We're expecting huge numbers this weekend for High School Musical 3. This has aroused my curiosity for the franchise. Is the first one worth renting?

I thought it was acceptable for a made-for-TV movie. Not sure that it merits the media outpouring it's received, but then again I'm not a 13-year-old. I haven't seen the second one.

The second one is not as good as the first. The first one, like Ailleann said, is decent. And it has one really good song.

Abby liked the first one and she's completely the target audience. But she likes it mostly for Ashley Tisdale.

Apparently it's a big tourist thing, to go to East High in Salt Lake, where the thing is filmed.

I just watched Paths of Glory. Which wound up being kind of appropriate for October, since the execution scene is truly horrifying. To the point that it's almost funny, so I can see how you'd wind up making Dr. Strangelove a few years later.

Anyway. Glad I saw it, but now I'm depressed. So on a lighter note...

Dave White breaks up with the Saw franchise:

I guess you’re probably thinking that if I really understood you I’d have tarted up my words for you somehow and left you a cryptic note where I half-explained my unhappiness. Then I would have stuck that note inside an envelope that was also holding a key to a box. And that box would have been buried under a pit of deadly radioactive scorpions. That box would have contained your left lung, which I would have removed while you were under sedation. And I would have also filled your right lung with cherry-flavored Kool-Aid while simultaneously attaching a model train set to your skull. And then I would have outfitted the engine with little tiny rocket launchers that would set your entire face on fire. And you would have had 10 seconds to decide if knowing my true feelings were more important than having nuclear scorpions gnawing on you or having your nose melted off. I guess that would have been more archly poetic.

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I love High School Musical. It is completely cheesy in about 700 different ways, but it owns it, so it works.

The second one was amazingly fun to watch the night it premiered after half a bottle of wine. I haven't had any desire to watch it again.

I am very excited for High School Musical 3. Because it should be silly and fun.

I am very excited for High School Musical 3. Because it should be silly and fun.

The law of diminishing returns suggests it will be best watched after an entire bottle of wine.

I just watched Paths of Glory. Which wound up being kind of appropriate for October, since the execution scene is truly horrifying. To the point that it's almost funny, so I can see how you'd wind up making Dr. Strangelove a few years later.

LOVE THAT MOVIE! I really need to see it again soon. Have you ever seen The Killing, Strega? It has that same "so horrific it's funny" vibe to it. Which, when you think about, pretty much describes just about every movie Kubrick ever made, but The Killing was like one of the last gasp semi-trad noir movies.

Oh! Yes, I saw The Killing a while back, and enjoyed it a lot. It's a bit less heartbreaking because of the noir-ness, but yeah, the ending is just crushing. The line between comedy and tragedy is definitely pretty thin in his movies, but.. in PoG, when they're tying the upright stretcher to the post? And pinching his cheek? GAH.

Then during the scene at the end with the German girl, I was sure something awful was going to happen. And instead it was only horribly sad, so...I guess that was a relief, but like I said: good Halloween movie.

I still have to see Killer's Kiss, but I think that's next in my queue. And then I think I can collect my Kubrick Merit Badge, woo!