Sky High (2005)

Now I must say I was ready for just an okay movie based on our own IMDb initial buzz. I'm happy to say wrong! This movie had everything one would need minus the popcorn.

I had with me my son and two nieces, ages were 5, 8, and 12. Add to the mix a 40 something year old and we all came out with smiles on our faces. Usually with this mix someone is disappointed, but not this time. I'm truly happy when actors like Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston put their heart into a kids movie. It makes you appreciate them all the more and at the same time gives you great acting and a fun movie.

As much as I liked the Incredibles and love Pixar, I have to give a big hand to Disney for bringing equal enjoyment to live action. Thanks boys and girls.

Fmovies: I attended a screening of this movie last night and I must say this is the only comic book film I have seen in a long time that I immediately want to see again. I was there with a row of press and was invited to bring my kids, seeing as I do't have any I took my nephew. This boy is all over the place most of the time, but he was rivited when the movie started and when it ended he wanted toys, I don't think there are any. I spent time at a round session conducting interviews of the cast and I was lucky enough to run into the creator of Sky High, Paul Hernandez. Hernandez was surrounded by Latino press who were all hitting him with questions. I was about to leave when he stopped me and said jokingly "don't worry, I speak English too." We chatted about his attempt to set this up as a television series in 94 and how he left the production to work on Greatest American Hero at Disney, as well as Instant Karma for New Line, a film he is directing staring the Rock and Pierce Brosnan. With just the 10 min or so I spent with him, I could tell where the wit and vision of this film came from.

I remember the days when I was a kid and loved Disney comedies. Son of Flubber, The Shaggy Dog, etc. Then there was the classic period after I got a little older with Kurt Russell Disney movies. Well those days are back and you can even take your kids. It is PG rather than the G of the old stuff but that is only because of violence and that violence is directed mostly at property. The characters are not killed or injured. (A lot better than the Bad News Bears which the theater had warnings up about being a STRONG PG 13). Anyway Kurt Russell is so campy in this one and (what a shock) so is Bruce Campbell. The plot and theme borrow a lot from the Incredibles (which is a good thing because I liked it the best of Pixar's flicks) Also you might think Hogwarts when you see the classes except the high school floats in the sky and rather than potions and avoiding the dark forces the student learn how to be superhero sidekicks and how to build ray guns in science class. Won't go any further on that except to say that those scenes are a hoot. Anyway the good guys win, the bad guys lose, the hero is taught lessons about life and everyone gets a laugh a minute as it all comes about.

Sky High fmovies. Kurt Russell went back to his Disney roots with Sky High, a fresh take on the superhero craze. The story revolves around Will Stronghold( Michael Angarano) who is the kid of two superhero parents, The Commander( Kurt Russell) and Jetstream( Kelly Preston). Will is off to be a freshman at his dad's alma mater- Sky High, a school for superheroes where they can find their powers and learn how to use them. High school angst is then thrown into the mix as Will and his new group of friends, headed up by the typical girl best friend Layla( Danielle Panabaker), are told they don't fit the superhero mold and become sidekicks, otherwise known as the losers of the school.

I loved the idea of this movie and the people in it seemed to be having a great time. The roles were cast perfectly and it was easy to believe everyone. A few favorites were Warren Peace( Steven Strait), Layla and Zach( Nicholas Braun). Sure the plot was a tad predictable, both in the superhero plot and in the teen drama area but because of the setting and the mix it made it still worth seeing. Also, anything that has Bruce Campbell, who plays Coach Boomer, is automatically quirky enough to be given a chance. Of course the world ends up in danger and the underdogs must fight to save it, but for once I wasn't upset that I knew it all.

Disney needed a hit as the past few movies it's put out that were live action failed to do much. I think Sky High is it. Action for the boys, cute boys and drama for the girls and Kurt Russell for the moms- great family movie. All I can end with is I can't wait for it to come out on video.

This movie was awesome. I went with two other adults & we all enjoyed it. There were tons of young kids there & in typical Disney style lots of fun things the adults understood, but the kids didn't (like who the principal was in our youth)! The kids around me seemed to enjoy it, along with the adults. If you are looking for an action movie, this is not it, if you're looking for mystery & intrigue this is not it, if you're looking for amazing cinematography, not it, but if you're looking for a fun movie to go to with your family, this is the movie to go see. I got to go for free, but would definitely pay to go see it again!

Well, I must say that this movie was surprisingly good for it being a Disney Kid Movie. Now it won't win any Oscars, but it really kept up the Disney Tradition for being a clean and fun film. It was wonderful to see Kurt Russell on the screen again with Disney. The acting, again, not an Oscar performance out of anyone, was clean and sincere, very believable. The sets and special effects were, well, good. The diversity and conflict between students of the school, once again... good. There were some very witty and dry remarks about high school life as well. Good writing. I say the most surprising thing about this film was that it was just plain old fun! It had the patrons laughing as well as I. My 7 year old and my 3 year old loved it and it was still adult enough with a strong enough plot to keep the parents interested as well. All in all, it made for a fun afternoon.