Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know about Disney Channel Original Movies.
The first DCOM, “Northern Lights,” premiered on Aug. 23, 1997. Over the years, Disney has released many, many DCOMs — 100, to be exact. Some movies even got sequels.
To celebrate, Disney Channel is showing every DCOM during Memorial Day weekend before premiering on June 24 the 100th DCOM: “Adventures in Babysitting.” That means all the hits (“High School Musical”!) and all the misses (“Cheetah Girls: One World”) are at your disposal to watch on television or [online](disneychannel.com).
While some DCOMs are forgettable, there are many you don’t want to miss. Here are the top five you should definitely stay up past your bedtime for:
####5. Stuck in the Suburbs:
“Stuck in the Suburbs” premiered July 16, 2004. Brenda Song and Danielle Panabaker play suburban girls who accidentally get the phone of a pop star, played by Taran Killam in his pre-SNL, frosted tips days. It was one of the first DCOMs to have its own soundtrack released for purchase. Worth a rewatch just to see Killam and his frosted tips playing acoustic guitar and singing at the end of the movie.
_On Disney Channel, at 9 a.m., May 30_
####4. Halloweentown
“Halloweentown” is a classic DCOM that has a permanent place in the short list of Halloween movies. It first premiered Oct. 17, 1998 and was so popular that it spawned three follow-up movies: “Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge,” “Halloweentown High” and “Return to Halloweentown.” The movie stars Kimberly J. Brown as Marnie Cromwell, a young witch who wants more freedom than her mother gives her, and Debbie Reynolds as her well-meaning grandmother. It’ll make you want to watch all of them.
_On Disney Channel, at 10:30 a.m., May 30_
####3. Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
This is a DCOM that serves up some great futuristic fashion looks. “Zenon” originally premiered on Jan. 23, 1999, and it eventually had two sequels in 2001 and 2004. The movie takes place in the future in a space station where 13-year-old Zenon has lived all her life. As a punishment for misbehavior, she has to go and live with her aunt on Earth, and antics ensue. Memorable for its crazy slang and Raven-Symoné as Zenon’s trusty best friend, this movie is sure to put a smile on your face.
_On Disney Channel, at 12: 30 p.m., May 30_
####2. The Cheetah Girls
No movie screams “girl power” like The Cheetah Girls. One of Raven-Symoné’s best movies, “The Cheetah Girls” premiered Aug. 15, 2003. The movie follows a group of four young girls who aspire to be pop superstars while making music that is true to their message of independence and strength. The movie’s message is a great one for young girls and is one of the reasons why the movie has had such a lasting impact. The eventual sequels have nothing on the original, and the songs are sure to be stuck in your head for the rest of the week.
_On Disney Channel, at 12:50 a.m., May 31_
####1. High School Musical
The ultimate DCOM. No movie has ever quite captured viewers’ hearts the way “High School Musical” did. It premiered Jan 20, 2006, and recently celebrated its tenth anniversary with a cast reunion and showing on Disney Channel. Like other DCOMs, “High School Musical” had two sequels, including one that came out in theaters. The “High School Musical” phenomenon is one that Disney has tried to replicate on many an occasion with movies like “Camp Rock” and “Teen Beach Movie,” but the movies never quite reached the level of popularity that “High School Musical” did. Maybe it was the music or the cast or the timing, but somehow the stars aligned to create a movie musical franchise that will live on well past its time. Relive the magic that you experienced in 2006 when you saw it for the first time.
_On Disney Channel, at 3:25 p.m., May 30_
_Edited by Katie Rosso | krosso@themaneater.com_
