Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
Directed by Peter Chelsom
When Miley Stewart (aka pop-star Hannah Montana) gets too caught up in the superstar celebrity lifestyle, her dad decides it's time for a total change of scenery. But sweet niblets! Miley must trade in all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood for some ol' blue jeans on the family farm in Tennessee, and question if she can be both Miley Stewart and Hannah Montana.
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18 films that influenced Hannah Montana: The Movie
What critics say influenced Hannah Montana: The Movie
SPOILERS AHEAD: The history of cinema is filled with shocking transformations in which a character's alternate identity is revealed to surprised witnesses: Jekyll's reversion to Hyde in any number of horror movies; Jack Lemmon's switch from "Daphne" to Jerry in front of suitor Joe E. Brown in "Some Like It Hot"; even undercover teen "boy" Joyce Hyser baring her breasts in "Just One of the Guys."
But in the same way that, say, Paul Verhoeven’s “Starship Troopers” can be viewed either as straightforward action-sci-fi adventure or as a blistering satire on Fascist propaganda, “Hannah Montana: The Movie” lends itself to two completely different interpretations, one of which is as disturbing as it was probably unintentional to the filmmakers.
The characters may be different, but we've seen the formula before in such films as "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002) and "Hope Floats" (1998).
SPOILERS AHEAD: The history of cinema is filled with shocking transformations in which a character's alternate identity is revealed to surprised witnesses: Jekyll's reversion to Hyde in any number of horror movies; Jack Lemmon's switch from "Daphne" to Jerry in front of suitor Joe E. Brown in "Some Like It Hot"; even undercover teen "boy" Joyce Hyser baring her breasts in "Just One of the Guys."
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As love interest Travis, Lucas Till (2005's " Walk the Line ") was clearly cast for his looks over his thespian prowess, while Vanessa Williams (2004's "Johnson Family Vacation") brings a layer of dignity to her thankless role as Miley's dedicated publicist Vita.
As best friend Lilly, Emily Osment (2003's " Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over ") has little to do but stand around, and the very idea that she would be able to throw a huge sweet 16 bash on the Santa Monica Pier inadvertently makes her look shallow and spoiled.
Despite the presence of an age-appropriate cute cowpoke named Travis (Lucas Till -- Johnny Cash's de-armed brother in "Walk the Line"), Miley initially resents life on the farm with lovable Grandma Ruby (Margo Martindale).
In Crowley Corners we find endless picturesque vistas, a hunky farm boy (Lucas Till, Walk the Line), an evil land developer (Barry Bostwick, reminding us how long ago Rocky Horror was), an endlessly wise grandmother (Margo Martindale, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) and Miley introducing “a little hip-hop” at a hoedown.
Casting decisions, for the most part, helped the cause; while cameos like Tyra Banks, Taylor Swift, and Rascal Flatts give the film star power, the acting chops of character actor Margo Martindale (in the matriarchal role of Miley's Grandma Ruby) and the magnetic charisma of young star Lucas Till (previously seen most memorably as Jack Cash in Walk the Line) add some much needed nuance and depth.
As love interest Travis, Lucas Till (2005's " Walk the Line ") was clearly cast for his looks over his thespian prowess, while Vanessa Williams (2004's "Johnson Family Vacation") brings a layer of dignity to her thankless role as Miley's dedicated publicist Vita.
The characters may be different, but we've seen the formula before in such films as "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002) and "Hope Floats" (1998).
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Directed by Peter Chelsom, who made the cult classic Funny Bones - an Oedipal showbiz comedy set in Blackpool, England - HM: The Movie handles the strained daddy/daughter bond with sufficient lightness and laughs so that fathers won't mind accompanying their spawn.
But he also made such agreeable films as Serendipity (2001) and Shall We Dance (2004), and such early charmers as Hear My Song (1991) and Funny Bones (1995).
I'm inclined to give Chelsom credit for a lot of what goes right in "Hannah Montana," and if you said that's because I'm obsessed with his brilliant, cracked "Funny Bones," I wouldn't disagree.
Director Peter Chesolm has made better show-biz comedies than this, like Hear My Song and Funny Bones, and yet, it is depressingly certain, he won't ever make one as profitable.
In fact, toward the beginning of his career, he was behind several art house favorites (Hear My Song and Funny Bones ).
In contrast, Dragonball merely squanders the abilities of James Wong, the guy who gave us the Final Destination series.