Essex girl rocks in her fizzy Disney debut

originally posted here

By Lisa Sewards
UPDATED: 23:17 GMT, 15 September 2011

It's been billed as the new High School Musical but its stars insist they are all real musicians.
Disney’s latest teen block-buster, Lemonade Mouth, follows a gang of five kids who form a band after their school’s arts programme is cut. 
Based on the book of the same name by Mark Peter Hughes, Lemonade Mouth has already pulled in more than 13.5 million viewers and ranks as the top original movie on U.S. cable TV this year.
The film has the usual Disney feel-good storyline of teenagers seizing opportunity and expressing their individuality, but the actors say the music is edgier and more spirited than that of High School Musical.
It stars British actress Naomi Scott, 18, who is now working with Steven Spielberg on his sci-fi drama, Terra Nova.
Naomi’s parents run a Pentecostal church in Essex and she was spotted at a choir by Kelle Bryan, of girl band Eternal.
In the show, she plays Mohini Banjaree, a bass guitarist who struggles with her parents’ high expectations of her. 
The cast also includes 18-year-old Bridgit Mendler - a regular collaborator with American boyband the Jonas Brothers - as lead singer Olivia White.
Adam Hicks, 18, who plays keyboardist Wen Gifford in the film, is a gifted drummer, while Hayley Kiyoko, who plays lead guitarist Stella Yamada is a drummer and guitarist with The Stunners - the opening act for Justin Bieber’s 2010 world tour.

Lemonade Mouth Movie Review

 originally posted here

 

Lemonade Mouth (G)

common sense media says

Melodic Disney movie has great messages for families.

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parents & educators say

• 73% say there are positive messages
• 64% say there are positive role models

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this family-friendly movie may inspire young viewers to identify their talents, stand up for what they believe in, and let their voices be heard. The teen characters wrestle with relatable woes like low self-esteem, social uncertainty, and frustrations at home, but throughout the story, they find strength in friendship and learn to speak up for themselves, both at school and within their families. The story celebrates a variety of family structures and includes some touching moments between parents and teens. The squeaky-clean content isn't worrisome, although some young kids may need reassurance when discussions turn to the death of a character's parent or other scenarios that may ring true with them. But all in all, this is an inspiring tale of friendship and passion that will give your family plenty to talk about when it's over.

Educational value: The movie is meant to entertain rather than to educate, but it's filled with positive messages for kids and families about self-esteem, standing up for what's right, and being honest with those you love. 
 

Positive messages: The movie's many positive themes include honesty, empowerment, overcoming adversity, self-expression, standing up for your values, and celebrating families. Each character struggles with unhappiness at home, but as they discover their strength through friendship, they're able to improve their relationships with their families. The content touches on serious issues, like accepting a parent's new romantic interest, balancing personal and parental expectations, and feeling like an outsider. Stereotyping (jocks, "in crowd," geeks) exists to set the stage for the characters' rebellion against how the establishment shuns them. 
 

Positive role models: All of the characters have personal flaws, but they discover their strengths through strong bonds of friendship, which allows them to face tough issues at home that they've been avoiding. All of the families are made stronger by their members' willingness to be honest about their feelings. One character dumps his conniving, egotistical friends to join the band once he's touched by their message of hope. 
 

Violence & scariness: A few self-induced mishaps lead to some injuries (a broken hand, a black eye). There's also one brief exchange of shoving between teens, but nothing comes of it. 
 

Sexy stuff: A couple of blossoming teen romances lead to flirting, sidelong glances, and some cuddling, but nothing more. 
 

Language: A character calls a classmate a "jerk." 
 

Consumerism: The movie's original songs are available on a soundtrack
 

Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

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Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines.

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More on Lemonade Mouth

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

• Families can talk about rebellion. In what ways do the characters express themselves against adults? Are their actions harmful to anyone? How can rebellion be a good thing? Where's the line between a "good" rebellion and a "bad" one?
  
