Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
T-B-M spells summer! | Episode 25: Teen Beach Movie
49 Plays3 months ago
Bright colors, tiki everything, and island-vibing electric guitars… what more could you want in a movie? Grab your surfboards because this week we’re diving into Teen Beach Movie and soaking up those 60s beach bum vibes and good times 😎
Let's discuss:
– We have a guest host! 🎙️
– This movie pays tribute to all the classics 🫡
– Was Mac’s grandfather IN Wet Side Story before? 🏄🏼♂️
All that and more in this episode!
Teen Beach Movie stars Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell, Gracie Gillam, and Garrett Clayton and can be watched on Disney+!
Welcome to Once Upon A DCOM Podcast where we rave (and sometimes roast) classic DCOMs! We're rewatching every single Disney Channel Original Movie.
🔔 Follow us for future episodes
Find us on Instagram and TikTok 👇
@onceuponadcom.podcast
Recommended
Transcript
Guest Host Introduction: Megan takes over
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey, Disney friends, I have good news and bad news for you. I'm going to start with the bad news. My beloved co-host Natalie is out sick with the flu this week. Sad. So please send her prayers and good thoughts. But in her place, we have an incredible guest host. This lady loves Disney and she does share some genetics with Natalie. So please allow me to introduce one of my very best friends in the world, Natalie sister Megan. Hi.
00:00:28
Speaker
I feel very honored to be called a guest star for this podcast that I am quite a big fan of. um And I'm just so excited to be here. I'm so excited to have you. And guys, this is like the Lord's hand of favors on this podcast, because we were not planning this on Natalie getting sick and Megan being available this week, when last week we said we were watching Teen Beach movie, and we expressed how this is your favorite DCOM. Is that correct?
The Podcast & Disney Connection
00:00:53
Speaker
Oh, well, it's my favorite, like newer DCOM, right? Like it's not my generation of DCOMs, but it's, it's pretty darn good.
00:01:02
Speaker
We were kind of saying this is to you what High School Musical is to Natalie or Descendants is to me. I i would concur with that, yes. Okay, great. It's pretty peak, so spoiler alert, I'm going to say I love it.
00:01:20
Speaker
Welcome, fellow Disney Channel babes, whether you're from the nostalgic nineties or the awkward odds or you're giving Gen Z. We're glad that you're here. I'm Gabriela. And I'm Natalie. And this is the podcast where we rave and sometimes roast classic Disney Channel original movies. You're listening to Once Upon a Decom.
00:01:40
Speaker
Welcome back to the Once Upon a Decom podcast. I'm Gabriella and I'm here not with my normal co-host Natalie, but with her sister Megan. And we are so excited because this week we have watched a classic called Teen Beach Movie. If you haven't heard of it, why are you listening to this podcast? You know, you know, it's a great, great movie.
00:02:00
Speaker
But before we get into the movie, I just want to give us a moment to hear a little bit about Megan since she's going to be with us for this whole episode. so Megan, can you tell me a little bit about yourself and like maybe your experience with Disney and DCOMS? Sure. I'm
Megan's Disney College Program Experience
00:02:16
Speaker
very well acquainted with this podcast because it is hosted by some of my favorite humans in the world.
00:02:21
Speaker
um Natalie is my sister, so I've known her for a hot second. Gabby is one of my best friends. We've been friends since college. We were in each other's weddings, y'all. We were not like, oh, we're acquaintances. like We are super tight. um So long time listener, first time caller. um I just genuinely ah love watching or listening to this podcast.
00:02:47
Speaker
um Every Tuesday I'm like, oh my gosh, it's podcast day. And I get so excited. And my son, who's in the car while we drive to daycare, um, is the calmest he's ever been on Tuesdays because he just hears the voice of his two favorite humans and he just chills out, which is great. Which speaking of him, you hear a baby crying in the background. He's trying to get himself down for a nap and we are.
00:03:11
Speaker
We're struggling this morning, so apologies if that's a distraction. Hopefully he'll calm down soon. um I have loved Disney pretty much my whole life. I was part of the Disney College program, actually right around the time that Gabby and I became friends. And so I have that kind of, I guess you could say, insider view. um Love a Disney movie. Honestly, one of the few movies that I like genuinely just We'll sit down and watch without pretense. Most
Teen Beach Movie Overview
00:03:43
Speaker
movies I get a little like, I got to, I got to Google the ending. Don't hate me. Um, because new movies have weird stuff in it. Um, but a D com I can always trust. I'm not going to be surprised by anything. It's going to be a comfort. Um, I'm not going to have to think too hard. And so I think Disney primed me to be the hallmark fan that I am today.
00:04:04
Speaker
So great. So great. Well, let's get started talking about this amazing, incredible movie. um I hear you've done some research like Natalie normally does on like intro to the movie. Yes. Keep in mind, I'm new to this, so be gracious to me. I probably will not have the same level of professionalism as my sister. That's fine. You're doing great. She's got that. She's got that corner. um Okay, so Teen Beach Movie premiered on Disney Channel on July 19th, 2013.
00:04:34
Speaker
It was actually the only DCOM to premiere that year. The only other time that's ever happened was in 1992. So that's kind of a big deal, like only movie of the year, which I think is part of why it was so successful because it craved the DCOMs. The film was dedicated to a famous Mouseketeer and Disney legend Annette Funicello, who had died April of the same year.
