I went to Bandslam expecting to find Vanessa Hudgens as cute as ever, but the rest of the movie a trite formulaic noughties version of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland going "I know, let's put on the show right here!"
Wrong!
Well, not 100% wrong, because there's quite a lot of formula in here, but the movie does move off model from time to time as well. There is at least an attempt at rounding out the main characters, and some of the more obvious plot developments either don't happen, or else don't happen exactly in the way you expected.
At the heart of the story is misfit music nut Will Burton trying to fit in a new school, his unexpected friendship with hottie senior Charlotte, and his growing love for quiet nonconformist Sa5m (no, it's not a typo). As Will, Gaelan Connell does well in a part which might have been written for Michael Cera. Alyson Michalka is an effective Charlotte and, while Vanessa Hudgens isn't stretched, Sa5m enables her to show off some comedy, singing, and decent guitar picking.
I thoroughly enjoyed the climactic musical number (though not much of the rest of the music).
And there's a terrific first kiss scene - great fun, and summons up very clearly what it's like to be in that first flush of love.
I liked this little film a lot.
Wrong!
Well, not 100% wrong, because there's quite a lot of formula in here, but the movie does move off model from time to time as well. There is at least an attempt at rounding out the main characters, and some of the more obvious plot developments either don't happen, or else don't happen exactly in the way you expected.
At the heart of the story is misfit music nut Will Burton trying to fit in a new school, his unexpected friendship with hottie senior Charlotte, and his growing love for quiet nonconformist Sa5m (no, it's not a typo). As Will, Gaelan Connell does well in a part which might have been written for Michael Cera. Alyson Michalka is an effective Charlotte and, while Vanessa Hudgens isn't stretched, Sa5m enables her to show off some comedy, singing, and decent guitar picking.
I thoroughly enjoyed the climactic musical number (though not much of the rest of the music).
And there's a terrific first kiss scene - great fun, and summons up very clearly what it's like to be in that first flush of love.
I liked this little film a lot.