"Craig,

Been meaning to email for a long time to let you know that I really enjoy your columns.  The review on High School Musical 3 was pure genius.  Not the actual review of the movie, but your understanding of the realities of life.  I saw all of those Disney movies, that string of hits from The Little Mermaid, right through Flubber, and into, I don't know, the little Hawaiian Gremlin thing, Lilo and Something.  Sat through all of them!!  And now?  She hates me for waking her up to go to school, saying no to thrash metal concerts and dis-approving of boyfriends with tattoos and earrings whose greatest goal in life is scoring a dime bag.  Your right on.  Educate the parents now.  Those poor, naive parents.  But anyways, been a long time  reader.  Keep up the good work.  Oh yeah, and credit to your editors too for letting you write in a non-traditional way instead of beating your words into formulaic submission."

— Larry 

Here are a couple of contrasting opinions regarding my "HSM 3" review:

"Craig,

Some people may think that you are a bitter person after reading what you said about the High School Musical Movie. Me?, I think that you hit the nail on the head. I went to high school in the late 70's. OK, graduated in '78. I didn't see any singing are dancing going on in the hallways. Maybe at a pep rally, I saw a little dancing or when I went to the Prom.

Yes "HSM" is just a movie that is suppose to be fun and not a real version of what high school is or what it is going to be. The movie didn't really show all aspect of high school, like the jocks, the nerds, the long-hairs dopers, or the intertwines, who don't know where they really fit. It didn't show you the real stuff with today's schools didn't show the peer pressure that kids have today that they have to go through to be liked.

You are right in saying as long as Disney is making movies (wholesome ones) people will go.

Later."

— Tom

"I really don't appreciate your suggestion that high school students can't be happy and that they will 'probably hate every moment you're there and can't wait to leave.' While your high school experience may not have been a happy one, it is by no means the rule.

It's evident that either you are either ignoring that this is musical theater or you simply don't understand musical theater. Have you seen 'West Side Story'? Have you seen the 'Sound of Music'? 'Cats'? Gangs, families, and stray animals don't act like that, but that doesn't make the works bad pieces of theater. Your lack of understanding of musical theater is even more evident by the mere mention of Michael Jackson. I assure you that while Jackson's dancing is an influence on all choreographers, it is not even remotely an important influence in today's theater. Kenny Ortega is not trying to be Michael, nor does he have to convey Michael to be a success. Does Kobe have to be better than Kareem to be considered a success? No. They are two totally different players playing totally different games on the court.

It seems like the strongest move for a dying newspaper is to offer material that shows an understanding of the subject matter and to avoid the pursuit of misery."

— Dana