Ashley Tisdale is Puerco Espin Pretty

BFFs Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens and Brittany Snow cover their faces after taking a pilates class together in Studio City on Wednesday afternoon (February 25).

The three BFFs were joined by good friends Samantha Droke (from Princess Protection Program) and Caroline Clark (she’s an awesome singer).

Ashley, 23, was just named the face of Puerco Espin, one of the most famous clothing brands in Italy for teen girls, according to MediaKey TV.

Fabio Castelli, director of the creative marketing group Five Season shared, “For our brand, which is well established in the market, Ashley Tisdale is the perfect choice. She’s now a legend throughout the world, her image is very stylish.”

10+ pics inside of pilates princesses Ashley, Vanessa, Brittany, Sam and Caroline…

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year Extended Edition DVD Review

After having enormous success on the Disney Channel, the High School Musical franchise finally made its debut on the big screen with High School Musical 3: Senior Year. The film follows the Wildcats in their senior year as they deal with moving on from East High and going to college and leaving behind all of the memories that they have made over the past couple of years. The six main actors from the first two films also return along with director and choreographer Kenny Ortega. So, what’s different about this version of High School Musical, besides the fact that it was the first film released on the big screen? Well, it’s bigger, better, and features even more energy and life than the previous two films.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year opens up at half time of the Wildcats’ championship game against The West High Knights. The Wildcats are trailing with only sixteen minutes left in the game and they need a miracle in order to pull off a victory. They are led by Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu). The team also features a young player by the name of Rocket Man, played by Matt Prokop. Troy also has the support of his girlfriend Gabriella, played by the lovely Vanessa Hudgens. Will the Wildcats be able to pull off the victory and cement their legacy as champions once again?

Come on, people, this is High School Musical we’re talking about here. I’m just glad that the film doesn’t end with a big basketball game and the big shot. Then we would really be following the movie clichés.

After the big game, Gabriella and Troy are trying to figure out what to do after high school ends and how it’s going to affect their relationship. They are so used to being with each other that they’re basically codependent. As of right now, though, they’re trying to get things to slow down and just relax and enjoy each and every moment with each other.

As far as Sharpay Evans, played by Ashley Tisdale, she’s looking for a personal assistant and ends up hiring a British exchange student named Tiara Gold (Jemma Mckenzie-Brown). She’s also looking to get her big break in the spring musical, which is led by Ms. Darbus and Kelsi. The musical is about their final days at East High and it deals with their insecurities, fears, and worries about the future. Also, Ms. Darbus announces that Troy, Kelsi, Ryan, and Sharpay are all being considered for a scholarship to Julliard.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year also deals with the almighty prom. Yes, the senior prom, one of the most sacred and cherished events of the high school experience. Speaking of prom, Chad better hurry up and ask out Taylor (Monique Coleman) to prom before it’s too late and she finds another date. Ryan and Kelsi are also spending a lot of time together because of their passion for music.

Yes, it’s a busy senior year at East High and it’s only going to get busier as the year progresses.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is the best High School Musical film because at this stage all of the actors are completely comfortable with these characters and they know them like the back of their hand. Now that they understand their characters so well, they’re able to just relax and focus on the performance aspect of the film. The relationships and friendships look effortless on camera, especially the relationship between Vanessa and Zac. It probably helps that they’re dating in real life.


The film is also interesting because not only are the characters graduating in the film; the actors are also graduating from this franchise. They will have to venture outside of their comfort zone and stay relevant and interesting in today’s entertainment world. Out of the six lead actors, I see Ashley Tisdale having the brightest future because of her versatility. As far as Vanessa Hudgens, I’d like to see her do something a little edgier in the future. We know she can play the sweet and innocent role, but I’d like to see her do something that surprises people.

Zac Efron looks like he’s ready to move on from the franchise and do something different. That’s not to say that he doesn’t give it his all in this film. He still gives it one hundred and ten percent, but he also looks like he’s sort of tapped out. The relationship between Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman was also a bright spot in the film, and I liked how their romance was portrayed in an innocent and sweet way. Even though they are full of confidence, they’re still nervous about asking each other out.

