Kim Possible: So the Drama

After being on the TV for almost three years, “Kim Possible” was one of the most popular modern shows. It focused on the main character (Christy Carlson Romano), the playful daughter of a rocket scientist father (Gary Cole) and brain surgeon mother (Jean Smart). Beside her brilliant family and being a top secret agent, she’s just your typical teenager. Packed with speed, cool gadgets and stylish jargon, she is always fighting two lives: global evil and, maybe more scary, high school. Along with her is Ron Stoppable (Will Friedle), her best friend/sidekick and a as great a character like Kim herself, along with Ron’s pet, Rufus the naked mole rat (the voice of Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, Kearney, Database and Maggie to name a few on “The Simpsons,” Nancy Cartwright), super-sleuth Wade (Tahj Mowry, who you might remember as TJ from “Smart Guy”), and her mother best friend, Monique (Raven). In “Kim Possible: So the Drama,” released in 2005, Kim Possible and her friends join together for their second Disney Channel Original Movie, that is supposedly the series finale, despite a few episodes aired following its premiere.

Dr. Drakken, voiced by John DiMaggiio, one of the series’ ongoing villains, has made another plan for world domination. However, what’s different from his usual attempts is that he seems to have finally found the weakness for Kim and Ron: boys for Kim, food for Ron.

With the help of the evil sidekick and the opposite of Kim, Shego, voiced by Nicole Sullivan, Drakken buys out Ron’s favorite fast food restaurant and gives away evil-looking “Diablo” toys with every mean wanting to spread this to every town in the world by the time he’s ready to call them to his grasp. In other news, he focuses on preventing Kim’s unavoidable heroics by being interested in Eric, her new crush and potential prom date, voiced by Raviv Ullman.

However, Dr. Drakken isn’t the only one looking at Eric. Ron sees that he is really annoyed by Kim liking another boy, which causes him to let out these feelings he had inside. Aaron Wallace said in his review, “The series flirted with the romantic arc between its two main characters throughout its run, and in the new movie, it finds its peak.” The two storylines, one focusing on love and the prom and the other focusing on saving the world, matches one another and link in both comedy and suspense.

Wallace noted, “The movie opens with an energetic action scene and a title sequence that pairs a Bond-esque version of the "Kim Possible" theme with a parody of the typical 007 opening credits. The delicate blend of action and comedy is maintained throughout the movie and one almost never seems to off-balance the other.”

An all-star cast once again makes these characters so lively. For a made-for-TV movie, the animation is amazing and the music is great. Wallace said, “In all, So the Drama shapes up to be a fun and entertaining movie, despite what the teen-boppy title might suggest. As part of Disney's loosely constructed "DCOM" (for Disney Channel Original Movie) line, So the Drama comes to DVD as a Top-Secret Extended Edition. I wasn't able to see the Disney Channel premiere of the movie, so I'm not entirely sure how much of this is new, but the feature runs 71 minutes and feels very much complete.”

“Kim Possible” was a smart show that, through funny storylines and sharp characters, was able to attract interest with viewers of both genders and about all ages. The series’ appeal is evidently carried into “Kim Possible: So the Drama,” and even overstated. Entertaining from beginning to end, there isn’t much not to like about the movie itself, especially for those who are already fans of the series, but even for newcomers also.

If you’re a fan of the series, or someone who hasn’t seen it but has heard and seen commercials for it, and has seen the first movie, this one you should definitely see. It is very entertaining, action-packed and engaging and you’ll absolutely love it. Definitely check this one out because it is not one to be missed.

Look out tomorrow where I look at another good animated movie in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

I don’t think this comes as a surprise to anyone, but tonight I went and saw “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” which came out almost three weeks ago. Since last year I went with my brother to see the documentary, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” I thought it was appropriate to see this movie, seeing how I was surprised they made this. Let’s see if this movie is any good.

