DCOMmentaries

No not that one! ...Not that on either! The one that came out in 2018 and is based on the stage musical which is based on the one with Jodie Foster! 

Freaky Friday (August 10, 2018)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by Steve Carr (Daddy Day Care, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, rap videos)

Written by Bridget Carpenter (Dead Like Me, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, 11.22.63), Brian Yorkey (13 Reasons Why), Tom Kitt (composer - Pitch Perfect, Rise, Spongebob the Musical, Up Here)

Starring: 

Cozi Zuehlsdorff as Ellie Blake (Dolphin Tale, Mighty Med, Hopefuls, HSMTMTS, Going Home)

Heidi Blickenstaff as Katherine Blake (Word World - FF was her final screen credit, stage actor - The Full Monty, The Little Mermaid, The Addams Family, Elf, Something Rotten, Freaky Friday, Jagged Little Pill)

Jason Maybaum as Fletcher Blake (Raven’s Home)

Alex Désert as Mike Harper (character & voice actor - Let it Shine, Invisible Sister, Boy Meets World, Becker, The LeBrons, A League of Their Own, The Simpsons)

Ricky He as Adam (Hallmark Christmas movies, From)

Kahyun Kim as Torrey Min (Zombies: The Re-Animated Series, St. Denis Medical)

Dara Renee as Savannah (HSMTMTS, Descendants: Rise of Red)

Isaiah Lehtinen as Karl Carlson (character actor)

June Laporte as Monica Yang (iZombie, When Calls the Heart, The Last of Us)

Synopsis: 16-year-old Ellie and her mother Katherine wish each other would change their ways. But, when they magically swap bodies, they must find a way to switch back.

Fun Facts: 

This is the first Disney Channel Original Movie to be based on a Disney Theatrical Productions musical.

Heidi Blickenstaff played the role on stage first

Next Movie: Descendants 3

Creators & Guests

Al & Val are joined by Al's pal Currie and host of Let's Chat! with Currie & Adrian to go fully zombie mode with Z-O-M-B-I-E-S!

Zombies (February 16, 2018)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by  Paul Hoen (Luck of the Irish, Tru Confessions, You Wish!, Eddie’s Million Dollar Cookoff, Read it and Weep, Jump In!, CGOW, Dadnapped, Camp Rock 2, Let it Shine, How to Build a Better Boy, Cloud 9, Invisible Sister, ZOMBIES 1-4)

Written by David Light & Joseph Raso (Zombies 1-4, Sneakerella)

Starring: 

Milo Manheim as Zed (Zombies franchise, Prom Pact, School Spirits)

Meg Donnelly as Addison (Zombies franchise, Team Toon, American Housewife, The Winchesters, HSMTMTS, music videos)

Trevor Tordjman as Bucky (Zombies franchise, Lost & Found Music Studios, The Next Step, Bunk’d)

Kylee Russell as Eliza (Zombies franchise)

Carla Jeffery as Bree (Zombies franchise)

Kingston Foster as Zoey (Zombies franchise, Prom Pact)

James Godfrey as Bonzo (The Swap, Zombies franchise)

Naomi Snieckus as Ms. Lee (Wingin’ It, The Casting Room, Playdate, The Swap, Firecracker Department, Mr. D, Ollie’s Pack, Zombies 1-3)

Jonathan Langdon as Coach (Zombies franchise, Run the Burbs) 

Paul Hopkins as Dale (Vampire High, Zombies 1-3)

Marie Ward as Missy (Zombies 1-3, Murdoch Mysteries)

Tony Nappo as Zevon (Fugget About It, Zombies 1-3, Strays, Murdoch Mysteries, Ginny & Georgia)

Emilia McCarthy as Lacey (Zapped, Max & Shred, Zombies franchise, SkyMed)

Jasmine Renee Thomas as Stacey (Zombies franchise)

Kim Roberts as Eliza’s mom (Get a Clue, Jump In, Cheetah Girls,  Z-O-M-B-I-E-S, Charlie Bartlet, character actor, voice actor)

Synopsis: The students of Seabrook High School are thrown when students from Zombietown transfer to their school, and both groups must work together to prove they can embrace their differences to celebrate their community.

