DCOM Doesn't Horse Around: Horse Sense

Disney  The lookback 

      This time we head to a 1999 Disney Channel Original movie with the Lawrence brothers well Joey Lawrence and his younger brother, Andy. (The Latter shows up in 4 Disney Channel Original Movies) At the time Andy was the voice of T.J on "Disney's Recess". "Horse Sense" premiered on November 20, 1999.  Let's get started. 

         The movie starts with Andy Lawrence playing a boy named Tommy who lives on a ranch in Montana. (Also shots of food, yum)  He's going on a trip to see his cousin Michael, who is played by Andy's older brother, Joey.  Tommy sets up some stuff for the movie, like there's some money issues and his father is no longer alive. (We paid money for the Lawrence brothers, we had to cut somewhere, Disney Probably) Michael lives in Beverly Hills (That's where I want to be) and he is better off than his cousin, you can see by his fancy room and alarm clock. He's more a lazy college student, who's also selfish which we need for the plot. 

The way he's wearing the sweater shows he's kind of a jerk/ Copyright Disney

         Michael has this new girlfriend named Gina, who is also a rich girl (She can rely on the old man's money) whom he seems to really like. He finally picks up Tommy after forgetting, and this is going to set up how this going to go with him and Tommy.  (The Disney movie is bold enough to mention Disneyland in the Disney movie ; Disney) Tommy's aunt and uncle get to be conveniently  out of the movie to make sure we make sure Michael can be a jerk. (Well done!)   It is kind of funny they make Tommy seemingly so nice, that anything done to him would make it seem like a worse slight than it already was.  You know what? This movie is a divorced dad is busy,which is why he's divorced, plot. Just swap out that with a selfish 20-year-old and cousin.  

It would be weird if his brother was playing as his father / Copyright Disney 

more after the jump

DCOM Creates a Clone: The Other Me

Disney Channel Original Movies 

          The Paul McCartney song, "The Other Me" is oh sorry, wrong blog.   We dip back into a Disney Channel Original movie ,again from the year 2000, to bring you the September installment of that year,  "The Other Me".    The movie stars Andy Lawrence in his second of three Disney Channel original movies.

               The movie starts at school where some kids make fun Andy Lawrence's character, Will Browning, for having a yo-yo (why?, like I know)   Will isn't the best student in school he likes to be lazy and slide by, how do I know this? Because he said it.  There's a girl who makes me scared for Will, like she might like him or might want to kill him. (That would make this movie more exciting.)  Her name is Heather and she wants to ask Will to the dance, but he Will-not (get it?)   The actress playing Heather was in a couple other Disney Channel movies: Phantom of the Megaplex and Cadet Kelly.


         Will has a science project due in 3 weeks, because if he doesn't do well  he Will (stop it) have to repeat the class.  There's also bully character, named Scottie DeSota , who is important for this movie. (Find at 5,6,9, and 10)  To be fair, Will got him suspended, but I'm not sure of the full details. Now at home, we see Will's family.  The mother seems to be a hippy  and the dad is played by  Mark L Taylor, a guy that always seems to be cast as a  Dad in a TV show or movie.

       And he has a sister named Allana, she exists.  Since it's report card day, the parents like the sister's report card and don't like Will's.  The parents say that if he doesn't get his grades up, he would end up at a boys summer boot camp. (Because, that'll fix things)  I would be bad to not mention that one of those cool see through land line phones is in this movie.  His mother tells him they don't care about A grades; they want him to try harder.  He finds a magazine and decides to use it as a science project idea.


   Meanwhile, at a placed Ocean Pups these two guys are trying to do some cloning, called hyper-cloning. They want to be rich. The company is actually a front operation to do what they do. Their names are Victor and Conrad.  (They will be our villains, this movie)  So mouse escapes causing a cat to chase it and knock over some cloning stuff  and some of it seeps through the floor to the products they are selling where it drips on one box that will end up guess where?  Oh yeah main character's house.

      These ocean pup things seem to be like those "sea monkey" things.  Will starts to work on his project and uses his comb to mix the stuff , thus causing him to create a naked clone, that is is his same age and stuff. Also the clone is played by Andy Lawrence, so he's doing a Disney's Parent trap here. (Fun how this works for both versions)  He calls Ocean Pups, and tells them it does some weird stuff , which helps our plot later.   ( I did this out of order but it flows better here)  After a moment of time of constant staring and bemusement we get the movie going again.

 The other me would be the glad one/ Copyright Disney 

        I noticed a fun little shooting error but I won't mention what it was. Anyway, Will decides that the best thing to do with a clone is to pass him of as a science project. (Yep, that's normal)  The lady he called  tells our villains that some strange things happened and they put together that some of their cloning stuff made it out. 

       The music for the background in this movie is done by Mark Mothersbaugh , so that's why it sounds like "Rugrats" somewhat.  The clone seems to be able to read books quickly and absorbing information in a quick fashion.  Parts of this movie will be antics of Will trying to hide the clone, that's much of this film.

more after the jump

DCOM Shows us the Worrying AI Future : Smart House

Disney Chanel Original Movies   The Lookback 

           I like that this movie came out in 1999, we people might have been fearing about the future when everything collapsed in 2000.  If you are reading this blog post after 1999 then, congrats you've made it! If you are reading this from before 1999, uhhhh Time traveler? 