“Though of all races, the schoolchildren were mostly black and Latino, and they didn’t even approach Mister Rogers and ask him for his autograph. They just sang.”

If you’ve seen an ad or trailer for Marielle Heller’s “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” you may have noticed the line above said. Monica Castillo said in her review, “At first, even I thought this snippet of the movie was trying too hard to push my nostalgia buttons, but then I found these words in Tom Junod’s exemplary profile of Mr. Rogers, "Can You Say ... Hero?"” It’s the same persona that gives “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” its story, but with a noticeable difference: Mr. Rogers isn’t the main character of the movie.

Made similarly to a Mr. Rogers episode – which includes the show’s soothing piano theme music, miniature sets and the host (Tom Hanks) entering, singing, changing his sweater and shoes – the movie instead is about Lloyd (Matthew Rhys), a sarcastic journalist assigned to write an interview article on the popular kid’s TV show host for Esquire. He thinks that this job is too easy and resents to meet the host, someone so respected, even his wife Andrea, played by Susan Kelechi Watson, asks him not to “ruin her childhood” with a disrespectful article. Castillo mentioned, “But even his dyed-in-the-wool cynicism is no match for Fred Rogers, whose kindness and never-ending prodding questions get Lloyd to talk more about himself, his new foray into fatherhood, his strained relationship with his father Jerry (Chris Cooper) and how it continues to affect him after all these years.”

“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” isn’t really a biopic as it is a way to look at the way Mr. Rogers touched generations of children, young and old. If his character looks too easy, it’s likely because that’s how many people saw him, straightforward and detained to his on-screen look. Castillo said, “If his presence seems too good to be true—and trust me, it does many times throughout the film—sometimes, often the scene can be traced back to the article or an old episode.” Obviously, others are noticeably conceived by screenwriters Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. However, these made up scenes don’t feel so separated from the remade stories. There seem to be some restrictions to Mr. Roger’s niceness.

The movie’s really nice scenes are mainly about Lloyd’s disbelief of that endless niceness. Rhys plays the part of a man hurt badly by his past, his character has restrained certain emotions so he can survive, but that just won’t happen when interviewing Mr. Rogers. Castillo noted, “Heller's film gives him an emotional journey shaped by Mr. Rogers’ philosophy, with his profile subject doubling as a therapist. It’s a storytelling device that sometimes prioritizes his character development over their shared interactions, but it also answers the question of what can adults learn from watching Mr. Rogers.”

Castillo continued, “While not exactly the spitting image of Mr. Rogers, Hanks convincingly imitates the mannerisms of the former minister-turned-childhood staple. He slows his speech to get Rogers’ soothing cadence, gives hugs and holds hands almost too freely, and walks with a vulnerability that reminds us that he’s not just playing a character on a TV show but a person with his own fears and pain. It’s a dream match of two well-known and well-liked personas, one kind actor portraying one of the kindest humans ever to work in entertainment.” Hanks’ energy in the role really gets at what “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” wants to tell.

Castillo noted, “Following on the heels of two darker edged dramedies, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” and “The Diary of a Teenage Girl,” Heller’s instinct to follow a flawed character—which compared to Rogers, could probably be any one of us—is right on. Along with cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes, Heller balances the well-lit sets of the PBS affiliate where Rogers tapes his shows and the dark rooms where Lloyd does much of his research watching old episodes or reflects on the advice Rogers gives him about his dad.” He’s lonely and dark in these scenes, but when he’s sitting across from Rogers, it feels really light from the host reflects back on the journalist, real literally shining his presence. Castillo noted, “Heller and her team’s devotion to incorporating references to his show and its new incarnation based on one of his favorite puppets, “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” extends throughout the film, like in interstitial scenes of miniature sets of New York and Pittsburgh showing Lloyd traveling between the two cities or Nate Heller’s score which feels to be in conversation with the notes of the show’s theme song. It ties back to the book-end-like set-up of the movie where Hanks as Mr. Rogers speaks directly to the audience and introduces us to his friend, Lloyd, which so quickly reminds of the show millions of us once watched and taps right into those feelings.”