00:04:57
Speaker
And it actually made a lot of sense to dedicate it to her because it was loosely based on her 1961 hit Beach Party with obvious nods also to 1963's West Side Story. Fun fact, it's one of 3D-coms that was filmed in Puerto Rico.
00:05:13
Speaker
And many of the scenes were filmed right outside of the governor's mansion. So someone had a connection. Oh, I know.
Plot Recap: Teen Beach Movie
00:05:20
Speaker
but These are really good facts. I knew none of this. Thank you. This is amazing. So anyways, that's Teen Beach Movie. And I'm really excited to hear your recap and relive it through your words. Because that's what I do on this podcast every week is I hear you and Natalie recap movies that I love. And it makes me very happy. So please.
00:05:41
Speaker
Well, I will just channel Natalie for a second. Buckle up buttercups. This is quite a film. Well, there's a lot going on in this movie. So good. Okay. We begin our journey surfing on the sunny beaches of, I want to say California. Pretty sure it's California. They say the West Coast, so we're going to go with it's California, where Brady and Mack are having the best summer of their lives. We learned that Mack, by the way, this is short for Mackenzie.
00:06:09
Speaker
lives at the beach with her grandfather in his surfboard shop, and she and Brady love nothing more than surfing, laying in the sun, and chilling all day. Brady has even formed a bond with Max's grandfather over their favorite movie, Wet Side Story.
00:06:24
Speaker
which is a spoof from the real world on West Side Story and an homage to all the glorious 60s beach movie musicals. We'll talk about that more later, but Mac doesn't particularly enjoy this movie because of its sexist themes and lack of realism, but Brady loves this movie. He and I both love this movie. Oh, you love Wet Side Story, like oh yeah inside of Teen Beach movie. Oh, I would have watched that so hard. Absolutely. 100%, yes.
00:06:55
Speaker
So, Mac's perfect summer gets cut short when her aunt shows up to take her away to an elite and exclusive boarding school on the east coast, where they've agreed that she will begin to hunker down and start planning for her future. And Mac is on board with this plan because she believes it's what her mother wanted for her.
00:07:12
Speaker
Brady, however, is devastated that Mac is leaving and he thinks of every possible way to make their relationship work. So to try and make things easier on him, Mac very practically breaks up with him. But as fate would have it, the next day a huge storm is rolling in causing extreme conditions that Mac has been waiting to serve in her entire life.
00:07:30
Speaker
So a few hours before her flight, she takes her grandfather's legendary surfboard and sneaks out onto the waves. The storm, however, is more intense than predicted and Matt gets pretty beat up out there. But she stubbornly refuses to get out of the water because this is like her last chance to surf and Brady races out on a jet ski to save her from the waves. But once he gets out there, a huge wave crashes over them both and takes them deep underwater. Side note.
00:07:55
Speaker
her grandfather is not nearly worried enough for her in this situation. He's like, oh no, she's in the ocean. Brady's like, I have to go get her. And her grandfather's like, I guess. And he just stands there with his arms crossed. Like, this happens. Kids die in the ocean all the time. Oh, well. Megan, I don't know if you can read my mind. I'm so glad you brought that up because I was going to bring that up in the discussion points, but for a different reason. So let's hang on to that because I have a thought on that.
00:08:24
Speaker
I'm actually very excited to talk about Grandpa. All right, continue. Okay, okay, okay, great. We'll come back to that. So when they reemerge from the water, Brady and Mack find themselves inside of the movie, Wet Side Story. They have been transported to this parallel universe where the sun is always shining, the water is never wet, and the characters are always singing.
00:08:46
Speaker
Brady is absolutely elated about this turn of events but of course Mac is freaking out desperately trying to figure out how to get home in time for her flight because she has never seen a movie like this where obviously no time is going to pass while you're in Narnia Mac but she's like oh my gosh I'm going to miss my flight and I have to get back now. So Brady suggests that they hang out for a while and enjoy what little time they have left together in this fantasy land And he correctly guesses that they can probably ride out to their world in the huge storm at the end of the movie since that is how they got in in the first place. Mac agrees to hang out till the end of the movie when there's the big storm and she's just not happy about it. Let's be real. But Brady is just like over the top excited. I mean, could you imagine? It'd be so fun. Like being inside your favorite movie? I'd be excited too. Oh, so good.
00:09:37
Speaker
Anyways, inside of the movie, a turf war is raging between the surfers and the bikers. Brady enjoys the heck out of his time in Wet Side Story. He participates in his favorite dance number, Cruisin for a Bruisin, and he even gets himself and Mack invited to a big party that evening at Big Mama's, which is like the hot spot restaurant on the beach.
00:09:58
Speaker
Typically, it's at this party that the movie turns into a Romeo and Juliet style story where the lead biker's little sister Layla falls literally off a stage and into the arms of the head surfer bro Tanner and they fall in love. Layla is supposed to fall into the arms of Tanner, but before that can happen, Mack trips and falls into his arms instead.
00:10:18
Speaker
leaving Brady to catch Layla when she falls off the stage. So now, the two main characters are in love with Brady and Mac, and no one really knows what to do next because the story has been changed. Mac correctly assumes that changing the plot of the movie might affect the storm happening at the end, and they have to get things back on track with Layla and Tanner falling in love.
00:10:40
Speaker
Mack and Brady do everything they can to try and force Tana and Layla together, but nothing works. During this time, Mack attends a sleepover with the biker girls, where she encourages them not to make all their decisions based on boys. And they tell her they are perfectly fine letting boys decide how they dress and act. And Brady hangs out with the surfer dudes and tries to encourage them to really cherish their girls and think less about themselves. And they don't really care.
00:11:03
Speaker
Still no luck getting Layla and Tanner together, but Mack does start to develop a real friendship with Layla where she learns that she's actually really smart and sweet. And Layla even shares her biggest secret with Mack, that she wants to learn how to surf. Well, Mack sees this as a huge opportunity to maybe get her and Tanner together. So she and Brady kind of conspire for the duo to meet clandestinely on the beach by lying and saying that they will also be there to meet them. Now, this is where the movie just is Adika, so stick with me. In the background this whole time, there has been an evil villain named Les whose goal is to try to buy Big Mama's restaurant and the surrounding beach to make it into a parking lot for a huge resort.
00:11:47
Speaker
But Big Mama continues to refuse him, so he decides to hire a crazy scientist to develop a weather machine, and his hope is to try and make it storm all the time so that the bikers and surfers leave the area permanently and Big Mama's has to shut down and he gets what he wants. You still with me? Okay, great. Girl, I'm with you.
Resolving the Movie's Plot
00:12:06
Speaker
I'm in. i' I'm locked in. I know you probably love Les and the crazy scientist. I love it all. It's all good. There's no bad parts of this movie.
00:12:15
Speaker
Oh my god, I might disagree. I don't like the weather thing, but I understand its necessity, kind of. His name is Les Camembert because he's cheesy. Camembert's a cheese. Oh my god. He's chee- he's- that's why he's good.
00:12:32
Speaker
He's cheesy. That's brilliant. It's so good. Okay. You've just convinced me that I like him. Great. Good. So anyways, less cheesy. Over here is Brady and Mack talking about how at the end of the movie, the bikers and surfers team up to destroy his machine and that's what sets off the storm. So he overhears this conversation and he and the crazy scientist guy kidnapped Brady and Mack to prevent this from ever happening.
00:12:59
Speaker
Meanwhile, Mac and Brady's plan kind of works. Layla and Tanner finally meet and they realize that they really do like each other and it was meant to be the whole time and they sing a song and it's great and she falls off a rock into Tanner's arms and everything seems fixed.
00:13:15
Speaker
But they get suspicious that Mack and Brady never showed up to their meeting. So they immediately assume exactly what is happening with the entire plot of the movie. like They guess the weather machine. They guess that Les has kidnapped Brady and Tanner. They guess that they are the only ones to fix it. like They just innately know that this is what needs to happen. It's like they've been in this movie before. Right? Interesting.
00:13:42
Speaker
m So they run to Big Mamas and they rally the bikers and the surfers together like it was always supposed to happen so that they can go and save Brady and Mack. And everything is semi-back on track.
00:13:54
Speaker
The group runs to the lighthouse where the machine and Brady and Mac are being kept. They get them back. They blow up the machine and run for the beach. Les and the scientist guy get blown into the ocean on a piece of debris. And the movie is saved. Yay. Now, the big storm is about to begin having been caused by the machine blowing up and Brady and Mac say a tearful goodbye to their new friends. They head into the water and wouldn't you know it?
00:14:19
Speaker
It works! They get sent back to their home and no time has even passed because duh. Matt gets her shot to surf a massive wave impressing everyone on the beach and in the end she stands up to her aunt and tells her that she wants to continue going to school in California and surfing with Brady. Her aunt concedes and they all live happily ever after.
00:14:39
Speaker
Well, until the sequel, because I also want to mention that there is a mid-credit scene in this sitcom, which is super fun because we don't get that a lot, where the main characters from the wet side story movie wash up on the beach. They are just like confused and fascinated and they find an iPhone. And so that is just a great lead into the plot of the sequel.
00:15:00
Speaker
which I can't wait to watch because I love the sequel. Honestly, it's one of the few moments where I think the sequel might be better than the original. like yeah It's so good. I can't. Is this the first time that a DCOM has done a post-credit scene?
00:15:15
Speaker
I don't know. I should have looked that up. I don't know if I can think of any others that have done that. This was kind of in the height of Marvel. I want to say like phase two maybe. And they were doing all those posts in mid-credits scenes. So I wonder if it was possibly inspired by that. Yeah. They were just like, we're doing this at Disney anyway, so why not? Uh-huh. Interesting. Well, amazing recap. Again, I feel like I watched the movie all over again. Thank you. So good. So I want to hear why this is your favorite movie.
00:15:43
Speaker
It is just, okay, there's multiple things. One, it's so summery. I loved watching this in January because I was transported to the middle of July. like It is the most summer movie. It it checks all the boxes. What makes a summer movie? Bright colors, tiki everything.
Music, Choreography, and Escapism
00:16:04
Speaker
They're outdoors most of the time. Dramatic surfing scenes, electric guitars that are just island vibing in the background. like is It's so good. It's just so summery and it just, it makes me feel happiness. And then the dream, the dream for every musical theater kit is to be transported to your favorite musical. And my favorite musicals are 1960s musicals. Like these guys did it before Schmigadoon. This is it. This is the, the peak dream goal of a musical theater kit. So it's like, like would,
00:16:39
Speaker
When Brady is like, this is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I'm like, I'm living vicarious through you. This is it. This is what I want for my life is to just show up in the middle of Hello Dolly and just sing with Barbara Streisand and tap with Gene Kelly directing me. Like this is what I want to do with my life. And it's so it's just so good. And I love the 1960s musical. So I love the wet side story story. Like I genuinely would watch that movie. I don't know. It's all the good feels, all the good vibes. I love it. I loved it when I watched it before. I loved it when I watched it now. Did you watch this in 2013? You said this was Still a thing for you. I did when it was like in its peak because the kids I was babysitting loved it and so we actually like one day when I was watching them like dressed up like the characters they had one of those guitar hero guitars or whatever and we like learned the dance to cruise in for a bruise in like all together like I have pictures it's so cute.