Fun Facts: 

There was an unaired sitcom pilot called Zombies and Cheerleaders in 2012 that had the same writers starring Luke Benward

Next Movie: Freaky Friday

Things got a little salty in this waterlogged sequel

Descendants 2 (July 21, 2017)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by Kenny Ortega (started as a music video director, Newsies, Hocus Pocus, Cheetah Girls 2, HSM 2&3, Descendants 1-3)

Written by Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott (Runaway Bride, Descendents 1-5)

Starring: 

Dove Cameron as Mal (Cloud 9, Descendants 1-3, Liv & Maddie, Dumplin, Schmigadoon, Big Nate, music videos)

Cameron Boyce as Carlos (Grown Ups, Jessie, Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything, Descendants 1-3, Mrs. Fletcher, Paradise City)

Booboo Stewart as Jay (Twilight, Descendants 1-3, Good Trouble)

Sofia Carson as Evie (Descendants 1-3, Adventures in Babysitting, Pretty Little Liars: Perfectionists)

Mitchell Hope as Ben (Descendants 1-3)

Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother (Happy Family, Notes from the Underbelly, Saving Mr. Banks, Descendants 1-5)

Brenna D'Amico as Jane (Descendants 1-3)

Zachary Gibson as Doug (Zapped, Descendants 1-3)

Jedidiah Goodacre as Chad Charming (Zapped, Descendants 1-4, The Originals, The Order, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Marry F*ck Kill, F*ck Marry Kill)

Dianne Doan as Lonnie (Descendants 1-2, Vikings, Agents of Shield, Warrior, Grey’s Anatomy)

Bobby Moynihan as the Voice of Dude (SNL, The Awesomes, Sisters, We Bare Bears, Duck Tales, Mr. Mayor, Nature Cat, Pubstruction)

China Anne McClain as Uma (A.N.T. Farm, How to Build a Better Boy, Descendants-verse, Black Lightening, House of Payne)

Thomas Doherty as Harry Hook (Descendents 2&3, The Lodge, Gossip Girls)

Dylan Playfair as Gil (Some Assembly Required, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Letterkenny)

Anna Cathcart as Dizzy Tremaine (Descendents 2&3, Odd Squad, Mistletoe Murders, XO Kitty)

Dan Payne as King Beast (character actor - Stargate SG-1, R.L. Stine’s Haunting Hour, Descendants 1-3, Good Witch, Crank Yankers, Hallmark Christmas Movies)

Keegan Connor Tracy as Queen Belle (character actor - Final Destination 2, 40 Days & 40 Nights, Once Upon a Time, Descendants 1-3, The Magicians)

Synopsis: When the pressure to be royally perfect gets to be too much for Mal, she returns to the Isle of the Lost. She discovers that Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken over as queen, and that her gang is finalizing plans to bring down the barrier.

Fun Facts: The 2nd most watched DCOM of all time after HSM 2

Next Movie: Zombies

Creators & Guests

Al & Val did a body swap and things went haywire! Listen to what happened when we watched The Swap!

The Swap (October 7, 2016)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by Jaime Eliezer Karas (Frank TV, stand up specials, Teachers, Acapulco), Ron Oliver (Are you Afraid of the Dark, Goosebumps, Hallmark movies)

Written by Charlie Shahnaian (2nd to last credit), Shari Simpson (same last credit as Charlie Shahnaian - Color My World with Love)

Starring: 

Peyton List as Ellie O'Brien (27 Dresses, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jessie, Bunk’d, Cobra Kai, School Spirits)

Jacob Bertrand as Jack Malloy (Rise of the Guardians, Marvin Marvin, Bubble Guppies, Kirby Buckets, Batwheels, Cobra Kai)

Darrin Rose as Coach Malloy (Mr. D, Home Sweet Rome)

Claire Rankin as Summer (character actor - Son of a Critch)

Callan Potter as Gunner (The Other Kingdom, Murdoch Mysteries)

Jesse Bostick as Stryker (Camp Rock 2, Frenemies)

Eliana Jones as Aspen Bishop (The Stanley Dynamic, Prom Night)

Kiana Madeira as Sassy Gaines (Really Me, Bad Hair Day, Trinkets, Fear Street, My Adventures with Superman)

Kolton Stewart as Owen (Some Assembly Required, Locke & Key, The Next Step, Unicorn Academy)

James Godfrey as Porter Gibbs (Zombies franchise)

Devyn Nekoda as Mackenzie Wick (Backstage, Utopia Falls, Sneakerella, Scream VI)

Linda Kash as Nurse Helen (character actor - Max Glick, Minor Adjustments, Angela Anaconda, Quads!, Doc, Man of the Year, Fugget About It, Numb Chucks)

Synopsis: Comic chaos ensues when a text causes gymnast Ellie, who's in an important contest, to swap bodies with hockey player brother Jake who's vying for a varsity spot.