       I think "Smart House" is one of Disney Channel's  most remembered and iconic movies and for a movie with technology in it, it's not dated at all really as much well things do date it because of time marching on.  "Smart House" premiered  on June 26 1999 starting  Ryan Merriman (who later on was on "Luck of the Irish")  and Katie Volding , who was also on "Brink".  They play brother and sister Ben and Angie Cooper who live with their widower father (because Disney) and that plays more intothe movie's plot because it has too.   Fun fact: This movie is directed by LeVar Burton. (Yep THAT Levar Burton)


           I haven't mentioned the most important actor yet, so stay tuned.  That's not to say that Ryan's character isn't important either. The main of  point of this movie is not really the house, strange really, because it's called "Smart House" you'd think that the house is the  most important part. Ben is a 13-year-old boy who after the death of his mother decides to take upon himself to "take care of the  family". 

       The movie does start with the house who is voiced by  the one, the only Katey Sagal, she does a great expressive monotone voice. Yes, that's a sentence I just wrote. (You typed it!) They also have Jessica Steen in this movie, whom you know from "Heartland" (thanks Canada).  She is the inventor of the smart house named Sara Barnes.  There's a contest for a family to win the house, why? Maybe she likes giving things away for tax purposes.  Meanwhile, the movie does a good job of showing us  the viewer, how Ben takes care of things around the house filling in as role of his passed on mother.
 
         You see through his interactions with his sister, especially that role.  There's a dog in the movie played by an actual dog.  The Dad, who also played the dad on Home Alone 3, is a busy working man because he's a single and ready to mingle?  (What?)  The reason why I say that is Angie does want him to date and find a new Mom, while Ben is more not wanting that.   I did say that Ryan Merriman played in "Luck of the Irish" so of course he plays basketball in this movie because BASKETBALL. 

                                                       

BASKETBALL SHIRT /Copyright Disney 

   
      Sara has a pet rat, this is important information for later.  Since this 1999, dial up exists and there's a reference to the line being tied by the internet. (So, yeah)   Also, Ben is trying to make sure his dad doesn't find a new lady to marry. (this is also important information)  Now Sara and two other people I really don't care about since, they'll be gone soon pick the winner, gee I wonder who this winner will be.  (That family from "Quints"?)    The house's name is PAT, also important.   There's a bully character because 90's or something. (Yawn)   

   The father sees Sara's picture in the newspaper and thinks she's beautiful.(This is for the plot) Now there's a tour of the house.  One of the best features of the house is green screen vision or blue screen whatever.  The family decides to move in the house, but with the idea that if anything doesn't work out they'll go back home.  This movie remembers  c'est la vie by B*Witched , do you remember it?
                                                                 

B*Witched seems confused here /Copyright Disney 

         Angie  says to Ben she thinks their father is in love with a beautiful woman, fine that's  my line , but you know Sara, because yes. (thanks for that)  Ben doesn't like that idea one reason is that  he doesn't want the memory of his mother replaced.  He explains that is why doesn't go out for BASKETBALL (our running gag ) and be with his friends making sure the family runs smoothly. He wanted to win the house because he doesn't want Mom II: The second Mom.
                                                                   
                                                             

Love House/ Copyright  Disney 

               The movie goes through the first part where the it shows how the house helps the family, blah blah, I need this movie to have the part where it goes wrong.  The bully is still annoying and unnecessary to the movie.   Oh look something went wrong with the smoothie maker had a glitch and that means the father wants Sara to come by and this makes Ben find out about the main control room of the house.  He doesn't want to get to know Sara. (Because TENSION)   Ben is grumpy. 
                                                             

more after the jump

Dcom Uses AI to make music : Pixel Prefect

Disney 

         You know about those concerts where they have now passed singer doing holographic shows which seems to be the weirdest thing ever? I think this movie is the reason why those things exists, at least in theory?   "Pixel Perfect"  is a Disney Channel original movie (duh) from 2004.  The fun thing there's also an "Arthur" episode where Arthur and friends find out that a band they like is all holograms, meaning the tech was so good that they were able to fake solidness. (That episode came out before this movie way before)   It is kind of strange that the concept of having musicians that aren't human be used.   We also can talk about Vocaloids but, we really should talk about this movie.

         It starts Ricky Ulluam , who at the time was also on Disney Channel's (probably second to last male leading star original series , yeah)  "Phil of the Future".   This is his only DCOM (Usually when I've talked about DComs they've had leading actors be in more than one film)   Ricky plays a teenager named Roscoe who can work computer  SCIENCE. He shows his friend , Sam, (played by Leah Pipes) a cat he made out of pixels (get it?!)  He's right his father isn't impressed by the fact he made a holographic cat.

                                          Woah man , what did I eat? / Copyright Disney


           Remember the Honda Element? This movie does, that's Roscoe's car. (Not really important to the movie just wanted to mention it) Also this movie takes place in Colorado because Colorado plates? (hmmm)  Sam has a band called the Zeta Bytes (get IT!) Sam is good at singing but not at singing and dancing therefore she's not good apparently.  The music guy says that people don't care about the sound they care about the image.  (MTV ruined everything)  Sam likes
Avril Lavigne because yes.   Also, there's a sub plot of Ricky and his father seem to be far detached from each other. 

