Movie: Bandslam * Gecko Preview *  Official Site	In Theaters: Aug. 14, 2009
Runtime: 111 minutes	Directed by: Todd Graff; Produced by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas
MPAA Rating: PG for some thematic elements and mild language	Gecko Rating:

I take back my earlier thoughts about "Bandslam." If, like me, you were expecting something akin to "High School Musical," you’d be dead wrong!

Yes, there’s a teensy bit of sap in this movie, but nothing like the volume offered up in Disney’s HSM. This is Summit Entertainment, after all, which automatically kicks it to a different level. The soundtrack includes Lou Reed’s "Femme Fatale" and Steve Wynn’s "Amphetamine," and David Bowie is an integral part of the story. You wouldn’t get that with Disney.

Vanessa Hudgens is the known star here, but it’s really an ensemble cast, all revolving around Gaelan Connell’s character, Will Burton. In the opening scene, Will is being kicked around and made fun of at his high school. He’s the class nerd and the target of bullies and jocks. And right away, we learn that he has a secret, only we don’t get to know what it is until the end of the movie.

Will and his mom Karen (Lisa Kudrow) move to a new town and a new high school, where he falls in with former cheerleader Charlotte (Aly Michalka). The fact that she befriends a nerd is another mystery, which we learn more about later in the movie.

Will also befriends a sullen Vanessa Hudgens – her name is Sa5m (the 5 is silent) –  who tries to warn him about Charlotte. But he gets ever more friendly with her and ends up managing her band, made up of other nerds. The main story revolves around a "battle of the bands" contest called Bandslam, with the winner getting a recording contract.

Charlotte’s band includes a rag-tag group of kids, including Charlie Saxton (Ray Drecker’s son on HBO’s "Hung"), Tim Jo, Ryan Donowho, Elvy Yost, and Lisa Chung.

Competing against Charlotte’s band is a band fronted by her former boyfriend Ben, played by Friday Night Lights’ Scott Porter.

How to sum up "Bandslam"? It doesn’t break any new ground in cinematic history, but it’s a good movie. I think of it as "Napoleon Dynamite" meets "The School of Rock" meets "The Breakfast Club." Funny, heartfelt, dramatic, engaging.

Music lovers will appreciate the soundtrack, which includes the aforementioned tunes, as well as David Bowie’s "Rebel Rebel" and Rick Nielsen’s "I Want You to Want Me." Nerds will appreciate the nerdy-boy-makes-good storyline. And parents will appreciate the fact that there’s more to these characters than meets the eye – something you don’t often get in a movie about teens.

Images: TM and © 2009 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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District 9 (R). Aliens become refugees in South Africa, where they’re kept isolated from any human contact. Only one guy can activate their weapons, but he becomes hunted and seeks refuge in … District 9. [producer Peter Jackson video] [Official Site]

The Time Traveler’s Wife (PG-13). Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana star in this weep-fest about a guy who suffers from a rare genetic disorder which causes him to drift back and forth through time. Take a box of Kleenex with you. [Official Site]

Bandslam (PG). Vanessa Hudgens, Gaelan Connell, and Aly Michalka star in this teen movie about a battle of the bands. [Film Gecko Preview] [Official Site]

Ponyo (G). I’ve heard nothing but good things about this animated Japanese film featuring the voices of Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, and Matt Damon. It’s the story of an overeager goldfish and her quest to become human. [Official Site]

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (R). Jeremy Piven stars in this crude flick about a guy who’s asked to save an ailing car dealership from bankruptcy. But he doesn’t expect to find his soulmate and fall in love. [Official Site]

Images: TM and © 2009 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Zac Efron

Hudgens ("High School Musical") and Alyson Michalka ("Phil of the Future," "Aly and AJ") are starring in "Bandslam," due in theaters Aug. 14, 2009. Michalka plays a gifted singer-songwriter who recruits a new kid in town (Gaelan Connell, "Chocolat") to manage her rock band. Her main motivation? Go up against her egotistical ex-boyfriend (Scott Porter, "Friday Night Lights") and his band at a battle of the bands competition. Meanwhile, Sam (Hudgens) and Will find romance.

My first instinct is this sounds a lot like "High School Musical" kicked up to a PG rating (for some thematic elements and mild language). But it’s produced by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and distributed by Summit Entertainment ("Twilight"), so it might surprise me. It will definitely appeal to fans of Hudgens and Michalka. Are you looking forward to this movie?

After the jump, more pics and a trailer…

Images: TM and © 2009 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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She’s signed for the teen romance “Beastly,” a film based on an Alex Flinn novel about a vain New York teen who’s made to look ugly in order to find true love. Sort of a reverse version of “Penelope.” Daniel Barnz has signed to direct.

