Top Five Disney Channel Original Movies

Simply put, Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM) are the best made-for-tv movies ever. Better than Lifetime and Hallmark movies. I’ve been watching DCOM since I was a small child. The first Disney Channel Original movie, Tiger Town, was released in 1983, when the name was Disney Channel Premiere Movies. Since then, another 157 movies (43 under the DCPM banner and 114 under the DCOM banner) have been made and premiered on Disney Channel. I’ve brought to you the definitive Top Five Disney Channel Original Movies list.

Number Five — High School Musical 2

The second installment in the wildly popular High School Musical trilogy was released in 2007 and still has the record for the biggest viewership in DCOM history with 17.2 million viewers. The second highest is Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie with 11.4 million. The first High School Musical was a huge movie in its own right, with 7.7 million viewers, but the second one took High School Musical mania to the next level. The plot includes summer jobs, talent shows, jealousy, and reconciliation. Themes of friendship, trust, and classism will serve to teach viewers valuable lessons in between the music. This movie was supreme teen fodder in every way. Most importantly, the songs are amazing. From “What Time Is It” to “Bet On It”, the music is outrageously memorable. The first and third High School Musical movies are mandatory viewing for all Disney fans, but High School Musical 2 is the best of the trilogy by a mile.

Number Four — Lemonade Mouth

The DCOM Lemonade Mouth was a phenomenon when it was released in 2011. I remember the buzz being big online for the release of the movie. I assume the buzz was based on the novel the movie was adapted from and the popularity of Bridget Mendler, star of popular Disney Channel show Goodluck Charlie. The movie is about a group of five misfits starting a band after a chance meeting in detention. They deal with push back from the popular band in the school, an unsupportive and suppressive principal, disapproval by some of their own parents, and a lack of confidence in themselves. The story will encourage kids to stand up to bullies, fight against identity suppression, and show the power of teamwork. The songs are also unforgettable. I’m positive that I’m not the only one who wanted a full length studio album and tour from Lemonade Mouth.

Number Three — Cheetah Girls

In 2003, child star royalty Raven Symoné teamed up with two members of R&B group 3LW (Adrienne Bailon and Kiely Williams) and relative unknown Sabrina Bryan to star in the movie Cheetah Girls. The movie follows the girls as the high-school singing group Cheetah Girls. The girls navigate their friendships, varying financial situations, and the pressures of the record business. This movie will encourage viewers to be accepting of different financial classes and encourage girls and women to support themselves and each other. The themes of friendship and empowerment are amplified by songs like “Cinderella” and “Cheetah Sisters”. Apart from two DCOM sequels, the movie launched a successful career for the group that included three movie soundtracks, a Christmas album, a tour album, and EP, an official studio album, and over 3.4 million albums sold worldwide.

Number Two — Minutemen

Before starring as PJ Duncan on Good Luck Charlie, Jason Dolley starred as Virgil in the DCOM Minutemen in 2008. Steven R McQueen, future Vampire Diaries star, and Chelsea Staub, future star of Disney Channel show Jonas, appear in the film as Derek and Stephanie respectively. Virgil, Derek, and Stephanie enter high-school as best friends but their destinies diverge when Virgil defends teenage genius Charlie from bullies, causing him to be bullied himself. After years of being bullied, Virgil, Charlie, and a couple friends use a time machine to change things, with disastrous results. Themes of betrayal, friendship, and high-school social hierarchy are placed alongside ideas like the butterfly effect. A surprisingly deep science fiction plot alongside a common but effective social commentary on the effect that the high-school social hierarchy has on students will teach and entertain viewers expertly.

Number One — Brink!

The best DCOM of all-time, Brink!, starring Erik von Detten, premiered in 1998. The main character, nicknamed Brink, is a high-school kid who does in-line skating with his three friends. Him and his friends call themselves Soul-Skaters because they skate for fun and not for money. Brink eventually has to abandon his Soul-Skating morals to help his family out financially. The film deals with bullying, friendship, betrayal, and the complex financial and mental implications of making your fun hobby into a job. Brink seems to be faced with impossible decisions that have negative impacts on both sides. Aside from the themes and morals explored in the story, Brink is also just a really fun film. The skating is exciting to watch and very authentic. It’s not your typical fake sports movie choreography, I can tell professionals, or at least proficient skaters, were involved.

Honorable Mentions:

HalloweenTown, Princess Protection Program, Camp Rock, High School Musical, Gotta Kick it Up, Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century.

Disney Channel Original Movies at their core, are supposed to entertain kids. However, many of them have lessons that kids, and even adults can take with them into the real world. The importance of integrity, friendship, kindness, and acceptance are all things we can stand to learn and relearn constantly.

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