          Ricky then gets an idea  where he creates a holographic girl named Loretta. He doesn't tell them about their band that she's not a hologram and they can't tell because that's how science works.  Lorretta is played by Spencer Redford. 

That's the power of  Gatorade/ Copyright Disney  

  

   I do like to talk about the music in these movies and this time a lot of the music was made for this movie.  Loretta Modern is a hologram, what?  They found out the fun way when Sam tripped and went right through Loretta.  We get this line later on , "You're in my liver".    Sam doesn't seem to like this idea much also, here's another important thing, they can't do outdoor concerts, because holograms don't work outdoors. (It's a union thing) 

          

                Why does Roscoe's dad park his car on a hill, what madness is this? There's a school dance  and it's time for Zeta Bytes to star and see if Loretta can pass the test. I think they got an A.  I think the A I model wants to be free and play in the radio.  I think Roscoe is falling in love with Loretta. There's a very awkward double date with Sam, Roscoe, some guy I don't care about, and Loretta.  Then the movie gets goofy for a second because it's also supposed to be a comedy.

people will do anything for social media clicks/ Copyright Disney 

 
               Roscoe asks Sam if he could keep Loretta because he's afraid his father will find out and bad things will happen or something.  Sam and Loretta don't seem to get along which is how most people feel about their Windows Vista computers. (yes we did a very out dated joke)  Later on Sam finds out that Roscoe used some of her features for Loretta , either that or he's going to kill her and is planning to use her body parts for something.  Meanwhile, people find out that Loretta is a hologram and they don't mind , in fact they are impressed!  Woah. 

               Now the Zeta Bytes are famous or something.  well mostly Loretta because yes.  This movie is actually better without trying to be comedy , as it does a good job with it's story message. Like how show that the music industry might care about the image more than the music (uhh Disney might be un self aware with that), if you create a holographic person are they a person? Especially, when Loretta wants to be more than a hologram and has emotions. 

     There's this scene that shows the internet in a fun way like a search engine being a guy driving a vehicle. It's really fun interpretation of the internet.  Sam figured out that Roscoe is in love with Loretta because yes and Sam states the obvious that she likes Roscoe.  Now it's time for Roscoe and his father to talk out stuff.


      Later, woah the music industry people want to work with the company Roscoe's dad works for to make more holographic singers  because they don't have to be paid ,fed , and stuff. (OOOH)  Loretta has also been purchased because as they said she's property not a person , in their words. Roscoe doesn't like that.  His father actually stands up for him as well.  The former rapper who works with the record company lets Loretta run through his phone to the internet. 

 Later  on Sam decides to pretend to be Loretta and falls over and injuries herself, and this movie has really gotten dark.  Loretta shows up at the hospital then she scarifies herself and goes inside Samantha's brain because that's how science works.    Then  movie turns into album covers.  Loretta works to convince the Sam in Sam's mind to come back to earth. Loretta decides to be creepy and take over Sam's body, but only to feel that rain. (I'm not taking back my creepy statement)  I mean the parents are confused and horrified.  Then She leaves Sam's body allowing Sam to come back and  Loretta is dead now. Yep.  Sam lives and it seems her band has become a slow jams group.


          I think Roscoe and Sam are together now or something.  Also Loretta became a ghost or something ? What?  Help! 

                    This movie is very good, for the most part it doesn't even feel like a standard Disney Channel movie or at least are more modern one.  I think it has a lot of questions that makes a viewer think about things. One of the things that makes a great contrast of how humans strive to be perfect but the thing that was prefect wanted to have imperfections and feel things.  The story is more dramatic but doesn't feel moody like I'm watching a Wb network show from the same time period.   Infact, that part where it gets goofy on the double date felt the most of place for the movie. 

Dcom Gives Dog the Money

Disney Channel  The Flashback 

         We dig deep into Disney Channel's Original movie archive with a movie from 1998 called "You Lucky Dog" .  It is the 2nd "Official" original movie or 3rd if you count "Northern Lights" .  This is the first Disney Channel original to have a dog in it so, yay!

    Our film stars television star, Kirk Cameron. Yeah, really so, that's something. Let's take a look at this movie.

       It starts with Kirk Cameron's character in this movie called Jack Morgan, who is a dog therapist. Who also can apparently read his dog's mind not other dogs but, still runs his therapy thing without telling people that he can't really read other dogs minds.  Anyway, one man named  Mr. Mooney is not pleased and thinks that Jack is scamming him, he's also a friend of mayor.   A rich man named, Clyde Windsor brings his dog Lucky. (Get it?)   Time to mention more faces and stars in this  movie: they have the talented voice actress, Christine Cavanaugh, playing has Jack Morgan's secretary. (The Voice of Chuckie from the Rugrats for example) and  James Avery , whom you will know as 'Uncle Phil' from the Fresh Prince.  In this movie he's the personal driver of our rich guy.

You didn't tell me that this wasn't an episode of Growing Pains/ Copyright Disney 

   Now back to the movie. Jack finds out that can actually could read Lucky's mind. (Lucky break) Jack tells Clyde that the dog told him that Lucky is worried about Clyde and is bothered by three individuals in the home.  Two weeks later, the mayor gets Jack's business shut down. (This movie is unrealistic) Then Clyde's driver ,Calvin Bridges,  comes to visit Jack and tells him Clyde had passed and wants Jack to come to the estate.
               

You look like you starred in "Growing Pains"/Copyright Disney 

        Meanwhile, the will is being read. Clyde's nephew, Reuben (played by Taylor Negron) doesn't get anything from the will but an easy chair.  His niece , Margret gets his mirror  because she's so vain. His other nephew, Lyle, gets nothing. (ha ha)  His money, $64 Million , doesn't go to any of them. They also get kicked out of the house.  Do you want to guess who gets the money? Play with us!   Is it a) the Dog  b) the Dog c) Santa Claus  d) DOG , it's the dog , obliviously it's the dog.


      The attorney, Allison Kent,  is played by Chelsea Noble a fellow "Growing Pains" star.  She tells Jack that he left his money to his dog. If you picked C, you were wrong. Also Jack has been made the Trustee and he'll be working for the dog. (What am I watching?)  Let's see Allison gives us some words that might work for part of our plot, where she says "unless the heirs can prove he's not competent".  Will this be used for anything plot wise? Find out later maybe!

Pictured: Doggo / Copyright Disney 

          Also the movie seems to be hinting that his physic connection to the dog might also mean he can taste somethings the dog is tasting (ewww) and other dog habits.  The heirs aren't happy and they are talking to their lawyer and he helps them with that one thing about the mental competency thing.  He also wants 30% of the money.  Jack figures out he can read Lucky's thought. So, he starts talking to Lucky and tells him don't ever get too excited. (Gee, I wonder what will happen later in the movie?)  Seems if Lucky gets to excited the physic link gets stronger and makes Jack process things like Lucky.  Well I saw Kirk Cameron destroy a couch and scare the maids away so that's a thing.

            There's a morning after.  Cavlin seems to be somewhat more understanding of this weirdness. Jack explains what happens when Lucky gets excited and tries to tell Calvin but, this is harder to believe.  Lucky doesn't seem to be willing to eat and Jack wonders what's wrong. The movie goes all flashback on  us to when the old man died. The old man died while taking Lucky on  a walk. (Well I'm sad)  Jack starts acting like a dog again because of course maybe Calvin will understand now.  Half this movie was there to make Kirk Cameron look silly isn't it?

Yes/ Copyright Disney 

         Meanwhile the three heirs follow Jack to get evidence of non sanity. Good thing there was no tape. Mall time.  Allison is back and they meet up at the pet store and she has more papers from to sign. (Also, I think she's the love interest of the movie)  Lucky goes a little off  again and that means Jack does too. The niece  decides she wants to talk to Jack.  Some of the renovations they are doing gets her distraught. It happens again, I get the point movie.  Now we got a scene where Kirk Cameron (his character to be clear)  bites her skirt and rips part of it off. (what is this movie?)

   

That's the man, officer / Copyright Disney 

               The three relatives seem to go their plan to snuff out the dog.  They break into the house and go on with this plan to do such a thing. Since they are stupid. the end up shooting things that aren't the dog. with the stuff that will knock out the dog, not bullets to be clear.  This movie is trying to get all Home Alone 3 on us isn't it?  They chase them out but it's hard to prove they were there. Meanwhile, the 3 of them hire that attorney .  They call Jack mentally unable to trustee.


       You know what this movie needed? A trial.  Yep now there's a trial.  This doesn't look good for Jack.  So his idea is to show his "special ability".It works. Also there's  a twist ! yes a twist!
      The Nephew Lyle poisoned the old man. We got a murder in a Disney Channel movie! And Lyle has gun to hold up the court, but Lucky takes him out . They get arrested, Jack wins the case. Lucky gets a lady dog friend and a happy ending.

     It's an alright movie, most of it seems to be "how can we get Kirk Cameron to look really goofy?" but that silliness has it's charm. It's not taking it's premise too seriously but, having fun with it.  I enjoyed this movie it was fun to watch.   I get this sense from many of the early DCOMs that Disney Channel movies weren't going with a brand as much as just being TV movies for the family (mostly kids) to enjoy and be their own things.  This being the 3rd movie really shows that. It's also interesting that this Disney Channel does have a child or teenage lead, it's not even a 20 or 30 something playing a Teenager (Dawson style) Cameron himself, was 28 in real life when this movie came out.  That's an interesting decision to me not a bad one  just interesting in the framing of things for a Disney Channel movie.      That's our look , tune in next time when we find a lady who left all her money to her cat and we get to take care of it! Meow!

     

DCOM: The Luck of the Irish

Dcom  The Flashback 

       Saint Patrick's Day seems to be dead in the TV marketing department, there really aren't  any Saint Patrick's day specials, I mean, Charlie Brown has an Arbor Day special but no Saint Patrick's day!  Disney Channel decided at least , once, to have a Saint Patrick's day related piece of media. The  movie isn't  about Saint Patrick's  Day, but they air it around Saint Patrick's day so, that's how that works.  Plus, since when this is published, we are also looking at Friday the 13th which is connected to Luck so we are trying to kill two birds with one stone.

      This movie first came out in March of 2001 on Disney Channel. It stars Ryan Merriman, who showed up on Disney Channel Original movies before and after like "Smart House" and "A Ring of  Endless Light". There's also  Timothy Omundson, whom you may know from "Psych" as "Lassie" but but, where's my "Judging Amy" gang?  It also stars the late Henry Gibson.

 
        Let's  get started.   Our main character (played by Merriman) is middle school student named Kyle Johnson, he's a popular basketball player at his school. (Because this seems to be a Disney Channel early days go to sport, also it's funny the same actor played a kid who also later plays basketball in "Smart House".  The school is doing a heritage day thing that Kyle is worried about and he also asks his parents where his family is from, like their heritage. His father says they moved from Cleveland. ( This movie makes you want to think these two parents are serial killers on the hide from the law and or kidnappers of Kyle)  There's also the plot device, lucky coin, more on that later.

I'm also confused 

          First, the movie wants us to watch a basketball game, because it has time for this.  Kyle seems to have luckiness to him, he's a good basketball player, popular, the girls want him (probably some guys do to)  and yeah.   Meanwhile, there's another important character for this movie her name is Bonnie Lopez, she's in charge of the heritage day committee. She wonders about Kyle's , remember he doesn't know. (Maybe he's french; I wish the title of the movie would tell me)
\

         Movie likes to show that Kyle has weird dumb luck just to make a point. Also, they want to show the mom makes weird food, this is contrast for later.  Kyle presses his parents to figure out his heritage, but they still seem like they are serial killers. (I'm uncomfortable)  This part of the movie is one music change from being a horror film.

He's one step from taking Kyle out/ Copyright Disney 

            Kyle decides to use the 2001 internet to see if he figure out his heritage and family. Bonnie helps him figure it out.  He also doesn't know his mother's maiden name , which means he makes it harder for identity thieves.  We are pressing hard on his mother's side now because it's important. So far the movie is not doing anything that's not important for it's plot, they are either doing some tight writing or I'm over thinking.   He finds out his father's real name is Bob Smith (I'm calling the police) really making me think he's a serial killer, or hit man or something. Also, maybe the lucky charm coin is lucky.

My father had a very boring name/ Copyright Disney 

         Meanwhile, the coin has a match to something he has on his coin and yes he might be Irish. What? Irish? no way? It's not like the title would say anything about that. Meanwhile, Irish stuff.  Meanwhile, Henry Gibson and makes this movie even more fun with his presence!  Remember his shoe symbol, that's important.  Also, obvious CGI is obvious.

He's not CGI. Copyright Disney 

more after the jump

DCOM's :You Wish!

Disney Channel The Flashback 

          If you remember "Even Stevens" the Disney Channel Original series from the early 2000's you'll remember  A.J. Trauth who played Louis' (Shia LaBeouf) friend, Twitty.  Disney Channel give him a starring role in an Original Movie based off a 1991 book called "If I Had One Wish". This movie from January of 2003 is called "You Wish".    He's not the only Disney Channel star in this movie either more on that soon.

               The premise of this movie is that our main Character named Alex Lansing (A.J Trauth) is annoyed by his younger brother Stevie.  Stevie for note is played by Spencer Breslin who was part of Disney projects in the past few years in that time span including being in "Santa Clause 2" (Santa Clause 2: the Disney cash grab, nothing against him though). That annoyance leads him to not want him to exist.    This movie also stars, if you watched "Lizzie McGuire", the other hit Disney Channel series, you know her from that- Lalaine, who played Miranda on that show.

          It starts with war! Hold on it's a slime war, so it's a war on clothes.  Then there's a pet adoption day and Alex wants a dog and Stevie wants a turkey, which they got. (Because the parents are insane people) Some jocks make fun of Alex having a turkey because jocks in a move. Then the jocks waste a pizza by slamming on Alex because they're jocks in a movie.  Now there's narration from Alex. (You can't just enter like that? What are you doing?)

 Wasting Pizza, darn jocks/ Copyright Disney 

              Alex talks about how his brother messes up his life over time because he always takes center stage. Alex has a plot device  for this movie, his coin collection. He tells Stevie leave his stuff alone and bars him from the room for 2 weeks. (We also need a plot catalyst wonder what that will be?) He does relent and let's the boy watch a movie with him. Seems like a happy ending, well movie over. Oh wait no.

Brother Bonding but I got shot at a random time so it looks like this / Copyright Disney 

          This part of the movie is setting up how much Alex gets annoyed by his brother  and that his life isn't perfect because yeah. Also in this movie is Tim Reid as Larry  the coin shop owner, who gets saved by Stevie from falling down.  He gives the movie our plot device, a good for one wish.  Stevi leaves a bench that Alex had him stay and after a search and Stevie asks a guard for help, Alex gets punished. Alex is not happy and Stevie tries to make it up to him by giving him the wish coin.

This man had a magic coin and just gave it away/ Copyright Disney 

        Alex makes a  wish that he didn't have a brother kind of in a off handed way and goes to sleep.  The next morning Alex finds out that he has an alarm clock, and there' that dog he wanted.  His room is different too even trophies. (well then)  The house is completely different  oh, there's no Stevie , well kind of, his brother is now some boy named Terrence Russell McCormack who plays on a TV show called "Where's Stevie" (He did wish that he didn't have a brother, not that Stevie never existed.)  Also, there's this drawn out sequence that goes around for too long it gets annoying.

