Best DCOMS of the ’90s and ’00s

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Depending on what era you grew up in and what VHS tapes, DVDs, Blu-rays, or LaserDiscs your family kept nestled lovingly by the television set, your Disney movie memories may vary. Renowned for live action cinema such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Treasure Island (1950), and The Parent Trap (1961), along with its animated hits such as Aladdin (1992), Cinderella (1950), and Snow White (1937), Walt Disney certainly maintains a broad selection of film housed within its vault.

While the Disney Channel may be best known for television shows including TaleSpin, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, its Disney Channel Original Movies amassed a cult following. Indeed, these DCOMs deserve the renown they’ve garnered. Check out the best DCOMs you can watch!

Halloweentown (1998)

Whether it’s the 1978 John Carpenter classic Halloween (1978), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), or Beetlejuice (1988), everyone’s got a favorite Halloween movie. For many, that’s the Disney Channel Original Movie Halloweentown. This 1998 beloved classic follows Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown) as she copes with her newfound magical powers, passed along from her grandmother Aggie (Debbie Reynolds). It bears some undeniable similarities with the treasured Teen Witch (1989), but ultimately differentiates itself. Halloweentown spawned a successful franchise with follow ups in Halloweentown High (2004) and Return to Halloweentown (2006).

The Cheetah Girls (2003)

Starring Raven-Symoné of That’s So Raven acclaim, The Cheetah Girls follows a quartet of girls coming up in the music industry while grappling with friendship and coming of age. A testament to the talent of Raven, along with her fellow Cheetah Girls Adrienne Bailon, Sabrina Bryan, and Kiely Williams, this DCOM benefitted from a pair of sequels in The Cheetah Girls 2 (2006), and The Cheetah Girls: One World (2008). Aside from their on-screen talent, these ladies exhibited true musical prowess with a pawful of RIAA Platinum-certified albums including The Cheetah Girls and The Cheetah Girls 2 soundtracks.

High School Musical (2006)

Although DCOMs such as Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century may prove more thought-provoking, High School Musical clocks in with some of the highest ratings. A DCOM juggernaut, High School Musical saw a slew of sequels including High School Musical 2 (2007), and High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008). The massively popular Disney Channel Original Movie even jumped from the small screen to the stage with a theatrical successor.

Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006)

Starring frequent Disney Channel collaborator Brenda Song, who also headlines in Disney’s popular TV show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior follows the titular Wendy Wu as her focus shifts from becoming homecoming queen to exploring her Chinese heritage. When Chinese monk Shen (Shin Koyamada) shows up, he reveals that Wu is actually the incarnation of a female warrior on a quest to fight a malevolent spirit. Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, along with a handful of other DCOMs, was edgy enough to earn a PG rating. Exciting and poignant, it’s easily a must-watch Disney Channel Original Movie.

Smart House (1999)

Directed by LeVar Burton of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Reading Rainbow, and Roots (1977) acclaim, DCOM Smart House was far too ahead of its time. Geeky high schooler Ben Cooper (Ryan Merriman) wins his family a high-tech smart home with a personal assistant, PAT. While at first, PAT oversees the family like an overprotective mother, soon she goes full-blown HAL 9000. Masterfully tapping into fear of technology, this film depicts how smart homes would evolve, undoubtedly born out of his visionary Star Trek: Next Generation experience. Smart House is must-rent.