Tuesday, 16 December 2008
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Less Zefron, More Jesus: Sunday School Musical
vs. 
This apparent alternative to Disney's High School Musical franchise follows a group of teenagers who enter a dance competition in order to save their church/youth center. The main character, Zach, learns to use his talents for inspiration rather than for fame. Produced by Arts Alliance America and Faith Films, Sunday School Musical came out on DVD on Oct 21, 2008, three days before High School Musical 3 opened in theaters.
I haven't seen all of the High School Musical series, but from what I've seen from its various installments, it's relatively wholesome, so I don't see why the company helmed this film as a family-friendly alternative. Is it not good enough to stand on its own, and without being marketed as an HSM knockoff? Based on the trailer, Sunday School Musical doesn't look half bad; it doesn't seem overly preachy, the songs are catchy, and storyline - which doesn't sound like the original HSM's plot at all - seems pretty solid!
What do you think of High School Musical? Would you be willing to give Sunday School Musical a shot?
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Comments (37)
Probably not... But I'm also not a 12 year old girl.
My wife and I are going to see it (we enjoyed all of the HSM movies - because I am a 12-year-old girl at heart), but I think that the cheesey Christian knock-off feel is part of the appeal.
"I haven't seen all of the High School Musical series, but
from what I've seen from its various installments, it's relatively
wholesome, so I don't see why the company helmed this film as a
family-friendly alternative."
I would hazard that "family-friendly alternative" = "The money is coming to us instead of to Disney." (Sorry. Derivative Christian(tm) subcultural marketing rubs me the wrong way.)
I have not yet seen this movie, though when my fiancee and I saw the DVD in Blockbuster we thought it was a parody. We almost rented it before we realized it was a serious film. If it is, as you describe, a solid film with catchy lyrics and isn't as derivative as its packaging makes it out to be, than perhaps it's worth the watch after all.
Sounds to me like a caffeine-free alternative to decaffeinated coffee. Just once I'd like to see Christian artists in this generation have something that looks like it just could possibly be an original idea.
(The part of me that isn't a pretentious classical music elitist, however, says, "Oh, where can the harm possibly be?")
Seriously, what's next? "Hannah Hosanna"?
@Pass_the_Aura@xanga -
"Seriously, what's next? 'Hannah Hosanna'?
OH MY GOSH! That made me laugh so hard!
Anyways... on to my opinion. I wish for once, Christians could make a GOOD movie that's not a cheesy knock-off of some secular movies. I know the plot line isn't exactly the same, or whatever, but it's still a knock off at least in name and cover design. Honestly, that totally turns me off right there.
Christians need to get it together as far as media goes. Seriously, media is such a wonderful tool, but we totally kill it with our sub-par movies, music, video games, etc. And believe me, I know... I've worked at a Christian Bookstore... I've seen it all. I'm sick of it. This is why I don't watch most Christian movies.
@Pass_the_Aura@xanga - Hehe... Hannah Hosanna...
I'm in total agreement about the originality aspect.
i think its a good thing that we can have christian alternitives to such worldly stuff like high school muscial, i wouldnt want my kids watching zack efron and vanessa hudgens movie, it might give them the wrong idea, when i have kids ill make sure we have good christian movies in the house
We rented it a while ago but we didn't have time to watch it before it was due back.
I thought I would hate this. but it looks cute.
I've seen the High School Musical movies, except the 3rd one, and I liked them, I think they're really good!
I don't know about the Sunday School one though, I'd never even heard of it!
i refuse to watch anything that comes from the Disney Channel. a cheap Christian knock-off is no exception. linking an aspect of pop culture to God doesn't "purify" it somehow.
no.
Score one more for Cheap Christian Derivatives of Slipshod Pop Culture Phenomenon!
I wouldn't call it an "alternative." It captures attention. If it's a chance to witness to some kids who were grabbed by High School Musical, then I hope it's an effective ministry tool. However, you could also argue that SSM could backfire and direct a Christian kid to HSM and all its connections.