00:17:46
Speaker
That's so cute. so Does it hold up a decade later? It was so fun. Oh, yes, 100%. My favorite part that'll never go out of style is the choreography and the music. like I love the songs and the choreography is so clever. I love the use of the practical props like beach balls, chairs, guitars, hair combs. like They use all of those pieces and so I love the choreography.
00:18:11
Speaker
And I like that in the music, you can hear like homages to like different musicals throughout the year. So like I hear Hairspray, I hear Grease, like especially um the song that they sing during the slumber party slash when they have surfer bros are at Big Mama's. It's like, I know what boys like, I know what girls like. That reminds me of Grease in two ways. One, it's kind of Sandra Dee-esque with the sleepover, but the music is exactly like Summer Love or What is it called, Summer Nights? That song from Greece when they were bleachers. It's like exactly like that. And it makes me so happy. The music is so good. Like, it's perfectly 1960s musical vibes. But like, if you're not into 1960s musicals, I think you'd still like it because it's like modern and enough.
00:19:01
Speaker
and it it's just and It's so good. like All of the music made me so happy. Even the beginning song and the last song that aren't 1960s, they feel like summer. like That first wailing on the electric guitar as the movie opens, I was like, automatically transported to the beach, automatically. You don't even even have to show me the ocean. If I hear that, I am automatically, in a 2000s movie on the beach, some lifeguard's going to come running with his blonde hair flopping about. like It's going to happen.
00:19:36
Speaker
it's just Oh, the music was so good. They did such a good job. The music is so good. There was another one too, The Fallen for You, where Layla falls off the stage, reminded me of Hairspray, the song that she sings about being in love with Zach Efron's character. I know that's the movie version or whatever, but you know the song I'm talking about? Those two reminded me of each other. I don't know. There was just a lot of them where I was like, I'm feeling vibes from these other movies. It was so good and I'm just joyful.
00:20:01
Speaker
I also, I already mentioned their use of props, but I also love the fun jump cuts and unexplained edits that they do throughout the song. So there's just these moments where like one person is doing something, right? Like, I don't know, carrying a beach ball and then it cuts and then suddenly they're like jumping on a table and you're like, I don't know how they got there or why they don't have the beach ball anymore, but I'm here for it. Like I'm with you. I'm not questioning it at all.
00:20:23
Speaker
There was so many cute, fun, like little unexplained edits and like just unrealistic things like the set piece for that song in the sleepover like coming out of the floor to become microphones. Yes. I loved it. There's no reason for that, but I'm just happy. No. Well, and that honestly leads into one of the discussion points I have, which is like movies have changed so much throughout time.
00:20:47
Speaker
and like i Like I said, I'm not, I don't really love modern movies because I sit in that 1960s, not realistic musical world. And I think that that's what they were trying to do with those jump cuts is just being like, it doesn't matter. It's an 1960s movie. Who cares? Like
Realism vs. Escapism in Movies
00:21:04
Speaker
who is watching a movie in the 1960s going, well, that doesn't make sense, right? They're just enjoying themselves. They're there for a good time. And I think that movies have right shifted and I don't know, what are your thoughts? Why do you think?
00:21:17
Speaker
we've we've leaned more into realism now. who Good question. Yeah, because i think I think people started calling it out and movies, maybe just people in the industry aren't strong enough to be like, I don't care. like It would take a real like innovative person to go back to that and be like, I know you're going to call me out for all of these quote, mistakes or cheesy bits, but they're not mistakes in cheesy bits. That's the thing is these jump cuts were not continuity errors. It wasn't like that extra just forgot where she was standing. It is purposeful, intentional. Like some of them were even the main characters like front and center and it's just this weird jump cut. So like it's very artistic the way that they do it. And I think people like with the invention of like YouTube and people doing movie reviews and like podcasts like this,
00:22:06
Speaker
People make fun of it and they'll be like, oh, it's so unrealistic. Oh, I don't understand why they did it that way or I noticed this mistake and so Movies are like, okay. Well, we have to explain away everything like everything has to have an explanation and like I think I Culturally, people shifted like maybe like five to 10 years ago where they just needed more answers. like People were less okay like going on faith, and that's kind of true in like general world as well. like If you notice like the decline of the church in America, a lot of people are just not okay believing in things without facts and proof. And I think that kind of translates to all facets of life. So in movies they're like, I'm not just going to enjoy this movie because you tell me that's how things are. You need to tell me why things are that way. And there's a place for that.
00:22:54
Speaker
But we maybe swung the pendulum a little too far the other direction because I really like when a movie is like, you don't need all the answers. That's what we enjoyed about Minutemen last week was like, they didn't explain all the time travel, but you just go with it. And that's what makes movies entertaining and fun. What do you think? Yeah, no, i I agree. I hadn't really thought about the like consumers calling out people before. That's such a good point. i had I had mostly thought about like, we consume so much more media now.
