*This post is technically still a little unfinished, but it has been a long time in the making and I really couldn't wait any longer to post it, so that's why I'm posting it now. You will just see my ranking of these movies in this post, not my thoughts about them. However, I will be adding my reflections on each of these movies soon. So just be on the lookout for that. In the meantime, I hope you still enjoy what I was able to include in this post as of now. (:
Welcome Back to Disney and Merry (late) Christmas!💓💚🎄I hope you enjoyed my last post on A Definitive Ranking of Every Song from the Descendants Franchise, and I also hope that you're having a WONDERFUL holiday season. The New Year is approaching, but I have one more special gift for you this year.🎁In the form of a blog post, of course.😉😊Let's just say today's post is DOUBLE the FUN, DOUBLE the NOSTALGIA, and DOUBLE the EXCITEMENT! Just DOUBLE EVERYTHING, really. That's because, as you can see from the title of this post, today we're going down memory lane and talking all about Mary-Kate and Ashley. Specifically, their ICONIC movies. Yes, ALL OF THEM. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.🎉👧👧🎥📼📺🎬🎉
This post has been a long time in the making. 'Cause I initially planned to get this post up much earlier than now, but you know, things don't always go as planned.👎😔 So that's why you're just seeing it now. 👍👏Trust me, though, it was worth your wait. I promise.😉😊I, myself, am kind of happy that it all worked out this way (you know, getting this post up at the end of December, before New Year's Eve) because it's the end of the year and I've definitely saved the BEST, probably my MOST FAVORITE post yet, for last.
I mean, where do I even begin? Who didn't grow up being a fan of Mary-Kate and Ashley?✋And their movies...ahhh...just some of the GREATEST movies to EVER EXIST. Definitely, my favorite thing to have come from their franchise. Or shall I say, EMPIRE? But my LOVE for all things Mary-Kate and Ashley didn't start with their movies. It happened far before I was introduced to those. 'Cause as you know, Mary-Kate and Ashley gave us an assortment, a whole wide range, of merchandise and entertainment. And I had it all. Okay, I didn't have it ALL, but I owned quite A LOT of their stuff throughout my childhood. Some things that I still have saved somewhere. I had a couple of their dolls, some clothes and accessories from their Walmart fashion line, a couple of their books, one of their direct-to-video series and one of their TV series on VHS, and a few of their movies on DVD. Here are some of the Mary-Kate and Ashley things I owned as a kid/teen and some that I still have...
(the first VHS tape I (and my sisters) got when we were kids)
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(My sister (Ariel) and I also received the Mary-Kate & Ashley doll bed set at some point, too. I believe it was for a Valentine's Day gift one year, but I'm not exactly sure. See pics below.)
(So, those were the dolls and bed set that I remember having as a kid and playing with, but these next dolls also look very familiar and are some that I think my older sister had to have had or something, because I feel like I remember some of them being in our house as a kid. Ariel and Amber, if you're reading this, tell me if you remember any of these next few dolls.)
(This next Mary-Kate doll also looks very familiar, like a doll I remember my sister (Ariel) also having. But again, maybe I'm crazy?)
(And, the dolls from this next commercial I thought I would just include in this post for fun because these would have been cool ones to have as a kid, too. What do you think?)
(For my 6th birthday I received this So Little Time VHS tape)
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So, that's some of the Mary-Kate and Ashley merchandise that I had as a kid. And I'm sure it didn't stop there. My earliest childhood memory when it comes to these things, and something I will never forget, is when I was five years old. It was December, right around Christmastime, and our (me and my family's) next-door neighbors at the time came over and gifted my sisters and me Mary-Kate and Ashley's Christmas Collection VHS tape. (As seen in the pic below).
That little VHS tape was EVERYTHING to me as a kid. My sisters and I, and just myself alone at times, watched that videotape so many times throughout our childhood. We LOVED it. Well, I won't speak for them, but I know I LOVED it. I have such fond, vivid memories of watching that Mary-Kate and Ashley video as a kid, as a teen, and even as an adult. It truly never gets old.
