Tag Archives: 2000s

January 25, 2008 – The Disney Channel Original Movie Minutemen Premieres

“You know what would really make me happy? If you build something useful. And by useful, I mean something that will make me rich and popular. Or both.”

On January 25, 2008, the Disney Channel Original Movie Minutemen premiered. A single for the film was released on Radio Disney Jams Vol. 10, called “Run it Back Again” by Corbin Bleu. The movie had over 6 million viewers on its premiere. It was written by John Killoran, and directed by Lev L. Spiro. It starred Jason Dolley as Virgil Fox, Luke Benward as Charlie Tuttle, Nicholas Braun as Zeke Thompson, Chelsea Staub as Stephanie Jameson, and Steven R. McQueen as Derek Beaugard.

The film begins at Summerton High School, where best friends Derek, Stephanie, and Virgil arrive for their first day. Derek plans on trying out for the football team, and Chelsea tries out for cheerleading, while Virgil arrives to the tryouts to cheer his friends on. While trying out, a student drives onto the field in a souped-up golf cart, losing control of the cart. Derek manages to stop the cart by throwing a football and hitting the driver, knocking him out. The driver is Charlie Tuttle, a genius who skipped a few grades, and is soon tossed about by the football team. When trying to defend Charlie, Virgil gets caught in the tussle and is also beat up by the players, soon branded as a social outcast after being dressed up in a cheerleading outfit and hung from the statue of the school mascot. After this, the friendship between Derek and Virgil becomes strained, but a friendship grows between Virgil and Charlie.

Charlie and Virgil run into Zeke on their way to class, but quickly get out of the rebel’s way

Moving forward to senior year, Charlie and Virgil cross paths with bad boy outcast Zeke, but quickly get out of the way before there is any altercation. At lunch, Virgil watches his former friends, who are now dating, at their lunch table, while he sits at the geek table, and wonders how it has come to this, and realizes it all goes back to that freshman year incident. He spies Stephanie alone at the vending machine and goes over to talk to her, and the two are still seen as friendly even though they don’t spend time together anymore. While in his class, Charlie bursts in for an “emergency” and pulls Virgil out to tell him about a new invention: a time machine. Virgil doesn’t believe that Charlie has built a time machine, but Charlie tries to convince him further. Charlie then has Virgil try and find a mechanic guy for building the machine, and Virgil picks Zeke, much to Charlie’s dismay. Zeke surprisingly agrees to help construct the time machine, and a strange partnership is formed between the three.

Charlie agrees to let Virgil pick the first trip back in time, and Virgil decides to go back and pick the winning lottery ticket, much to Charlie’s dismay. Zeke then lets the pair know that they’re going to need a lot of power to start the machine, and Virgil points out that they’ll need a large space with privacy. They try to talk to Vice Principal Tolkan about starting a new club at school, but all Tolkan does is give the trio a lecture on the pecking order in high school and how it will never change while ignoring one of the nerds that has been shoved inside a vending machine. Fortunately, they are able to convince him to give them Room 77, which is underneath the football field, and the boys soon set up shop.

The machine is soon built, and the guys are ready to take it for a test drive

Soon, the machine is built, and they send Charlie’s cat on the first trip through time. Meanwhile, at Pacific Tech, their machines are going haywire from the activity from the time machine, but they dismiss it as a computer glitch. Meanwhile, at school, Stephanie is suspicious of Derek spending his time with popular but dense student Jocelyn. Virgil talks to Stephanie after Derek leaves, with Stephanie admitting that she misses the three of them hanging out, and wishes that Virgil would let go of the past, especially since Derek tried to stop the incident from freshman year from happening. Later, lotto numbers in hand, the guys plan their trip in with the time machine, dressed in several layers of winter clothing to keep them warm as they travel through the vortex. The trip is a success, although they forget that they can’t buy a ticket because they are underage. They then ask a street performer to buy the ticket for them, but they only have two minutes to get back to the school, so they ask the performer to meet him there at noon the next day. They head back to the school, but when the group shows up the next day, the performer claims the ticket for himself, and wins the state lottery.

