There are now 100 Disney Channel Original Movies! The 100th aired this last summer in June. But the very first came out in October of 1997. Over my next ten articles, I will be listing ten of the DCOMs in each. If you have not yet read the introduction to this series, here is the link: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/disney-channel-nostalgia-reminiscing-takes-time. Under each movie, I will list the category/categories it falls into. In my previous article, I wrote on these various groups and what each one addresses: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/how-much-do-each-of-the-100-disney-channel-original-movies-have-in-common. In the description, I will give a small glimpse of what the movie is about, my brief opinion about the movie, and the main take away from the movie.
Let’s get right to it, then!
1. "Under Wraps" (1997)
Not in the real world: mummies
This is the first Disney Channel Original Movie ever to be made. Three kids accidentally bring a mummy back to life, and they find out that he isn’t the monster that people would usually think. As the kickoff to the 100 DCOMs, “Under Wraps” did its successors proud. In this movie, we find out that thou someone may look like a monster on the outside, it does not mean that is what he or she are on the inside.
2. "You Lucky Dog" (1998)
Could this really happen?: dog and human connection
Not in the real world: human makes physical connection with dogs
Kirk Cameron stars in the second DCOM. If you are able to communicate with dogs, then you might just become the trustee to a dog’s multi-million dollar fortune. Also, the spoiled and jealous relatives may just try to get rid of the heir. This movie was a bit odd but had a very interesting premise. We see that your full potential may never be reached unless you use the connections that you have been given.
3. "Brink!" (1998)
Sports: aggressive in-line skating
Based on a book: "Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates" (1865) by Mary Mapes Dodge
Before he was the bad-boy of "The Princess Diaries," Eric von Detten was grinding it up in the first sports DCOM. Four friends love to skate, but tensions rise when Detten’s character joins the rival team. When I first watched this movie, I absolutely loved it. You must skate for the love of it, with your friends, and not for money. Or else, you will be very miserable.
4. "Halloweentown" (1998)
Not in the real world: creatures of Halloween in alternate dimension
Sequels: 33. "Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge" (2001)
53. "Halloweentown High" (2004)
66. "Return to Halloweentown" (2006)
A classic DCOM involving witches, warlocks, goblins, and pumpkins. Marnie is a young girl who finds out that she comes from an ancient line of witches. She and her siblings travel to an alternate dimension and find that not all things are well with Halloweentown. It would be cool to find out one day that you actually have magical powers just waiting to be explored. Use all of your gifts and talents because you may just save a whole town from destruction.
5. "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" (1999)
Could this really happen?: people live on space stations in the future
Based on a book: "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" (1996) by Marilyn Sadler and Roger Bollen
Sequels: 25. "Zenon: The Zequel" (2001)
50. "Zenon: Z3" (2004)
Zetus lapetus! Zenon was the stellar major girl of our century! Originally, this movie was going to be a spinoff for a television series. Even if it didn’t work out, we still get to see Zenon leave her space day and try things out on earth. She even gets to meet the famous rock star, Proto Zoa. “Zoom zoom zoom. Make my heart go boom boom. My supernova girl” would never get out of our heads. At least, it wouldn’t of mine. I remember borrowing this movie from the library all the time. That is how much I loved this movie. Honestly, after all of these years, I still love Zenon. Overall, if you’re a quirky troublemaker, sometimes those qualities are there for a reason, like saving an entire space station from destruction.
6. "Can of Worms" (1999)
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Not in the real world: aliens
A teenager sends a message out into the universe that he doesn’t belong on earth. Like the title suggests, he opens up a “can of worms.” Aliens come and see that our world is ready for the rest of the universe. Not all extraterrestrials are as friendly as others, though. For me, this movie was more of a weird one, but even if it seems like we do not belong, there is always a place for us somewhere. And be careful of what comes out of your mouth, you may not always mean something, but it can turn out much differently then intended.
7. "The Thirteenth Year" (1999)
Not in the real world: mermaids
Second-nature sports: swimming
Cody is just the average popular guy in school. Everything goes right for him, until he turns 13. Then things just start going weird. This is another classic movie for the kids of the 90s to hold on to. Disney Channel even got Dave Coulier, Joey on “Full House,” to play the dad. This movie is definitely in my Top 25 of DCOMs. Honestly, when you become a teenager, a whole lot of weird things can happen. Ex. Turning into a fish/mermaid.
8. "Smart House" (1999)
Could this really happen?: house can do practically anything
In his first of three DCOM performances, Ryan Merriman’s character wins a contest for his family to live in a house that practically has artificial intelligence at the center. The walls can become one giant TV screen, it will make any kind of food you want, and, most importantly it will clean itself. No more chores! This was the first time I saw this movie fully. I really liked the idea of a house being completely self-reliant. But technology, no matter how advanced, can never take the place of human relationship. It will not be able to feel and protect as humans do.
9. "Johnny Tsunami" (1999)
Sports: surfing, snowboarding, skiing
Sequel: 68. "Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board" (2007)
A Breaking of the Status Quo
Johnny Kapahala loves surfing with his surf legend grand father in Hawaii, but he will have to trade his surfboard for a snowboard when his father gets a job transfer to Vermont. The kids at his private school ski, while those in the public school board. Johnny chooses to do what is fun instead of what is expected of him. (Not that skiing isn’t fun. Snowboarding is just closer to surfing than skiing is.) Personally, I think it was a clever idea to take three sports and put them all into one movie. No other DCOM is three-sport oriented. We find that you should do what you love. It’s okay to break from the status quo of your peers; you may even unite two sides of a mountain.
10. "Genius" (1999)
Could this really happen?: kid finds a thing called a graviton
Second-nature sports: hockey
Kid genius, Charlie Boyle, loves physics but he also really enjoys hockey. He starts teaching and researching at a college in Wisconsin so he can be near his two favorite things. Charlie finds that he doesn’t really fit in with the older students. So he enrolls in a local high school, under a false name, where he changes his personality to become the “problem kid.” Before she was the beautiful Christine Daaé in “The Phantom of the Opera,” Emmy Rossum starred as Claire Addison, Charlie’s crush. I really liked this movie because it shows that we should not have to change ourselves to feel or be accepted. We also find out that double identities don’t work out too well, but it is kind of understandable if you’re like 13 and going to college.
There you have it! These are the first 10 of the Disney Channel Original Movies. Now, only 90 more to go. This will be fun!
