Title: High School Musical (2006) Director: Kenny Ortega Genre(s): Musical Run Time: 1hr 38mins Stars: Zac Efron • Vanessa Hudgens • Ashley Tisdale • Lucas Grabeel • Corbin Bleu • Monique Coleman High School student and small-town star athlete Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), falls for nerdy transfer student, Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) at a New Year’s Party. Upon returning to school, Troy and Gabriella audition for an upcoming musical which breaks the school's norms. High School Musical carries underlying themes of breaking societal norms, stepping outside of your comfort zone and starting over. Although the film utilizes the typical American film stereotypes of jocks, nerds and geeks, the characters are given dreams, goals and problems that are relatable, consequently making them more than a stereotypical character. Take for instance, the character Troy, who is pressured to live up to his father’s expectations of pursuing basketball. Meanwhile the main antagonist of High School Musical, Sharpay Evans, appears to be a typical mean girl character who wants the guy. We find out however, that she’s more interested in preventing Troy and Gabriella from taking the spotlight in the school’s upcoming musical. The musical scores are quite good except for Vanessa Hudgens’ “When there Was Me and You”, which can only be described as bland, cringy and forgettable. Overall, High School Musical is a Disney Classic, that captivated a generation of tweens and teens. Not to mention, it can give you boosted mood for the New Year, considering the fact that the opening sequence is a New Year’s party.