i’m one of the weird ones who liked high school

the ten greatest disney channel original movies

by ameena on March 7, 2013 · 11 comments

in disney adventures, movies, Pop Culture, television

The other day my friend Jake tweeted about the Disney Channel Original Movie Brink! and it got me thinking about how badly I miss those Disney Channel Original Movies. I remember excitedly awaiting the arrival of each month’s new movie and then rushing to school the next day to discuss it with all of my friends. I know there has been a lot of 90′s nostalgia floating about the internet these days and I think that Disney Channel Original Movies are just further proof that us 90′s kids are the coolest kids. But for reals though.

Because I am never one to say no to good ol’ nostalgia, here is my personal list of the ten greatest Disney Channel Original Movies.

The Greatest Disney Channel Original Movies

10. Luck of the Irish (2001)

The 140 Character Synopsis: Boy has lucky gold coin. Boy loses coin. Boy turns in to leprechaun. Boy unites with grandpa to save the coin and his family.

Mostly the only thing I remember from this movie is the pointy ears. But that’s kind of all I need to remember. I was weirdly envious of those pointy ears. Actually, I still am. Oh and I’m pretty sure this movie was able to fit every single Irish stereotype ever in it’s 90 minutes.

9. Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire (2000)

The Twitter Synopsis: Kids set mom up on a hot date. Hot date is a cold vampire. Cold vampire tries to drink mom’s blood. Kids must save mom.

See, I remember the days before Twilight. Back when the words “mom’s got a date with a vampire” were the kind of words that struck fear in to your very heart, rather than overwhelming, sparkly joy. This was right when Aunt Hilda was still in her prime and it was a million levels of stressful watching her cavort about town with a vampire.

8. Cadet Kelly (2002)

The Twitter Synopsis: Lizzie McGuire is sent to military school. She and Ren Stevens put aside their differences to compete in the state drill competition.

I’m still kind of sad I never learned the drill sequence at the end. I just love how impressed everyone is. I want everyone to be that impressed by me. Also, I really miss Lizzie McGuire and Even Stevens.

7. Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (1999)

The Twitter Synopsis: Zedis Lapedis! Zenon is totes in trouble with the rents and has been grounded from her space station to planet earth! Fitting in supes hard.

I feel like I am definitely not alone in saying that Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century made me all kinds of excited for the approaching millenium. I wanted her entire wardrobe so badly. Also, this song. Also, I’m pretty sure Zenon is holding an iPad at the beginning of that video. First comes iPad then comes wardrobe right??? Oh, I hope so.

6. Smart House (1999)

The Twitter Synopsis: Family wins a computerized house. House goes cray. The result = best anti-robot propaganda film of all time (well maybe besides Terminator).

This movie is probably the reason that my legitimate number one fear is The Singularity. Robots scare me to no end. This robot house took my fear to a whole other level. But that didn’t stop me from wanting those sweet self-vacuuming floors, or the kitchen that made all of your meals for you, or the kind of house that threw awesome parties. Also, I still know all of the words to “Slam Dunk (Da Funk).” Whaddup.

5. Johnny Tsunami (1999)

The Twitter Synopsis: Johnny moves from surfboard to a snowboard. In a town where social class is divided between skiers and snowboarders shit gets real.

Not only does this movie about the coolest dude (Johnny) it also has Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century and The Famous Jett Jackson. I had the biggest crush on Johnny. I think it was his cool Hawaiian slang and lopsided smile. This movie always made me real sad I never learned to take advantage of the Utah snow.

4. Halloweentown (1998)

The Twitter Synopsis: Marnie is a witch but her mom doesn’t want her to know. Luckily her grandma is Debbie Reynolds. Generations collide.

I lost hours of my childhood to pretending I lived in Halloweentown. My cousins and I would carry around pillows and pretend they were the book of spells. Marnie was basically my idol and I wanted to be friends with the skeleton cab driver, the werewolf hairdresser, and the sweating ghost more than anything. I also wanted Halloweentown to be real almost as much as I wanted Hogwarts to be real. Almost.

3. High School Musical (2006)

The Twitter Synopsis: The start of something new. Get’cha head in the game. Stick to the status quo. Bop to the top. Breaking free. We’re all in this together.

I don’t even know where to begin with High School Musical. Well first of all I spent weeks learning the dance at the end of this movie and it is still one of my proudest accomplishments. Yes, I still know it. Also, when I was in high school it was my dream to walk in to the cafeteria and have everyone erupt in to song and dance. Then my best friends made it happen and it was my favorite day. Finally, when they were filming the second movie I used to drive around my neighborhood screaming Zac Efron’s name whenever I saw the production trucks. I used to have a mad crush on Zac Efron. Then Hairspray happened.

2. Under Wraps (1997)

The Twitter Synopsis: Harold the Mummy comes back from the dead and it’s up to the three coolest kids in town to help reunite him with his love before it is too late.

I recently watched this movie and it still made me laugh all the way through. This movie is way too underrated in my opinion. Every single character is hilarious. I especially love Harold, Marshall, and Marshall’s mom. Also, this scene kills me dead (it starts at the five minute mark but the pay off is at the eight minute mark!).

1. Brink! (1998)

The Twitter Synposis: Team Soul-Skaters > Team X-Bladz. Skating for fun > skating for money.

Just try to watch this movie and resist the urge to immediately go skating through your neighborhood. My friends and I used to skate all over the place like we were on Team Soul-Skaters. I wanted to be Gabriella so badly.

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Honorable mentions: Miracle in Lane Two, The Phantom of the Megaplex, Up Up and Away, The Color of Friendship, and Alley Cats Strike.

