There are TV movie and then there are Disney Channel Original Movies. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the live-action Disney Channel movies that have entertained generations of fans.
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00:00Composer, here's your game ball. You deserve it, playmaker.
00:07Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the live-action Disney Channel movies that
00:11have entertained generations of fans.
00:14I'm rotten to the, I'm rotten to the, I'm rotten to the core.
00:21Number 30. Phantom of the Megaplex. Just when you think you've seen it all,
00:25Disney comes up with a comedic spin on the Phantom of the Opera.
00:28In this Disney flick, a mysterious personality threatens a film's premiere,
00:32prompting the main characters to look for the culprit.
00:35We absolutely can't find him. And then, when we're coming out of his office,
00:37this total guy in black shot out of nowhere and ran down the stairs. I'm so not kidding,
00:40we both saw him. Why won't you guys admit it? It's the Phantom of the Megaplex.
00:45Filled with zany humor, the film is a family-friendly offering that still has you
00:49thinking until the big reveal. It's not incredibly complex, but the combination of mystery and
00:54comedy deserves credit. Add in some surprisingly high-profile appearances by the likes of Mickey
00:59Rooney, and you've got a movie that's always fun for a rewatch. Mason, where'd you come from?
01:05I left Ms. Metz to use the restroom and all heck broke loose. If you're willing to take
01:09advice from an old-timer, we might just be able to save the day.
01:12Number 29. Jump In. During the height of his high school musical fame,
01:17Corbin Bleu got his chance to shine in Jump In. The films share a similar message of struggling
01:21with what's expected of you and doing what you love. Still, the cool dance sequences and catchy
01:26songs give the film its own identity. Jump In excels with strong performances by Bleu and
01:43Kiki Palmer. The creative choreography and stunt work remain awesome, as the actors give it their
01:48all to wow audiences. It represents the tried-and-tested template that made Disney Channel
01:53movies such a success at the time. Even today, its themes and snazzy style make it a can't-miss
01:58feature for Disney fans. Number 28. Wizards of Waverly Place, The Movie.
02:12The Wizards of Waverly Place series is among the crown jewels of the mid-aughts Disney Channel
02:16landscape, so it's no surprise that the film based on the show became such a hit. It takes
02:21Alex Russo's penchant for causing trouble to a wider scale, as she and her brother scramble
02:26to fix her magical mistake. The movie plays out like an extended episode of the sitcom,
02:38complete with banter, cheesy wizard fun, and a heartwarming message to tie it together.
02:43The Wizards movie also adds a few extra layers to Alex's characterization, giving viewers a new
02:48side of her to appreciate. The movie shows us why, as the theme song goes, everything is not what it
02:54seems. Number 27. Get a Clue. Films like Freaky Friday, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen,
03:09and Herbie Fully Loaded establish Lindsay Lohan as an early 2000s teen idol. Get a Clue arguably
03:16began her ascension into the studio's big leagues. It follows the main character's search for a
03:20missing teacher, which turns into a spiraling mystery with several possibilities. While that
03:31sounds a bit intense, the film retains the classic Disney feel-good charm. It appeals to young
03:36viewers' sense of curiosity, maintaining a witty atmosphere distinct from many of the channel's
03:41other films. With solid performances from the cast and likable characters, Get a Clue succeeds in
03:47keeping viewers hooked to see how it all pays off. Number 26. Zombies.
04:07There are more zombie films than we can keep track of, but Disney tried something different
04:14with this feature. Here, people and zombies coexist in a society decades after a power
04:19plant disaster. Relations between the two groups are tense, but that doesn't stop our protagonists
04:24falling for each other. This kind of high school romance might seem out there, but it helps that
04:28the film goes all-in with the concept. With committed performances and some great songs
04:33accompanying the characters, the world of zombies is easy to get lost in.
04:43The movie also leaves room for a touching message of acceptance,
04:46and it's hard not to ship the leads, even if one is a zombie.
04:50Number 25. Johnny Tsunami. Many Disney films have explored the idea of culture shock,
04:56but few can match Johnny Tsunami in this area. After reluctantly moving from Hawaii to Vermont,
05:02Johnny Cappahalla struggles to adjust to his new environment.
