L'école fantastique

Sky High marks the return of Kurt Russell to the Disney Studios after over two decades. Back in the Seventies before we had Cable and Disney channel on same, Kurt Russell would have been the hero of just such a film. As it is Russell and Kelly Preston play a pair of superhero parents to Michael Angaramo.

And Angaramo is just a normal kid apparently, his superpowers just haven't kicked in yet. But kids like him if they turn into superheroes aren't just born that way. The powers are there, but they have to be taught their use and that's why Angaramo is ticketed for Sky High.

Superheroes to be go to this school up in the sky which apparently has avoided all radar and satellite detection, but given who goes there and runs it, that's understandable. But the kids go through the normal high school experience as filtered through the world of the Magic Kingdom. Teen age budding superheroes of both sexes have all the normal angst issues the rest of them do.

Angaramo has two girls after him, girl next door Danielle Panabaker and teaching assistant Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Since his powers don't kick in initially, Angaramo is assigned to the sidekicks class, but he actually bonds with them.

Sky High is a typical Disney film with overtones of Grease and Harry Potter combined. Such seasoned players as Lynda Carter as the Principal, Bruce Campbell as the coach, and Cloris Leachman as the school nurse seem to be having a good time with their parts as well as Russell and Preston.

I did like young Steven Strait as the brooding Brando/Dean like teen who is understudying Johnny Storm the Human Torch. That young man was really having some issues in the film.

For those who can't make Rydell High or Hogwarts, Sky High will give you the best of both those worlds.

Sky High is the perfect blend of high school drama, superhero shenanigans, and early-2000s Disney charm. Watching this as a kid felt like a sneak peek into the coolest school ever-where your classmates can throw fireballs, lift cars, or... turn into a guinea pig.

The story follows Will Stronghold, the son of the world's greatest superheroes, who's dealing with the crushing pressure of living up to his parents' legacy. (Relatable much?) It's your classic coming-of-age tale but with flying buses and epic sidekick banter. And speaking of sidekicks, how can we forget Ethan, who melts into a puddle when stressed? Absolute legend.

The cast is a chef's kiss of nostalgia, with Kurt Russell hamming it up as the macho dad, and Danielle Panabaker as Layla, the plant-wielding queen of unspoken crushes. The plot might not be groundbreaking, but who cares when you've got a soundtrack full of fun rock covers and a third act with villains monologuing like it's their full-time job?

Watching Sky High on Disney Channel back in the day was a rite of passage. It's silly, heartwarming, and packed with enough superpowers to fuel endless childhood daydreams.

Rating 6 out of 10. A school where lunchroom fights involve laser vision? Sign me up. This movie made us believe that even sidekicks can save the day.

I saw the advance screening of this movie last night and I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised! I went into this movie expecting a cheesy kiddy movie and ended up spending the next hour and a half being seriously entertained. The story is about a group of freshmen in their first few months at a super hero high school named "Sky High." There are all the familiar struggles of high school, such as fitting in, finding a date, and choosing between the friends you have known and loved your whole life and the new popular crowd. These high school newbies have the additional dilemma of learning to use their powers and live up to the reputations that their parents have established as super heroes. The movie is sweet without sending the viewers into a diabetic coma, and has a great message. The theater I was in was also full of little ones, who I never heard a peep out of! The movie is a great treat for the entire family and will make a great break from the heat or a rainy day activity!

This movie is fun. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's funny. I really don't know why there's such a low score for this one.

Well, I must say that this movie was surprisingly good for it being a Disney Kid Movie. Now it won't win any Oscars, but it really kept up the Disney Tradition for being a clean and fun film. It was wonderful to see Kurt Russell on the screen again with Disney. The acting, again, not an Oscar performance out of anyone, was clean and sincere, very believable. The sets and special effects were, well, good. The diversity and conflict between students of the school, once again... good. There were some very witty and dry remarks about high school life as well. Good writing. I say the most surprising thing about this film was that it was just plain old fun! It had the patrons laughing as well as I. My 7 year old and my 3 year old loved it and it was still adult enough with a strong enough plot to keep the parents interested as well. All in all, it made for a fun afternoon.