Virgil wants another chance to claim the lottery money, but Charlie shuts him down, as he believes it’s cheating. Charlie would rather do more noble things, but Virgil is obsessed with popularity and being rich. As this occurs, poor nerd Chester is still running into trouble with the popular kids when they steal his clothes after gym class. Charlie and Virgil then come up with the idea to use the time machine to help Chester become popular. Virgil proposes that they call themselves the Minutemen, and the other two reluctantly agree. As they prepare for the next travel, fellow student Janette shows up to join their club. Janette has been following Charlie around as she has a huge crush on him, although he has no interest in her. They then let her in on the secret about their time machine, and she agrees to keep the secret – so long as she can coordinate their outfits. They then head on their mission dressed in special snow gear and give Chester a new set of clothes, but destroy VP Tolkan’s diorama of the school in the process. Later, Tolkan issues a warning to the travelers, and the three just laugh it off.

Zeke spots someone getting picked on at the burger joint, and decides to make that the next mission

Zeke is at a burger joint downtown and spots a nerd picked on by everyone, and decides to make this the next mission. The guys once again save the day and humiliate the popular kids, further incurring the wrath of Tolkan. They continue to perform good deeds, saving the unpopular kids from further embarrassment, with each travel through time causing the Pacific Data tech to go haywire, and guys find themselves followed by men in suits. The unpopular kids in the school find themselves rising in popularity, and copping an ego, but this leaves the Minutemen as the lone unpopular guys. Charlie then admits to the guys that he stole the blueprints for the time machine from NASA, and they agree not to use the machine for a while. Unfortunately, Virgil needs the machine to help Stephanie: she had to tryout for a cheerleading scholarship, but has broken her leg before the scout arrives. Although Charlie first argues against it, they finally agree as a group to help her.

The guys head back to the previous day’s cheerleading practice, and Zeke has already set their plan into action to prevent Stephanie from falling off the top of the pyramid. Stephanie soon figures out the identity of the strange Minutemen when Virgil saves her. She comes by his house later to thank him and let him know that she does know who the “snowsuit guys” are, and he accidentally lets slip that they are time travelers. At the next football game, the guys are there to see if there are any incidents to correct, and Derek blows the game thanks to the antics of Chester, who streaks across the sidelines. Stephanie tells Derek about the time travel, and he stops by to ask Virgil to fix the game. Virgil isn’t sure, but when Derek seems sincere about wishing they could be friends again, Virgil agrees. Charlie, however, is not convinced, and thinks that their travels may be destroying the time-space continuum. However, they feel responsible for what happened, and decide to save the game.

Derek, Stephanie , and Virgil watch the tape from before time was fixed, using it as proof of the time change

Derek is grateful for what Virgil has done, and tries to convince Virgil to celebrate and come to a party. Virgil decides to ditch Charlie and head to the party, and he talks with Stephanie. Stephanie starts to wonder if she actually chose the right path of life freshman year, as being popular isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Meanwhile, Charlie finds out that Virgil ditched him, and is hurt, but forgives Virgil, only to find himself ditched again when Stephanie calls. Stephanie finds out that Derek has been cheating on her with Jocelyn, and Virgil rushes over to help her out. Derek calls her while they talk, and Virgil leaves so she can talk it out with him. Meanwhile, all the time traveling has caused a ripple effect, and a giant hole starts to appear in the middle of the football field. Derek also confides in Virgil about the incident, saying Jocelyn made the first move, and pleads for Virgil to use the time machine to stop Stephanie from catching him kissing Jocelyn.

On his way home, though, Virgil is caught by the FBI, as is Charlie and Zeke. The guys get into a fight, as Zeke and Charlie feel that Virgil has become a sell-out. Derek pushes Virgil for an answer, and Virgil decides to time travel on his own. Charlie runs some calculations overnight, and finds that the time traveling has created a black hole. Charlie then runs to the FBI to let them know of the black hole, and there are only four hours until the black hole swallows up all of America. Meanwhile, Virgil is heading to the school dance with Stephanie, and Derek once again checks with Virgil to see if he’s change the situation. However, Stephanie is falling for Virgil, and Virgil is reluctant to change this, as he’s had a crush on Stephanie for ages. Charlie rushes to the dance to stop Virgil from jumping through time. Derek takes Virgil away from the dance, but Charlie intercepts them to stop the jump. As the black hole starts swallowing the football field, Charlie, Virgil, and Zeke have to go on one last jump to save the world.