05:05Am I telling me how? I'm sure you'll stop before you hit the highway.
05:08Who, me? No. That's right. I'd be laughing too if I wasn't about to lose my life.
05:14Not many switch their surfing talents to skiing, but trying to fit in is something
05:18most of us can understand. The film's premise signified Disney Channel's commitment to making
05:22relatable stories. Along with rooting for the protagonist, we're treated to some fascinating
05:27skiing sequences that tie into the plot. As is usually the case with Disney movies,
05:31this one ultimately teaches the value of friendship and believing in yourself.
05:35Hey Johnny, dude, that was killer. We just want to thank you.
05:38For what? For showing us how bogus this whole fight's been.
05:41It's an oldie but a goodie that fans of all ages can appreciate.
05:45Number 24. Teen Beach Movie. Part Greece and part West Side Story,
05:50Teen Beach Movie has a lot going on. The protagonists are swept away into a musical
05:55film world and have to figure out what to do. Just follow my lead.
05:58Is it leading us home? We're from, uh, not far away.
06:02Far away. Far away.
06:05Right, not far, but um. Not only is it a romance story,
06:09but it also serves as a comedy, sci-fi, and musical all rolled into one. Don't worry,
06:14you'll probably be too busy jamming with the characters to think about it too much.
06:18The impressive cinematography and costume design make it one of the most visually pleasing
06:22releases in the channel's history. Silly in some parts and emotionally moving in others,
06:27Teen Beach Movie shows Disney's knack for reinventing itself each decade.
06:42Number 23. Read It and Weep. After starring in separate Disney Channel films,
06:47sisters Kay and Danielle Panabaker teamed up for this still-remembered feature.
06:51When her imaginative journal based on her real life is accidentally published as a book,
06:56protagonist Jamie gets attention quickly.
06:58Jamie, you can't walk away from this just because you're scared.
07:01I'm not scared. I'm not scared.
07:05Then prove it.
07:06Success goes to her head, with her alter-ego character Isabella feeding into Jamie's worst
07:10impulses. Read It and Weep deals with the consequences of one's actions and why humility
07:15is such a virtue. It doesn't contain any big surprises, but the charming cast and overall
07:20moral lesson can't be overlooked. Disney has a pretty good track record of siblings sharing
07:24the screen, with Kay and Danielle keeping the streak going and then some.
07:28If you pull that rope you'll be blamed for everything. What do you think you're doing?
07:32Something I should have done a long time ago. You don't have the power as I do.
07:37Number 22. Smart House. If you're ever having difficulties with apps like Alexa or Siri,
07:42remember it could always be worse. How much worse, you ask? How about a virtual assistant
07:47who's convinced she's your mother?
07:49Making your lives perfect so you can bring another woman into my domain?
07:55I don't think so, mister. I am a mother like no other.
08:00As the title suggests, this late-90s flick is about an automated house a family moves into.
08:05Unfortunately, the pat A.I. goes off the rails, becoming an overbearing matriarch refusing to
08:10let go. Over-the-top hijinks ensue, with each scene turning it up to crazier levels.
08:16Thanks to a wacky turn from the talented Katie Segal,
08:19Smart House comes across as a barrel full of laughs from start to finish.
08:22You're really scaring me, Pat.
08:24Oh, Angie. You're hurting my feelings. There's nothing to fear. Mama's here.
08:33Number 21. Twitches. Tia and Tamera Mori can really do no wrong as an on-screen pair.
08:39They hit gold with Twitches, which follows a similar premise as their hit sitcom Sister,
08:43Sister. After being separated at birth, the sisters find their way back to each other.
08:48It's your birthday today, isn't it? How did you know that? It's my birthday, too. See? We are
08:54twins!
08:55But this time around, there's magic and mystique at the center. The story crafts an intriguing
08:59lore for the dimension the sisters are fated to protect. With frequent revelations regarding
09:04their origins, Twitches keeps us invested to see where it's all headed.
09:08The opposite of darkness, isn't it? It's love!
09:11Erin's love is what saved us the day we were born. Think about love. Only about love!
09:16Even though it doesn't follow the usual musical format, the chemistry between the
09:20leads and the story's twist result in a winning combination.
