High School Musical (2006, G)
Set in the small town of Albuquerque, New Mexico, High School Musical centers around a cliche, yet adored love story between the high school’s basketball captain, Troy Bolton, and star student, Gabriella Montez. Troy and Gabriella originally meet at a New Year’s gathering, where a karaoke performance ignites their chemistry and passion for performing. Shortly after, Gabriella coincidentally transfers to East High, the school that Troy attends. Together they navigate the turbulent waters of high school, where they learn to break boundaries by pursuing their interests instead of conforming to traditional stereotypes.
With its catchy tunes and amusing personalities, High School Musical has become a classic childhood favorite. Starring America’s favorite heartthrob, Zac Efron, and the sassy and hilarious character, Sharpay Evans, High School Musical is a feel-good movie that always has you smiling and dancing in your seat. There are two sequels to the original movie as well as a new TV series, which are arguably just as good and have become well-loved by children and adults alike.
Well Known Songs: We’re All in This Together (HSM 1), Start of Something New (HSM 1), Breaking Free (HSM 1), Fabulous (HSM 2), Can I Have This Dance (HSM 3)
Zac Efron dancing in the second movie: Bet On It (HSM 2)
A Fun Anecdote: Once I was at a shopping mall with my friend and I had sung “We’re soarin’,” (the beginning of the song “Breaking Free”) then a random person next to me sang “Flyin’,” and a third person continued with “There’s not a star in heaven that we can’t reach.” (Or maybe someone else started it and I had continued, I don’t remember, but still—how cool is that!)
Mean Girls (2004, PG-13)
Mean Girls is a teen comedy about a new student, Cady Heron, adjusting to a normal public school after spending 12 years in Africa with her zoologist parents. Upon arriving at school, she is introduced to the well defined high school cliques, most notorious of which is “the Plastics” (the most popular clique, including Regina George, Karen Smith, and Gretchen Weiners). Initially joining “the Plastics” to help act as a spy for her friends, Janis Ian and Damien Leigh, Cady soon finds herself falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend and starting to transform into a Plastic herself.
Well known for its witty one liners, Mean Girls has become a cultural phenomenon in the United States. It manages to highlight the very real high school environment in a light-hearted and engaging manner. The film conveys how easily kids yield to social pressure, finding themselves caught up in fake friendships and poisoned by popularity. However, Mean Girls is also a story of growth, and the maturing of students while they learn the importance of staying true to themselves.
Fun Fact:
Mean Girls has also been adapted as a Broadway musical!
Famous Lines:
“You go, Glen Coco!” – Damian
“That is so fetch!” – Gretchen Weiners
“You can’t sit with us!” – Gretchen Weiners
“On Wednesdays we wear pink!” – Karen Smith
“Get in loser, we’re going shopping.” — Regina George
“She doesn’t even go here!” — Damian
“Is butter a carb?” — Regina George
Legally Blonde (2001, PG-13)
Harvard Law School. That is the dream for countless students worldwide, but for Elle Woods, it is a stepping stone to help her earn back a lost relationship with her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III. A bubbly blonde, with an adoration for fashion and beauty, Elle is persistently teased in school for her lack of seriousness. No one believes she has what it takes to be a lawyer. Then, when Elle is selected as an intern to work on a murder trial, she seizes the opportunity to show her worth and prove that she was not another “dumb blonde.”
In addition to being an entertaining comedy, Legally Blonde is a story that represents feminism as well as the importance of believing in yourself and chasing your goals. Although Elle Woods is incredibly privileged—being white, wealthy, and straight—she also serves as a good role model for women with her steadfast determination and confidence. Furthermore, Legally Blonde successfully communicates the importance of women supporting women (examples being Elle and Paulette or Elle and Vivian) and presents a relatively well-handled, realistic scenario of sexual harassment later on in the film.
Legally Blonde Sequels:
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde (2003), Legally Blondes (2009)
Best Elle Woods quotes:
“I don’t need backups. I’m going to Harvard.”
“When used appropriately, it has an 83 percent rate of return on a dinner invitation. It’s called the bend and snap.”
“You must always have faith in people. And, most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself.”
“If I’m gonna be a partner in a law firm by the time I’m 30, I’m going to need a boyfriend who’s not such a complete bonehead.”
“The rules of hair care are simple and finite. Any Cosmo girl would have known.”
“I’ll show you how valuable Elle Woods can be.”
Discussion Questions:
Do any of these movies interest you? Why?