00:23:22
Speaker
And it used to be you go to the theater to escape. People didn't have TVs in their homes. And even when they did, they weren't watching full length movies. you know They were watching the evening news. They were watching a quick little 30 minute snippet for their kids. And so a movie was a time to go and escape and have fun and enjoy. And I think now we consume so much media.
00:23:48
Speaker
People, if you have Netflix, you can watch 10 movies in a row. you know know Who's going to stop you? And so I think now movie makers are like, look, they're not paying attention to the world. They're paying attention to their screens. So we have to make the screens reflect the real world. We have to bring up real stuff that's going on because that's where we're getting their attention. And I don't think that that was necessary before. I don't think it would have been received well, even if you had gone to the theater and left with like, that was too close to home, you know? Right, right. Yeah. And people weren't always comfortable sharing their opinions that openly. There was like a certain etiquette, I feel like, where people didn't just talk about how they felt about politics or social issues in the past. And that's become much freer with X, Twitter, whatever, and social media, people are just very free. and I think that kind of created this pressure in the film industry that every movie has to have a platform or has to have you know a message um or a um an agenda. and so yeah That's what most movies are. and There's not a lot of escapism anymore, which is sad because I'm like, we need places to escape to people. This was what we had.
00:24:56
Speaker
Exactly. Yeah. I think Realism has its place and I get it. And especially for the people that all they do is consume media. I think that's helpful. But yeah, I think, I mean, again, I'm a Hallmark gal. I will go and escape to a little Vermont town that celebrates Christmas like it's the greatest thing in the world every day of December because I need it because I need to escape from life sometimes. And I agree. I think that there's not a whole lot of that, just like escapism, which at this movie,
00:25:26
Speaker
I guess almost hints at with Mac trying to be like, I have to get back to real life and Brody being like, let's just escape for a bit. Let's just enjoy yeah for a moment. There are really good balance. I love Brady and Mac. I love how much Brady loves Mac because so often in this movie, she is trying to push him away and she's like, we're not together. I broke up with him, whatever. And she's like, you can go date Layla, like fine, go date Layla, whatever. And he's like, look, I'm in love with her because I've been in love with her since I was five. But like, I don't love her. Like I love you. I'm not doing anything. Like you're my only girl. And I'm just like, oh, and she needs that. You can tell she needs it.
00:26:03
Speaker
Yeah. And it's so refreshing to have a movie that starts with a healthy teen relationship. like It's not they're falling in love. You see them established in their relationship. And it's also not like, oh, we're dating in the beginning of the movie and then we break up in this horrible way.
00:26:20
Speaker
They're basically still together ah during the movie and you get to see an established relationship and that's so nice. like I understand the trope of falling in love. like That is great. We love that. but I don't know. There's that comfort of like people that want to be in relationships, want to be in the relationship. The falling in love is fun, but like right being with your person is also so fun and I just love Yeah, I just love watching them together. and They're very cute. They're so healthy for teenagers. They really are. And Mac is a really good foil to Brady's optimism. like She kind of carries the movie for the people who don't like the cheese factor. She's the one making like my husband Nick laugh.
00:27:01
Speaker
Because even though Nick will appreciate a good cheesy movie here and there, there's a certain level for him that he reaches. His threshold is lower for ah than mine. But I feel like Mack for him was like, oh my gosh, she's saying what I'm thinking. like Why isn't our hair wet? Why are we singing? like All these things. And she's a really good like ah consistent balance throughout the movie to literally everyone else. It's like, this is the best. And we all sing all the time. And Brady's like, yeah, let's do that.
00:27:28
Speaker
Yeah, I will say the only thing I have issue with in this movie is I don't feel like Mac grows a lot. I think at the beginning of the movie, they set her up to be like, she's going to have a growth here. That's what's going to happen. And I think she goes in and she's like,
00:27:47
Speaker
No, this is dumb. This is stupid. I don't want to be a part of this. And then she like comes to be like, oh, this was a good movie. And then she comes back and she's like, I'm not going to that prep school, but I don't see how that's related at all to what she learned. yeah And I feel like she kind of just, continued the only thing I can see is she's okay with maybe sometimes being pursued and saved by Brody.
00:28:10
Speaker
brit brady I keep calling him Brody, I don't know why. It's weird that they are like, she's going to change so much. And I feel like she literally doesn't. She just stays the same and is like, I appreciate my boyfriend a little bit more. And that's kind of it. Yeah. And I don't know.
00:28:25
Speaker
Yeah, and Brady doesn't have an arc either. Not that I think he needs one. He kind of is just consistently awesome throughout. But like, yeah, nobody actually grows. They just all I guess the growth that I see is they all come to accept each other for who they are. Like she appreciates Leila by the end and really sees her as like a valuable person, even though Leila doesn't change at all. It's true. It's
Theories & Critiques
00:28:48
Speaker
um It's so good. It's all so good. Okay. I have one final discussion point. I think, and I want to hear if you agree, that the grandpa has had this experience before. I think this has happened to him where he's gone into the movie or it like, yeah, something because he's called Big Papa, which is like Big Mama.