Just like Morgan Neville’s documentary, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”, people may cry a lot because of nostalgia or from some things that really feel relatable, but “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” fits as a companion work. Castillo noted, “Where the documentary offers a more complex view of the man in the red sweater and tennis shoes, Heller’s movie is more about the cultural impression Rogers left behind—his almost supernatural ability to calmly connect with so many and de-stigmatize the way we express or discuss emotion. It was a treat to visit Junod’s article after watching the movie just to dispel my own cynical reading, and find out just how much of Rogers’ scenes were quite true-to-life, including one of my favorite upbeat responses from Rogers to Lloyd’s incredulous expression: "Look at us—I've just met you, but I'm investing in who you are and who you will be, and I can't help it."” There’s not been a time when society wasn’t nasty, scary or cruel, but for a time, a lot of people were lucky enough to learn that it didn’t have to be that way. That’s the long lasting image of Mr. Rogers.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who is fan of Mr. Rogers and grew up watching his show, like I did. There were a couple of parts that really made me feel like I was going to cry, but if you’re one of those easy criers, then bring the Kleenex. If you saw the documentary and loved it and are curious at how Tom Hanks will play the role, see it. This gets the reward of the most feel good movie I have seen this year.

Thanks for joining in on tonight’s review, stay tuned tomorrow for the next review of “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

Halloweentown High

While “Halloweentown High,” released in 2004, isn’t the cleverest of films with monsters and knights acting as symbolism for civil rights, it does succeed in completely realizing the character of Marnie who is no longer a student and now just a matriarch of other students wanting to migrate over to the human world. Kimberly J. Brown is as good and lovable as the character of Marnie who decides to take the role of playing civil rights leader by wanting some of the monsters from Halloweentown should be allowed to attend a human school when talking about diversity and equality. The deal is by Halloween if she hasn’t made progress, her powers will be taken away. This gives a more open debate for new characters, all who have their own likable traits and habits. One is a goblin, another is a werewolf, another is a wood nymph, etc. Marnie plays their protector this time supervising the new exchange students, and falling in love with a new kid named Cody, played by Finn Wittrock.

Surprisingly their relationship is actually entertaining as Marnie has trouble balancing her responsibilities with the exchange students, her grandma Aggie and her new relationship with Cody, while also trying to find out who is the new threat for the students of Halloweentown. Felix Vasquez said in his review, “The metaphors don’t end as the new villain is the Knights of the Silver Dagger, a group of KKK-like extremists devoted to killing the monsters and snuffing out magic, potentially thwarting Marnie’s attempts to strive for equality and bringing both worlds together. Brown really makes this character her own providing an enthusiasm and whimsy that makes her one of the more attractive fantasy heroines of the Disney gamut.” Debbie Reynolds is always good in her role of Aggie, the unusual witch also trying to adapt to her surroundings and help Marnie’s mission.

Vasquez noted, “As mentioned the symbolism is clunky most times (Can brother Dylan (Joey Zimmerman) learn to accept crush Natalie the Pink Troll (Olesya Rulin) for her personality and not be bothered by her pink skin and long hair?), but the movie does manage to be rather entertaining with the mysterious new villains making their threats upon the students and trying to find a way to keep this plan from fruition. “Halloweentown High” is definitely one of the weakest of the four, but Brown and Reynolds truly manage to keep the story afloat and the writers manage to blend the magical elements with the real world elements very well with a lizard bag, a portal locker, and some other assorted gags that twist the premise in to something more teen oriented in the end.” One of the more obvious flaws of this film is that Halloweentown is not seen and we only see a glimpse of the big pumpkin.

