The Cheetah Girls 2

Best friends Galleria, Chanel, Dorinda, and Aqua, A. K. A. The girl band "The Cheetahs," get the opportunity of a lifetime when they strut their way to Barcelona, Spain, to perform at an international music festival. Along the way, the "Cheetah friends" learn that, although their paths are not the same, they are lucky to have one another for the journey.

The first one was cute, the second one was silly, with so many good dilemmas, like parental abandonment, adoption, single mothers, Latino and black families, so much potential, and they only touched on frivolous romances, and the language difficulty nonsense, weak, weak, such a shame, with beautiful and talented protagonists...

As a fan of musicals, I am pleased by the Disney Channel's efforts to keep the genre alive. Indeed, some of their efforts are excellent musicals: HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, for example.

This movie, however, is shot with little sophistication in either the musical forms or the dance forms. Most of the songs are fast, energetic hip-hop pieces danced with tremendous sexual energy. Only one song tries something different, "A La Nanita Nanan" and it is sung as a study in pure modality, with nothing to say beyond that.

The photography is beautiful but straightforward -- try to shoot Barcelona and make it ugly! -- and does not use the background for any real emotional content.

In short, this movie speaks down to its audience, giving them what they expect to see -- four teen-aged girls in Barcelona for a musical festival and romance with a dancing Spanish grandee. The lack of variety gets a little onerous at times and speaks to a pre-teen audience that used to be served by magazines like 'Tiger Beat'. The people who made this movie missed a great opportunity: 8.3 million people tuned in for the premiere. But the talent were not interested in either glorious past of the musical or the future potential. The result is a movie that won't survive.

Okay, another day, another DCOM review.

This was shown on the Disney Channel, at least in England, soon after the phenomenally successful release of High School Musical. Sharing a director in Kenny Ortega, people had high hopes for the Cheetah Girls 2.

Now, I'm not gonna say it disappointed, because I don't think it did, but it didn't do that great a job of keeping you happy either.

I have to say, this movie was an improvement on High School Musical (which I've also reviewed) in that the music was better in that everybody did their own singing. The songs were nicely multicultural, which was a good nod to America's Latina population (Chanel also served that purpose). They were fun, with good messages that JUST erred on the right side of cheesy.

The stereotypical vibes of the girls were a little annoying, as you could look at each one and know what they were all about. On the plus side, I adored the addition of Marisol and her psychotic mother to the mix, and as always, Galleria and Chanel's moms were a bunch of laughs. Luke seemed a little too nice to be true, but this is Disney we're talking about. You can't be TOO mean, else you will scare the target demographic. And we can't have that, now can we? (Pfft.) The plot was solid, and meaningful, with moments of humor and a nice bunch of little sub-plots. It had more substance that High School Musical did. You had to like the fact that it didn't dwell on one thing for too long. And can I just say that Juaquin(is that how you spell it?) is entirely too hot for this movie. He should blatantly be stripping somewhere...

Oh yeah, and I just HAVE to comment on the names. I realize every little girl would like to have their names, but they are among the stupidest I've ever heard. That's includes baby Apple. I mean, REALLY, Aquanetta, Galleria, Chanel (!), and Dorinda? Also, who calls their child Angel? A boy? He was fantastic apart from his idiotic name.

I know people didn't like that some of the songs had Spanish parts, or that there was a whole Spanish song, but I think it's a great way to encourage interest in another language and culture, especially since there are just so many Latina people living in America. A La Nanita Nane translates beautifully, and Angel (insert shudder) has a part in Strut which practically makes the song.

Other than the slightly silly and OTT ness of the movie it was solid and nice time consumer, you'll like it, but you won't go running everyone over on your way to the DVD store. Not by a long shot.

I have seen the movie last week, and I enjoyed watching it more than the first movie, this one had more depth, more challenges, I believe at some point it reflected the life of fame for kids and teens who are seeking fame, that its not easy and that its takes hard work and dedication.

The music was inspiring and makes you want to jump up and down, sing along although you don't know the lyrics. Great footage of the beautiful country Spain was included.

I loved the sense of fashion in the film; girls dancing routines were great, some girls gained weight and it's OK, which I liked the most because it sends out a message to kids-teens who are pressured by the Media to loose weight and to be skinny.

Finally to people who did not like the movie so much, this is a Disney Movie directed to kids and teens so please don't expect Fire Works.

Ayesha

Anyone who wants to be incredibly rude about this movie off can just be quiet. I am a 12 going on 13 year old girl and I loved this movie the people who are being incredibly rude about this movie are about 47 and are too old to be watching this movie anyway of course you are not going to like i. I have a projector and I dance and sing along to this film everyday and that person who said that this movie is for people aged 12 and under with half a brain can be quiet. Because I am a very smart 12 going on 13 year old girl so as far as I'm concerned you can be quiet.

From a very annoyed 12 going on 13 year old girl with a complete (in case the person who wrote that "half a brain" message didn't know that means full ) brain :@.