• Kids: Friendship plays a big role in how the characters evolve. Which friendships are your most treasured? What qualities do you seek in a friend? How far does your loyalty to your friends go? What would you not do for them?
  
• What are your special talents? How do you hone them? Do you feel that they're appreciated by society? What talents or skills get more recognition? Why is that? How, if at all, does money influence society's value of different talents?
  

What's the story?

A chance meeting in detention sparks friendship among five high school students, and soon their shared love of music yields Lemonade Mouth, an upstart band whose songs inspire the downtrodden among their peers. Stella (Hayley Kiyoko), Wen (Adam Hicks), Mo (Naomi Scott), Olivia (Bridgit Mendler), and Charlie (Blake Michael) go from seeming nobodies to heroes when they vow to make their voices heard in a school that venerates its athletes at the expense of every other group, including the school's music program. In no time, the unlikely friends garner a loyal following and challenge the school's popular rock band, Mudslide Crush, for top honors, and their own bonds of friendship give them the strength to speak up about tough issues at home as well. But when adversity strikes and it seems their very relationships are in jeopardy, it will take every bit of confidence they have to pull it together for themselves and their fans.

Is it any good?

Based on a book of the same name, LEMONADE MOUTH is a celebration of the human spirit. The teens' refusal to back down to an establishment that discourages students' talents and interests should be inspirational to viewers of any age. The friends identify a problem that has far-reaching consequences, and they set out to fix it in a way that showcases the moving, unifying nature of music and encourages others to take pride in the gifts they have as well.
Families who tune in to this movie are also treated to a laundry list of positive messages they can discuss at its end. Friendship, empowerment, self-esteem, self-confidence, and the courage to stand up for what you believe in are just a few of the gems to be found here, and each is illustrated in a manner that will ring true with your kids. Besides the social themes, there are plenty that relate to family life, and the movie's message about honest communication between parents and kids is impossible to miss. The movie's only sticking point may be its unavoidable ties to its soundtrack, but rest assured that those same happy messages transfer to the songs' lyrics as well.

Movie themes & details

Themes

friendship, high school, music and sing-along

Movie Details

Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Director: Patricia Riggen
Cast: Adam Hicks, Bridgit Mendler, Hayley Kiyoko
Genre: Musical
Run time: 107 minutes
DVD release: May 24, 2011
MPAA Rating: G

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This review was written by Emily Ashby

Lemonade Mouth: Disney's Pre-Fab Band Hits it Big

Posted by Shirley Brady on April 27, 2011 12:30 PM

Three years ago, Disney Channel was called "the greatest teen-star incubator since the NBA stopped drafting high schoolers."

But with Miley Cyrus moving on to Lindsay Lohan-land, the High School Musical stars now college-age, the Jonas Brothers morphing into the Jonas Men, and (most recently) Demi Lovato quitting, Disney Channel needs new stars.

Luckily, a Disney original movie about a fake band appears to have spawned the real deal.

Lemonade Mouth, a Disney Channel comic movie about a band of the same name, debuted on April 15th. Last week, its soundtrack reached #4 on Apple's iTunes album sales chart.

Today, when Nielsen SoundScan publishes its weekly album-sales ranking, the Wall Street Journal projects that "the top five is likely to include the Foo Fighters, British vocalist Adele and Lemonade Mouth—a band that doesn't exist, except in a made-for-TV movie." (Good call: Lemonade Mouth indeed debuted at #4.)

The movie is slated to run three more times before being released on DVD on May 24th. Disney executives are monitoring Lemonade Mouth's progress closely to see if it indeed has another tweentastic, money-printing franchise on its hands. It appears they do. As WSJ reports:

If Lemonade Mouth maintains its current interest level among its preteen audience, company executives say, it could spawn a miniature industry of sequels, perhaps even a big-screen adaptation, more albums by cast members and perhaps even a concert tour.


"We always say the audience will tell us how far we can go," said Gary Marsh, Disney Channel's chief creative officer. "We're probably two to three weeks away from knowing the staying power."