Fun Facts: Based on a novel

Next Movie: Descendents 2

Creators & Guests

Al & Val are back after a summer break with the 1987 remake of Adventures in Babysitting. Will they get home before mom? Listen to find out.

Adventures in Babysitting (June 17, 2016)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by John Schultz (Like Mike, Aliens in the Attic, A Christmas Prince)

Written by Tiffany Paulsen (Nancy Drew, Holidate), David Simkins (Adventures in Babysitting 1987, Charmed, Producer of Charmed, Roswell, Warehouse 13, Wu Assassins)

Starring: 

Sabrina Carpenter as Jenny Parker (Girl Meets World, Milo Murphy’s Law, music videos)

Sofia Carson as Lola Perez (Descendents 1-3, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists)

Nikki Hahn as Emily Cooper (American Housewife, Hysteria)

Mallory James Mahoney as Katy Cooper (Descendents 3, Bunk’d)

Max Gecowets as Trey Anderson (only had one credit after this)

Jet Jurgensmeyer as Bobby Anderson (The Stinky & Dirty Show, Last Man Standing, T.O.T.S.)

Madison Horcher as AJ Anderson (Think Like a Dog - last credit in 2020)

Kevin Quinn as Zac Chase (Bunk’d, A Christmas Love Story, music videos)

Gillian Vigman as Helen Anderson (Mad TV, Step Brothers, The Hangover 1-3, Suburgatory, The Holdovers, Star Trek: Lower Decks) 

Gabrielle Miller as Donna Cooper (character actor - Corner Gas show, animated series, and movie)

Michael Northey as Tiny (character actor - Being Erica)

Ken Lawson as Scalper (character actor - Descendents) 

Max Lloyd-Jones as Officer James (character actor - When Calls the Heart, The Irrational)

Kevin O'Grady as Barry Cooper (character actor - Garage Sale Mystery, Peacemaker)

Synopsis: A pair of rival babysitters are forced to work together to find a lost child. This comes after one of them becomes stuck in a large city with her charges.

Fun Facts: 

Originally Raven-Symoné from That's So Raven (2003) and Miley Cyrus from Hannah Montana (2006) were attached in 2009. The title before was called Further Adventures in Babysitting, and was suppose to hit the big screen, but later got shut down. The film was originally going to be released in 2010.

100th DCOM

In this movie, Sabrina Carpenter's character is Jenny Parker. Elisabeth Shue, the star of the original Adventures in Babysitting (1987) played Jennifer Parker in Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Back to the Future Part III (1990).

Next Movie: The Swap 

Creators & Guests

One of us can't find the other because they're INVISIBLE! Can you help? 

Invisible Sister (October 9, 2015)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by Paul Hoen (Luck of the Irish, Tru Confessions, You Wish!, Eddie’s Million Dollar Cookoff, Read it and Weep, Jump In!, CGOW, Dadnapped, Camp Rock 2, Let it Shine, How to Build a Better Boy, Cloud 9, ZOMBIES 1-3)

Written by Billy Eddy & Matt Eddy (Bad Hair Day, Teen Beach 2, Zapped, Monster High 1 & 2, Eureka), Jessica O'Toole (Greek, Charmed)

Starring: 

Rowan Blanchard as Cleo Eastman (Girl Meets World, A Wrinkle in Time, Snowpiercer)

Paris Berelc as Molly Eastman (Mighty Med, Lab Rats: Elite Force, Alexa & Katie, Do Revenge)

Karan Brar as George (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jessie, Bunk’d, Mira: Royal Detective)

Rachel Crow as Nikki (Rio 2, Home: Adventures of Tip & Oh, Timeline, Schooled - stopped in 2020)

Alex Désert as Mr. Perkins (character & voice actor - Let it Shine, Boy Meets World, Becker, The LeBrons, A League of Their Own, The Simpsons)

Will Meyers as Carter (Bad Education, Naomi)

Austin Fryberger as Coug (Snatchers, Boo Bitch)

Synopsis: Cleo's science project goes disastrously wrong, causing her popular older sister Molly to suddenly become invisible.

Fun Fact: Based on the novel "My Invisible Sister" by Beatrice Colin and Sara Pinto

Next Movie: Adventures in Babysitting

Creators & Guests

Al & Val travel to Auradon to visit the children of their favorite Disney heroes & villains. And there's SINGING!