00:29:11
Speaker
I didn't even get that detail. You didn't see that. I have chills. No. It's on shop on the beach. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And the surfboard thing with her necklace. And yeah, there's something going on. But please tell me your thoughts because mine is not fully formed. I just I know that there's something suspicious about him. I don't know. I don't know how it happened, but just the way he speaks seems like he has like this Dumbledore effect where he's like kind of all knowing like there's just this sense of like he just has all the wisdom like beyond just I'm a grandpa, you know, and then there's this unexplained surfboard
00:29:48
Speaker
Like, of all the things that are ridiculous in this movie, that is the most confusing, is the surfboard, because there's no explanation. You just see it on the wall. No explanation. Yeah. And, like, Max says, like, something about how it's special or legendary. We all grew up with the legends of this board.
00:30:05
Speaker
And then the ant comes in and like of her three lines in the whole movie, one of her lines is, I can't believe you still have that old thing about the surfboard. And then that's the one that Mac takes into the water, which then like that is the surfboard is the first thing you see come out of the water when they go into the movie. And then when they come back to real life, it has the same emblem, you're right, as the Layla's necklace. And I'm just like, it does the little glowy thing. It does the little glowy thing. And like when he's watching what's right with Brady, there is a difference.
00:30:34
Speaker
Brady is like, I love this movie, but the grandpa almost looks like he's watching a home video of him in his first love. like And you're just like, yeah I think he's either had this experience or like we just need a prequel. like Did he create amen this situation where he could get into the movie? Was he originally... Oh, wait, I have a better idea. What if he's a character in the movie? Okay, that was kind of where my brain was going. Because that's the second movie is they come out of the movie and maybe that board is from the movie.
00:31:04
Speaker
Yeah. Cause he's like what in his like sixties, seventies ish. So he could have been like one of the teens and that just popped out. And then he's like growing within the real world. Yeah, I don't know. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Well, when I was writing the recap, I was like, yeah, he's not concerned at all that Mack is going to die in the water. He's like, oh, she has that board. Oh, she's fine. shit This is going to be great. He's fine with it. He's so chill about it. And I didn't think about that. I was like, he's just a surfer who's like, yeah, we all get caught in big waves. But yeah, you're right. He's like, she's going to the movie. She'll be back.
00:31:39
Speaker
Yeah. I don't know. She'll be back. So good. OK. Well, clearly we love this movie. We should move on to our public opinion. I am impressed with our tomato meter. So we always go to Rotten Tomatoes, as you guys know, because it's our absolute favorite. And the tomato meter is the critics reviews. Typically, you need, I think, five critics reviews to even get a tomato meter. So it doesn't always happen. This time, we had eight reviews.
00:32:08
Speaker
And the score, I know, and the score is 88 from the critics. Okay. Okay. They loved it. They loved it. And it's funny, I will say this is higher than the popcorn meter, which is like the regular people's reviews. I think it's because this is such an homage to all these older films that the critics were like, we know what's going on, you know? Yeah.
00:32:35
Speaker
I think that's fair. I think that's that makes sense. The teenagers would not have understood everything going on. yeah Exactly. I'm going to read of the eight. I'm going to read four because they're just I almost read all eight. They're so fun. Amazing. Here's some critics reviews for you. Emily Ashby says, the push and pull between the two main characters is a delightful dynamic, setting the tone for other fantastic character interplays and some entertaining turn of events. Ooh. Yeah. Then we have Rob Owen, a more entertaining, clever musical than its generic title suggests.
00:33:12
Speaker
That's fair. Then Brian Lowry says, it's too bad the makers didn't do a slightly better job casting the key roles, but taken on its own terms, the 95-minute Disney Channel original plays like a brightly colored beach blanket, albeit one that's a little rough around its sandy edges. And I just liked all the puns in that.
00:33:31
Speaker
So cute. That's the cutest review I've ever heard in my life. Right? Okay. And finally, Hank Stuver said, in spite of my pasty self, there's something I liked about the relentless mugging and fruging. What is happening? why are Why are all of those words strung together? I don't know, but I had to read it. I don't even know if I pronounced them all right.
00:34:01
Speaker
Well, the popcorn meter was fine. It's 73%. So, a C for the people. Okay. We have a couple reviews. We have Jude M. It's a Disney Channel movie. I didn't expect much. It can be cringe. Some parts were fun. It set up a plot and was knowledgeable that it was cringe.
00:34:23
Speaker
I do appreciate it knows the cheese factors there and they lean into it. and I think that's why I love this movie. it They know. They're not pretending like it's not cheesy. and Some people don't like that. That's fine, Jude. Anyways, ah next one. Cute movie with great music and dance sequences. It's kind of a throwback to the old Frankie and Annette movies like Beach Blanket Bingo. and Disney incorporated this really well. Love Maya Mitchell and Ross Lynch in the title roles.
00:34:52
Speaker
So there you go. And finally, this one might be my favorite. I unironically love this movie, mostly due to its West Side Story parody that's at the center of the plot. It's an earnest attempt at a meta movie humor. The songs are catchy and actually move the story along. The characters are perfect representations of classic movie musicals complete with a turf war and shallow personalities. The dialogue is what you'd expect from a DCOM, but the plot is creative and entertaining. It's definitely a step up from the usual Disney Channel movies.
00:35:20
Speaker
Yay. I concur. Yes. I'm surprised nobody mentioned the villain plot in their reviews, but I'm content with that. I know. It really wasn't there much. I think it's forgettable. like Honestly, yeah when you're looking back at the movie, you're like, oh yeah, that. and yeah
Cast Updates and Future Projects
00:35:37
Speaker
Weirdly, the weather machine that explodes is not memorable part of this movie. It doesn't really come in until the end.
