Every college aged kid remembers the Disney Channel era with great fondness. We reminisce about the great TV shows that represent our childhood, but rarely do we take the time to reflect on the movies that defined our Saturday nights of the early 2000s. The familiar "let's watch a Disney Channel Movie" tune accompanied by the joyous children jumping through movie film will warm any heart and cause a visceral feeling of nostalgia. So, here are ten DCOMs that are guaranteed to take you way back to a simpler time.
1. "Life-Size" (2000)
Tyra Banks and Lindsay Lohan, I mean who could dream of a better acting duo? Tyra channels her ANTM skills to play a barbie doll who comes to life, which belongs to a fondly remembered sweet, innocent, freckled Lindsay Lohan.
2. "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" (1999)
A cult classic, co-starring a pre-"That's So Raven" Raven Symoné, this DCOM taps into some major pre-teen angst about not fitting in as we watch Zenon, a girl from space, try to navigate high school on Earth.
3. "Halloweentown High" (2004)
Definitely not just a movie for Halloween, this movie is an absolute favorite of mine. Because the original "Halloweentown" and "Halloweentown II" were a little before my time, and who doesn't want to watch Lucas Grabeel, Ryan from "High School Musical," this one is definitely my pick.
4. "Twitches" (2005)
The ultimate dynamic duo, Tia and Tamara Mowry, from "Sister, Sister," play exactly what it looks like: Twin witches.
5. "Cadet Kelly" (2002)
Hilary Duff, truly in her prime, plays a hip city teen who has to enroll in a military academy, where she forms a Disney Channel-esque initially tumultuous but ultimately beautiful relationship with her cadet captain, Christy Carlson Romano (from "Even Stevens"!).
6. "Cheetah Girls" (2003)
This DCOM classic, starring fan-favorites Raven Symoné and Adrienne Bailon, follows every one's favorite singing/dancing girl group. Even though two great movies came after the original in this trilogy, this one is a classic and definitely the best one.
7. "Jump In!" (2007)
Also from "High School Musical," Corbin Bleu stars alongside Keke Palmer from "Akeelah and the Bees" in this DCOM about the lesser known world of competitive jump roping.
8. "Model Behavior" (2000)
An oldie, starring Justin Timberlake and, wait for it, Kathie Lee Gifford, follows a "dumpy" girl who dreams of becoming a fashion designer. She happens to meet a famous teenage model who also happens to look identical to her, and in a classic Disney Channel fashion, they swap lives.
9. "The Luck of the Irish" (2001)
While I am not usually a fan of sports movies, I am always a fan of Leprechaun movies. In this DCOM, a normal high school boy finds out through a series of hilarious events that his family is entirely made up of Leprechauns. Unclear how he never realized that previously.
10. "Pixel Perfect" (2004)
This might be my favorite DCOM. Sam is told that her high school band will fail unless she dances during their next concert (confusing plot point), but she is too scared, so she has her best friend Roscoe, who she is (duh) in love with, create a hologram version of herself named Loretta to perform for her. However, as most holograms do, Loretta begins to take over, garnering more attention and love than Sam was ever able to. This movie is quite ahead of its time.