09:23Number 20. Stuck in the suburbs.
09:26Britt, you know whose phone this is, don't you? This is Jordan Cahill's phone.
09:33Brittany and Natasha, played by Disney Channel veterans Danielle Panabaker and Brenda Song,
09:38are bored of their suburban lives.
09:41Okay, fine. Do I want to be here, where nothing but nothing ever happens? No. Do I want to be
09:48out there where exciting things are always happening? Yes!
09:52So, when they accidentally come into possession of a pop star's phone,
09:56they take it as an opportunity to shake things up.
09:59Look, you little twerps, I need that phone back.
10:01No Jordan, no phone.
10:03They mess with Jordan Cahill's life by changing up his image, which actually gives him the
10:07courage to confess his desire to write his own lyrics and be himself, instead of his fake pop
10:12star persona.
10:13Half of my career has been about my hair, and now it can be about me and my music.
10:19A soundtrack was released alongside the movie, which was new for Disney Channel at the time,
10:23and due to its success, we can't help but understand why so many of its later films
10:28involve musical numbers.
10:29I never dreamed someone could see right through who I was and to all I could be.
10:38Number 19. The 13th Year.
10:41Sleep tight, birthday boy.
10:43Starting now, your whole life is different.
10:45I don't feel any different.
10:47Like all adolescent boys, Cody's body starts going through some interesting changes,
10:51but he probably wasn't expecting to grow scales and a tail fin.
10:56Cody was one of the best swimmers on the team, he had a pretty girlfriend,
10:59and he had a charmed home life.
11:01He had a perfect life until he found out a big secret about himself.
11:06He's adopted.
11:07Just kidding.
11:08Well, he was adopted, but the big secret is that he's a freaking mermaid.
11:12Or merman.
11:14Merman.
11:15Yeah, and if I am a merman, then maybe my birth parents, just maybe, they're merpeople too.
11:22This classic Disney movie is a fun twist on the classic mermaid tale.
11:26Pun intended.
11:27We go along on Cody's journey as he develops and adapts into his merman form.
11:31This movie is funny, exciting, and full of folklore.
11:35It's almost like a superhero origin story.
11:38I finally get a friend, and he turns into a fish.
11:41This is so typical.
11:42Number 18. Let It Shine.
11:44Disney Channel has become famous for its numerous music-themed movies,
11:48but this one is a standout.
11:50It steps away from the usual formula,
11:52not only by showcasing rap music instead of pop music,
11:55but also the story is also unique.
11:58Cyrus dreams of being a rapper,
11:59and with his drive and optimistic storytelling through songs,
12:03he just might have what it takes,
12:05even in spite of his disapproving father.
12:07Rap is the devil's music and does not belong in a house of worship.
12:11But when his best friend Chris inadvertently takes his lyrics
12:14and goes after the girl of his dreams,
12:15Cyrus sees the life he wants slipping away.
12:18I'd rather make you laugh and act like I'm joking
12:22and tell you the truth about the feelings that you have awoken.
12:25And I'd rather make you laugh and act like I'm joking
12:30and tell you the truth about my feelings you've awoken.
12:32Cyrus must reclaim his voice, make things right with his friends,
12:36wow the world, and his father with his positive and uplifting lyrics.
12:40Cause you don't have the guts to tell us who you really are,
12:43so you can keep a trophy that you don't deserve.
12:46I might be a busboy, but you just got served.
12:53Wendy's privileged life is turned upside down
12:56when she finds out she's actually the reincarnation of a Chinese warrior
12:59and is destined to fight against evil.
13:02Look, the only evil I know is my history teacher and Jessica Dawson,
13:06and I don't think you can help me with that.
13:08You finally have skills you cannot explain.
13:11That's because Wendy is more concerned with fighting Jessica Dawson
13:14for Homecoming Queen and shopping at the mall.
13:16But as she trains in martial arts and learns more about her ancestry,
13:20she grows to appreciate her destiny.
13:32This one is like a cool combination of a modern action movie
13:35and an old school kung fu flick.
13:37The effects might be a bit cheesy,
13:39but the fight scenes are still really kick ass.
13:44You used to be my twin, only now you're not.