Oh, and all of the above movies are available on YouTube! So ya know, gotta go watch Brink! now byyyyyye.

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previous lists:

podcasts for your listening pleasure

some documentaries for you to watch

some more documentaries for you to watch

fake nerds unite!

by ameena on March 2, 2013 · 2 comments

in a day in the life, random musings

When I was in high school I totally used to be one of those annoying girls who would run around screaming about being how nerdy she was because I was really in to Harry Potter and dinosaurs and was Debate President and owned a Star Wars t-shirt (even though I can only name, like, four characters from the movies and maybe one planet) (also, I’m literally wearing said shirt as I type this) (I think it has an x-wing on it?) (Nerds Unite!). In college I attempted to keep my nerd cred by studying biology and devoting most of my free time to watching episodes of Lost and talking about Batman. See? Totally a nerd.

Then I got to Disney World and met real nerds and learned that I am most definitely not a real nerd. And probably one of those fake nerds the real nerds spend a lot of time complaining about and blame for ruining the San Diego Comic Con (cause, you know, I’m always talking about how badly I want to go). My bad, guys.

ANYWAY, I had these two awesome coworkers who were the most legit nerds I have ever met. And I mean that in the realest, most sincere way possible. I was completely in awe of them and super happy they let me hang out with them even though I was always interrupting their conversations with clarification questions. Basically they helped me make sense of all those things they’re always talking about on The Nerdist podcast.

They taught me all about cosplay (I wish I could show you their amazing costumes!) and Doctor Who and Loki and steampunk and comic books and well it was all wildly fascinating.

You guys, nerd culture is so cool!

And also this is my really long preamble in to saying that earlier today I stumbled upon the Emerald City Comicon and it was the best surprise of my life. I just kind of stood outside the convention center staring at everyone as they went in and out of the building. There were so many people! I’d be all like oh! look at that green person! and those grey monsters! And that guy all in blue! And I’d get extra excited when I recognized a Tardis or Doctor or a Mario Brother (because those really were the only things I recognized). So yeah, I am definitely the worst nerd but also the happiest worst nerd. So at least I have that.

Today was fun.

Here are some pictures from the Emerald City Comicon. They’re seriously so fun to look at!

ps. sorry for the abusive use of exclamation points and parenthesis.
I did a whole lot of walking and even less sleeping today.
My brain is mush. Blerg.

casualties of the move

by ameena on July 4, 2012 · 8 comments

in a day in the life, half-baked ideas, life and times of bilbo baggins and mr toad, random musings

A couple of months ago I realized I was being bogged down by everything I own. As I looked at my possessions with the utmost distaste, I could hear Tyler Durden reminding me, “the things you own end up owning you.” And that didn’t sit right with me. I don’t want to be a slave to my IKEA coffee table. I refuse.

As my personal priorities have shifted and I have tried to focus on consuming less, I have also decided it is time to start decluttering my own life and getting rid of most of my posessions. I promised myself that as I prepared to pack up and vacate The Cottage at the end of July, I would try to get rid of as many things as I possibly could. For the most part this process has been surprisingly easy, considering I have often been accused of being ridiculously sentimental. However, even I couldn’t have foreseen how difficult it would be to part with some of my belongings.

I like to refer to these dearest of items as my Casualties of the Move and I would like to ask that you join me as I honor them here.

1. My Junior Prom Dress. (also known as the love of my life)

2006

The second I saw that pale-yellow beauty sitting in the back of my closet I knew it was time. As I delicately removed the plastic covering so that I could try it on one last time, I could feel my heart grow heavy with sadness. Saying goodbye to an old friend is never easy. I couldn’t even adequately express to you why I love that dress so much. If you have to ask, you’ll never know. In fact, I love it so much that three years ago I somehow convinced a group of 20-25 year olds to dust off their old prom dresses and suits just so I could have an excuse to wear my dress one more time. Now that you are safely back in your plastic blanket dear dress, I offer a toast – thanks for the memories old yellow. You will be missed.

2009

2. Fabio.

fabio

Fabio, oh dear Fabio. You always find yourself in the crossfire don’t you? Thank you for always being such a cherished guest at our many affairs. As a parting bit of advice I offer that maybe for your new home you could at least bring a shirt? I mean, I’M NOT COMPLAINING, but sometimes you’re a little intimidating at first when you’re standing there all smoldering and shirtless with your weird chains in your hands, ya know?

3. Baby’s First Lightsaber && Darth Tater and the Spud Troopers.

First of all, someone please name their band “Darth Tater and the Spud Troopers” immediately. I promise I won’t even ask for any royalties. Just like, thank me in your album book thing or whatever.

My lightsaber has been with me since the glory days of my sophomore year of high school. After the midnight showing of Star Wars Episode II, it took residence in my car and there it lived for four years. I often suspect that this is most likely the reason I safely made it to my car so many times. Those mo’ fo’s saw my light saber and knew I must be dangerous. But then one tragic day the batteries died and it has been collecting dust ever since. That’s no life for a light saber, guys. No life at all.

Then there is my band of misfit spuds. I don’t even know what to say about those guys. I guess I just want them to know it isn’t them. It’s me. It’s definitely me.

4. Christmas.

I’m not gonna lie. Parting with my Christmas decorations wasn’t easy, but I know in my heart it was for the best. In the two years that I have lived in this house, the tradition of The Cottage Christmas has always been a favorite of mine. During the past two Decembers you could pretty much count on me spending 80% of every paycheck on any and all Christmas decorations I could get my hands on. But now I fear that Christmas anywhere else just won’t be the same. Also, who needs Christmas decorations when my only plans for Christmas this year involve Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and openly weeping while watching this movie five times AT LEAST: