STEP UP

RYAN: Well, we’re stepping things up a bit, seeing the movie “Step Up” before it was released.

CAROLINE: And it was a joy for me.

RYAN: We could tell from the trailer that this was going to be fun and it wass absolutely a fun, fresh, young, hip movie.

CAROLINE: It made me believe in young teen love. And as always, I love a picture with dancing in it. And it reminded me of our favorite TV show, “So You Think You Can Dance,” so I really enjoyed that element.

RYAN: Speaking of “So You Think You Can Dance,” I was a little disappointed with the dancing in this film. We’re so overwhelmed at how good that show is and I don’t think either of these dancers are as good as anyone in the top ten of “So You Think You Can Dance.” And I’m disappointed that we had to wait the entire length of the movie to see an actual dance. They could have given us a couple more dances.

CAROLINE: I hear you. They were definitely not as good as some of the dancers on our favorite show of the summer. But the lead girl was pretty good, I thought. Even though she looks like a frog.

RYAN: Yes, and she can only kick with her right leg.

CAROLINE: I like the message of the film. I think it’s a little bit about redemption and giving your full effort to something.

RYAN: Zzzzz. I can’t even go there with this.

CAROLINE: Yeah, I know. But it is!

RYAN: You’re right, thank you for giving us the moral of the story. But I can’t get the image out of my head that every time Rachel Griffiths walked onscreen, all I could hear was the Darth Vader theme in my head. She had like this looming kind of Darth Vader presence.

CAROLINE: Yeah, it was a strange role for her. I wasn’t really sure what was going on with her voice. She spoke with such purpose that I was thinking, either girlfriend doesn’t quite know how to do an American accent, or just she’s just really trying to sound official.

RYAN: Principal-like.

CAROLINE: Exactly.

RYAN: And by the way – dude is hot.

CAROLINE: Yes, Channing Tatum. His body is incredible. And I say that as a dirty old woman. But his face is a little busted, no?

RYAN: I think he’s kind of cute. He’s definitely the kind of guy who I think is sexy but I’m over the whole bad boy thing.

CAROLINE: It’s true but I loved how he finally found something he believed in. I know I’m getting cheesy again – but I really liked that. These kids today, they need guidance.

RYAN: They really do. One of the most positive things about this film is the bridging between the cultures. It showed the gritty inner city and the other side of the tracks coming together.

CAROLINE: And it wasn’t even racial necessarily, it was more socioeconomic.

RYAN: Yeah, more like the class system. But race played a part too. I liked that it showed them coming together and going to each other’s parties with little violence. Some, but very little.

CAROLINE: Yes, the death of a character that, by the way, I called from the get-go.

RYAN: Yes, which I didn’t want to believe since this movie is distributed by Disney.

CAROLINE: Bottom line?

RYAN: This film is fun.

CAROLINE: I really enjoyed it. I even got misty at one moment which I didn’t confess to you during the movie.

RYAN: Oooh.

CAROLINE: Even the acting was good. While the dancing maybe wasn’t stellar, it was certainly good and fun to watch.

RYAN: I thought the acting was sometimes a little bit contrived. There were moments that felt after-school special to me.

CAROLINE: So it goes.