For a while, that VHS tape and Full House were the only forms of Mary-Kate and Ashley content I was getting in my life as a kid. Well, those and the So Little Time VHS tape I would watch. So, even though that Christmas Collection VHS wasn't the first bit of Mary-Kate and Ashley merch I received as a kid, it was a VERY IMPORTANT one. 'Cause that VHS was the first thing that really introduced them (to me) as their own real-life individuals, away from their character (Michelle) on Full House. That VHS also then led me to want to rent more Mary-Kate and Ashley direct-to-video VHS tapes from the knockoff Blockbuster video store my family and I lived close to, which we would occasionally go to. And then when their final movie New York Minute came out when I was seven, and I watched it (another very fond memory I have) for the very first time, that became EVERYTHING to me as a kid for a while, too. Everything when it comes to the Mary-Kate and Ashley universe, that is.
Then one day when I was a teenager, I was probably watching Full House or one of those videos of theirs I just mentioned above (maybe even Billboard Dad because some cable channel used to play that movie, and I would record and watch it quite a lot), I decided I wanted to own more of their movies on DVD because at that time I also realized that I had not seen ALL of their movies. Up until that point, when it came to their movies, I had only seen To Grandmother's House We Go, It Takes Two, Winning London, and New York Minute. So for my birthday one year, I think I was 14, my dad gifted me Passport to Paris and Switching Goals on DVD. I was SO HAPPY.😊 But I also felt kind of bad and guilty because my little sister Amber (celebrategoodtimesblog.blogspot.com) also wanted Switching Goals so badly at the time too, and it just so happened that I got it first only because my birthday comes before hers.
She and I LOVED watching Two of a Kind at the time, and we loved that era of Mary-Kate and Ashley, and so she (my sister) told me about those movies (Passport to Paris and Switching Goals) being on DVD because she wanted them on DVD for herself first. So, I sort of owe it all to her for me getting those DVDs that year for my birthday, and still having them to this day. Of course, I've always shared them with her, but still, I'm sorry about that one time Amber (if you're reading this).😊💓Once I got Passport to Paris and Switching Goals on DVD, it was game over, because those two movies were all I really cared to watch from the Mary-Kate and Ashley franchise for a long time after that. Until I took another break from watching their stuff and then it was the year 2015.
In 2015 I got back into my Mary-Kate and Ashley phase all because I saw a commercial that TeenNick and Nickelodeon were going to be airing all the Mary-Kate and Ashley movies and their TV series, So Little Time (as seen in the videos above). I was even older then (age 18), and I decided to record all of those movies and episodes that TeenNick and Nickelodeon were going to be airing and I watched all the rest of their movies that I had never seen before that year. And of course, I re-watched all the So Little Time episodes, as well. So, by 2015 I had seen EVERY movie by Mary-Kate and Ashley. And since then, all throughout my 20's I have gone back to watch them here and there, by myself and with my sisters. This year (this summer), being the most recent, last time that I watched them. All because I wanted to talk about them here, with you, on this blog. Watching these movies again this year MADE my summer. So I'm VERY EXCITED to finally share my thoughts and opinions about them here for the FIRST TIME, and just to get to talk about them period, because I LOVE talking about these movies and really anything and EVERYTHING Mary-Kate and Ashley.😊💕👧👧
As you can tell, I've been a fan of Mary-Kate and Ashley basically my whole life (since I was five), and I don't see that ever ending really. I also fully support what they are doing now, being the fashion designers they've always wanted to be and the FASHION ICONS they are and were.💓I mean, their FASHION in these movies...let's just say, deserves a post all on its own. I also fully support them wanting to be more private these days (not that they need my support, but you know what I mean) because they've worked so hard and have given us not only all of these AMAZING movies (that I'll be mentioning here on this post), but everything else they put out throughout the 90s and early 2000s to enjoy for years and years. All of those are reasons why I wanted to create this new section on my blog solely dedicated to Mary-Kate and Ashley and the entertainment they have given us in the form of TV shows, movies, music videos, etc. because I have a deep, nostalgic LOVE for them all. And I wanted this to be the first post for this section, Back to MK&A, because besides Full House, Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies are usually the first things that come to my mind whenever I think about, hear, or see the words 'Mary-Kate and Ashley'.
Now, before we get into these ICONIC movies, for those of you who for some reason have no idea who Mary-Kate and Ashley are or just have never seen a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie, TV show, music video, etc....which, if you haven't...what?! that's CRAZY!, then I'll just give you a brief history about Mary-Kate and Ashley and how these movies (that I'll be mentioning here shortly) came to be.
Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986) made their acting debut as babies playing Michelle Tanner on the ICONIC 90s television sitcom Full House, which ran from 1987 until 1995. On that show, Mary-Kate and Ashley took turns playing the role of Michelle Tanner in order to comply with child labor laws.👶👶📺 It wasn't until 1992, that they appeared as separate characters in their first TV movie EVER, To Grandmother's House We Go.💓💚🎄👧👧👵 There were a couple of episodes of Full House, before that TV movie they made in 1992, where Mary-Kate and Ashley appeared together on-screen, but To Grandmother's House We Go was really the first time fans got to see the two act together playing two separate characters for a longer time. I mean, just like with Full House, they (Mary-Kate and Ashley) carried that Christmas movie. As they continued to grow up, they starred in other TV shows, movies, and media through their own production company, Dualstar, which began in 1993. That's when all their subsequent videos and films, like Double, Double, Toil & Trouble (1993) and How The West Was Fun (1994) came about.🎃🧡🤎🤠 As well as their series of musical mystery videos called The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley, which started in 1994 and continued through 1997.
Following the end of Full House in 1995, Mary-Kate and Ashley made their feature film debut in It Takes Two. That same year they also introduced a second video series called You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's..., which continued to release new entries until 2000.🎉In 1998, Mary-Kate and Ashley returned to television with another ABC sitcom, Two of a Kind.👧👧👨👩 That series only ran for one season (which I'm still mad about👎😠), but 1998 also saw the release of Billboard Dad, the first of a new string of direct-to-video films starring the girls. In 2001, Mary-Kate and Ashley starred in two new series: So Little Time, a live-action Fox Family (later ABC Family) sitcom, and Mary-Kate & Ashley In Action!, which was an animated series that aired on Saturday mornings on ABC. However, both shows were canceled after one season.👎
Finally, a year after their final direct-to-video film (The Challenge), Mary-Kate and Ashley starred in their second big feature film, New York Minute.🏙That year Mary-Kate and Ashley also gained legal control of their production company, Dualstar Entertainment Group, the day they turned 18. New York Minute, unfortunately, did not do well in the box office and suffered negative critical reception. That film was their last film together, as well as Ashley's last acting role ever.😔They both went on to attend college at NYU, but while Ashley retired from acting, Mary-Kate continued to appear in film and television starting with a film titled Factory Girl in 2006. While freshmen at NYU, the girls showed their gift as business owners and they wanted to ensure that Dualstar and all its Olsen-related merch, matured along with them and their demographic of fans. So, they steered the company toward furniture and fragrance design.
According to my research, in 2005, Mary-Kate became the first of the two sisters to drop out of college to spend her time doing what she loved, acting and being at the Dualstar offices discussing major decisions. Ashley dropped out of college soon after Mary-Kate, and they embarked on a career in fashion together. In 2006, their production company (Dualstar) even partnered with Dylan and Cole Sprouse (from the ICONIC and UNFORGETTABLE Disney Channel series, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) to produce a magazine and many other things, geared toward young males. That same year (2006), they founded their own luxury fashion label the Row, (based in New York City) and they never looked back. They have won several awards from the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) for that label.👏👏🏆 In 2007, they also designed and launched a contemporary collection named after their brother and sister, Elizabeth & James. They also released a women's clothing line for J.C. Penney, called Olsenboye (which I also still have an item from and wear to this day) and they created and headed a t-shirt line called StyleMint all in that same year. By that time, they were also ranked as the 11th richest women in entertainment by Forbes. Dualstar was also selling $1 billion dollars in Mary-Kate and Ashley merchandise a year. And they were only 21 at the time.
In 2008, Mary-Kate and Ashley entered the book biz.📚 They published a book titled "Influence". All while still focusing on what they love, FASHION. Mary-Kate's final acting project ever, (which I also did see with my family around the time it first came out) was in the 2011 film, Beastly. So, by 2012 Mary-Kate and Ashley were both retired from acting and made fashion their main career of choice. And their fashion career has just evolved over the years with the awards for it always rolling in. So, they are still doing it all.
Here's a video I also put together that helps explain their trajectory as actors and fashion moguls probably a lot better than I just did:
PART 1:
PART 2:
PART 3:
So, as you can see again from that video compilation, Mary-Kate and Ashley were very popular figures in the preteen/tween market during the late 90s and early 2000s. In fact, their names and likenesses not only extended to videos and movies but to clothes, shoes, purses, hats, dolls, books, CDs...you name it, they had it...
Some people might say (I say), that even though they are more private these days, they are still very popular and still influencing a whole generation and new generations coming up. And it's cool to see that their love for the career they're doing now, fashion, was very much present in these movies (that I'm about to finally talk about) and in everything else they put out in the 90s and early 2000s. I mean, they not only influenced my LOVE for fashion but they also introduced me to all the AMAZING places they visited in these movies. In fact, a lot of the places that Mary-Kate and Ashley adventure to in these movies didn't even exist to me until I watched their movies. In other words, they pretty much define what I believe these countries and cities to be like since I've never been to them before, and that just goes to show how AMAZING, UNFORGETTABLE, and just ICONIC Mary-Kate and Ashley movies truly are. So, what are we waiting for? Grab your passports, because we're finally getting into A Ranking of Every Mary-Kate and Ashley Movie!💓👧👧🎄🎃🐴🤠👰💍💒🏕👨✈🌍🥖🍟🍔📷⚽🌏🏄🦘🎢🤺📚🏰🏖🌅⛴🏂❆🔑🎂🍕👗✂👛👠🌞💃🏙
Just a brief note before we begin: This ranking includes EVERY Mary-Kate and Ashley movie, because I did not choose to separate the direct-to-video films from the television films or the feature films. Again, I just wanted to watch them ALL together and rank them together. It also goes without saying, that you can't really compare ART. Especially when it comes to Mary-Kate and Ashley movies, because every single one of these movies (well, the majority of them) are BEAUTIFUL in their own way. This is just a ranking for FUN. Now for real this time, let's get into A Ranking of Every Mary-Kate and Ashley Movie!
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Oh, and since we're talking about all the movies Mary-Kate and Ashley have been in, here's a clip from a movie you may know called The Little Rascals (1994). Mary-Kate and Ashley made a little appearance in this movie. It obviously didn't make this ranking, and is not one of their movies, because it didn't star them. However, they did have a little guest star moment. And I just had to mention it somewhere in this post so here it is:
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Okay, so I hate to have to put any Mary-Kate and Ashley movie LAST on a ranking, but this movie just really isn't one of the best. It wasn't my favorite the first time I ever watched it (back in 2015) and it's still (clearly) my least favorite after having rewatched it for this post. Though, don't get me wrong, because if you love Mary-Kate and Ashley and their other movies, I do recommend you watching this movie at least once in your life. In other words, Getting There is worth a one-time watch, and I'll tell you why.
First, for those of you who have never seen this movie, I'll just give you a brief summary of what it's about. Basically, in this movie, Taylor (played by Ashley) and Kylie (played by Mary-Kate) celebrate turning 16-years-old and getting their driver's license by going on their FIRST, BIG road trip (Well, their first road trip not flying or using their private jet. Actually driving themselves on the actual road, as Taylor mentions at the beginning of the movie.👍) without their parents and with their friends, Lyndi (played by Holly Towne), Toast (played by Jeff D' Agostino), Danny (played by Billy Aaron Brown), Jenn (played by Heather Lindell), and Sam (played by Talon Ellithorpe) to Salt Lake City, Utah for the 2002 Winter Olympics.💙🎂👧👧🚘✈🚌❄❆⛷🏂 And to the girls (Taylor and Kylie) and their friends, life is all good. Nope, it's all GREAT, until everything doesn't go according to plan.🤯
At the start of the road trip, the girls are all riding in Taylor and Kylie's new red convertible together and the boys in a separate car.🚘💗🚘💙 The boys first stop at some fast-food place for breakfast burritos, because Toast (Yes, that's the boy character's actual name in the movie. Well, that's what the other characters like to call him.) had an urgent need for them, which is where the first problem arises. As they get a flat tire. So, they (the boys) then decide that they'll just have to fly to Utah.🌯👦👦👦🚘🚫✈ The girls then have a similar problem of their own when they also decide to stop at a local restaurant for a bite of food before they continue on their way to Utah, and they come out of the restaurant to see that their car has been stolen.😮🚘🚫👧👧👧👧 So, they (the girls) then have to also catch a flight to Utah.✈ But, both the girls and boys have to wait the next day to get on the flight. So, they all end up back at Taylor and Kylie's parents' house to spend the night until they can catch their flight the next morning. And that is just everything that happens during DAY 1.
DAY 2, the girls and boys get up early to catch an early nonstop flight to Utah, without each group telling each other that they're doing so. So, they are all surprised when they see each other at the airport trying to do the same thing the opposite group was trying to do. And it becomes a literal race in the airport, between the girls and boys, to see who can catch the early nonstop flight first.👦👦👦🚩🏁👧👧👧👧 But, of course, both groups end up getting to the front desk at the same time and they get told that the flight is full. So, they then have to buy tickets for a later flight.😞✈🚫 However, things go wrong again, when Kylie feels that since she got the girls into this mess she must take control to try and fix it. Which she then does by accidentally buying the wrong ticket, putting her and the girls on the wrong plane where they end up in San Diego, instead of San Francisco. They end up being stuck in San Diego because of bad weather, there being no flights to Utah, and nothing back to LA. At the same time, the boys also get grounded someplace they're not supposed to be either because of bad weather and Sam's idea. And again, that's just what happens on the second day.😒
DAY 3, the girls and boys are still determined to make it to Utah in time for the Olympics, so they take a coach from LA to Vegas.🚐 But they get separated at a gas station after Danny, Taylor, and Lyndi get off the bus to get some food to eat while the others (Kylie, Sam, Toast, and Jenn) are left sleeping in the bus. The bus with the sleeping kids drives away while the others are still getting food inside the gas station. Therefore, when Danny, Taylor, and Lyndi come out of the gas station they hop back on the wrong bus, because it also looked exactly like the other bus that they were on before.🚐🚐 So, Kylie and her gang make it to Vegas where they end up taking part in an Elvis-themed wedding (as if this movie couldn't have gotten any weirder💒👰🤵💍🎤🎵), while Taylor and her gang are stranded in a "one-horse town without the horse" (as Kylie says).🤠🐴
Long story short, while stranded in the one-horse town, Taylor ends up meeting a girl her age named Charly, who has a pick-up truck and offers to give Taylor and her friends a ride to Vegas. But Charly's truck breaks down and she reveals to Taylor, Danny, and Lyndi that she actually lives in a mansion and owns a private jet.🤠👧🏡✈ Taylor, Danny, and Lyndi have dinner with Charly and her parents, and then Charly's dad offers to fly all of the teens to Salt Lake City, Utah.👨👧👧👦👧🤠🐴✈🏔❄❆ So, Taylor, Kylie, and all their friends finally make it to Utah, but are too late for Olympics. Taylor is at first upset because she would have liked to see her favorite athlete, Alex Reisher, compete. But the whole friend group have their fun anyways by holding their own Olympics, playing "The Canon Ball Games"🏊, skiing⛷, snow tubing, snowmobiling, and just doing all the wintery, fun, snowy things.🏔🏂❄❆🏨♨☕ Taylor also does end up meeting some man and they end up spending the day skiing together, never seeing his face.👨👧😐😕 That is, until...SPOILER ALERT...a month later goes by and the girls and their friends are back home in Taylor and Kylie's red convertible taking a joy ride, when Taylor sees her picture in a newspaper article and she realizes that she spent the day skiing with her Olympic crush, Alex Reisher.👀👨👧🚫 Oh, and the girls also find out why their car was stolen in the first place. SPOILER ALERT: Reason being that the thief took it because he saw it at the diner and fell in love with it and just had to take it for a 27-day test drive.🤣 By the end of this movie, we also see that Jenn and Toast (aka Joshua) are now a couple and Charly's going to school in LA with the girls and their group of friends now, too. Yeah, so I kind of just gave you more than just a short summary of the movie (and some spoilers) but what can I say...I'm not the best at summarizing things.😊 👍
This is one of the few Mary-Kate and Ashley movies that I've seen the least amount of times throughout my life and that's mostly by choice. In other words, I did not grow up watching this specific movie of theirs. As I did not watch it when it first came out on VHS or DVD, being that I was only five years old at the time and I just didn't know about this movie or any of their other movies at that time in my life. Though, like I mentioned before, I watched this movie for the FIRST TIME in 2015 (when I was eighteen) when TeenNick was playing a marathon of all their movies. Then I had only watched it one other time, a few years after that, with my sisters when I was in my early 20s. Both times it was never my favorite. But my first time watching it and just finding out that it even existed, not gonna lie, I was more excited about it just because I had never seen it before. So, that's why I say that the first watch of this movie is very exciting and not so bad. But, for me, it's just not a go-to movie of theirs that I love. I still wouldn't mind rewatching it again if one of my sisters wanted to watch it with me or just to even show someone who's never seen it before. But you won't find me just turning this movie on whenever and wherever like I would with some of their other ICONIC movies.