The soundtrack for the film is also off the hook. Yes, I said off the hook. The opening track in the film, Now or Never, is an upbeat tune that properly establishes the drama of the big basketball game. The love songs are also memorable, including Right Here, Right Now, Can I Have This Dance, and Just Wanna Be With You. Each song describes what Gabriella and Troy are dealing with in a way that is heartfelt but also catchy.

The best song in the film, without a doubt, is I Want It All, performed by Ashley Tisdale. It’s a big song and Tisdale nails it. It’s also a big dance number that Kenny Ortega hits out of the park with plenty of flare and charm. Corbin Bleu and Zac Efron also have fun with the nostalgic tune, The Boys Are Back. Efron channels Kevin Bacon in Footloose with the rock song, Scream, while Vanessa Hudgens shows off her angelic voice in the tune Just Walk Away. Finally, the film ends on an upbeat note with the song, High School Musical, which features lyrics such as, “High School Musical, It's the best part we've ever known.”

This is true.

In terms of this website, I’m probably alone in my admiration for High School Musical. But that’s OK. The other day, someone described it to me as our generation’s Grease, and I couldn’t agree more. So, what’s changed since then? Well, in my opinion, we’ve gotten a lot more cynical since Grease and we have a hard time watching a film that’s harmless fun without any violence, sex, or swearing.


Yes, High School Musical is not going to win any Oscars and it’s never going to be on the IMDB Top 250. Yes, you’re probably annoyed by all of the High School Musical merchandise that floods your local Walmart. Yes, it’s aimed at a particular demographic. Yes, it’s silly and over the top.

That being said, when I walk into a film called High School Musical, I expect two things. First and foremost, I expect a film that tackles different high school problems, such as relationships, moving on after high school, friendship, college decisions, etc. High School Musical 3: Senior Year deals with all of that and more. I also expect some good music and the music in High School Musical 3: Senior Year is really, really good and really, really catchy.

So, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Video:

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is presented in anamorphic widescreen. (1.85:1 aspect ratio) The DVD transfer is extremely colorful and full of life, just like the film itself.

Audio:

The audio is presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital and all of your favorite songs from the movie can be heard loud and clear.

Special Features:

This is the extended version of the film and it features an extra scene that helps showcase more of the drama of senior year.

We are treated to eight deleted scenes that total six minutes in running time. Most of the scenes are really quick and add nothing new to the story. One interesting scene, though, fleshes out the “relationship” between Kelsi and Ryan.

Two minutes of bloopers are also featured on this DVD.

Night of Nights: This is a prom featurette that includes interviews with the cast, as they offer their insights on the prom experience. The guys are supposed to hate it, but once they see the girl of their dreams all dressed up, that hatred goes out the window. Oh, girls also take forever to get ready. What else is new? This feature runs at seven minutes.

It’s All in the Dress: This is a two minute featurette that explains the prom dresses for each female character in the film. This feature runs at two minutes.

Cast Goodbyes: This is a five-minute featurette that includes lots of crying and lots of reminiscing from the cast, as they say goodbye to this very popular franchise.. Even Efron cries!

Sing Along with the Movie: See if you’re as good as Zac Efron or Vanessa Hudgens, as you get a chance to sing along to all of the songs in the movie.

You also get a digital copy of the film with this DVD.

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year

In the final segment of the musical sensation, the gang of East High experience their senior year as it ends all too soon for their liking.

The euphoric life of the East High seniors is made even better through their rhythmic songs and choreography. Worry-free for the most part, their main concerns are having too much fun, making their senior year last longer and of course, what to wear to the prom.

For their big screen debut, "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" made sure to be as big as possible. The sets were bigger, the choreography more intricate and entertaining and the songs better and catchier than ever. "High School Musical 3" follows the gang on their final performance for their spring play. They recreate their senior year and all the feelings that accompany it—the joys, stresses and decisions that have to be made.