Descendants (July 31, 2015)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by Kenny Ortega (started as a music video director, Newsies, Hocus Pocus, Cheetah Girls 2, HSM 2&3, Descendants 1-3)

Written by Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott (Runaway Bride, Descendents 1-5)

Starring: 

Dove Cameron as Mal (Cloud 9, Descendants 1-3, Liv & Maddie, Dumplin, Schmigadoon, Big Nate, music videos)

Cameron Boyce as Carlos (Grown Ups, Jessie, Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything, Descendants 1-3, Mrs. Fletcher, Paradise City)

Booboo Stewart as Jay (Twilight, Descendants 1-3, Good Trouble)

Sofia Carson as Evie (Descendants 1-3, Pretty Little Liars: Perfectionists)

Mitchell Hope as Ben (Descendants 1-3)

Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother (Happy Family, Notes from the Underbelly, Saving Mr. Banks, Descendants 1-5)

Brenna D'Amico as Jane (Descendants 1-3)

Sarah Jeffery as Audrey (Descendants 1-3, Wayward Pines, Rogue, Shades of Blue, Charmed, LEGO Dreamzzzz)

Zachary Gibson as Doug (Zapped, Descendants 1-3)

Jedidiah Goodacre as Chad Charming (Zapped, Descendants 1-4, The Originals, The Order, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Marry F*ck Kill, F*ck Marry Kill)

Dianne Doan as Lonnie (Descendants 1-2, Vikings, Agents of Shield, Warrior, Grey’s Anatomy)

Dan Payne as King Beast (character actor - Stargate SG-1, R.L. Stine’s Haunting Hour, Descendants 1-3, Good Witch, Crank Yankers, Hallmark Christmas Movies)

Keegan Connor Tracy as Queen Belle (character actor - Final Destination 2, 40 Days & 40 Nights, Once Upon a Time, Descendants 1-3, The Magicians)

Wendy Raquel Robinson as Cruella de Vil (character actor - The Steve Harvey Show, The Game)

Maz Jobrani as Jafar (character actor - Superior Donuts, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me)

Kathy Najimy as Evil Queen (Scream Team, Sister Act, Hocus Pocus, Pepper Ann, Veronica’s Closet, Numb3rs, WALL-E, King of the Hill, Veep, Younger)

Kristin Chenoweth as Maleficent (Kristin, The West Wing, Pushing Daisies, Schmigadoon!, Wicked)

Synopsis: In present-day Auradon, Ben, the benevolent teenage son of King Adam and Queen Belle, offers a chance of redemption for the troublemaking offspring of Disney's classic villains: Cruella De Vil, Maleficent, the Evil Queen and Jafar.

Fun Fact: Initially, this was not going to be a musical until Kenny Ortega came on board to direct.

Next Movie: Invisible Sister

Al & Val return to the most musical meta beach universe for Teen Beach 2. Will they fix the story before they disappear?! 

Teen Beach 2 (June 27, 2015)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by Jeffrey Hornaday (Geek Charming, Teen Beach 1&2 - no credits past 2015)

Written by Billy Eddy & Matt Eddy (Zapped, Bad Hair Day, Monster High 1 & 2, Eureka), Dan Berendsen (Up Up and Away, Scream Team, Eddie’s Million Dollar Cookoff, Stuck in the Suburbs, Halloweentown High, Twitches, Twitches Two, Hannah Montana movie, Wizards of Waverly Place the movie, Cheetah Girls: One World, Camp Rock 2, Sabrina the Teenage Witch)

Starring: 

Ross Lynch as Brady (Teen Beach 1&2, Austin & Ally, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, music videos)

Maia Mitchell as McKenzie (Mack) (Mortified, Trapped, Teen Beach 1&2, The Fosters, Good Trouble)

Grace Phipps Gillam as Lela (Teen Beach 1&2, Z Nation)

Garrett Clayton as Tanner (Teen Beach 1&2, character actor)

John DeLuca as Butchy (Teen Beach 1&2, character actor)

Chrissie Fit as Cheechee (Teen Beach 1&2, General Hospital, Pitch Perfect 2&3, voice & character actor)

Piper Curda as Alyssa (Rule the Mix, A.N.T. Farm, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, I Didn’t Do It, Legacies, Matlock)

Beth Lacke as Brady's mother (character actor - Happy Hour, Work It, Frequency, HSMTMTS, Chicago Med)

Jordan Fisher as Seacat (voice actor, Archibald’s Next Big Thing, HSMTMTS, Turning Red, The Flash)

Raymond Cham Jr. as Devon (Mech-X4, Five Points, The Big Leap, Sort Of)

Ross Butler as Spencer (K.C. Undercover, Shazam! 1&2, 13 Reasons Why, To All The Boys 2 & 3, Raya and the Last Dragon, Riverdale)

Synopsis: Months after surfer sweethearts McKenzie and Brady return from a summer adventure, that transported them into Brady's favourite 1960s beach party movie, `Wet Side Story', they receive a surprise visit from their newfound surfer and biker buddies.