His parents also are in the X-Files in this universe/  Copyright Disney

       This movie also mentions a Dodge Viper, so there's that.  At school, he's a star jock and the head cheerleader is his girlfriend because movie.  Meanwhile his friends from before like Abby (Lalaine) aren't his friends anymore because of course.   Things are going well but he seems to miss his things. Also, jocks waste more pizza.

WHY DO THEY WASTE SO MUCH PIZZA?/ Copyright Disney 

     Since of alot of this movie is montages or not heavy in events I'm going to talk a little about the music. It has some early 2000's hit songs  in it like during one of the montages it has "World of Our Own"  by Westlife. "Life is Good" by Junk. I do find it interesting again, that these early Disney Channel movies do have more popular songs in them and not pulling from their own resources like later movies end up doing. 


     Anyway, Alex starts talking to Abby and he starts missing his brother.  He has now decided that he wants his  brother back. So of course, the logical thing to do is find the 10-year-old actor to help him? (You know instead of trying make another wish)  Alex for some reason thought that the boy would know who he was, like he apparently forgot how the wish worked.  He does find out that Terrance/Stevie is unhappy with his life.  Also, we have the song "A Thousand Miles"by Vanessa Carlton used as he remembers the good times he had with Stevie plus some scenes reused from the movie.

He's not pushing that van or is he?/Copyright Disney 

        Terrance/Stevie decides to hang out with Alex for the afternoon. Alex finally does some math in his head and has figures out that he has to get the coin from earlier back, but since Stevie didn't save Larry (Tim Reid) they have to find him.  He goes to Abby to get  Larry's address from a raffle ticket. Abby starts to believe his story  because he knows things about her that she hasn't told anybody in this parallel time.   They go looking for  Larry.   I like the scenes in this movie when they go looking for him it has some sweet moments and really is touching.  Sadly, Larry doesn't have the coin anymore he sold it to dealer with a bunch of other coins.


                 He apparently had the coin in his room so, he makes a wish and things are back to normal.

      I sound like  I rushed it but really he pretty much goes home after the agent takes Stevie back to his days  and sits in his room depressed and flings a box of coins and ends up finding the coin.

         I think it was alright movie that has it's basic message of "be careful what you wish for" or it  might just happen and you might not want it to. It's pacing does feel dragged out to the point where it feels like they forgot they only had 80-something minutes and spend up the ending to get everything back to normal but our main character learning his lesson.  It's basic movie but I don't think it's awful but it isn't one of their best either it's middle of the range .

   Tune in next time after you wish for a better blog , that's mean I'm hurt.
     

DCOMs get Ready for Horse racing

Disney  

     Disney Channel went heavy on the original movies in 2000, where for the only time they had new original movie for each month that year, that's 12 movies. (math)  So, of course, some of them slip through the cracks, and luckily that fits our blog well. (Joshuaonline: We catch things that slip under the cracks, wait no that's bad).   This movie came out in July of 2000 it's called "Ready To Run" it's about horse racing because yes, Disney Channel has a movie about horse racing.
             
   The movie starts with horse racing and I guess what will later be our main horse, Thunder Jam. (Played by an actual horse) Our main character is named Corrie Oritz (played by a human).  So the first scene in the movie is a horse race this is to show us (the viewers) that Thunder Jam is kind of a  difficult horse. (Maybe the horse doesn't want to race, he wants to sing, Mom!) Corrie wants to be a jockey.  She brings up her idea of being a jockey with her mother who is not on board with this idea.

No/ Copyright Disney 

                 
       
       She has a reason she doesn't want Corrie to be a jockey, her husband was one and was killed as one.  The grandmother tries to help by asking what if she has "the gift".   Then she starts thinking that Thunder Jam can talk (voiced by Paul Rodriguez) she takes it as the fumes getting to her. Meanwhile, her boss, Hector, is offered a jockey because there has been a slump going on for his training and horses plus, giving us what will come into play later. Her grandmother tells her that yes horses can talk to people.  We also have Sinbad in this movie, yes, Sinbad he is doing a voice for a horse so, well then.  In fact, yes this movie will have voices.

Girl and Her Horse/ Copyright Disney 

       


      After the man who owns, ThunderJam doesn't want the horse anymore,  Corrie decides to take him off his hands for the price of a bag of peanuts.  Though her mother doesn't want her to have a horse, thankfully  Hector decides to help out.  Her mother says that if she catches her daughter riding a horse in a raise ThunderJam is out.   Corrie hears Thunder Jam talk again (now this movie has gone all WildThornberrys on us)  and she starts talking to him and goes weird.


     Remember that jockey I mentioned earlier? Well, he's now in the film his name is B. Moody.  He was a circus performer.  Seems like a nice guy.   They try to figure out how to make TJ a racehorse. I also think that Hector and Corrie's mom has a thing for each other. Corrie's threat of making TJ a birthday party horse helps them get him to become a racehorse.   He also got a spot in a race.

 Jockeying for points/ Copyright Disney 

                 Corrie finds out that TJ gets worked up during the races because the other horses make him lose his edge so she quickly takes  Moody's headphones and sticks them TJ's not ears (?) and he relaxes and runs like a horse.  Also, this movie got Blues Traveler music in the background and they played "Last Night I Dreamed" so I'm amazed at this.  Thunder Jam almost got really hurt but it's a slight sprain and has to get his rest. Meanwhile, her mother notices that Corrie has "the gift" mentioned before.