Like ChrisRusso, I have reservations about calling HSM "family friendly." Let's not forget that it's female star has nude photos posted on the web -- which come up right away when Googling her name in an unfiltered search. (I know someone's going, "And how would you know this?")
@Pass_the_Aura@xanga - lol that was too funny.
And I totally agree. Surely people who have a creator God behind the wheel could come up with something creative.
@gabrielpeter@xanga - isn't that what Net Nanny and the like are for to filter out that kind of thing?
I don't mind the whole HSM thing. It has been pretty family friendly for us.
I don't agree with everything contained within it's message but it has created some great conversation starters with the kids to talk about some of that stuff- say like teen dating (as my girls are 12 and 10).
I'll watch the trailer tomorrow, I can't find my head phones right now. I lament the Christian rip off market and wonder why we can't come up with original ideas.
I would see no problem with it other than that (without watching it).
x
@mamma_sez - Most parents I know are not particularly net savvy. My own folks, despite my recommendation, do not have any added filter software on their computer at home. My siblings are still exposed to such things.
Net Nanny also doesn't apologize for the HSM star appearing nude on the web. How does that make HSM family friendly again?
@gabrielpeter@xanga - I am truly sorry, that is very sad. Somethings kids (and adults) should never see.
i wish they can have this released in the PHilippines
Uhm...no.
I don't respect it because it's shamelessly leeching off of the HSM franchise. It doesn't look terribly original, I agree with @Pass_the_Aura@xanga !)
@gabrielpeter@xanga - I disagree. I don't think that it's fair to blame High School Musical for Vanessa Hudgens' inappropriate photos. I think that High School Musical itself is a family-friendly movie.....The nude photos of Vanessa should absolutely be filtered by net nanny--I can't believe that they wouldn't have caught that by now, that's really horrifying! I can understand some things getting through, but this was a huge issue and it's terrible that kids are being exposed to that. But you could easily have the same thing happen with many other search results--I remember, as a child, searching for virtual pets online (like the puppies and kittens and such) and finding an inappropriate website by accident just by searching "virtual pets" in a filtered search engine. That didn't make virtual pets un-family-friendly.....it was just a fluke thing. This is a little different, but it's the same principle. I see where your coming from, I just don't think that HSM should lose its status as family-friendly because one of its stars did something so inappropriate.
..........That being said, I really don't like the HSM movies, and I haven't seen them in ages (and I've never seen the 3rd) so I don't really remember if there was anything objectionable within the movies....
When I saw this post, I really thought it was just a parody...:P!
I think I'll stick with the Disney version, thanks. Not everything that doesn't mention Jesus every two seconds is bad. I think it really sends the wrong message when they take perfectly good movies or music and change it to be from a Christian perspective. It's like saying you are horrible for listening to or watching the original version, or that parents who let their children watch/listen to those things are bad parents. We don't need to shelter ourselves to where we don't know what's going on outside church approved things. It also scares away those who aren't believers, because they think we are all like Ned Flanders...So much that we wouldn't even know who Ned Flanders is.
Trailer looks good to me. Looking forward to it.
They probably shouldn't have copied the hsm title, though. It's gonna get them a lot of unneeded critics.
@point_of_no_R3turn@xanga - I'm totally with you on this. I'm starting to get annoyed by the "Jesus knockoffs" that the church is putting out there.
I watched the trailer this morning.
I would let the kids watch it, it is nice to have family friendly movies to watch together over a bowl of popcorn, even if they are unoriginal.
x
@Pass_the_Aura@xanga - hahaha, amazing!
I think the trailer looks really cute! a shame they feel they have to tag along with HSM, but I guess if they tried to make it it's own thing, people would mock it for being just an HSM knockoff. Guess you can't win for losing when it comes to Christian movies. So, I guess, it's better that they are just coming right out and saying, "yeah, this pretty much looks and smells like HSM, but it's just a bit of a different purpose." I would go see it, if I were in the States right now...but I guess I'll have to wait until I can get the DVD. Somehow, I don't see this sort of thing making it to Japan.