Virgil plans on changing the incident and changing high school, but Charlie tells him that this was an important day for him

The guys jump into the black hole, and they use the reversal sequence on the hole once they land. After picking up a newspaper, Virgil realizes that they landed on the day of the incident – the first day of freshman year. Thinking that he can stop the incident once and for all, he races to the school, but Zeke and Charlie stop him. Virgil argues that he has a chance to be someone, but Charlie shoots back that this was the day that he made a real friend for the first time in his life. Zeke then says that it’s up to Virgil what will happen, but he’s enjoyed the ride nonetheless. Virgil looks at the scene unfold, and realizes that Derek gave the football players the idea to dress Charlie and Virgil up. Charlie and Zeke race back to the vortex, but Virgil grabs Charlie’s cart and the three make-up before racing to make it back to the vortex just in time. They arrive back to the day that they first time-traveled, and after Derek insults them, Virgil lets slip about Derek’s cheating on Stephanie with Jocelyn. In the end, everyone is happy: Zeke has the attention of two girls, Charlie kisses Jeanette, and Virgil tells Stephanie how he really feels, with Stephanie reciprocating. Unfortunately, Charlie has a new idea for an experiment: teleportation.

January 12, 2001 – The Disney Channel Original Movie Zenon: The Zequel Premieres

“However, Zenon is also 15-years-old, and everything in her stellanarious life is about to change forever…”

On January 12, 2001, the Disney Channel Original Movie Zenon: The Zequel premiered. It was a sequel to the highly successful Disney Channel Original Movie Zenon: Girl of the 21^st Century, both of which were based on the book by Marilyn Sadler and Roger Bollen. This film was written by Stu Kreiger and directed by Manny Coto. It starred Kristen Storms as Zenon Kar, Shadia Simmons as Nebula, Lauren Maltby as Margie, Philip Rhys as Proto Zoa, and Stuart Pankin as Commander Plank.

Zenon is walking along the corridor of the space station with her friend Nebula, still able to cash in on her status as a hero and enter restricted zones. Zenon thinks she’s discovered a new game, but doesn’t realize that she’s actually managed to destroy the office of Commander Plank by opening and closing the emergency airlock doors, sending everything out into space. Plank manages to see the remnants of his office float past the space station doors, landing Zenon in a world of trouble. Things get worse when Zenon’s boyfriend Greg dumps her, and she believes that her old enemy Margie had something to do with it. Zenon is called to Plank’s new office, and punishes her by making her work in the Alien Patrol Lab. Lab Worker Orion has been working there for five years, and had no signals from aliens the entire time. Zenon doesn’t want to work with Orion, as she finds the task pointless, but Plank gives her no other option.

Zenon is startled her first night in the lab, thinking an alarm clock noise was contact from aliens

Zenon begins her first night in the lab, bored out of her mind, when the alarms go off. She panics, thinking she’s found an alien signal, only to find that the sound was an alarm clock to wake her up. She heads home and vents to her mom about the downturn in her life, which gets worse when her favorite singer Proto Zoa hasn’t been since the concert at the space station. The entire space station is soon called to an emergency meeting, with everyone finding out that the US Military will now take over the station. Everyone panics, as they think this means the end of the space station. Zenon is soon called to meet General Hammond, who is leading the space station project, and is tasked to take care of his daughter: Zenon’s enemy, Margie. Margie threatens Zenon that, should Zenon not bend to every whim of Margie’s, she’ll ask her father to throw Zenon and her family off the station and back to Earth. Zenon plays along at first, but then decides to get even after she’s had enough.

