In anticipation of the many big-screen Marvel Comics adaptations heading our way in the coming months, two volumes of select episodes from the recent animated series,
.
, in which the all-star heroes form a group, but as is Marvel's style, the heroes have a bit more angst and dysfunction in addition to super powers--which can also be burdensome (though not as socially distaff as Marvel's X-Men).
and others. The team is formed by the end of the two parter that concludes the volume, Breakout.
By Volume 2, The Avengers team is established. In some ways, the
contain more character-driven material because these mighty folks don't always get along.
But every show is loaded to the brim with almost constant action, superb animation by Film Roman. This studio, but the way, is amazingly versatile, since they also produced more comedic cartoons like
).
It's remarkable how the creators of these shows come up with so many interesting variations on the themes of gaining and losing power (usually by way of radiation) and megalomaniacal villains. The best way to really enjoy these shows is to leaf through the book,
, a nicely priced hardcover volume with color profiles of each character.
"THAT LEGALLY SHARPAY GIRL!"
Blog, TV
Posted on Apr 30 2011 by Greg
Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure, if anything else, is one of the most quotable films of year. For instance...
Sharpay's father, greeting his daughter after the pop performance that opens the film: "Princess, you had better look out for law enforcement. They are gonna come after you for stealing the show!"
Sharpay herself, when persuading her father to give his blessing to seek fame on Broadway: "Daddy, the main reason I buy such expensive shoes is to take monumental steps!"
This made-for-Disney-Channel-but-first-released-to-Blu-ray-and-DVD movie is a spinoff of the High School Musical series. Sharpay Evans, campus queen bee and wealthy, pampered but lovable self-caricature, decides that she can conquer Broadway with minimal effort, but learns the value of hard work, good friends and consideration for others. Kind of a kid-friendly version of Legally Blonde, right down to the designer doggie.
Her catalyst for this growth is smiling dagger-plunger stage star Amber Lee Adams (Cameron Goodman, playing it to the hilt in a film with a very, very high hilt), who calls our heroine "Sharpie" and basically tricks her into becoming her lapdog assistant. At one point, Sharpay even cleans a toilet! Omigosh!
Amber Lee's character is the bad example of what Sharpay might become. But she's saved by the nicest young cute guy in New York City, Donald Hollinger (oh, sorry--wrong decade--that was Ann Marie's boyfriend).
As budding filmmaker Peyton Everett, young actor Austin Butler gets some of the best lines in the movie. But unfortunately, since he's supposed to be the voice of reason and moral center, these lines make his character is a bit inconsistent and unintentionally funny.
One minute he says to Sharpay, "Everything you have to do will be worth it to have your dream," (the exact opposite of the film's message).
Later he says, with gravitas, "You’ve sold your soul just to get [your dog] Boi in that show rather than trust in the dog that you raised. Even worse you’ve stopped trusting that your own talents would get you where you need to go!"
It's priceless stuff, but probably not as sidesplittingly funny as intended, though the production tries valiantly to balance camp with heart (a very difficult task).
Here's another gem: upon making a dramatic exit, Peyton exclaims, "One question--what happened to that hot pink whirlwind of confidence and ambition I saw through my lens that first day you got here? I mean, that girl knew she was special! That girl knew that she didn’t have to do any of this to succeed! What happened to her, huh?"
Quite a few of the clever lines are appropriately assigned...
Sharpay: "Listen, Amber Lee Adams isn’t what you think."
Roger (Bradley Steven Perry): "A self absorbed, two-faced panther who would eat her young live on a reality show rather than allow anyone to steal her spotlight?"
Sharpay: "Okay, she's what you think."
But ultimately, Peyton wins the match with this golden line, said--again in all seriousness--to Sharpay: "There is not a marquee big enough, or lights bright enough, to contain the fame you’re gonna have." You could almost hear Dick Powell say this to Ruby Keeler in a Goldiggers movie. Which in this context, is probably fine and in keeping with the jaunty spirit of Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure.
Production wise, the film is nicely shot and directed with skill by Michael Lembeck (director of Disney's Santa Clauses 2 & 3 and former leader of Kaptain Kool and the Kongs on TV's Krofft Supershow) and the city looks like the wonderland of That Girl.
The Blu-Ray and DVD is sparse on bonus features, consisting mainly of a short doc about Sharpay's "evolution," bloopers and footage from the camera Butler used throughout the film.
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