13:57Disney Channel movies are usually very lighthearted,
14:00but this one goes way deep.
14:02My twin brother has a developmental disability.
14:07Now that we're starting high school,
14:09I think it would be really cool if I could find
14:12some way to make him more comfortable and accepted in the world.
14:17True Walker is an aspiring TV personality
14:19and enters a video contest with hopes of getting her own TV show.
14:23The subject of her project?
14:25Her autistic brother, Eddie.
14:27Through the lens of True's documentary,
14:28we see her explore the highs and lows of her brother's condition.
14:32She captures the negative views some people will have towards him,
14:35and also the wonderful things that bring their family closer together.
14:38And don't feel sorry for me either,
14:40because I've got a brother who every single day
14:44teaches me what's important in life.
14:46This one is a serious tearjerker that's a bit unexpected from Disney Channel.
14:50Also, we get to see a young Shia LaBeouf,
14:53yes, THE Louis Stevens, in a serious role.
14:56It's you and me.
14:59Being twins.
15:00Number 15.
15:01Pixel Perfect.
15:03Yet another of Disney Channel's music movies, sort of.
15:07This one is kind of a music sci-fi combo.
15:10Sam's band, The Zetabytes, is trying to make it big,
15:13but the members are told they don't have the it factor to get there.
15:16It's not about sound anymore.
15:18It's about image.
15:21Love, you can't sing lead for a band if you can't do the moves.
15:25So, Sam's best friend Roscoe creates a virtual frontwoman
15:29with the name of Loretta Modern.
15:36Although the music sets up the premise for the whole movie,
15:39it's not necessarily the main story arc.
15:42This film also delves into the philosophy of reality and consciousness.
15:46As Loretta questions her purpose as an artificial holographic intelligence,
15:50she questions what it means to be real.
15:52Why am I never good enough for you?
15:54There's always room for improvement.
15:57You said I was perfect.
15:59This movie is asking the real questions.
16:01Oh, and the songs are actually awesome too.
16:10If I fight my left, if I say hello, will you notice me?
16:15Number 14, Brink.
16:17From the golden age of Disney Channel,
16:19this movie is about Andy Brinker and his friends,
16:22also known as Soul Skaters.
16:24Let's go show them what soul skating's all about.
16:29They aspire to win a big contest against a huge sponsored team,
16:33also known as their high school bullies.
16:35The rivalry is really fun to watch.
16:38The pranks are hysterical,
16:39the skating stunts are really exciting,
16:42and the story is genuinely compelling.
16:44There's no way I'm gonna let you on the team.
16:46Yeah, but there's no way I wanted to be here.
16:49I need the money.
16:50Oh, what for? Grandma needs a new kidney.
16:51Brink has to make some serious decisions about the type of person he wants to be
16:55when his family is in need of money,
16:57and he starts skating for the sponsored team to earn it.
17:00He loses himself, betrays his friends,
17:02and forgets why he even started skating in the first place.
17:05Gabriela, please don't do this.
17:08When you woke up this morning,
17:09did you say to yourself,
17:11today I'm gonna talk,
17:13or today I'm gonna skate?
17:14But he eventually realizes the error of his ways and makes things right.
17:22This one is a totally underrated Disney Channel classic.
17:25The Carson family is all about motocross racing,
17:28as long as Andrew is the one behind the handlebars.
17:31Are you guys gonna race?
17:34Dad's gonna freak if he finds out.
17:36Which is why it's a good idea if he doesn't, right?
17:38But when he gets hurt before a big competition,
17:41Andrea steps up and volunteers to take his place.
17:44Look, guys would tear you up if you went out and tried to race.
17:46I mean, it doesn't matter how good you are,
17:48they'd do anything to beat you.
17:50Yeah, but they'd have to keep up with me first.
17:52The Carson kids all think this is a great idea,
17:54but their overbearing father makes it clear that motocross is no girls allowed
17:59and goes off in search of another rider.
18:01Andrea does not take this lying down, though,
18:04and disguises herself as her brother in order to compete.
18:07She even talks her mom into supporting her
18:09with her passion and determination to race.
18:12This film tears down gender stereotypes
18:14as Andy shows everyone what girl power really means.
