If you are anything like me, you grew up with Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM’s) and lean on those movies for various comfort reasons. There is debate regarding the best DCOM period, some say it is Lemonade Mouth, others (the correct group) say it is Let It Shine, and there is similar debate regarding the High School Musical trilogy.
You can truly make a fair debate for any movie. When I was younger, it was High School Musical 2, because it was the most fun! I was so jealous that they were able to go to a country club for the whole summer. To be fair, I didn’t know what a country club was. I also LOATHED Sharpay for being sneaky with Troy (I am a diehard fan of Gabriella and Troy’s relationship). Your stance on the plot for the second movie is slightly controversial. Whether you think Troy’s actions are justified (low-key blowing off his friends and girlfriend to help his future), Sharpay’s actions are justified (using her own nepotism to help a ‘classmate’), or everyone else’s (being incredibly angry at both Troy and Sharpay because, HELLO, that isn’t cool), has a big part in where you rank this movie. This movie holds the most nostalgia for me; I remember so clearly learning all of the dances with my aunt and singing the songs all summer long. The songs are addictive, and this movie is a strong contender for best soundtrack in the trilogy.
I remember the first time I watched the first High School Musical (that I remember); I was perplexed for almost the whole movie. Firstly, what are the odds that Gabriella transferred to the school where Troy is the basketball man? What are the odds that Mrs. Darbus heard them singing the audition song with Kelsi? What are the odds that Mrs. Darbus actually changed the day of the callback? What are the odds that Troy and Gabriella were able to perform despite being late, AND got the parts? Apparently 100% – like a true DCOM. This movie holds a soft spot in my heart because it is one of the first films I remember watching, being invested in the plot, and feeling all of the emotions the characters felt. Taylor’s disappointment, Chad’s anger, and Gabriella’s sadness are all deeply rooted in my nervous system. I think this movie is a strong contender for best plot.
Where do I even begin with HSM 3: Senior Year? What. A. Film. I remember when I was younger, I was dully unimpressed. I didn’t discover this movie with the others, and when I was younger I always preferred HSM 1 or HSM 2 to the third. The plot was unrelatable (because competing with THE drama star for the lead in the winter musical is relatable for me), the songs weren’t necessarily catchy, the choreography was NOT repeatable, etc… Until around my junior year of high school, this movie sat on a back burner for me. But when it became relatable, boy did it become relatable. One day it just clicked: soundtrack is fire, beats are bumping, plot is plotting. Literal chills just thinking about how amazing this movie is. This movie is more emotional than the other two. There is more raw emotion in the characters, and I feel like each actress/actor was able to embody their character on a personal level, which makes their acting 10x better. The soundtrack (especially the full album) is so bomb and so much more musically complex than the first time. It feels like freshly shaved legs and clean bedding to me. There are no skips. Not even a half skip. It is straight fire. I could write a completely different article about the soundtrack (like seriously, it is TOO good). The plot is definitely the most emotional, especially watching this during any graduation season. I love love, and I still get emotional when Troy surprises Gabriella for prom, they make it to perform their duet, and he picks a school 32.7 miles away. High School Musical 3: Senior Year is the best movie in the trilogy, and if it was a DCOM, it is sitting pretty at number 2 for me.