I consider myself well informed when it comes to childrens’ movies; after all I’m still a child at heart. Not to mention I have 15 nieces and nephews between the ages of three and 21. Being the ultra cool aunt that I am means keeping up with the latest gossip about Zac Efron and Venessa Hudgens’ on-again, off-again relationship.

So, when three of my nieces called to remind me that “High School Musical 2” was premiering last Friday night, I jumped for joy and hit the couch, naturally. Truth be told I could probably recite the entire soundtrack to the original “High School Musical,” which debuted in January 2006. Yes, I’m a giant nerd. Much to everyone’s surprise, the made-for-cable-television movie attracted a following of tweens (nine to 14-year-olds) around the world and has since been deemed the modern day “Grease.”

In case you’ve missed out on the runaway hit, it’s about a group of high school students from different social cliques who come together and find out they can be friends through music. The plot focuses on the lovebirds Troy the basketball star and Gabriella the new girl who has a smart geeky side.

However, my nerdy self was disappointed with the sequel to the unexpected smash hit. Not to my surprise, every kid I’ve talked to loved it. My niece, Montana, already knows all the movie lines by heart.

The music in HSM2 was not as good as the first, but the film’s dance sequences more than made up for the poor choices in music. Both the original and the sequel do a great job of tying in sports and various high school-related activities while maintaining a wholesome appearance.

HSM2 allowed some of the lesser known stars to showcase their talents. Sharpay’s brother Ryan, had a significant role this time, and came close to outshining his on-screen sister. Not to mention Disney’s cliche happy ending – HSM2 proves that love conquers all.

The cable premiere drew in over 17 million viewers last week. It was the largest cable television audience of all time. The low-budget film was a huge success despite not having one established superstar.

“High School Musical 3” and a fourth are in the works. In case you didn’t know, there is a traveling stage show currently touring North America. There are also plans for a Disney on Ice version of this tween phenomenon of movie.

Apparently the world is begging for more “High School Musical.”