18:17I guess I always held onto the hope
18:19that you'd be the one that'd be spared
18:20any of the pain or disappointment that comes with this.
18:23Dad, but that's part of it.
18:24I mean, if it wasn't for the bad stuff,
18:26it wouldn't make winning so great.
18:30Speaking of, it's called Halloween Town.
18:33And the residents are a bit more...
18:36exotic.
18:37Monsters, goblins, ghosts and vampires,
18:40gnomes and skeletons.
18:42Do they have dibbicks and ban-
18:43If you don't squeal with excitement
18:45when this movie pops up on your TV every October,
18:47and you hear the familiar opening music,
18:50you clearly don't know what you're missing.
18:52Halloween Town explores what the world would be like
18:54if there were another dimension hidden to mortals,
18:57where supernatural creatures live together
18:59in a perpetual state of Halloween.
19:01Dad, Dylan, this is it.
19:03Mom said they would just pretend.
19:05Tell him, this is Halloween Town, just like the book.
19:08Or maybe we-
19:09Marnie and her siblings overhear
19:11from their grandmother one Halloween
19:12that they come from a long line of witches.
19:15So, they follow her back to her dimension.
19:17This is a holiday movie that isn't at all scary.
19:21It's fun, and funny throughout,
19:23and makes you wish that there was magic in the world for real.
19:26We did it, we're witches!
19:28You can celebrate later, come-
19:29Number 11, Starstruck.
19:31Starstruck, prepare to get-
19:34Starstruck.
19:35The songs aren't as good as some other D-coms,
19:38but the story is interesting and the antics are fun.
19:41Like many D-coms, it's about two people from different worlds
19:44coming together and finding common ground.
19:47Now you wouldn't understand.
19:49Oh, so you think you're so special that a nobody like me
19:53couldn't possibly understand how hard it is to be you.
19:55But this one also shines a light
19:57on the struggles of being a celebrity.
19:59Don't worry, the movie doesn't ring
20:01the poor little rich kid bell too hard.
20:03Jessica calls out Christopher on his privileged behavior
20:06every chance she gets.
20:07But everyone likes me, why is it that you don't like me?
20:10Maybe because you think everybody likes you.
20:12It's because I'm likable.
20:13No, because you're a star.
20:15But the movie also expresses the hardships that come with fame,
20:18fortune, and dealing with the terror
20:20of constantly being in the spotlight.
20:22The premise is a bit outstanding,
20:23but the growing relationship between Christopher and Jessica
20:26feels genuine,
20:27even as they keep finding new ways
20:29of getting themselves into trouble.
20:31You brought me closer to who I really am.
20:37So come take my hand.
20:40I want the world to see what you mean to me.
20:44Number 10.
20:45The Even Stevens Movie.
20:47Stevens family, you have won an all-expense paid vacation
20:51to the beautiful island paradise of Mandolino.
20:54Whenever a TV show comes out with its own movie,
20:57you might be someone who thinks,
20:58ugh, just stick to television.
21:00But if Disney Channel had been that close-minded,
21:03we never would have gotten the glory
21:05that is The Even Stevens Movie.
21:07It appears your son set in a forbidden throne,
21:09destroyed a sacred royal residence,
21:11and put a curse on the entire village.
21:13The film follows the Stevens family
21:14as they vacation on a tropical island,
21:17unaware that they're actually taking part
21:19in a hidden camera reality show.
21:21Quite a first day for our unsuspecting vacationers.
21:24They still have no idea that they're on TV.
21:26Lewis, played by Shia LaBeouf
21:28back when he was still a goofy preteen,
21:30gets into about as much trouble as you would expect him to.
21:33And obviously, hilarity ensues.
21:36Don't worry, the family eventually realizes
21:38the vacation is a setup
21:39and gets back at the host of Family Fakeout.
21:42This is Lance LeBeau, and I just dropped in to say,
21:46catch ya on your own show!
21:49Number 9.
21:50Gotta Kick It Up.
21:51Come on, he's like my grandmother, always says,
21:54Yeah, she's right, you guys, we'll just chant.
21:57Yes, I can.
22:01Here's another Disney Channel movie
22:02that addresses real social issues like cultural diversity.
22:06How would you feel if we did something really innovative
22:08by taking advantage of your background?