4 out of 5 stars on the outfit/ Copyright Disney 

             

    More Hector and Mom flirting going on in this movie, they are going to be a pair at the end of this, aren't they? Meanwhile, TJ is going to be in a derby. Moody says he thinks that Corrie is a really good rider.  TJ's previous owner, Max Garris, stops by and I think tries to mess with TJ then leaves but drops his cigar which causes a fire.  Moddy recuses TJ but ends up with severe burns on his hands.  Now it's time to convince the mother to let Corrie ride in the race because Moody's hands have to heal, she refuses still.

Hey No smoking around the horses!/ Copyright Disney 

     It's time for the mother and daughter to talk it out,  and pretty quickly from saying no in the last scene changed her mind to say yes here. Anyway, it's derby day!  Now it's time to add some drama to the race and movie because officials said that Thunder Jam can't ride with his headphones because we needed some drama and suspense.  But the rules don't say you can't play music through the speakers and this resolves that problem.  (yay)  TJ wins!  The movie finishes up with the dream house being built

Yay!/ Copyright Disney

It's a good movie, It's kind of slow at points but it's not a bad movie in the slightest. It's a simple plot but an effective one. The mother is justified in her reason of not wanting Corrie in riding as a jockey. The "villain" isn't over the top and yes he is mean to horses but wasn't over the top to be like "I'm evil ha ha ha" and he didn't mean to start that fire, I guess. I  like Moody he's a fun character and Hector is also very earnest and a good character as well. Corrie, the main character, is played very realistically.  

      This movie does play with some of the things I was expecting to happen but didn't. It was kind of fun that it didn't do things I was expecting. Anyway, It is kind of sad that this gets lost in the talk of Disney Channel Original Movies and I think it needs a little more praise.  

       Tune in next time after we lose $554 on a horse race. 

A DCOM that's on the Brink.

Disney Channel  The Lookback 

    We dip back into Disney Channel Originals movies with a look at the 1998 movie , "Brink!"  It starts Erik von Deeten who we have run into before on this blog when we talked about "Christmas Everyday" and will run into again in the future because that's how our word works.  (We also ran into him when we talked about "So Weird")

         So, this is our look at the 1998 Disney Channel , wait we are repeating ourselves, on the with the movie!

          Erik plays our main character named Andy or Brink! (roll credits?) and he's on a hurry while his friends wonder why he's taking so long. They want to go to the beach and since they missed the bus and buses apparently take for ever on weekends they skate there.  Also it's nice to have a Fastball song in Disney Channel movie, remember Fastball?  They make it to the skate park and skate. "Brink"and his friends, Peter, Jordy, and Gabriella, are not just your average in-line skaters they call themselves soul skaters (that means they also sing R&B) meaning they don't do it for the money they do it for the fun. ( I Wonder what might happen in this movie later?)  There's another group of skaters who are called Team X-Bladz (woah starting with an X and ending with Z this is peak 90's Extereme!)  led by a boy named Val who also has surfer hair because California.  They are the antagonists to this movie because that's what we need.
             

 Well I can't make the Rocket power joke since this came out first/ Copyright Disney 

         If you don't understand skating lingo or if you do you might not understand half things said in this movie. (Kind of joking)  I didn't know bladers and skateboarders didn't get along.  Brink tricks some skateboarders to bother the X-Bladerz. Now, it's the first day of school (also this movie gave the line :why can't we be Mormons?)   The X-Bladerz get back at them at school for the incident the day before and now they continue the  back by putting worms in Val's sandwich. (mmm worms)  Val decides to challenge them skate race at school which is against the rules. (What could go wrong?)  Andy (we are going to interchange with the Brink name a lot) accepts because of course he does.  Does give us nice racing action though, so I'll allow it.
               

ACTION! /Copyright Disney

        Andy stops the race to help one of the X-bladerz who gets injured which is nice of him. He ends up being suspended.  His father plays the role of the guy who just doesn't understand his teenage son. (that's fun)  Also, the family is having some money woahs because the father, Ralph, got hurt and hasn't been able to work. Brink overhears his parent's talking about it. Val and his people minus Boomer, the boy who got hurt before, talk to the soul skaters about an open slot they have for a competition. The soul skaters laugh but Val says he wouldn't pick any of them anyway.  Val says it's great being a sponsored skater.
                     

nice car/ Copyright Disney 

     
       Now, Brink may have taken  hearing the word "money" as a sticking point because he goes to secretly audition for the X-Bladz open slot.   They do add him to the team and he doesn't want anybody to tell that he's part of their team and he's only there until Boomer is back on his feet.( Now I wonder if this goes wrong, well you know it will.)  He's now a sponsored skater. Brink tells his family that he wants to work  and talks about sponsored skating but Ralph doesn't take to the idea because it's skating. Guess what he's going to keep a secret from his family then?

          copyright Disney 

         Brink's double life starts as he  starts training with the X-Bladerz  and then spending time with his group too.  Ralph doesn't make it better because he got Brink a job working at a dog grooming because of course and doesn't like skating.   We get a montage of the stressful day Brink expreinces done to the song , "Give" by the The Suicide Machines. (This movie is getting into the alt-rock hard)   It's to play everyone's favorite game:  Guess what goes wrong?!  Yes! Brink's friends find out that he is the new X-Bladz member.