Like in the previous films, Troy Bolton, played by Zac Efron, struggles with a decision. Basketball or theater? Time is up though as this Wildcat’s last days at East High School come near and he must decide. To add to Troy’s dilemma, with Gabriella, played by Vanessa Hudgens, going away to college in California, will their Disney love be strong enough to keep them together?

As we watch Troy and the others experience their last year of high school, the scenes are 100 times better than ever before. Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth, Bolton’s sidekick, gets more film time and we get to see his talent as a performer. Efron has visibly grown as he takes us through different genres of music (mostly boy band music and some rock) in his performances to show us Troy’s frustrations behind his seemingly perfect life. He even does a number on a rotating hallway—very N’SYNC. His steps are more advanced, and his lungs explode in “The Boys are Back” and “Scream.”

As for the rest of the gang, Hudgens as Gabriella hasn’t changed much from the previous films as she continues to serenade her feelings for Troy in exaggerated expressions and cheesy smiles. Ashley Tisdale got less screen time but her scene, “I Want It All,” that expresses her love of showbiz, has to be one of the most memorable and best performances she has given as resident bad girl Sharpay Evans.

Supporting actors, Lucas Grabeel as Sharpay’s twin brother Ryan Evans and Olesya Rulin as composer Kelsi Nielsen finally get the recognition they need. In this final segment, we learn that they too have talents and they get their own time to shine in the spotlight.

Although it lacks a complicated plot, by making Troy’s adolescent decisions the main point of the movie, it’s enough to keep its teenage audience interested because it is a recurring point that runs throughout all three films. This is the end of that link and by addressing the issues teens face at the end of their high school experience, the third segment captures your attention with the musical performances. Parents will also enjoy it, however much they might deny it, because it remains PG by only showing one kiss between the star couple. Besides, what more can you expect from a Disney movie? A movie that has up until now been made for the Disney Channel? The leap they made to the big screen came with the appropriate changes for a teen sensation musical. It even hinted at a possible fourth installment by introducing three new, younger characters to continue the legacy.

In a Grease-esque final performance, the excitement oozes through the screen as they graduate and the curtains drop. This was their “last chance to get it right,” and they did.

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Beyonce & Hugh Jackman Bring Back Musicals

Oscar host Hugh Jackman and singer Beyonce jazz up the 2009 Oscars with a Bubsy Berkley inspired stage performance on Sunday evening (February 22).

Together with real-life couples Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical) and Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia!), the sixtet performed memorable songs from several musicals including Chicago and Moulin Rouge.

TELL JJ: What was your favorite performance of the night?

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"Wolverine & Sasha Fierce: The Musical"

The skit combined famous songs from a bunch of different musicals but at the end we were sitting there thinking: great stuff, but what was the point of that? This isn't the Tonys, whats with all the jazz hands? Hugh took a bow and then pointed out that the dance number was created by Baz Lhurmann.

Why didn't they just say that at the beginning? "Ladies and Gents, here is a little skit from Baz." Then people would have know that they weren't SUPPOSED to get it. That's just how Baz rolls. He does a little acid then writes some songs, hallucinates into thinking Nicole Kidman can sing and presto...you get Moulin Rouge.

But Hugh really pulled it off. Someone get this guy a role on Broadway STAT!

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Entertainment Insider: Reviewing Oscars 2009

Too many montages? Not enough love for "The Dark Knight"? Our panel of entertainment experts weigh in on the Oscars.

1. The envelopes were opened and Oscars were awarded for the 81st time Sunday night and it's all over but the weeping. Was anyone surprised by any of the winners or losers?

Entertainment Editor Gene Triplett: Penelope Cruz's supporting actress win was pretty surprising, considering her one-note performance as the crazed ex-wife in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" pales in comparison Marisa Tomei's courageous turn as the aging pole dancer in "The Wrestler" and Viola Davis' brief but powerful portrait of a troubled mother in "Doubt."

Assistant Entertainment Editor George Lang: There were precious few surprises, and while I thought the Best Supporting Actress category was extremely competitive this year, Penelope Cruz was the not the best of the bunch. I would have taken Viola Davis or Taraji P. Henson's performances over Cruz any day or any year. Beyond Cruz, there was an overwhelming air of predictability in the ceremony -- "Slumdog Millionaire" seemed preordained to win.