Zenon continues her work in the lab, when one night she observes some signals spiking the meter. She calls Commander Plank, but everyone thinks that she has just heard a satellite from another country. Zenon gets more dejected when she finds her friends hanging out with Margie while Zenon has to work in the lab. Back in the lab, she sees another spike, bigger than the one before. She calls Commander Plank again, and General Hammond shows up with him. Not only does Hammond not believe Zenon, but he thinks that the lab should be considered for deactivation. Zenon’s world seems to be crashing around her, with everyone mocking her and losing her best friend to Margie. Later, she gets a message on her phone about the spikes, and realizes that the sound she’s been hearing is reminiscent of the famous Proto Zoa song “Supernova Girl.” After talking it over with Orion, both realize that the aliens want to meet the missing rocker. While trying to solve this mystery, Zenon finds out that Nebula and her family are about to be sent back to Earth. Zenon ups her plan to save the station so she can save her best friend. As the two set up their plan, Margie is seen spying on them.

Nebula and her family say their goodbyes, although Zenon is suspiciously nowhere in sight

The next morning, Nebula and her family are saying their goodbyes, while Zenon is off setting their plan into action: stowing away and heading to Earth. Zenon breaks out of her crate, only to find Margie there waiting for her. Zenon is furious that Margie followed her, but nevertheless they continue to Zenon’s aunt’s house. While there, they come up with a game plan to find Proto Zoa and bring him back to the space station, after using his lyrics to track down his location. Proto Zoa has been in recluse mode since the space station concert, as he believes that he’s reached the peak of his career and can’t go any further. Back at the space station, Margie has left a message for her father saying that Zenon kidnapped her, and the General is furious enough to go confront Zenon’s parents. Zenon’s aunt calls, revealing the truth. Margie and Zenon finally find Proto Zoa’s house, and they explain to him what they’d heard. He doesn’t want to go as he thinks that there’s no challenge in heading back to space, but is convinced when she tells him he will be the first singer to perform before aliens. Zenon checks the message she received from the aliens again, and finds that they had sent her a map as well, which she quickly sends to Orion. Things hit a snag when Zenon finds that Margie set her up to look like a kidnapper, but Zenon convinces Margie to call her father, tell him the truth, and send a shuttle to take all three back to the space station. When Margie calls, however, she ends up watching her father in a meeting, relaying the true intention of the military’s presence on the shuttle: destroy the entire space station and scrap the entire mission.

Aunt Judy relays all of the news back to Commander Plank, and finally convinces him to believe in Zenon’s story. Orion is able to decipher the map, and Plank convinces Hammond to let him pilot the shuttle that will be used to pick up the trio. Zenon and Margie finally have it out with each other, with Margie admitting that after moving around so much due to her father’s job, she doesn’t know how to fit in. Zenon chastises Margie, telling her to consider that other people have problems as well. Margie, Zenon, and Proto Zoa head to the rendezvous point at Carlson Beach, although they are warned to stay out of sight, as Hammond’s men are looking for them. Unfortunately, as Plank prepares to go, Hammond overhears his plans, and places him under full military arrest. Zenon is undeterred by this setback, and asks the only other person who can fly a shuttle to help: her mother, who ironically has a great fear of flying. After much deliberation, she agrees to fly, picking up Judy, Zenon, Nebula, Margie, and Proto Zoa, and heading to the spot on the map to meet the aliens.

The group waits at the rendezvous point, with Zenon confident that the aliens will show

The group arrives at the rendezvous point, but there are no aliens around. Zenon is a little worried, but has a strong feeling that they will find them. Unfortunately, they completely run out of fuel, as Orion forgot to fill the auxiliary tanks, leaving them floating around in space to get pulled in by the moon’s gravitational field to crash. As they speed towards the moon’s surface, Zenon spots something in the sky, and the aliens pull the ship out of danger to bring them back to the space station in exchange for their navigational information. One of the aliens materializes into the ship and greets Zenon. Zenon is able to understand them for some reason, and they thank her for her help in getting them home. Everyone on the space station is stunned by the view of the aliens, although Hammond is still bent on dismantling the space station. Fortunately for the space station residents, the aliens put the space station back together again and move it back into orbit, disrupting Hammond’s plans and reasons for tearing the station apart. The story ends with Proto Zoa giving another concert in space and dedicating his new song to her, Commander Plank marries Aunt Judy, and Zenon has a new best friend in Margie.