Disney Channel Original Movies Top Ten Picks for Family Movie Night

"For more than eight decades, the name Walt Disney has been preeminent in the field of family entertainment. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to today's global corporation, The Walt Disney Company continues to proudly provide quality entertainment for every member of the family, across America and around the world" according to the Disney Corporation.

Every child in America, it seems, knows the name Disney. For many of us, it invokes memories of Sunday evenings watching The Wonderful World of Disney programming right after dinner as the family gathered around a black and white television screen with a big bowl of homemade popcorn and Root Beer floats. Back in the early years, watching a Disney movie or program was a treasured weekly family event.

Now viewing habits have changed, but watching Disney has not. With the advent of cable, "many television films have been produced for the U.S. cable network, Disney Channel, since the service's inception in 1983. In its early years, they were referred to as Disney Channel Premiere Films, and later Premiers. From late 1997 onwards, such productions have been branded under the Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM) banner" according to Wikipedia. The Disney Channel brings in consistent kid-friendly entertainment.

Over the years, they have premiered many movies, of which, these ten were chosen as the best movies for all ages. These movies will give you a chance to sit with your kids, a big bowl of popcorn and relish some much needed quality family time together, bringing back a taste of childhood when Disney was a family event.

Each movie offers engaging story lines and plots entertaining enough for parents, and fun and enlightening for children. Every one allows the parent the opportunity to impart value lessons as the plot unfolds, enabling quality sharing and discussion in a casual, entertaining atmosphere.

The Top Ten Disney Channel Original Movies

1- Snow White, the first Disney Channel movie classic. This is hands down one of Disney's most beloved films of all time. This original animated film features the story of a young princess hidden in the forest by a huntsman. Snow White's evil stepmother tried to have her killed by commanding the huntsman to cut out her heart. Rescued by a band of seven dwarfs, Snow White eventually meets her Prince Charming and in true Disney style, lives happily ever after. The movie features the voice of Adriana Caselotti as Snow White.

2 -Treasure Island starring: Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton, Basil Sydney, Walter Fitzgerald, Denis O'Dea. Travel with Jim Hawkins and Blind Pew to the infamous Treasure Island where buried treasure, buccaneers, and adventure await you. This is Walt Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece.

3- Parent Trap II starring Hayley Mills , Tom Skerritt, Carrie Kei Heim, Bridgette Andersen, Alex Harvey , Gloria Cromwell and Judith Tannen. Sequel to the classic Parent Trap, in this story, single divorced mom Sharon Ferris (Haley Mills from the original Parent Trap) tells her daughter Nikki they need to move. Nikki then plots to keep that from happening with one ruse after another. One of the ideas involves Mary, Nikki's friend, whose father is also single. The two girls scheme and plan to bring their parents together.

4- Anne of Avonlea: The Continuing Story of Anne of Green Gables starring Megan Follows, Morgan Harris, and Frank Converse. Sequel to the 1985 Anne of Green Gables film. It tells the story of Anne Shirley who has decided to go to college by correspondence to become a teacher. She continues to pursue her dream of writing and in this film finds love in a young man named Gilbert. This movie continues the story form the eight-novel "Anne" series by L. M. Montgomery.

5- Heidi starring Noley Thornton, Jane Hazlegrove, Jason Robards. Disney's 1993 version of this Shirley Temple masterpiece is "the story of its title character, a young girl whose parents are struck down during her infancy, leaving her to live with her well-meaning but selfish cousin, Dete who later gives her over to live with an unwelcoming grandfather."

6- Escape to Witch Mountain starring Perrey Reeves, Erik von Detten, Elisabeth Moss, Robert Vaughn and Brad Dourif. A story of two children who were discovered by a friend to have special magical energy between them when their hands touched. This is a story of kidnapping and intrigue as the two children are brought back together after being separated at birth and eventually seek to return home.

7- High School Musical is a smash hit starring Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. This modern day Romeo and Juliet style musical is about two high school juniors from rival cliques who come together against all odds to perform in a high school play.

8- Miracle in Lane Two starring Frankie Muniz, Patrick Levis is a true story based on the life of Justin Yoder, a boy who suffers from a debilitating illness requiring life in a wheel chair. This movie looks at how life can be fully lived despite physical limitations and in the end, heaven waits as the perfect place.

9- Stuck in the Suburbs starring Danielle Panabaker and Brenda Song. In this funny movie of mishaps and mistaken circumstances, Brittany, a regular middle school student in the suburbs, accidentally exchanges cell phones with Jordan Cahill, a famous pop singer causing all sorts of mayhem.

10- Perfect Harmony starring Justin Whalin, Eugene Byrd, Darrin Mc Gavin, Catherine Mary Stewart and Peter Scolari. Set in the late 1950s tells the story of racial tension between a prestigious all white private school, a community tragedy, and a choirmaster's heroic endeavors to ease the racial tensions.

Sources:

http://corporate.disney.go.com/corporate/complete_history.html

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-3826724.html

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/heidi.html

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