Entertainment writer Brandy McDonnell: The Oscars were even more predictable than usual this year; the only real upset was the widely praised Israeli foreign language film contender "Waltz with Bashir" losing to the Japanese entry, "Departures." Penelope Cruz emerged victorious in the competitive supporting actress category; undoubtedly Harvey Weinstein's relentless campaigning helped her gain the victory.

And I was disappointed but not really surprised that comeback kid Mickey Rourke lost out on best actor for "The Wrestler." To me, Rourke's raw performance was much more powerful than Sean Penn's turn in "Milk," which was strong but not even as good as some of his co-stars' work. To me, it seemed that politics played a part: Penn maybe had the edge for starring in a "very important issue' film, while Rourke was the linch pin in a movie that was simply a remarkable story of fame, hardship and redemption.

Assistant Features Editor Matt Price: Things played out pretty well as predicted this year. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" did better in the technical categories — which usually reward action films — than what might have been expected. Especially after Will Smith does his whole opening for the visual effects category talking about action, and then winner: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

2. How would you rate Hugh Jackman's performance as the host of this year's Oscar ceremonies?

McDonnell: Hugh Jackman had the charisma and charm to pull off the hosting duties, and he looks great in a tux. But the producers made too many concessions to tailor the show to their song-and-dance man. The lengthy musical number starring Jackman and Beyonce clearly was added to showcase the Broadway side of Wolverine.

Unfortunately, Jackman's gig got off to an awkward start. The opening number that took place on ramshackle sets that Jackman supposedly made in his basement because of the tough economic times came across as disingenuous and insulting. However, his funny recreation with Anne Hathaway of the "Frost/Nixon" interviews helped salvage the opener.

Personally, after seeing Tina Fey and Steve Martin present the screenwriting awards together, I'm ready to nominate them as the 2010 co-hosts.

Lang: Jackman was great with what he was given -- he can sing, he can dance, he can act, he can grow knives out of his fingertips. But this is a notoriously thankless job, and no one can keep going at full tilt for the longest award ceremony in the entertainment industry. He was good, but I think his skills are better suited to the Tonys, where they know how to contextualize all those things he can do so well.

Triplett: Jackman seemed to be all about staking out a new career for himself as a song and dance man. His opening number with some surprise help from Anne Hathaway was charming and funny, but that was enough already.

Price: I thought he did a good job. He’s pretty charming; he kept things moving for the most part. However, the ceremony as a whole was just too long, as usual, as was the dance sequence/tribute to musicals in the middle of the show.

3. What did you like/dislike about the overall Oscar program?

McDonnell: When will the producers learn that four hours is too long for an awards show? In fact, three hours is too long for an awards show. Every year, they manage to drag out the ceremony until it feels more like a death march than a celebration of film.

Hugh Jackman and Beyonce's big musical number (choreographed by Baz Luhrmann and co-starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried for extra gee-whiz star power) paid tribute to musicals such as "Mamma Mia!," "Grease" and "Moulin Rouge!" All those movies either came out in previous years or weren't nominated for Oscars, but the producers chewed through several precious minutes recreating the highlights from them.

Meanwhile, Peter Gabriel refused to sing his Oscar-nominated song "Down to Earth," from "WALL-E" to protest making it a 60-second portion of the best song medley, sandwiched between the two hopefuls from the "Slumdog Millionaire" soundtrack. It was the right call on Gabriel's part: John Legend performed admirably in Gabriel's place but the medley just didn't work. All three nominees are terrific songs and they deserved their own separate showcases.

The producers also gave way too much time to films that weren't Oscar worthy in the many, many movie montages. For some reason, they just had to feature "Space Chimps" and "Madagascar 2" among the animated film clips, and "Rambo" and "Hancock" just had to be included in the pointless action flick roundup. The romantic moments of 2008 montage highlighting "Mamma Mia!" and "Twilight" along with "Benjamin Button" was completely superfluous. Montages are fine when used judiciously, but the Oscars always take it too far.

