Masterful Movie

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Absolutely amazing

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

I remember this song from my CD-building days of the 90s. It was a classic to me back then! And now, this minute, I'm listening to it for the first time in probably two decades. Such a trip. Love this song, well, the dance version, anyways.Whoa! I digress. This is a movie review about the adorable, cute, harmless and often humorous Sky High Disney flick. I had not seen this until just now, August 5, 2018, 13 years, 1 week late, but, truthfully, I always wanted to. With my fondness of Kurt Russell growing and my all-time love of Lynda Carter with the addition of the charming idea of the plot, this was one I regretted missing. Thankfully, a friend recommended it to me at work and lent me the DVD.It's been over a decade since I saw the original Incredibles from then Pixar, now Disney animated film, but this kinda reminds me of it: a mom and pop superhero duo send their superpowerless son to Sky High (School) and eventually he does late bloom. Well, he does that plus he picks up some stereotypical high school PG movie tropes along the way.This movie is purely innocent. It's not perfect, and it certainly does lack in the special effects department at times, but I couldn't help but be caught up in the purity and the heart. No one here was set on making a bad or clichéd film. Pretty much everyone, including those same extras I saw in every background scene, put their 100% into it. And let me tell you: I did find myself laughing out loud more than a few times and more so as the movie progressed and into the climax. It started with the wonderful references by the actors and their previous works, but then the laughs continued with their actions. I really did have a great time.I'm definitely a sucker for non-main stream superhero movies (AND I still need to see James Gunn/Rainn Wilson/Ellen Page's 'Super' movie) such as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Kick-Ass, but it was kinda nice seeing a PG, inoffensive, all-but TV pilot superhero film.It's definitely dated with the special effects and settings, but it's worth checking out and just letting your inner hero come out. Plus...there's always Wonder Woman, again!***Final thoughts: FROM the Newton Sky High edition I grew up and cherished in the 90s: Blown Round By The Wind Thrown Down In a SpinI Gave You Love I Thought That We Had Made It To The Top I Gave You All I Had To Give Why Did It Have To StopYou've Blown It All Sky High By Telling Me a Lie Without a Reason Why You've Blown It All Sky HighYou, You've Blown It All Sky High Our Love Had Wings To Fly We Could Have Touched The Sky You've Blown It All Sky High

Super fun mix of high school teen drama and comic book superheroes. I also loved the conceit of casting Kurt Russell in a Disney film, which is where he got his start in films like "Follow Me, Boys" and "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes." That aside, it's a fun story about a young teen, a likable Michael Angarano, who's parents are the most powerful superheroes in the world, Russell and Kelly Preston, and he is to start his freshman year at the secret superhero high school (which floats on a giant platform in the sky and to which you get to by a flying bus). The freshmen are divided into "heroes" or "sidekicks." Angarano is made a sidekick for his lack of powers and make friends with the other uncool sidekicks, who are buried by the popular heroes. It's all pretty typical teen drama when the freshman later becomes cool and must decide if he wants to stay loyal to his outcast sidekick pals or hang out with the cooler heroes. That part of the film works quite well, but it's made all the more fun when you throw in superheroes, super villains, secret weapons and old grudges. The film is also greatly helped by a strong comic supporting cast that includes Kevin Heffernan, Bruce Campbell, Cloris Leachman, Jim Rash, Dave Foley as sidekick teacher Mr. Boy and Kevin McDonald as a very funny Mr. Medulla, Tom Kenny, and the voice of Patrick Warburton, and a very cute Mary Elizabeth Winstead as the cool-kid love interest. You even get Lynda Carter as the principal. Top all this off with a fun soundtrack that consists of covers of 80s classics (who implies a flashback from 2005 to 1985, because songs such as: "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", "And She Was" or "Voices Carry" are from this year) and you have probably the best Disney live- action film in years.