This movie is just always a tough watch. Hard to get through. I was more so just very curious than excited to rewatch this movie (for only the third time) to see if my opinions of it had changed at all, which they haven't really, because (as I mentioned before) I still don't like it. Although, I do like and appreciate certain aspects of this movie. Just as a whole, it's not the best. For instance, I love the whole road trip aspect of this movie. But I only loved the scenes when they were actually driving their new car.🚘 I mean, the movie is called Getting There: Sweet 16 and Licensed to Drive, where the beginning shows them turning sixteen and making a big deal of their driver's licenses and getting their car. But yet, it barely shows them driving at all in this movie.👎😔 I would have loved this movie more if they just used that great red convertible as their transportation to Utah the whole time. 'Cause bad things and obstacles still could have arose just in a different way. So, I mainly just love the very beginning and end of this movie for that reason of it actually showing them driving in the car.
Another thing that I don't like about this movie, is that this movie is all about them going to the snowy city of Utah for the Olympics, and yet only the last 30 minutes of the movie actually shows them in Utah.👎🏔❆❄ That's kind of a bummer.😔 I mean, I know the message is all about the fun is supposed to be in getting there, but I didn't care for all the in-between scenes. I just wanted to see them driving the car they were SO EXCITED to get, and to see them doing all the wintery activities in the place they so badly wanted to get to, for much longer than we actually got to see them do those things for. But, interestingly enough, Mary-Kate and Ashley were actually not even sixteen yet when they filmed this movie.😮 Therefore, they didn't have their drivers' licenses, which is why all the scenes with them (Mary-Kate and Ashley) "driving" had to be faked, with their car actually being towed by another car. So, that makes a little more sense why we didn't get to see them doing a lot of driving scenes. But, honestly, the driving scenes looked good no matter how they did it, in my opinion. As, again, those were my favorite moments in the movie.🚘😎 💕
I do LOVE the whole SWEET 16 theme of this movie, though.🎂🎈👧👧🎉 It makes for some fun and relatability. I, for one, can relate a little to how Ashley's character is in this movie when it came time for the girls to take their driver's test. 'Cause unlike Kylie who is all confident taking her driver's test, Taylor is more nervous about it and has to study until like the very last minute before she sits down to actually take the test, which would be me. But, speaking of relatability, this movie is also not-so relatable. As for one, not every normal, un-privileged person gets a car for their 16th birthday.🎂🚘🚫 And, second, no normal person could have happen to them what the friend group has happen to them in this movie and still have the money, the time, or the means for a luxury, wintery vacation like they get to have at the end of this movie. It's just not possible or realistic. In other words, this movie is like Holiday in the Sun times 1,000 when it comes to out-of-touch with reality moments, because their characters get stuff and keep messing up and keep getting stuff. Money was never a concern for Taylor or Kylie in this movie. So, this movie is definitely their most out-of-touch when it comes to a socioeconomic perspective. And, again,, I get that it's just a movie and you have to sort of suspend disbelief, but I still don't like this movie for that reason.