I did like the format that was adopted with the acting categories, letting five past winners talk about the five current nominees and then present the statuette. It was great to see Joel Grey, Eva Marie Saint and Kevin Kline again, and some of the dynamics the method created were interesting. Sophie Loren, Shirley MacLaine, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard and Halle Berry were an interesting combo, and rarely have so many heavy-weight thespians shared the stage as when Sir Ben Kingsley, Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Adrien Brody and Sir Anthony Hopkins came out to present best actor.

However, the five past winners set-up was more time consuming than the typical presentation, and other cuts should have been made to compensate. Say, from the montages.

Triplett: Again, the "Frost/Nixon" segment of the opening number Jackman and Hathaway was a highlight, and I liked seeing the past Oscar winners introducing each of the nominees in the acting categories. I sure didn't expect to ever see 84-year-old Eva Marie Saint stepping into the lights again. The big production number halfway through the overly long, sluggishly-paced program really slowed things down.

Price: I liked the opening song, and Anne Hathaway as Richard Nixon. I liked the "Pineapple Express" bit. I thought there were too many montages overall, however. And that best picture montage at the end was simply bizarre.

Lang: The opening sequence, which involved pretending that the Oscars had belt-tightened to the degree that they had to make a set out of folding chairs and aluminum foil, was condescending and slightly in bad taste -- when the entirety of the stage was surrounded by chandelier-cut glass, no one's going to believe this garbage. And I despised the montages -- what was with the "Great moments in cradle robbing" sequence, or the decision to juxtapose "Braveheart" with "Milk"? Terrible.

4. Who was the most deserving winner?

Triplett: Heath Ledger. His chilling transformation into the profoundly evil Joker in "The Dark Knight" will prove to be the most indelible big screen performance of 2008.

Lang: "Man on Wire," was the most deserving winner -- a moving documentary that doesn't go out of its way to move you. It just does.

Price: Maybe it’s obvious to say, but the late Heath Ledger for "The Dark Knight." It’s an amazing performance in a type of film that the Academy likes to ignore, yet Ledger’s win for best supporting actor was the closest thing to a sure thing there was going into Oscar night. It’s nice that his bravura performance was noted and rewarded, and it’s too bad he wasn’t there himself to accept.

McDonnell: "Slumdog Millionaire" was my favorite film of 2008, and represented a phenomenal film achievement on so many levels. So, I was thrilled to see the rags-to-riches story, which was nearly released direct to video, win a leading eight Oscars.

Also, the late Heath Ledger truly earned the supporting actor honors for his jaw-dropping turn as the Joker in "The Dark Knight." I believe he would have won even if he hadn't died suddenly and at a tragically young age last January. And credit his mother, father and sister for the classy and dignified way in which they accepted the Oscar on his behalf.

5. Any nagging disappointments concerning this year's lineup of Oscar contenders?

Triplett: The absence of "The Dark Knight," "WALL-E" and "The Wrestler" in the best picture category. All of these are far superior to the vastly overrated "Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which was the early favorite to win in this category.

Price: Three: "The Dark Knight," "Wall-E," and "The Wrestler." Maybe there wasn’t room to nominate all of them in the Best Picture category, but certainly you’d like to see one of them in there. It’s unfortunate that "The Wrestler," with great performances by Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei, didn’t manage a win in any category. "Wall-E" at least nabbed the "Best Animated" trophy, and "The Dark Knight" won with the aforementioned best supporting actor and in sound editing.

McDonnell: "The Reader" was overrated, though I didn't object to Kate Winslet's best actress win for the Holocaust drama since her performance essentially holds it together. But I would have rather seen "WALL-E," "The Dark Knight" and "The Wrestler" competing for best picture and best director awards than "The Reader" or "Milk," two films I felt featured outstanding performances but were not as finely directed. When people look back on the great films of 2008, "WALL-E," "The Dark Knight" and "The Wrestler," along with "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Benjamin Button," will be the ones people remember.