Sky High (2005): Dir: Mike Mitchell / Cast: Michael Angarano, Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, David Foley, Mary Elizabeth Winstead: About as much fun as jumping naked upon a gigantic ant hill. Contrived crap about reaching full potential as Will Stronghold is about to enroll in a school for superheroes. His parents are superheroes so he feels pressured to measure up but he is unaware of his powers. Judging from this, his power seems to be attracting screenwriters with poor ways to translate potential good ideas. Very lame with special effects that are about as festive as a property invested with dog crap. I've seen third graders create better images out of Lego. Directed by Mike Mitchell who previously brought the world Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. He does his best with what could have been a grand idea but his cast suck big time beginning with an embarrassing performance by Michael Angarano as Will. Listening to young Stronghold whine for ninety minutes is enough of a world domination scheme on its own. Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston are a spectacle in outfits best suited for a pajama party. Then there is David Foley as a superhero professor in what amounts to not being his best moment. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays a romantic interest. What a surprise. Its take on superheroes and modern life is a funny theme but the results should be blown sky high. Score: 3 / 10

Being a teenager isn't easy, nor is being a superhero; having both these things combined together makes things both more interesting and a heck of a lot harder. This is film that unfortunately flew under the radar, this almost seems like another passable live action Disney film but trust me this in my opinion is one of their good ones that has plenty of altitude.I like the story, it's true the format is nothing too special now nor is it really anything new, but it's really in it's execution that makes it work. It feel almost like it could of been an anthology tale for the "Astro City" graphic novel series, the concept of a high school for super heroes I think is cool, I would've loved to of gone to this school. I really like the classes which I feel actually teach something useful. Mixing teen angst and the superhero fantasy format almost seems like a bad idea but they actually made it work. It's actually fun and at the same time has genuine teen drama (at least I think so).Effects are good, I wouldn't say anything spectacular. I really like the production value, everything is really colorful giving it almost a comic book like atmosphere but at the same time grounded in actual reality. Action is decent, I liked the final battle but mainly I really liked the "Save the Citizen" game, which is pretty much a tag team battle game. Music is also good, the theme song is solid.However what makes this film work for me are the characters and the humor I think is very good and clever, I really like how there are a lot of satire and parody on some of the superhero/comic clichés. As well as reference jokes mainly most of them on the 60's "Batman" TV series. One of my favorite comical moments was the hero/sidekick placement test and Will is up which I find both funny and sad at the same time, it's kinda a parody on our common fear of stage fright.But I really like the superhero teen characters, all of them are unique, let alone have a trademark clothing color and equally sympathetic.Will Stronghold (Michael Angrano) is a solid protagonist, he's a typical teen that is insecure and just trying to find his place in the fold of things. This character experiences both ends of the sidewalk, where in the first half he is powerless and is getting crap canned like all the other sidekicks. And the sidekicks in this film are the ones that have powers less than extraordinary or not useful enough which back then was a cliché for sidekicks in comics. In this film they represent the typical outsiders, geeks, nerds, anyone different in any way. Though he does get superpowers in the second half but unfortunately that's only the beginning of all new problems as he becomes popular and hangs out with the people that are in the hero faction (though personally I don't thing most of them are due to how they treat the sidekicks) he becomes alienated from his friends and more alone than he thinks.Layla (Danelle Panabaker) whom I think is hot, she's the sweet supportive best friend to Will and has developed feelings for him. I like the chemistry between both of them, it really felt genuine like both really have been friends for a long time. From those we automatically know she's the one for Will, the plain fact she doesn't have him yet and a lot stands in her way mainly Gwen (played well by Mary Elesebeth Winstead also hot)whom is the typical looks right but all wrong girl; all the more makes us want Layla to win.Warren Peace (Steven Strait) he's my favorite character. He's brooding, angry, a loner which is something I can emphasize with I'm one myself. But deep down is a bit of a softy and actually deep down whether he wants to admit it or not wants friends in his life.And I like the small roles the adult cast members play, from Bruce Cambell (on a side note a fan of the "Evil Dead" films) as Coach Boomer whom is hilarious. Lynda Carter as Principal Power whom on a side note was "Wonder Woman" in the 70's TV show so that serves as irony, let alone she makes a verbal reference joke to it. But my favorite is Kurt Rusell whom is one of my favorite actors and on a side note is an alumni to Disney since he made his start in live action films for the company in the 70's. Anyway he plays Steve Stronghold whom is a proud dad that is loving but at the same time a bit of a muscle head.The film does have a lot of good messages like not letting labels define you but also simply what it means to be a true hero.The only real shame of this film was that it didn't become a franchise. Personally I wouldn't of minded a sequel, I would of loved to of seen what more the Sky High gang would of done, save the world next. I don't know, but still I couldn't feel that afterward they could of done even more.Oh well, overall Sky High has plenty of altitude and I feel is worth a visit.Rating: 3 stars