A Cinderella Story (2004)

Despite studio after studio attempting shitty remakes, (please know when I say shitty I never mean ‘Another Cinderella Story) ‘A Cinderella Story’ will never be outdone, it’s the blueprint for movies that follow this trope. Everything about this film represents the best of the early 2000s, from the soundtrack, to the heartthrob being Chad Michael Murray, to a career high performance from the queen herself, Jennifer Coolidge.

There will never be a scene in a movie that makes me react the way elementary school me reacted to Sam going off in the boy’s locker room. The line “waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought, useless and disappointing” had implications for me as a child y’all just can’t understand.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)

If you get it, you get it. And as for me? I get it.

Lizzie McGuire was THE it girl in my eyes, I wanted to dress just like her, be just like her, so getting a full on movie (that still holds up and is still a comfort movie for me mind you) was a dream come true. I remember watching this movie for the first time and immediately romanticizing Europe and traveling without parents, which lead to the life I now lead, hopping on any plane I can,

And the soundtrack to this movie? Oh it goes absolutely insane.

Me thinking ‘What Dreams Are Made Of’ was actually preformed in the Coliseum is my roman empire.

Raise Your Voice (2004)

There’s way too many of you that haven’t seen ‘Raise Your Voice’ and if i have one lasting impacting on anyone that reads this that falls into that unfortunate category, I hope I can convince you to watch! This movie is the classic trope of a small town girl getting out and going to a big city for the summer, but unlike movies that usually follow that trope ‘Raise Your Voice’ is the perfect coming of age movie. There’s so much heart, and heartbreak, Hilary’s rent was due and she acted her ass off.

Still to this day this is one of my favorite soundtracks of all time.

Cadet Kelly (2002)

They don’t make Disney Channel Original Movies like this anymore, nor do they have any Disney girlies like Hilary Duff, and that’s truly a shame! As a navy brat, I instantly connected with ‘Cadet Kelly,’ was it because of my still existing crush on Christy Carlson Romano? Who knows! But I loved it!

No song is going to take me back to being an Elementary school girl like “One Girl Revolution.”

The Perfect Man (2005)

A lot of people I talk to either didn't see this movie or don’t really remember it, and that is a goddamn shame! ‘The Perfect Man’ shaped a lot of things in my life, my love for New York City and my longing to see a Brooklyn skyline, and my undying love for Ben Feldman (who a lot of you know from his time on Superstore) and was one hundred percent the start of my love for shows like Catfish.

Like I’m sorry, but catfishing your own mom? Just so you can stay in Brooklyn around a hot guy and your friend? That's very me-coded.

Cheaper By The Dozen (2003)

‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ is a warm hug of a movie, and for me, it always has been. There is just something about any movie headed by Steve Martin that feels like watching a family friend on screen. I come from a big family (not quite THIS big) so the chaos and sibling alliances and rivalries always made sense to me, when you're young, seeing something on the screen that just makes sense to you is really all you're looking for.

Lorraine was undoubtedly my favorite character, which is saying a lot because Charlie (aka Tom Welling, aka Clark Kent) was right there, but no, I saw myself in the exact teenage girl I wanted to be.

Agent Cody Banks (2003)

This movie is iconic, I'm unconcerned with any other opinions. I wore out not one, but two dvd’s of this movie, that is how much it was played at my house.The whole premise of this movie was a full-on adult action plot, but played out for teenagers, and that is something I love about it. Hilary Duff, as always played the girl I instantly wanted to be with Natalie, and it helped that every girl my age had a crush on Frankie Muniz.

Casper Meets Wendy (1998)

If ‘Casper Meets Wendy’ isn't on your regular spooky season rotation, I simply don’t trust your taste in films. This movie, much like what I said about ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ earlier on, is a warm hug. Anytime I put this movie on I'm reminded of the Halloweens of my youth, of actually dressing up and trick-or-treating and believing in all things spooky. That was part of the fun of it, and after seeing this movie I genuinely believed at any moment my aunts were going to reveal that we were all witches and that my dreams of being Wendy would come true.