Hudgens was also recently cast in an all-girl action flick “Sucker Punch,” co-written and directed by Zack Snyder (“300” and “Watchmen”). Kind of a different role for her, but you know, good for her.

“Sucker Punch” is set in the 1950s and stars Emily Browning as a young woman who undergoes a lobotomy and is institutionalized by her evil stepfather. She then slips into her own fantasy world and must steal objects in order to escape. It also stars Abbie Cornish, Jena Stone and Jamie Chung.

And this summer, Hudgens will star in the teen musical comedy “Bandslam.” She stars as a weird rocker chick who sings her heart out on screen. But it still doesn’t sound like HSM.

MTV caught up with her on the Austin, Texas set last year, and she said, “And they are like, ‘We are going to have two weeks of music rehearsals,’ and I was like, ‘What?’ But it was really cool. It’s definitely not the kind of music I do normally."

Image: Bauer-Griffin

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E! caught up with High School Musical’s Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, who dished about how nerve-wracking their Oscar duet was, and what it was like being on stage with host Hugh Jackman. These two are such a cute couple. I hope they stay together for a while.

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Somehow, I can’t see any future movies being quite the same, if Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and the rest of the gang aren’t involved. But I’m sure the movies would probably have a following.

Read my review of "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," and check out this fun video from ReelzChannel, which catches up with Zac Efron and Corbin Bleu.

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The youngsters are taking over the Oscars this year! And it’s just days away! ABC’s live telecast from Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre will air this Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009 at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET.

Robert Pattinson, the hunky vampire Edward Cullen in "Twilight" and the upcoming "New Moon," will be presenting, though I haven’t heard which award it will be. Also no word on whether his co-star, Kristen Stewart, will be by his side. Next up for the 22-year-old British actor is "Little Ashes," in which he’ll play artist Salvador Dali.

Also at the Oscars will be "High School Musical" star Zac Efron, who’ll be presenting the award for Best Original Song. Hmmm, will HSM girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens walk down the red carpet with him? They’ve managed to stay together for a while, haven’t they? An eternity in Hollywood!

I’ve also heard that Disney star Miley Cyrus will be there, as well, but she won’t be presenting. She’ll be there to support her animated movie, "Bolt," which is up for Best Animated Feature. And no word on whether her underwear model-actor boyfriend, Justin Gaston, will be her date. 

Image: Picapp.com; Source: Eonline.com

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Vanessa Hudgens, Dakota Fanning, and the Jonas Brothers have all yearned for a spot in the credits, and "90210" star AnnaLynne McCord has auditioned for the part of Heidi.

Hilary Duff was recently spotted at the Mercedes Benz Fashion week, talking with "Twilight" star Peter Facinelli about how badly she wants a role in the sequel.

A source recently told Hollyscoop.com, "Hilary told Peter how bad she wants to be in the next ‘Twilight’ movie. Hilary said that she would want to be one of the vampires in the movie."

Hmmm … the character of Heidi has yet to be cast. But along with Vanessa and Dakota, Hilary would have to do some serious darkening of her image to score a role like that. Though she does look somewhat emo in this still from "War, Inc." (read my interview with director Josh Seftel here).

Any thoughts on this?

Image: First Look International

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Vanessa Hudgens

But it’s unlikely she’ll get the part – at least for now.

"I’m not sure about [final] casting, but I had heard Vanessa Hudgens was going up for the part of Leah [Clearwater, a werewolf]," screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, who wrote both films, told PEOPLE at the Directors Guild of America Awards in L.A. Saturday night. "But at the moment, the part of Leah doesn’t happen until the third movie."

Ok, so she could still get it, but Hudgens’ reps have denied she was ever being considered for the role. If she does get it, she’ll have to do some heavy-duty image makeover. Many fans of the series think she’s just plain too sweet looking.

Join Film Gecko’s “New Moon Casting News and Rumors” discussion here!

Image: High School Musical 3, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2008

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So let’s continue the discussion on this post. Feel free to offer casting tips, news, rumors, and anything else you hear about “New Moon” in the comments below.

The latest I’ve heard is that Vanessa Hudgens is NOT up for a role in the movie. Well, at least, according to Entertainment Weekly: “Sources inside Summit Entertainment and Hudgens’ camp tell EW that the filmmakers aren’t looking at the star for any role in the soon-to-be-shooting ‘Twilight’ followup.”

In fact, the only actors confirmed at this writing are Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner (yes, he’ll be back as Jacob). Chris Weitz will direct the second installment of the vampire series written by Stephenie Meyer, to be released in theaters Nov. 20, 2009.

But I know YOU all have the inside scoop. Feel free to post it in the comments below!

Image: New Moon, Summit Entertainment, 2009

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