I think you can choose any of the three “High School Musical” movies as your favorite, and have that opinion be generally respected. I grew up watching these movies, along with many other Disney Channel Original Movies, and I’ve changed my opinion about which one is my personal favorite countless times. The “High School Musical” franchise acts as a nostalgic outlet for people to look back and smile on, while also serving as a timeless entertainment medium for generations to come.
With the first “High School Musical” movie celebrating its 20 year anniversary recently, here are my favorite things about each movie from this franchise, and how I think you can justify any of them being your favorite.
High school musical
With most franchises, I tend to gravitate more towards the original and often feel like nothing can top it. The nostalgia that the first “High School Musical” holds for me is unlike any other Disney Channel Original Movie. The songs are great (my favorite from this movie being “Start of Something New”), the choreography is great, and I find it to be so re-watchable. Though I think the first “High School Musical” movie is perfect in the nostalgic sense, the other two also live up to the standard that the first movie set.
high school musical 2
I absolutely love the summer aesthetic of “High School Musical 2,” and feel like it really lets the characters show their full personalities that they may not have gotten to in the first movie. Once again, the songs are great (especially “I Don’t Dance” and “Everyday”), and it’s the one I remember most vividly. In terms of the plot, it seems like “High School Musical 2” is the movie where the characters are the least stressed and are able to just have a normal summer like kids, making it fun to watch.
high school musical 3: Senior year
“High School Musical 3: Senior Year” perfectly ends the story of the franchise. In the first movie, there’s auditions being held for an East High musical. In the third movie, we’re finally able to see a production from these characters, and it showcases all that the students have experienced during their four years in high school. In the beginning of the movie, Kelsi Nielson, the pianist for the spring musical, signs her friends up for the musical without letting them know. Though they may have been annoyed at first, all of them coming together to perform such a meaningful show flawlessly encapsulated their journey. My favorite song from this movie is “Scream.”
All of these movies are so different from each other, but they’re all perfect in their own ways. Sometimes when a movie is successful, and is turned into a sequel, the sequels don’t match the same standard that the original set. However, I think the “High School Musical” franchise is timeless and all of the movies are films you can watch over and over again without getting tired of them.