Like many of my peers, I grew up anticipating DCOM premieres almost weekly. I can still remember the introduction where the cast of previous movies would be shown. Now, some DCOMs have a bad reputation due to quality of acting and lackluster plots. Even now as an adult, I think most (if not all) DCOMs conveyed some sort of moral that left me feeling satisfied at the end. Here are my eight suggestions for essential DCOM viewing, with brief synopses and ratings provided for each entry. I purposely left out some of the more prolific DCOMs (HSM, Cheetah Girls, Halloweentown) in order to shed light on some of the more (in my opinion) lesser-known films.
Brink (1998): Brink introduced me to a genre I didn’t know existed…rollerblading films. This film tells the story of Andy “Brink” Brinker (Erik von Detten), a teenage inline skater who joins an elite crew to help his family pay their bills. “Brink” wrestles with fame and fortune as he grows more and more distant from his old pals. The film culminates in, you guessed it, an EPIC rollerblading competition where Brink must face his arch-rival, Val, in order to secure a win.
Rating: 9.0/10
Stuck in the Suburbs (2004): Taran Killam, Brenda Song, and Danielle Panabaker star in this film where a teen and pop star accidentally trade phones. This film uncovers a dark side of fame, with said pop star attempting to reconcile his public image with his intrapersonal emotions.
Rating: 9.2/10
Now You See It (2005): Aly Michalka of Aly&AJ fame stars as a young producer eager to find a teen magician for an upcoming show. She soon meets Danny Sinclair (Johnny Pacar), who confesses to her that his powers are actually real. The show host, Max (Frank Langella) concocts a plan to rid Danny of his powers by the end of his performance. What follows is the two teens attempting to foil Max’s plan before it is too late.
Rating: 8.0/10
Jump In! (2007): I am sure that this is one of the more well-known DCOMs, but I felt the need to include it, nonetheless. Corbin Bleu and Keke Palmer play Izzy and Mary, respectively, in this 2007 film. Izzy is destined to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a successful boxer. Mary convinces Izzy to participate in a jump roping contest, which leaves Izzy with the choice of appeasing his dad or following a new passion.
Rating: 8.3/10
Minutemen (2008): Three outcast friends hatch a plan to go back in time to save them from embarrassing events in an attempt to achieve popularity. The boys eventually create a black hole from their travels and are tasked with closing it to prevent a catastrophic disaster.
Rating: 8.7/10
Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie (2009): This adaptation of the same-named series follows the Russo family on vacation. After Alex steals a spell book and wand, she wishes that her parents had never met. Her wish is granted, and now it is up to the Russo siblings to reverse the spell.
Rating: 8.5/10
Starstruck (2010): Jessica (Danielle Campbell), a Michigan teen, reluctantly agrees to go to a nightclub in LA with her sister in order to meet famous popstar Christopher Wilde (Sterling Knight). After Christopher hits Jessica with a door, he begs her not to blow his cover to the paparazzi. Christopher and Jessica slowly bond, with Christopher longing to be anonymous and wanting a normal teen life. The plot is similar to Stuck in the Suburbs, with the popstars wanting to live a life of normalcy and anonymity.
Rating: 9.1/10
Lemonade Mouth (2011): Five teens with conflicting personalities come together in detention to create a band. Their goal is to get more attention on the arts and less on athletics. They must face their anti-arts principal and learn to compromise for the sake of their music.
Rating: 9.5/10
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