Teen Beach Movie by Jeffrey Hornaday
Review by Danielle DC., Youth Reviewer
With summer here, a refreshing movie throwback I recommend is "Teen Beach Movie"! "Teen Beach Movie" is hands down one of my personal favourites and childhood musical with its amazing OST (Original Soundtrack), lovable characters, delightful plot and ability to put a twist onto a cliche story!
"Teen Beach Movie" came out in 2013, and has a sequel, "Teen Beach 2", which was released in 2015. This Disney channel classic is about two people (Brady and Mac) getting stuck in a movie called Wet Side Story; a surfers vs bikers, Romeo & Juliet styled film from 1962. In the 2010s, teen musicals were incredibly popular, and "Teen Beach Movie" was nothing short of expectations!
When I first watched this movie, it all seemed magical. The songs were catchy, the plot was hilarious, and it brightened up my youth! I remember singing along to every single song with my friends, and overall this movie is one of my childhood treasures. I recently rewatched the movie, and after seeing it again after so long, I can for sure see some strong points as well as flaws. If I were to give completely unbiased feedback, there were a few 'sudden' moments that had no previous context and made no sense. Also, some scenes were cheesy and a bit unbearable. There was a horrible green screen, but I think that helped emphasize the fact that they were stuck in a movie from 1962. Things like their outfits, language, and culture reflected that and helped it shine more. It was also really fresh to see a Disney movie based in the year 1962 because as a kid, it was my first time getting exposure to that culture. I still really enjoyed the movie and the songs are certainly my favourite part of the film! The ending did seem slightly rushed, but the movie was easy to follow and was steady. I loved the 'silliness' of it all, and it simply made me so happy inside! Especially because it's so rare to see movies like this being released today.
This is absolutely a family movie for the summer, but rather than kids watching it these days, I highly suggest this movie to people who are looking for nostalgia and enjoy musicals.