Back to School Blu-Ray/DVD Reviews
If you aren’t already in school for the new fall term, you will be soon so here is our take on a couple of high school, teen-centric love stories with music to keep that summer entertainment buzz going.
From Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Prom: Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack
Senior Class Prez and super student Nova (Aimee Teegarden) heads the prom committee at her high school. Even though she doesn’t yet have a date, Nova envisions a starry prom in which all the cliques get along and remember the night forever. When an inconsiderate student accidentally burns down all the decorations, Nova only has a few weeks to rebuild….alone until the principal assigns bad boy Jesse Richter (cute Depp look-alike Thomas McDonell) to help her. Of course, duh, they fall for each other.
Other prom hopefuls: The “he’s-all-that” jock who is two-timing his girlfriend, a sweet guy who just can’t get a date, the cute “always been a duo” couple facing separation, the sweet sophomore guy who is in love with the hot girl who is out of his league, the doofus but sweet slacker kid who claims his date is a super model etc. Of course, everything turns out fine.
Special Features: This combo pack contains a DVD with a making of featurette and the blooper reel but we’ll concentrate on the Blu-Ray.
“Last Chance Lloyd” is a cute, extended short about the shy sweet guy trying to get a prom date with just about every girl in school and striking out. His little sis keeps encouraging him. This had to be cobbled together from deleted scenes but, hey if you identify with Lloyd, you’ll like it.
“Putting on Prom” is the “making-of” featurette, behind-the-scenes with director and casting people talking about putting virtual unknowns in the film, actors commenting on their characters and talking about their own proms. Standard but fine.
“Bloopers”- simple and cute mess ups with dogs barking during scenes, line-blowing and Aimee Teegarden saying “Eww, I have chin sweat”.
“Deleted Scenes” – four of them, have director Joe Nussbaum and producer Justin Springer (is this guy over 12? He looks so young!) talking about what was cut; short shot of how Jesse and Nova actually escaped from the high school they broke into, the jock and his hot, secret sophomore love meeting in a janitor closet, Jesse dissed at a tux shop by jock and doofus buddies, a little more at the actual prom, etc. All nice to see but not missed from the movie.
“Music Videos” – Now we’re talkin’! These are all completed videos, about a half hour’s worth…not just snips of them and with more than just clips from the film behind them.
Aimee and Thomas are in character enacting a little extra prom night story in one video. There is re-enacted prom footage, cool shots of the bands etc.
“Moon” is actor Thomas McDonell’s band and he is the frontman in that video. Shows another side of the actor. Fun.
This is the best featurette on the disc. Well worth a watch and listen, especially if you are a fan of any of the bands. Videos are:
"Not Your Birthday" by Allstar Weekend
"Your Surrender" by Neon Trees
"Time Stand" by Moon
"We Could Be Anything" by Nolan Sotillo (the actor playing our shy sophomore in the film)
"Juntos Lo Haremos Bien" by Nolan Sotillo (the Spanish version of the song)
"I'll Be Yours" by Those Dancing Days
"Come On, Let's Go" by Girl in a Coma
Wrapping Up: Prom is like a PG-13 version of those more edgy ‘80’s teen movie classics. Sure, it is predictable and you’ve seen the character “types” before but odds are you’ll recognize yourself or a pal or enemy among them and enjoy the way the story develops.
This isn’t a musical. The only music is at the prom and in the background soundtrack and the actors are taking the story seriously. Rent or buy for either a nostalgic glimpse back, if you’ve already gone through prom, or a look forward if it is still in your future. A fun watch.
From Warner Home Entertainment
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song – DVD
This love story with music stars “Pretty Little Liars” Lucy Hale and the basic story follows the classic Cinderella tale.
Lucy is Katie, a teen with an evil stepmother (funny Missi Pyle) who makes her babysit her impossible but bright young son and clean up after her snobbish but talentless teen daughter (Megan Park). Katie is a great singer/songwriter but can’t get a break. When stepmom from Hades discovers she can sing and her daughter can’t, she forces Katie to record a track that daughter can lip-sync to, in order to win a talent contest. How evil is that?
Meanwhile, new student Luke (Freddie Stroma) comes to town and is lusted after by both young women. He’s the son of a music mogul who expects him to follow in his footsteps. Luke would rather sing and songwrite and it’s a bumpy but ultimately satisfying road for he and Katie to come together and achieve their mutual dream.
Special Features: “Spotlighting Lucy Hale” – you see Lucy rehearsing her songs and dances and cast members talking about Lucy, her TV work, magazine covers and her surprisingly good singing voice. She can really belt it! Fun featurette.
“A Cinderella Story: Make ‘Em Move” is an exploration of the dance numbers in the movie with the cast at dance rehearsals and the choreographer speaking about making a big “Bollywood” number work. Interesting and fun.
“A Cinderella Story: Meet Prince Charming” is a unique interview with cute love interest Freddie Stroma by Lucy Hale! In a relaxed setting in Wilmington, North Carolina between set-ups, Lucy strolls on a dock with Freddie and asks him some pretty cool questions.
“Flippin’ on Set” –a click on a right-pointing arrow at the end of the first page of extras leads you to two more. “Flippin” is fun as the entire young cast uses their flipcams to show us their lives between scenes and off set. We visit their apartments on the beach, see Lucy without make-up and with huge rollers in her hair and everyone interacting in a real way.
You get Lucy Hale’s music video for “Bless Myself” the big song at the end of the movie. We see Lucy recording the song, on stage etc. It’s a catchy pop tune and she really sells it.
Wrapping Up: This DVD was much more entertaining than I expected. Lucy Hale is charming and can really sing and perform on stage very well. Freddie (who was Cormac in the Harry Potter movies) is cute and makes a good love interest and Megan Park (Grace in TV’s “Secret Life of the American Teenager”) successfully embodies the role of “evil” step-sister with a softer center. Missi Pyle is always hilarious and her character here is no exception. Musical numbers are well-executed. Nothing really new here storywise but there are some fun twists and the actors and music make this an entertaining rent or a buy especially if you are a Lucy Hale fan.