Whether it’s low budget or doesn’t have the need for it, Halloweentown is missing in the film, and we’re never really told why these monsters want to attend a human high school. Even though the film is titled “Halloweentown High,” the monsters attend a human school. Vasquez noted, “This allows for goofy far-fetched moments completely out of character which include Aggie making a monster face in front of her class with little reaction from anyone, and some rather hilarious social commentary disguised as comedy. The moment where the exchange students frown and groan at the portrayal of monsters at the local Halloween shop is pretty funny and clunky to say the least. While it is an interesting attempt to add depth and relevance to their plight, it’s a cheesy moment nonetheless that really clubs us over the head with its morals.” You will also find it really stupid and have a facepalm moment when you find out that werewolves are actually vegetarians.

Sophie, played by Emily Roeske, is not in the movie so much which is sad seeing how her character was developed so much in the last movie and only appears in a couple of scenes and remains in the background for the remainder of the film, and Luke is also not in this film and never mentioned or appearing, which also sucks seeing that he was a very entertaining character. Vasquez said, “I was also never quite clear as to why the council of Halloweentown would want to take the Cromwell’s magic. Isn’t it embedded in their genetic code or something? How does that even work?” Even Marnie’s mom, reprised by Judith Hoag, still has her magic despite being against it so she can have a normal life with her husband. It’s really weird and just weak to continue the story in a rather weak movie. Vasquez noted, ‘In the end it really tries to twist the original premise for “Halloweentown” but with its lack of the actual town, key characters, plot holes, and some truly annoying PSA’s shoved down our throats, I’m not in any rush to see this ever again.” Brown and Reynolds know how to keep these movies going at a nice pace, so if you want the last dance of these two good actresses in this franchise, this is your best bet.

Sorry to say, but this shows the franchise is going downhill. If you find any enjoyment in them, great, but I don’t. If you liked the second movie, I would have to say avoid seeing this one because you will not like it at all. However, if you want to see it because you like the franchise, then be my guest. If you end up liking it, great, but for anyone else, they will find this entry to be pretty dull.

Alright everyone tomorrow is exciting because I will be looking at the next Kim Possible movie in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

Zenon: Z3

In the third installment of the Zenon trilogy, “Zenon: Z3,” released in 2004, takes place in the year 2054 and Zenon, reprised by Kirsten Storms, is now 17 and is competing to win the Galactic Teen Supreme contest and celebrate at the Moonstruck Festival. Zenon wants to beat her rival Bronley Hale, played by Glenn McMillan. She also reunites with Moon protection activist Sage Borealis, played by Ben Easter, who is desperate to keep the Moon from being colonized and exploited, so he goes to Zenon for help. In other areas, Commander Edward Plank (Colm Meaney) and Aunt Judy Cling’s (Holly Fulger) new foster daughter, Dasha (Alyson Morgan), is star struck by Zenon and finds it hard to stay out of trouble. In the last contest for the Galactic Teen Supreme contest, the moon goddess Selena, played by Carol Reynolds, shows up and threatens to destroy the Earth. It’s up to Zenon to save everyone from this vengeful God. In the end, Zenon, Sage, Dasha and her friends Margie (Lauren Maltby), Cassie (Phumi Mthembu) and Bronley join forces to save everyone. They evacuate everyone in Protozoa’s (Nathan Anderson) tour bus and try to remove the Moon Dome, with each taking a hover pod. Unfortunately, the dome is too heavy, until Commander Plank and Aunt Judy appear, since they have been looking for Dasha. They’re able to help lift the dome, which they let drift off into space. Selena then destroys the rest of the base and waves goodbye as the friends return to Earth. The crazy weather that Selena started has stopped. In the end, Sage and Zenon kiss, and Protozoa’s band Microbe and the new hit band, Cosmic Blush, have a concert together.

Also, expect a cameo from Raven-Symone, reprising her role as Nebula. I’m sorry everyone, but like a lot of trilogies, this one is the absolute worst. Nothing about it is good and is just a plain pain to sit through. How could they make a third installment to this and make it this bad? How could anyone really see this and find any sort of enjoyment out of it? I’m sorry, but if you get the chance to pass this one up, do so and never try to find it.

