in “Lady and the Tramp” are real, and when they’re not replaced by talking CGI doubles, they show some real dog character in the way they walk and talk and sit when told. It is interesting to say, that both here and in “The Lion King,” that the more human CGI experts try to make these animals, the less real they look. Singer noted, ‘At least they’re dogs, who are objectively cuter and more fun to watch run around than big jungle animals.”

Singer continued, “The new Lady and the Tramp was co-written by Andrew Bujalski, the very talented indie filmmaker who was one of the founders of what became known as the “mumblecore” movement, and the director of excellent movies like Mutual Appreciation and Computer Chess. The results here bear so little of his quirky authorial stamp that if you asked me to guess who wrote this Lady and the Tramp, told me it was a director I greatly admired, and informed me the guy’s first name is Andrew, there is literally zero chance I would get it right.”

Singer ended his review by saying, “It never dawned on me until now how strange it is that the beautiful song “Bella Notte,” faithfully recreated in this version by an amusing guest star, is a love ballad about two dogs smooching over a bowl of pasta.”

This is better than the other live action remakes I have seen this year, with nice voice acting, direction and some funny moments. However, it lacks the heart of the original movie. The added storylines didn’t seem to fit, the reworked scenes and songs weren’t needed, the recasting of Pekingese was distracting, the CGI dogs were expressionless and almost not believable like the CGI animals in the remake of “The Lion King” and you could probably predict the direction they were going in. They didn’t need to make it as long as they did, seeing how the original was told short and sweet. Just don’t see it if you’re a subscriber to Disney+. At least this wasn’t theatrically released, which is a relief.

Now that we’re done with that, stay tuned tomorrow for the next review in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”