The shade make him more sun safe/ Copyright Disney

more after the jump

A DCOM Lookback: Stepsister from Planet Weird

Disney Channel  The Flashback 

   We haven't done a Disney Channel Original movie lookback in some time so I guess it's time to do that.  This time are taking a look at  "Stepsister from Planet Weird"   that first aired in June of 2000.  So we have jumped in time some long time.   One of my favorite Disney Channel Original movies it is but gushing we will not.  Let's take a look at  this movie.

    The movie starts with our main character  named Megan Larson , who is played by Courtnee Draper who did a Disney Channel trifecta of being in their original (and sadly not talked about much) series , "The Jersey" and in a previous movie called "The Thirteenth Year" (We may get to that one day). She is windsurfing that what she does who calls herself an average teenage girl and there's some boy named Cutter.  Guess he's important.  Cutter asks her if she wants to be his girlfriend then her mom and dad appear and they say they are getting back together and her brother says he's never..., wait a minute... I think , yeah that's not real.  Mostly because they are standing on water.   Yep it was dream.

Buy Evian Today, taste the nature/ Copyright Disney (Evian didn't pay for this as an ad )

   The movie pans to her room to show that's asleep and then her brother jumps on her.  Her younger brother's name is Trevor. He is played by Myles Jeffery , who if you are fan like me of "Early Edition" will know him from 19 episodes of that series.    He wants to be a men in black to which his sister says he can be men because he's only person but logic is dead.  Megan talks in voice over about her dad who is one of those over working dads you get in 1990's to early 2000's media.   I wonder why her parents broke up, I can't tell why.  Her mom is is named Kathy played by Khrystyne Haje whom you may know from the 1980's TV series ,"Head of the Class".   Megan who's voice overs are her writing in her diary, tells about her mom's dates (wouldn't this have already been written in the diary?).   Now what else, do we need in this movie?

The store orange juice in a vase?/ Copyright Disney 

    Meanwhile a math equation   Ordinary High School Girl jn Movie x Drama = popular girl and wanting to be with them. This movie needs that.  We have that! Even a mean girl, well maybe.  ( Disney Channel don't fail me now!)  This one is named  Heather Hartman, Who is played by Lauren Maltby Margie in the Disney Zenon movies. Now maybe she has reason to be mean, Megan lied to her about being related to singer Jewel. (For that lying who will say Megan's soul? She really shouldn't have played this foolish game, if they only were to be friends because they think you are related to celeb. then they weren't made for you.)  Good thing this was the early 2000's now that rumor would have been quickly debunked and posted.

I won't save your soul /Copyright 

     Why does Megan want to be the popular kids? Because of that boy named Cutter whom she likes.
 Math: movie + Teen Girl+ Teen Boy= Movie plotline.  Cutter once fell down an entire mountain. (extreme!) He's also not very bright.

Homer Simpson falls down a mountain now in Live action/ Copyright Disney 

   Eight minutes in this 85 minute long movie , and still no step sistering from planet weird.  Megan says that her mom met a man. (ooh) His name is Cosmo Cola. (What?)  The brother spoils the whole movie, I'm out ..  This time we are writing about a Disney Channel movie called "You Wish" starring.... alright alright, guess I'll continue. Trevor thinks Cosmo is a space alien.  Kathy met Mr.Cola (wonder if he's related to Coca Cola)  thought she need to be rescued.  Cosmo is from Canada.( No No that's not right) "Canada" (That's better).   Specifically the Yukon which  is not very populated infact, if you have a GMC Yukon you have more people in that car than in the actual place.  Cosmo has a daughter named Ariel (Disney 50pts).  Also she's 14 years old.   Now it's time for them all to meet.  Megan doesn't seem to like Cosmo. (Wanda is sometimes not a fan either.) He did bring a large case of soda (so he's my friend if  he shares).

My Hero / Copyright Disney 

      The daughter , Ariel, is afraid of wind why you ask, you'll find out more later in this movie. (Cheap shot) Ariel does the diary thing too and whole movie rewinds. (no ooooh stop no oh) You see Ariel is not a human she's from a planet called Zircalon where everyone is a bubble of gas floating around.  The CGI is alright for 2000, I guess.  The reason she left her father was a freedom fighter because the emperor was awful. They had to leave the planet and her mother got popped. (the movie shows it and that's kind of dark.)

Bubbles of Trouble. wait no! /Copyright Disney 

      Ariel doesn't like her human body or Earth stuff. (It's not that fun here) Cosmo is more enthralled by Earth and thinks a good place. Also on their planet diamonds are worth much so they have alot of them so they are making a good amount of worth on Earth. Ariel misses her boyfriend Fanul  who also happens to be the emperor's son. (This comes up later) She can't talk to him because of that whole hiding in exile  thing.  It gets to the part where Cosmo meets Kathy Larson and explains to his daughter that he likes her. Now it all connects to where we where earlier with Ariel under the car hiding from the wind.
                         

What an interesting house/copyright Disney 

   more after the jump.