The first movie I give credit for at least trying to be something, the second one just fell in the middle, despite being a run-of-the-mill, basic sequel bad, but this one just fails on every level. If you enjoy this movie, great, but I don’t, and that’s probably because I don’t see any sort of enjoyment in this film.

Bear in mind, this is the only movie that never was released on VHS or DVD. Although it might be available digitally on Disney+, but I wouldn’t know since I don’t have a Disney+ account. Also, this film was filmed in Cape Town, South Africa.

Forgive me for giving away the plot to the movie, but there’s nothing really to save this movie from the horrendousness it has given to the fans of the trilogy. Like I said before, if you have a Disney+ account and want to watch something, if you see this available for free streaming, don’t watch it because you will feel nothing but pain while watching it. Take my word for it, although I think I’m running on auto-pilot and sounding like a broken recording with constantly repeating the same warning continuously.

Enough of all that, tomorrow I will look at the third installment in the “Halloweentown” franchise in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time

Mike Long started his review by admitting, “When I posted my review for the first Kim Possible DVD, Matt commented, "I had never heard of Kim Possible before I read this review". Unbeknownst to Matt, he was laying the groundwork for my review of the newest Kim Possible DVD, which is entitled, A Stitch in Time.”

For a long time, TV shows suddenly get a special movie event, and that would have the cast visiting an exotic location – like in “The Facts of Life,” or “Saved by the Bell.” (Long mentioned, “And one can't help but wonder if the paid vacation wasn't the impetus for the "movie".”) Thankfully, this fact isn’t limited to live-action shows, as is seen in “Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time,” released in 2004, an extra-long episode of the Disney Channel cartoon. As the film starts, best friends and crime-fighting partners Kim Possible (Christy Carlson Romano) and Ron Stoppable (Eric Matthews from “Boy Meets World,” Terry McGinnis from “Batman Beyond” and currently Star-Lord on Disney XD’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Will Friedle) are starting a new school year, and as expected, is full of surprises. However, the surprises for this day are not seen coming. First, Kim and Ron find out that Ron’s parents (Elliot Gould and Andrea Martin) are moving to Norway and taking Ron with them. On top of that, they are moving immediately. If things couldn’t get any worse, Kim finds out that four of her worse villains, Dr. Drakken (John DiMaggio), Shego (Nicole Sullivan), Duff Killigan (Brian George) and Lord Monkey Fist (Tom Kane), have joined forces to steal an ancient statue called “Tempus Simius.” Without Ron’s help, Kim isn’t able to stop the crime and the villains escape. As Kim looks into the robbery, she sees that the statue can be used for time-travel and this will show Kim facing her largest challenges and understand how important Ron is to her.

This film is fantastic and fans of the show will love it. Long noted, “But, for people like poor Matt, much of the special will come across as confusing and convoluted.” Here’s the thing, this film is just a love-letter to the fans of the series, but those who have never heard or seen the show won’t get a lot from it. However, I think that I got into it just fine and enjoyed it thoroughly.

The writers of “Kim Possible” show they have a firm understanding of what the show’s fans like and they deliver it completely here. First off, the film shows a whole lot of Ron Stoppable, and his amazing comedy (shown by Will Friedle’s vocal work) sets this show apart from its age group. When Ron shouts lines like “I got mad love for the meat cakes,” you know you’re not watching a typical Disney show. Second, having four of the shows most popular villains team up against Kim makes this something like a great band collaborating. The best part of “Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time” is the story itself. The time-traveling aspect will honestly be confusing to some audiences, but the movie doesn’t back down from taking many twists and turns. Long admits, “And, the movie sheds some all-important light on how Kim became a globe-trotting super-hero. I admire the fact that a movie which is essentially aimed at children took the risk of taking on a decidedly sci-fi slant to its story. And if that doesn't sound impressive enough, simply click on the IMDB.com link provided above and check out the vocal talent involved with this project. (Also note that director Steve Loter worked on Duckman and Clerks: The Animated Series and he manages to bring a sly sense of humor to this work.)” “Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time” is a surprisingly entertaining animated film that will amaze fans of the show. Honestly, I will think this will get people wanting to check out the show, if they so please. They will probably have a fun time watching it.

