CAMP ROCK 2: THE FINAL JAM (Disney Channel, 2010)

Directed by Paul Hoen; teleplay by Dan Berendsen, Karin Gist, and Regina Y. Hicks; 97 minutes; musical; ages 8 and up.

In this sequel to the 2008 TV movie, a new camp called Camp Star has set up shop across the lake from the beloved Camp Rock. Because the rival camp offers counselors double what they've been making at Camp Rock, a mass defection takes place. Luckily, our spunky heroes from the first film, Mitchie (Demi Lovato) and the Gray brothers (played by the three Jonas brothers), stay behind to rally their campers and prepare them for Final Jam, a contest to see which camp has the most talent. Camp Star's owner, the sleazy Axel Turner, takes it one step farther, bringing in cameras to film the competition for TV. Now everyone's focused on winning instead of the joy of creating and performing music (boo!), with Camp Rock's financial fate hanging in the balance.

I watched this one with my nieces, ages six and four, who will practically watch anything on Disney Channel if it involves teenagers. They didn't react much, but hey, it kept them quiet, and I got to enjoy that peace and quiet while mildly admiring some of the choreography during Final Jam. Camp Rock 2's story is nothing to write home about (from camp or otherwise), but its message that camp should be about making lifelong friends and finding your niche rather than being pressured to win a contest is a positive one worth reinforcing.

For further viewing, check out Disney Channel's trilogy of High School Musical movies.