00:35:47
Speaker
Yeah, it feels very like Dr. Doofenshmirtz, Dr. Dracken. In this case, I agree with the critics. It's brilliant. How about you tell us where are they now? Yes. Okay. So I thank you, Natalie. She did all of the research for this. So I'm just reading her research. And then there were a couple of things that I was like, what? And I looked up further things. Um, yay. So Ross Lynch who plays Brady, um, continued to star as Austin moon in Austin and Ali until 2016. And I think he was doing that at this time when he was in the movie as well. Then he really
00:36:23
Speaker
changed his whole trajectory and he started playing a serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, in My Friend Dahmer in 2017. His hair is atrocious in that movie. I didn't know that. Yeah. And then he played Harvey Kinkle in Netflix, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina from 2018 to 2020. Never seen it. Sounds scary. Ross collaborates with his brother Rocky in the band The Driver Era, releasing albums and touring.
00:36:52
Speaker
And fun fact, Ross is also a second cousin of Derek and Julianne Hough. Oh, I did know that because Riker, his older brother, was on Dancing with the Stars with them. Nice. Yeah, I feel like they're connected to everybody in some way. It's that weird seven whatever from Kevin Bacon. I feel like it's that way with the Houghs. Everybody is somehow connected.
00:37:13
Speaker
to them weird. I'm surprised he's doing a band just with Rocky now because for a while they had their family band R5 and I went to see them in concert and met them and I loved R5. That's right. yeah I guess.
00:37:25
Speaker
Did they just stop performing together? I guess they broke up maybe? I don't know. I don't know all the details of that. I do know. I heard that for this movie at R5 concerts and One Direction concerts, they threw beach balls into the audience to promote the movie, which is interesting. One Direction, I guess, was really big into promoting this movie multiple ways.
00:37:45
Speaker
had their hand in this somehow. Interesting. Maya Mitchell, who plays Mac, she starred as Callie Adams Foster in The Fosters from 2013 to 2018, and then later it's spin-off Good Trouble from 2019 to 2024. She's been busy in the Disney world. She's still acting in TV and film, and Natalie says she is staying Booked and blessed. Excellent. I know. um She also splits her time between the US and her home country, Australia. So apparently she has an Australian accent. Good job faking in American. Wow. Gracie Gillum, who played Layla.
00:38:26
Speaker
appeared in series like Baby Daddy and Supernatural after her role. um Her recent work includes the film Superhost, which was in 2021. In her personal life, she married musician and actor Nat Zang in May 2023. The couple resides in California. and Side note, their wedding pictures are so cute and like boho and They're adorable. Okay. Garrett Clayton, who plays Tanner, uh, starred as Link Larkin in Hairspray Live in 2016 because of course he did because he's perfect. Yes. Uh, he was also in some other movies. Some of them were musicals. Some of them were not. Um, he's been active in theater, notably playing Dr. Frankenfurter in a regional production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Garrett, yeah, everything you read about him, you're like, yup.
00:39:17
Speaker
Yup. Yup. Yup. Typecasting. Yup. Garrett publicly came out as gay in 2018 and married his longtime partner Blake Knight in September 2021. Natalie says his TikTok is a delight and everyone should go follow him. but If it's still there after the nonsense that was the 24 hours of no TikTok.
00:39:36
Speaker
His TikTok is great, apparently. Great. um Okay. John DeLuca, who plays Butchie. He appeared in General Hospital and films like Staten Island Summer, which was in 2015. He lent his voice to video games, including Mafia Definitive Edition and Horizon Forbidden West. John continues to act in both television and film projects.
00:40:01
Speaker
Also, side note, he had a lip dub or a singing dub for um this movie, but the sweet sequel, similar to Zephyrion, they let him use his own voice, so.
00:40:13
Speaker
What is with that Disney? Let the men sing. I know. I think their explanation was they wanted him to sound more like Elvis because ah of the vibe. and But the guy they got to sing for his voice did not match his vibe at all. like He's like a 35-year-old man singing for this like teenage kid. I feel like it did not work. um So anyways.
00:40:37
Speaker
Yay, but they allowed him to use his own voice in the sequel because I think it's great. Jordan Fisher, who played some cat. I love him. Yes. This probably doesn't need a section. I'm sure you all already know all these things. But if you don't know, Jordan's career took off in the years following this movie. He's been on Broadway in Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen.
00:41:01
Speaker
He starred in Netflix's To All the Boys I Loved Before sequel. He's done TV work, voiceover work, commercials, musical projects. He guest stars on a kind of ton of things. Everybody knows him. um And because this is a Disney podcast, you should know that Jordan is a huge Disney fan. In 2017, Fisher lent his vocals to Happily Ever After, which is the theme song for Magic Kingdom's nighttime fireworks spectacular.
00:41:29
Speaker
In 2020, Fisher married his childhood sweetheart, Ellie Woods, in a private ceremony at Disney World. so Stop. I love him even more. I know. Also go her parents for naming her Ellie Woods because Legally Blonde is life. Oh yeah. ah Okay. You want to hear my life's deepest regret. I do. So ready when I was doing my Disney college program was when they transitioned from the iconic wishes, which had been the fireworks show for 20 years at Magic Kingdom.