I don’t know when I will get around to watching the show, but if I ever feel like watching it, I’m pretty sure I will love it. This show was going on around the time when I was at the end of Middle School and ended after I graduated High School while starting college. I had missed out on it throughout, but I never knew anyone who had watched it, although I was familiar with the name and knew it was on. For fans of the show and those not familiar with it, I think everyone should check this out because they will have an enjoyable time watching it.

Alright everyone, hold on to your vomit bags because tomorrow I will be looking at the last in the Zenon trilogy in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

The Cheetah Girls

“The Cheetah Girls,” the 2003 original movie from Disney Channel, tries to be a culturally diverse morality lesson that is posing as musical fantasy. Laura Fries said in her review, “Instead, it’s a diva training film with a plot about as memorable as a Kelly Clarkson pic. Based on the books by Deborah Gregory and produced by Debra Martin Chase and Whitney Houston, the pic is all about the hair, the look, the attitude. And like hungry cheetahs on the prowl, teen audiences will probably eat it up.”

This urban movie about diverse high school girls coming together in a singing group should be a satire of today’s celebrities. Fries said, “But any lessons about the evil trappings of pop stardom — not to mention lip-synching –most definitely will be lost on the “American Idol” generation, since they totally escaped the filmmakers.”

Fries continued, “Ironically, “Cheetah Girls” supposedly denounces manufactured pop music and marketing over artistry, yet it plays like a two-hour fashion commercial and culminates in a ridiculous lip-synching extravaganza.”

The movie does have a few things going for it, mainly Raven, an interesting and flexible young actress who has charm and skill, and Emmy winner Lynn Whitfield as the overly protective Cheetah mom, Dorothea Garibaldi. Fries noted, “Then there’s the squeezably cute Toto, the Cheetah Girls’ Bichon Frise mascot, who nearly steals the show.”

Raven plays Galleria Garibaldi, an honest songwriter who, along with her other Cheetah Girls, hopes to win the school talent show. The team, including the energetic Chanel (Adrienne Bailon), transferred Southern girl Aqua (Kiely Williams) and the shy but motivated Dorinda (Sabrina Bryan), share performing talents, but Galleria is the self-appointed leader. Fries mentioned, “The girls, each representing a slice of the New York cultural experience, believe “all Cheetah Girls are created equal, but not alike,” and prowl the halls with intimidating confidence decked out in more animal prints than you’d see at a Liberace convention.”

To prepare their performance, the girls are taught by singer-turned-drama teacher Drinka Champagne, played by Sandra Caldwell, and closely supervised by the protective Dorothea. Despite Dorothea shows support and encourage Galleria’s dreams of a music career, the former supermodel worries that Galleria will go through the unavoidable tragedies in fame.

The team makes it big when they get the attention of Def Duck Records music manager Jackal Johnson, played by Vincent Corazza. Fries noted, “But the idea of pop stardom sends the Cheetahs into hyperdrive, especially Galleria, who gets so out of hand that the girls spawn an anti-Cheetah Girls Web site before they even sign a record deal.”

Fries continued, “Writer Alison Taylor has got the attitude and diva slanguage down with dialogue like, “If he can’t respect my art, he can’t have my heart,” but she somehow fails to make the distinction between girl power and just plain obnoxiousness.” The subplot about Dorinda’s foster-parent upbringing is used more for people to feel sympathy for, other than the self-empowering suggestions of Deborah Gregory’s books.

