Bah Humbug

Jeez ... someone forgot to put sugar in Virginia Heffernan's coffee this morning — or rather, whenever it was that she watched High School Musical 2 and wrote her review for The New York Times. Of the movie, she writes that there's "so much to hate. Just search the bottom of your shriveled little sunless heart. You’ll figure it out. The widespread pressure to embrace the experience as kitsch only twists the knife. This is supposed to be the time of your life, and yet — oh brother. Just like high school. Just like a musical." She criticizes the bad lip-synching, the tanned skin (mind you, the movie takes place in the summer), the dancing ... she just really didn't like it. And yet, she ends her review this way: "The movie is mediocre, and should be skipped. But I can’t wait to buy the soundtrack and do the karaoke." So at least she doesn't have a heart completely full of coal.

But, I mean, really. It sounds like she totally missed the point, and the fact that she's making fun of the lip-synching and the tans means she was really looking for something to criticize. This movie is a harmless, silly trifle (I assume. It premieres tonight and I haven't seen it yet). Sure, the first one was pretty awful, but it was fun and I do expect to watch the sequel. And sure, HSM2's main target audience (not me, of course, but the pre-pubescent folks and tweens) aren't the same folks who read the NYT. So then, what was the point in Heffernan ripping the movie a new one with such utter contempt? Was it just on general principle, out of spite, or simply because she could? Seems like a waste of time to me. Still, I feel a great need to smile in her general direction or go bring her a cupcake with lots of sugary sweet frosting. Cheer up, Virginia. Go get some sunshine.