22:10In this one, we have a group of Latina girls,
22:12including a young America Ferreira,
22:14finding themselves through dance
22:16when they convince their biology teacher
22:18to take over as the coach of their dance team.
22:20Well, yeah, you help us, I help you.
22:23Why not make it so everybody wins?
22:25Like the Cheetah Girls,
22:26it conveys a strong message about self-confidence
22:29and empowerment to its viewers.
22:31Congratulations, team, we're all going to regionals!
22:34Yeah, we're all gonna look so fine in our new uniforms!
22:40Not only that, but since the female characters
22:42are also minorities,
22:43the message becomes all the more powerful.
22:46DCOM continues to create great movies,
22:48but we still can't help but miss the days
22:50when films for younger viewers
22:51had as much substance as this one.
23:00Number 8
23:01Lemonade Mouth
23:02This one is a little bit of The Breakfast Club,
23:05a little bit of High School Musical.
23:07Five strangers meet in detention and become a band.
23:10Let the music grow you, let the melody move you,
23:15feel the beat and just let go,
23:17get the rhythm into your soul.
23:20They're first brought together by the music,
23:22but eventually forge an unbreakable bond
23:25when they realize that they're giving a voice
23:26to the disenfranchised in a school that glorifies sports
23:29and pretty much ignores everything else.
23:31We all deserve to be treated like we matter,
23:35because ladies and gentlemen,
23:36we do matter!
23:40The songs are so fun and entertaining,
23:42you'll wish you were there in person
23:44at their big concert at the Madison Square Garden.
23:46But this film is about more than just a band
23:49trying to make it big.
23:50Lemonade Mouth stands up for the little guy
23:52and takes on their corrupt school principal
23:54with the power of their music.
24:05Number 7
24:06Xenon, Girl of the 21st Century
24:09This futuristic movie is unforgettable.
24:12It introduced us to new stellar dialogue,
24:16Raven before she was Raven,
24:17and of course the out-of-this-world artist Protozoa.
24:25Xenon is a popular girl on her space station,
24:27but has to readjust when she is figuratively
24:30and literally grounded.
24:37After her parents send her down to Earth
24:46as a punishment for her rebellious behavior,
24:49she has to learn how to make friends
24:50with different walks of life.
24:52All this while trying to get back to her space station
24:55and save it from an evil plot.
24:57This film is a fun, high-stakes space adventure.
25:01Number 6
25:02Camp Rock
25:07Little? Okay, a lot? Yes? Major?
25:112008 was a simpler time,
25:13when Demi Lovato was just a fresh-faced Disney star
25:16and the Jonas Brothers were pop-rock perfection
25:18in skinny jeans.
25:19Camp Rock brought together a star-studded cast
25:22of current and future Disney stars
25:24in this movie about a music camp.
25:26Here at Camp Rock we sing!
25:28So let's hear that again.
25:33Sounds good.
25:34A little pitchy in places,
25:35but we'll fix that by the final jam.
25:37A twist on the classic tale of Cinderella,
25:39Shane Gray, lead singer of Connect 3,
25:41searches to match a face to the voice
25:43of a girl he overheard singing one day.
25:52Despite the overwhelming amount of teen drama
25:54that inevitably goes hand-in-hand
25:56with a group of aspiring musicians at summer camp,
25:59the underlying message about staying true to yourself
26:01is an important one for viewers.
26:03Not to mention you'll be singing the songs in your head
26:06long after the movie ends.
26:25This one has become a bit bittersweet
26:27considering the untimely passing of Cameron Boyce.
26:30But his performance throughout this franchise
26:32as Carlos, the son of Cruella de Vil, still lives on.
26:36This movie puts a twist on Disney's own classic fairy tales
26:38by telling a new story from the point of view
26:41of the descendants of the villains.
26:43Yeah, you know what?
26:44I totally do not blame you for your mother
26:45trying to kill my parents and stuff.
26:48Oh, my mom's Aurora.
26:50Sleeping Beauty!
26:52Yeah, I've heard the name.
26:53Carlos and his friends Mal, Maleficent's daughter,
26:56Evie, the evil queen's daughter,
26:58and Jay, Jafar's son,
27:00are destined to grow up just like their parents.
