Blu-ray Movie Reviews

America's favorite Wildcats are back for their exciting final year at East High. Amidst a basketball championship, prom, and the big spring musical, Troy (Zach Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) vow to make every moment count, as their lifelong college dreams put the future of their relationship in question.

Having a 12-year-old daughter, the High School Musical franchise is firmly entrenched in our house with all three movies, CDs, and even a poster or two gracing her bedroom walls. The music is catchy, and the young stars have generally kept their squeaky-clean Disney image—with the exception of Vanessa Hudgens and some racy photos sent to real-life boyfriend Zach Efron. Regardless, the franchise has provided my daughter with a lot of entertainment and has kept her innocence intact.

Disney delivers another stellar 1080p transfer with the popular franchise. The 1.85:1 pristine image has a flawless print, distinct sharpness in both long shots and close-ups, and solid black levels. Daytime shots are spectacular with bold colors with rich saturation, although flesh tones look a little unbalanced.

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack sounds fabulous with its wide dynamic range. Dialog is crisp and natural, and the soundstage is wide, especially when the chorus kicks in. The rear channels provide some minor ambient effects, and LFE comes alive during the musical numbers.

This 3-disc Deluxe Extended Edition contains a wide assortment of supplements sure to please the pre-teen crowd. These include "Cast Goodbyes," a sing-along feature, bloopers, deletes scenes, some behind-the-scenes featurettes, a digital copy of the film, and a third disc containing a DVD copy of the extended version of the movie—an ingenious marketing idea from Disney so kids can watch the movie in the car and still enjoy the best picture and audio quality at home.

I'm not the intended demographic, but I did enjoy watching it with my kids and their friends. The acting is passable, and the music is certainly the star of the show. Recommended for families with kids.

Release Date: February 17, 2009
Studio: Disney

Movie: 6/10
Picture: 9/10
Sound: 9/10

Review System

Source
Panasonic DMP-BD55

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 Amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics