Bandslam (2009)

If you watch this and don't smile cry and celebrate you have no heart. Vanessa and the blond lead are gorgeous Thumbs up 10 times over and then some. This is in my top ten movies of all time and its a sad world when a film like this doesn't receive a lot more praise. Give it a go and let it happen and you'll be presently surprised.

Will Burton (Gaelan Connell) is an unpopular high school outcast picked on as Dewey in Cinncinnati. His personal hero is David Bowie. His mother Karen (Lisa Kudrow) moves the two of them to Lodi, New Jersey. He is happy to be anonymous. He is a music obsessed kid who discovers that there is a popular competition called Bandslam. He befriends fellow student Sa5m (Vanessa Hudgens), the 5 is silent. Former popular cheerleader Charlotte Barnes (Aly Michalka) sees Will as a project and ropes him in to help with the daycare. They and others form a band to compete against former band mate Ben Wheatly (Scott Porter). These are charming cute characters in a charming cute story with some charming cute dialog. Gaelan is a good lovable geek lead. Both Aly and Vanessa are former Disney stars with a lot of charisma. Lisa Kudrow has some hilarious bits. She's funny whenever she's on the screen. It's always nice when the adults aren't idiots. This is sorta like 'School of Rock' with a couple of dark secrets thrown in. It is adorable and a little awkward at times.

Foolishly, I thought this was opening as a midwest-basher, then he moves to the East coast and realizes there are douches everywhere, haha. But seriously, a thorough script, nothing's overly forced - except that opening guitar solo (beginning of the school year). But any movie that has the wherewithal to play Nick Drake (go listen to "Road"), has at least got my attention. I dunno, just like a singer you inherently believe, over one you don't, this film has some actual character to it. I just wanted the main character to cut his damn hair. Give yourself a CHANCE brother! Solid movie, well done to those involved - this caliber, in this genre, doesn't come around very often.

When I first saw the the beginning few minutes of this, I thought I wasn't going to like it. With it's typical main character that judges other people because of a certain aspect about them constantly. But than as the movie progressed, I started to like this more and more and when the credit started rolling I was really satisfied. The film is corny and predictable like few reviewers are saying, but the building of the character and the direction and the way the creators decided to go with this actually made it really enjoyable. It's basically about a student in high school that moves to another school, just to be a loner all over again until he meets these two girls he ends up getting along with. And there is a few stereotyping in this film from just how the characters look. What got a bit annoying with the protagonist of this is how he falls for both girls, but pretends he likes another girl, just to end up using her as a back up unless the relationship with the other girl fails. But it sort of helped the film progress and sort of helped it make it into a good ending. Anyways he is really into music and tries to form a band for a competition called bandslam. This is a feel good movie that kids and adults can really enjoy, my smile grew wider and wider while watching this. Just give this a chance, even adults and don't let the first few minutes turn you off.8.3/10