Fun Facts: Ross Lynch's band, R5, wrote a song for the movie.

Next Movie: Descendents

Al and Val have to get to prom but they are on the run from a diamond thief! OH NO! Help us out by giving us a listen. And vote for us for Prom Queen! 

Bad Hair Day (February 13, 2015)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by Erik Canuel (Big Wolf on Campus, Flashpoint, 19-2)

Written by Billy Eddy & Matt Eddy (Zapped, Teen Beach 2, Monster High 1 & 2, Eureka), Eric M. Gardner (only 1 other credit)

Starring: 

Laura Marano as Monica Reeves (Without a Trace, Austin & Ally, Ladybird, music videos)

Leigh-Allyn Baker as Liz (character & voice actor - Mass Effect, Back at the Barnyard, Good Luck Charlie, Will & Grace)

Christian Campbell as Pierce (character & voice actor - Max Steel, Big Love, Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes)

Alain Goulem as Monica's Dad (character & voice actor - Bob Moraine, 18 to Life, Assassins Creed, My Old Ass)

Christian Paul as Ed (character & voice actor - Wicker Park, Assassins Creed)

Kiana Madeira as Sierra (Really Me, Trinkets, Fear Street, My Adventures with Superman)

Jake Manley as Kyle Timmons (Heroes Reborn, iZombie, Midway, The Order)

Zoé De Grand Maison as Ashley (Orphan Black, Riverdale)

Synopsis: A high school student is desperate to be prom queen, but on the big night her hair is an uncontrollably bad mess. Meanwhile, a lady FBI agent is on the hunt for a jewel thief who is looking for a stolen necklace, which the messy haired girl has in her possession. Soon, she and the agent chase the jewel thief, and she's whizzed on a wild adventure in the city.

Fun Facts: 

The executive producer is Leigh-Allyn Baker, who plays Liz in the film.

Laura Marano (Monica) didn't have a stunt double for the driving scenes

The movie was filmed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Next Movie: Teen Beach 2

We're back with part two of our episode with special guests Mallory & Evan from Pop Capsule Podcast! Enjoy their incredible synopsis and maayybee we get a Bingo or two!

How to Build a Better Boy (August 15, 2014)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by Paul Hoen (Luck of the Irish, Tru Confessions, You Wish!, Eddie’s Million Dollar Cookoff, Read it and Weep, Jump In!, CGOW, Dadnapped, Camp Rock 2, Let it Shine, Cloud 9, ZOMBIES 1-3)

Written by Jason Mayland (Space Chimps, Eureka)

Starring: 

China Anne McClain as Gabby Harrison (A.N.T. Farm, Descendants-verse, Black Lightening, House of Payne)

Kelli Berglund as Mae Hartley (Lab Rats, The Goldbergs, Heels)

Marshall Williams as Albert Banks / X-17 (Glee, When Hope Calls, Hallmark Christmas movies)

Matt Shively as Bart Hartley (True Jackson: VP, Winx Club, The Real O’Neals, The Purge, American Housewife, Total Badass Wrestling, Players, Lopez vs. Lopez)

Ashley Argota Torres as Nevaeh Barnes (True Jackson: VP, Bucket & Skinner’s Epic Adventures, Lab Rats, The Fosters)

Noah Centineo as Jaden Stark (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Fosters, T@gged, Black Adam, The Recruit)

Ron Lea as General McFee (character actor - Street Legal, Wind at My Back, Doc, Orphan Black, Murdoch Mysteries)

Roger Bart as Dr. James Hartley (Bram & Alice, Singing voice of Hercules, The Producers, American Gangster, The Event, Desperate Housewives, Political Animals, Easy to Assemble, Revenge, Trumbo, Episodes, Graves, Good Trouble)

Synopsis: Two tech-savvy teenagers unknowingly use military software to program robotic boyfriends with ideal qualities when they grow tired of the high school boys around them.

Fun Facts: 

Ashley Argota Torres and Matt Shively previously co-starred in the series True Jackson, VP (2008), which aired on Disney Channel's rival network, Nickelodeon.

Next Movie:  Bad Hair Day