Lang: The Best Picture category was deeply flawed: no "WALL-E," no "The Dark Knight." I personally don't believe that movie lovers are going to look back on 2008 and consider "The Reader" one of the touchstones of that year's cinematic character. Both those films were overwhelming critical and popular successes, and while I rarely show a populist streak, it's not like I'm talking about nominating "Mamma Mia" -- these were movies that both reviewers and audiences loved. In this case, the emperor -- or Oscar -- really doesn't have any clothes.

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Pop culture recap: Academy Award glamour

The 2009 Oscars brought a new, fresh feel to the old, worn-out award show format. There was still a musical opening number and a slew of "recognition speeches" that no one really watched - except this year we wanted to watch. The Oscars kept things interesting by maintaining a considerably fast pace and changing up the structure throughout the award presentations.

Hugh Jackman did an excellent job as host. The highlight of the show, a medley of songs from musicals, brought Jackman together with Beyoncé Knowles, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper.

The first award of the night, the award for best actress in a supporting role, was presented by the five previous winners of the award. The previous winners included Whoopie Goldberg and Goldie Hawn (both dressed tragically, as per usual) who voiced touching sentiments about the nominees that even brought "Doubt" star Viola Davis to tears.

Beyoncé donned a stunning sparkly red leotard as she bravely sang her version of "At Last," among many other songs. We all know how excited Etta James must be that Beyoncé once again sang "her song." Well we'll hear about it tomorrow, I'm sure.

The most touching moment of the night came when late actor Heath Ledger was awarded best performance by an actor in a supporting role. Ledger's role as The Joker in "The Dark Knight" was the best part of the most talked about film of the year. His mother Sally, father Kim and sister Kate accepted his award.

Amazingly Ledger's family kept it together while they graciously accepted Heath's award. I, of course, was a blabbering mess.

Queen Latifah provided another touching moment when she sang "I'll Be Seeing You" as a nod to the men and women of the film industry who passed away during the past year. Pictures of deceased actors like the eminent Paul Newman flashed across the screen as Latifah sang. Curiously, Heath Ledger was notably absent from the "in memoriam" dedication.

Serious moments such as these were broken up by comical pieces like the short film made by Seth Rogen and James Franco, who reprised their role as serial potheads in the 2008 comedy "Pineapple Express." The short was funny, entertaining and a little risky - the 2008 Oscars would have never shown a short such as this one. It's these kinds of improvements and risks that really made the 2009 show.

The presenters also brought an interesting flavor to the 2009 Oscars. They were actually entertaining. Jennifer Anniston and Jack Black had great onstage chemistry when they presented the awards for best animated feature film of the year and best animated short film. For some added drama, they were presenting directly in front of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Can you say awkward? Jen kept her cool, though, and did an amazing job.

Ben Stiller drew laughs as he gave his own portrayal of Joaquin Phoenix's now-infamous stint on "The Tonight Show with David Letterman," presenting the award for best achievement in cinematography with Natalie Portman. Portman was my pick for best dressed of the night; she wore a beautiful flowing pink gown and a gorgeous diamond bracelet.

But even if the Oscars weren't funny and were extremely boring, I could never condemn a show that brought Zac Efron and Robert Pattinson that close to one another. I'll embarrassingly admit I was a little giddy at first sight of the "Twilight" hottie, who appropriately presented a montage of the best romance movies of 2008.

But the show doesn't exist just to warm my heart with good-looking male actors - it's meant to honor the best films, actors and actresses of 2008, and it did that. Kate Winslet finally won an Oscar for best actress in a leading role. This was Winslet's first Academy Award, despite being nominated six times before. The nod for best actor in a leading role went to Sean Penn in "Milk."

The most important award of the night, film of the year, went to "Slumdog Millionaire." The film won six other awards at the ceremony, making it the most successful film of the night. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" scored three awards, including best achievement in art direction.

The Oscar makeover was much needed, but might not be able to make up for years of boring shows. No matter what the ratings say, the Academy did a great job of reviving an out-dated show stuck in a seemingly eternal downward spiral. The presentation was enjoyable and memorable, and that's all we can ask for.

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