00:41:59
Speaker
to Happily Ever After. And of course, we were all devastated and we didn't trust Disney. We were wrong. Happily Ever After ended up being so much better. But I was there for the transition. And as a cast member, they were like, the guy who's singing the song and the girl who sing the song will be here on this one night doing a live recording. You can come be in the audience and watch.
00:42:24
Speaker
And I, at the time, didn't know who Jordan Fisher was because I had like missed him as somehow. And I was like, eh, I don't need to be a part of that. Whatever. And I skipped it. And later, life came to know who he was. And I was like, wait a second. He's the voice. I could have seen him live the night before they switched the show in concert and heard him perform live. And I did it. And it's my deepest regret.
00:42:53
Speaker
thats That's pretty bad, Gabby. I would regret that too. yeah that that's I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for you and your loss of that moment.
00:43:06
Speaker
ah Thank you. If I could do it over again. Anyways, are there any more? No, I just wanted to make a side note that a lot of the dancers, um including Kent Boyd, who played Rascal, one of the dudes, are a lot of my favorites from So You Think You Can Dance.
00:43:26
Speaker
And I just, I'm obsessed with watching them dance. And I think that's why the choreo was so good. um not None of them are really up to like crazy things right now, but just if you need to know why the dancing is so good, it's because that show just hashes out amazing dancers all the time. That's so good to
Upcoming Podcast & Farewells
00:43:44
Speaker
know. I love watching dancers. Like they're just so fun. Dancing is such a cool skill.
00:43:50
Speaker
Okay. Well, we've come to that point where we get to pick our movie for next week. We have a random number generator that picks a movie on our list of 117 D coms. Let's figure out what we're watching next week. And just as a reminder, sequels for movies that we have already seen are included on this list. So guys, we might get teen beach movie too, and that would be awesome. That'd be so good. Okay. Putting in my random number generator right now into the Google.
00:44:18
Speaker
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, Stop, Gabby. Stop! Oh my gosh, you are going. You're gonna have the greatest week of your life watching this movie.
00:44:34
Speaker
I'm so happy, but you know what stinks? My husband won't watch it with me, so I'm on this one alone, guys. He just hates this movie or something. He hates it. I don't understand. He'll sit through every other crappy DCOM and love it, and this one he won't watch with me. Because I won't be on this podcast next week, just so you know, I don't really like Descendants either. I'm sorry. Wow. I'm sorry. Wow.
00:45:04
Speaker
Why? I think it was just like way after my time with Disney and I just, it, I don't know. i It feels like it's trying too hard maybe is what's happening. Like it's like air so, like the budget is so much greater than any other decom it feels like, like with their costumes and with the set pieces. And I think it just feels It feels like too much. It feels like it's the diva of D coms and I can respect a diva, but I don't want to hang out with her, you know? That's fair. I definitely get those vibes from the lead girl, Dove Carman. Here's the thing, I don't want to spoil next week too much because guys, I'm going to talk endlessly next week, but I can't actually put my finger on why I have this much love for it.
00:45:57
Speaker
It's after my time. I hate Dove Cameron. like I don't like Mal and I don't like Dove Cameron separately. Interesting. I agree that it's a diva movie. I agree that it's overdone. like They're trying too hard. And yet, I come back to it time and time again and love it every time. The second one is my favorite. By far, the second one is my favorite. The fourth one doesn't exist to me.
00:46:21
Speaker
The third one kind of sucks, but the first two, the second one especially, I just have this like visceral like reaction to in a positive way. like i'm just like I feel all good things about it, even though there's so many negatives. so i can't I can't explain it, but it's just Oh, you guys. And I love, I think it's clever. I think it's so cleverly written with the villain. The concept is fun. It's a very fun concept. The cost assuming choreography is also really good. And then you've got, I don't remember her real name, but the girl Evie is literally the best. Well, her and then sad Cameron Boyce who passed away. They're like the reasons to watch it. They're so good in their roles. That's fair. so I'm excited for you guys.
00:47:06
Speaker
Thanks. I'm actually so sad you're not going to be back next week. This has been a joy to do the podcast with you. Thanks for letting me be a part of it. It was really fun. Like I said, I listen every week, so it's like kind of surreal to like be recording it. Because I feel like I respond while you guys are podcasting and listening. I'll be like, yes, I agree, or no, I disagree, or you totally forgot this. And so it's fun to be like, oh, that's going to be on the podcast. What am I going to be doing while I listen to this one? just agreeing with myself. That's weird. I hope you still find it entertaining and I hope that Bo still likes it when he can hear your voice in the car on the way to daycare this week. Maybe. Or maybe he'll throw a fit. Where's my aunt Natalie? Unacceptable. Oh, that would be kind of sweet. Okay, guys. Well, gosh, golly, I'm so excited. It's just, it's been such a long time coming. This is like, I don't even know, episode 20,000 and we're finally at Descendants.
00:48:03
Speaker
It's going to be great. Guys, I can't wait for next week. We will see you there. Watch Descendants. Bye. Thank you all so much for listening to this episode of Once Upon a Decom. Like what you just heard? Leave us a rating and review. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Also, follow us on Instagram and TikTok at onceuponadcom.podcast and share this podcast with your Disney-loving friends. A big thanks to Gabby for editing this whole podcast together. Thanks, Fran.
00:48:27
Speaker
And don't forget to subscribe because there's always a new episode on the way. This is Gabriella. And Natalie. Signing off with a sprinkle of pixie dust. And a whole lot of nostalgia.