27:03But they discover that they can choose their own destiny.
27:06The story is very interesting
27:08and the singing and dancing are pretty spectacular.
27:11Start a chain reaction, never let it stop,
27:14then send it off, oh yeah.
27:18Number four, Cadet Kelly.
27:20And it's a very caring, very structured,
27:22which will be good for you, military school.
27:27Military school?
27:28Early 2000s, Hilary Duff makes everything better.
27:32There's just something endearing
27:33about her character's peppy can-do attitude
27:35and tendency to fall down and run into things.
27:38Especially in this classic film
27:39where she's transferred to a military school
27:41after her mom marries a general.
27:43Some things are just gonna have to change around here.
27:46You're gonna change a school that's been around for 100 years?
27:49I don't think so.
27:50Undoubtedly, Hilary's character finds it hard to relate
27:52to her new stepfather and peers.
27:54But in time, comes to develop an interest
27:57in the school's drill team.
27:58Watching her perfect the art of spinning
28:00and throwing guns around is fascinating to say the least.
28:03And the dance-off between Hilary and her on-screen enemy,
28:06played by Christy Carlson Romano,
28:08is clearly the best part.
28:10We could watch it again and again.
28:13And we do.
28:29If a movie about a group of teenage girls
28:31reaching for their dreams of musical stardom
28:33sounds like your cup of tea,
28:34then you're in for a treat.
28:37Galleria, Chanel, Dorinda, and Aquanet
28:39join up to compete in their performing art school's talent show,
28:42but are also offered a deal with a record label.
28:45I'm looking for the next big thing.
28:47And I think that thing might just have spots.
28:52The movie wouldn't be interesting
28:53without some drama between the friends,
28:55so there's plenty going on in each of their personal lives,
28:58causing some temporary fallouts.
29:00What's wrong with that?
29:01It's not our music.
29:02It's not your song, so you wanna walk.
29:04But of course, the girls reunite and all is well
29:06when they literally sing a dog out of a manhole.
29:10Never underestimate the power of the Cheetah Girls.
29:28As much as we love Disney Channel movies,
29:30they can be a bit formulaic.
29:32This is one of the few that breaks the mold.
29:36Piper and Mari become unlikely friends when Mari,
29:38a white South African during the time of apartheid,
29:41joins Piper, a black American and her family in the U.S.,
29:44for a student exchange program.
29:46Mari and Piper teach each other about their different worlds
29:49and learn lessons about tolerance and acceptance
29:51during the troubling time.
29:53How many different words do they have for whites?
29:55Just white.
29:57It's kind of out of character for Disney Channel
29:59to focus a story so heavily on race relations,
30:02as it usually plays things more safely.
30:04Whether you want to admit it or not, you know I'm right.
30:07Why else do you think your own government
30:09would hide books and movies and stupid TV shows
30:12from its own people?
30:13What are they so afraid of?
30:14But this film dives in unafraid
30:16and tackles the issue of racism in a way
30:18that is still very relevant today.
30:21Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
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30:37Number 1
30:38High School Musical
30:42Did you expect anything else?
30:44There's no denying the franchise's popularity,
30:47success and enormous influence.
30:49In fact, a mockumentary TV show called
30:52High School Musical The Musical The Series,
30:54set at the same school that the first flick was filmed,
30:56made its debut in 2019 on Disney+.
31:00Speaking of the original that started it all though,
31:02this was when basketball star Troy Bolton
31:04and shy newcomer Gabriela Montez
31:06shook up the status quo by auditioning
31:09for their school's musical.
31:18The songs are catchy and the actors have great chemistry.
31:22Not to mention the film's sequel could have easily been a flop,
31:25but many agree it was even better than the first,
31:27holding the record for the highest-rated
31:29Disney Channel movie ever.
31:32Whether you're obsessed with Troy and Gabriela,
31:39share Sharpay's ambition,
31:41or admire Ryan's many hats,
31:43there's something in this classic for everyone.
31:54Which Disney Channel movie do you have on repeat?
31:57Let us know in the comments.
32:00Do you agree with our picks?
32:02Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
32:04And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell
32:07to be notified about our latest videos.