It also doesn’t help that director Oz Scott lowers the full range of human emotion to a simple fact: start crying, play the music.

Scott rushes and rather bizarrely finishes everything with a nonsensical Toto rescue story. Even though there is bad behavior throughout, the girls are rewarded in the end, because, as “The Cheetah Girls” would want, winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.

Fries noted, ‘As musical performers, the young stars would easily make the “American Idol” semifinals –Williams and Bailon have the edge as real-life members of a pop group, 3LW.” However, as actors, nobody except Raven is the highlight. Caldwell as the former singer is enjoyable in a completely humorless movie.

Fries ended her review by noting, “Music composer John Van Tongeren provides a collection of radio-ready pop songs, particularly the signature number “Together We Can,” while choreographer Troy Liddell offers all the moves that every aspiring girl group should know. Costume designer Resa McConaghy clearly has fun with the animal theme throughout the pic, but makes an unfortunate choice in the finale, dressing the girls in color-coordinated outfits that make them look like the Wiggles in sequins.”

As I had mentioned yesterday, I had laughed throughout the movie at how predictable it was. I just knew what was going to happen, and I wasn’t surprised at how right I was when I knew what happened at the end. If you liked this movie, great, there is an audience out there for “The Cheetah Girls,” mainly little girls. However, I couldn’t enjoy the movie, so I won’t be picking this up again after watching it the first time.

Look out tomorrow when I review another movie that I found myself really enjoying in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”

Cadet Kelly

There was a time in the early 2000s when Hilary Duff was everywhere, and a lot of that was because of her popularity amongst teenagers on “Lizzie McGuire.” Aaron Beierle had noted in his review, “Hilary Duff continues to have her image splashed across magazine covers across the country, and yet her films continue to get diminishing results at the box office, with the recent "Perfect Man" starting to disappear from theaters shortly after it opened. The films (see "Raise Your Voice") often seem like long-form trailers for Duff's latest musical efforts, as well.”

“Cadet Kelly,” a 2002 Hilary Duff movie that aired on the Disney Channel, isn’t bad, but there’s some really questionable things. Kelly, played by Hilary Duff, is a student at a private Manhattan school where she is able to express herself and be a teen fashion icon. Her parents are divorced, but she still sees them both. However, her mother has decided to start a new life with General Joe Maxwell, played by Gary Cole. While Kelly is welcoming in the marriage, she gets a sudden shock when her mother lets Kelly know that she’s transferring to Military School, where General Maxwell is the dean. The scene is strangely put, and it looks as though her mom is throwing her only child into the care of her new husband.

When she arrives, she gets put under the control of Cadet Captain Stone, played by Christy Carlson Romano. Kelly tries to fight against authority at every opportunity while at the school, but when she sees the drill team practicing, she finally sees something she thinks she will be good at in the school. As you could predict, the team finally starts winning when she enlists.

Beierle said, “Duff's sunny, sweet personality works well for light comedy like "Lizzy McGuire". However, Duff flounders when it comes to emotional moments, which there are a few of here. She'd be best in the future being a smaller part of a larger ensemble.” Carlson Romano and Cole give find supporting roles. In the end, “Cadet Kelly” isn’t bad as some Disney Channel Original Movies with some fun moments, but it’s really clichéd and forgettable.

“Cadet Kelly” gives some fun moments, but Duff’s performance is just passable and the movie is mostly predictable material (Beierle said, “and, by the looks of it, I'm guessing no military advisor was involved.”) Hilary Duff fan probably will be the ones who will want to buy the DVD, even if it is fairly cheap.

Although it may not be entirely clichéd, with a lesson that things don’t always go as wanted, but still, I don’t really see anything about this that will make me want to watch it again. Just to reiterate: this isn’t one that I hate or thought it was bad, but I just think it falls in the middle. See it for yourself and judge it based on how you think of things.

Tomorrow I will be looking at a film that I really found laughably predictable in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”