Some fans are unwilling to wait. Last week an online petition began circulating, demanding that Disney let them see the group in the flesh. "If you are a fan of Lemonade Mouth and wish Disney will make a tour, please sign this petition!"

The movie's stars, meanwhile, aren't waiting for the whims of fate to decide their future.

Hayley Kiyoko, a young actress who plays one of the Lemonade Mouth band members, and some of her co-stars staged a flash mob at the Apple store in The Grove in LA before the movie debuted. They performed one of the movie's signature tunes (Determinate) before being shut down by store security, and posting the video (at top) on her YouTube channel.

The Praise You-like stunt's clip went viral after Ashton Kutcher tweeted it to his 6.6 million followers:

Even with the help of the Mouse, today's young Disney stars not only need to have an abundance of talent. They need social marketing and digital savvy — and the moxie, it seems, to "determinate," as the song goes.

Lemonade Mouth – DVD Review

For the record, I do not agree with this review at all. - Lydon

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Original posted here

May 25, 2011 4:50 pm
by Nick Allen

DVD Review Lemonade Mouth

Directed by: Patricia Riggen
Cast: Bridgit Mendler, Adam Hicks, Hayley Kiyoko, Naomi Scott, Blake Michael, Christopher McDonald
Running Time: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: NR
Due Out: May 24, 2011

PLOT: A group of high schoolers start up a rock band after they’re sent to detention in the music room.

WHO’S IT FOR? If High School Musical was trying to sell the concept of high school to kids in elementary school, then Lemonade Mouth is aimed at middle schoolers. Boys and girls that are actually in high school won’t dig this one (or at least, they shouldn’t).


MOVIE:

Thankfully, Disney hasn’t dished out another form of the singing dollhouse that defines the sparkly and squeaky-clean High School Musical franchise. Lemonade Mouth gets its designer jeans a little dirty, as it plays with a fuller and larger list of characters, and even the most “Disney Princess”-like of characters (Mendler) isn’t given a definitive lead treatment. The word “revolution” is tossed around a couple of times, and the story even makes a small statement about supporting small businesses over large corporate sponsors. At one point, someone even says the words “Bon Jovi.” Could Disney finally be opening its mouse ears to the cries of teenagers who have left Camp Rock and the Jonas Brothers in hopes of messages that might be more honest? No, not really.

This “revolution” of Lemonade Mouth is most directly comparable to when Kelly Clarkson moved on from From Justin to Kelly bubble gum to “Since U Been Gone” angsty guitar-driven pop rock. For example, a slightly sweet little tune like “More Than A Band” might be “written” by the rebellious girl of the group, Stella, but it sounds like a leftover from the High School Musical songbook. (Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens could easily be imagined singing it). The band starts with a piano rock sound, then moves to pop rock as spiced up by rap, and ultimately lands in some current “Top 40″ territory that maybe the likes of Katy Perry have left unmarked. Everyone can dance, sing, play an instrument, though we hardly see them actual sit down and practise.

Despite the newer focus on students being able to play instruments, musicianship itself is not a respected concept. Songs that are not performed on stage are “written” in the moment in which they are played, and the labour-heavy concept of learning to play an instrument and subsequently practising it are completely undermined by Lemonade Mouth’s mission to sell music entirely as an image. Cheap electric guitars of the world, prepare to be bought, and then abandoned. As I whined about in my rant on last month’s Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, a sort of freakish Barbie doll epilogue to the High School Musical saga, musicianship is still formed into an accessory with Lemonade Mouth, and success with such efforts is made to be guaranteed. This is aggravating to any human being that’s both been to high school, and is also aware of the frustrating realities when it comes to comprehending music. Don’t forget, those songs are really written by forty-year-old men.

However “alternative” Lemonade Mouth might be as compared to High School Musical, its presentation of the world is still extremely guarded. At times the fantastical elements can be sprinkled too heavily. Leave it to Disney to make a rock revolution appear much too sweet.

MOVIE SCORE: 5/10

DVD EXTRAS

Rock-Along
Exclusive Scene/Alternative Ending
Digital Copy of Lemonade Mouth