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Thursday, March 15, 2018

The Lookback: Another Disney Channel Original Movie: Alley Cats Strike

The Flashback  Disney Channel 



   Time to dip into another Disney Channel Original movie, what do we have here this time? (Gets handed a fake tape)  Oh a Disney Channel movie about bowling.  You know Disney Channel really used to be varied on their movies , they have a movie for almost anything. (Well not really)  This movie came out in March of 2000, (March 18th)  and is called "Alley Cats Strike".  So let's take a look at the movie.

    It has a 50's music theme and our main character is named Alex he is also narrating and telling us who is friends are :  Ken, Elisa (played by Kaley Cuoco who you may know from such shows as Brandy and Mr.Whiskers, Eight Simple Rules, and some show about the Big Bang Theory)  and Delia.   Ken likes music from the 1950's  (I am going with 1940's and 50's since the movie came out in 2000)  Elisa likes 50's clothes and Alex likes to point out that she's a good bowler, and Delia is the smart one.   His Father owns a bowling alley that they get to use  to play.   He and his friends  go to school (because kids) and  the school is dominated by the (let's see check the checklist oh yes) a jock named Todd McLemore. (who is played by the same person who starred in Cousin Skeeter if you remember that show)  There's a trophy called the mighty apple, which there's a rivalry between two towns called West Appleton and East Appleton (creative). Alex asks I guess us  ,the viewers,  how will their worlds ever collide?  I guess that means their worlds are going to collide.

Collusion/ Copyright Disney 


      The jock kids  are mean I guess (because sports make you mean, I think) and our main group isn't into watching whatever the game will be that evening. (Oh it's basketball)  Also Tim Reid is in this movie .   So if the West wins  they tie and if the East wins the East gets the trophy.  The bowling alley doesn't get a lot of people visiting it because who knows. (plot reasons)  The West wins. (How the west was won) They have to find out what the charter says on how to break a tie. (hmmm wonder if it has something to with bowling?)  The next day, the answer was bowling. (duh)

  His reaction to bowling is I guess he doesn't like it./Copyright Disney


         Both schools have bowling clubs and guess who is in the club? (Yep our main  characters) Remember that question Alex asked earlier about how would he and Todd end up colliding? Welp, apparently Todd signed up for bowling club , but Todd doesn't remember.  Actually one of his stupid friends did it.  Can Todd bowl?  (hahhahhahahahhahahahahhahahahaha No)   Oh Todd's father , played by Tim Reid is the mayor of the town as well. So, how is East Appleton's bowling team? Looks they are good players.
     
All Green too / Copyright Disney 

     I do like how the music contrasts between Todd and the others showing their contrast musically is nice touch. Todd is learning from our main characters how to bowl but yes of course he doesn't seem responsive to it.   (of course)  Also this movie mentions so much late 90's stuff and figures it's kind of funny when Todd says the music that Alex and his friends listens to is outdated.  Alex offers once again to help Todd , and we'll see how that helps.

 
      Now a party , because Disney Channel movies need parties or something.   Alex decides to leave the party early. It's not his thing. He leaves to  Elisa's house and they talk for a little bit and then he goes home.  The mayor comes to the bowling to announce something that he and the town of East Appleton decided , to make it 4 vs 4 players. They do allow substitute players too.  Also, they find out that the Mayor bet on the bowling. (Don't blame me, I didn't vote for him.)  Todd wants to check out the East Appleton team and Alex decides to go with him. They play like machines. The other team catch  Alex and Todd gets them out of there. (so that was quick)

Payphone remember those? Copyright Disney 


      More after the jump
         They decide to teach  Todd how to bowl with style. (And we get 50's music montage)  Todd suggests how they can maybe make the bowling alley more appealing. Alex is unsure. Todd puts his plan to action.  He uses his charm to help get some stuff. Alex worries about this because he loves the sport for the sport and doesn't really want the place to change.  His father says that he was beginning to put the place of for sell.  Alex also finds out their dads used to be friends. (woah)  I think this movie is also slowly setting up them being friends ,but going slow into. The bowling alley is ready for hopefully a good night happens.   More montage.  Alex's friends get annoyed by Todd acting all showy again.  Then they see Alex who might have been sucked into the cool.

The cool is powerful/Copyright Disney 


    This movie needs that part where the one the guy gets sucked away from his true friends thing don't we?  Alex over hears some of the popular kids talking about how they don't like him and will be glad when the whole thing is over.  Also, Todd has improved in bowling and Alex is having a bad day.  Also, Tim Reid is not a good mayor in this movie , he gave them awful uniforms, he also made another bet that the school that they get to rename the school. ( That's kind of stupid)  Alex finally snaps and he quits.  (Me too!)

The shirt was the last straw/ copyright Disney


      Todd talks to Alex  and hey they got new better uniforms.   Alex's Mom is coming back, she was with her father who was in the hospital.   His father tells him the story of what happened to him and the Mayor's friendship.  It's competition day.  Alex does show up  (woo hoo!)  The  team is called the Alley Cats , so there's the reason for the title. 

The shirt convinced me/ Copyright Disney 



   The bowling happens.  (Montage time)  The East leads after the montage.  So, they have to crunch to see if they win. Alex bowls 3 strikes in a row tying the match again.  East player does the same because of course. East leads by 9.  Then it's Todd's turn.  He needs at least a spare to win and he gets a 7-10 split which has been his trouble this whole time. Delia tells him that she can make this show so, he decides to let her do it. (That's nice of him.)  The Mayor wants him to get back in there ,but Todd tells him that sometimes he doesn't have to be the best.  Delia saves the day and does it awesomely!   Todd tells his father that they shouldn't rename a school because it's wrong to change a name over bowling.  The other members think of a new name, Appleton Central Junior High.  Play us out 50's music.

She's the hero / Copyright Disney


      This movie was noted for having the longest Wikipedia movie summary ever ,(linky)  written by a screenwriter himself. Which I say is awesome.  You can read what he wrote here.

Now my thoughts: I think this was an alright movie it had a good amount of story and well paced.The music was nice very 50's sounding. As stated above I liked how they used music for contrast between Alex and Todd. The main characters even Todd were likable , even though Todd could be arrogant he still likable and developed on the way. This movie was fun to watch , it's a good family movie. 

 Tune in next time when we try to get a TV blog we'd  never talk with to join forces against another one.


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