I also don't like how they treat Toast and Lyndi in this movie, including Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters. As for one, Toast's real name is actually Joshua, but they kind of bully him by calling him Toast just because he likes food? For example, there's one moment in this movie when Toast is eating all the food at a buffet in Vegas and some guy named Ross comes up to him and says, "Toasty, in my country we have a word to describe you. Big."😮😠👎 Like, seriously, how AWFUL to say to or about someone. Lazy writing. Just LAZY. Oh, and it doesn't end there. 'Cause after Ross makes that comment Toast says (in Elvis's voice), "Thank you, Ross. Thank you very much." and then Jenn says, "I think I now understand why Elvis had such a weight problem."😮😠👎 UGH, RUDE, and such an UNNECESSARY comment. The whole friend group would also speak down to Lyndi a lot and they sort of just used her in this movie, which I didn't like. I also thought the whole Alex Reisher thing was weird, because the guy looked way older than Ashley's character and he should not have been hanging out with a 16-year-old girl.👨🚫👧 Again, that was just very weird and creepy to me.
Back to the socioeconomic, out-of-touch with reality thing, I also didn't like a comment made by Mary-Kate's character in this movie when the whole friend group is heading onto the private jet to go to Utah and Kylie says to the group, "Now this is the only way to travel."🙄 Yeah, like I'm sorry, but not everyone can travel by private jet. She was just showing her privilege a little bit there, even though I know she was just excited about it but she could have still been excited about flying in a private jet without saying that comment. I also usually LOVE music montages in movies, especially Mary-Kate and Ashley movies, but the skiing and snowmobile montages at the end of this movie weren't that great. I mean, it's still one of the better scenes of the movie, but not their best movie montages. But that could also just be because I'm not all that interested in skiing or snowmobiling.🏔🏂🎿🎶
Again, despite all those bad comments and things I don't like about this movie, I do LOVE the overall message/lesson of this movie. As it's all about having fun, living freely, and not taking life so seriously because it's the mishaps and getting there part that makes where you wanna be (the there) so much more worth it.👍👏💗 In other words, as Kylie has to remind Taylor all throughout the film, the misadventure is the adventure. As she also says, "Sometimes it's the journey, not the destination." The friends didn't quite make it to the Olympics but on their road trip they got to hang out with friends, make some new ones, and most of all they had a blast along the way. And I like how Kylie ends that sentiment by saying, "the coolest part about turning 16...having fun. That, and of course driving." The driving at sixteen part I can't relate to, but the having fun part is most definitely true.
But, apparently Taylor doesn't even actually really learn that lesson by the end of this movie. I mean, she realizes that after all the craziness they went through it was all worth it, but only because she had all the fun being there. She didn't actually enjoy the "getting there" part of it all. So, it really just seems like Kylie understands the message of the movie, because she clearly had fun getting there. Again, it wasn't until they were able to hop on a private jet and get to where they wanted to be that Taylor actually enjoyed the "getting there" part of it all. As Taylor even says to Kylie when they are all about to board the private jet and Kylie compliments Taylor on the ride, "You know, you can only have so much bad luck. You know, eventually it's gonna change. So, this is change." And then Kylie asks Taylor after she says that, "So, is it still a misadventure?". And Taylor says, "Sometimes when you get lost you find things. Like..." and Kylie says, "A private jet?" and Taylor smiles and says, "Yeah." and then she introduces Charly to everyone. So, basically what I'm trying to say is that Taylor never really learned the value of getting there and Kylie never learned the value of there.
There's also messages/lessons about the importance of doing things that you wanna do, not what others tell you to do. Which, is something that Jenn tells Toast (aka Joshua). Everything doesn't have to be about competition, just do things for the fun of it. Something that Jenn and Taylor basically tell Danny and Sam. Don't judge a book by its cover. Something Taylor, Danny and Lyndi learn when at first they think that Charly is just some humble, farm girl, but she turns out to be a nice, rich girl. And again, just remembering that things don't always turn out the way you plan, but the experiences usually turn out to be really amazing. It's the experiences that's more important. Something Taylor was supposed to learn by the end of this movie, but doesn't really.
Although, I can't relate to having the exact same Sweet 16th birthday like Taylor and Kylie have in this movie, every time I watch this movie it does bring back memories of my own 16th birthday party and being sixteen and what that meant. 'Cause even though I didn't get a car on my 16th birthday (which I actually didn't care to have or want at all at that time), it was just as SWEET of a16th for me, as well. So, even though this movie doesn't send this message, I would just say that no one's SWEET 16 is the same nor does it have to be the same typical party/celebration as seen in this movie. Another comment in this movie that stood out to me this time around while re-watching it, is when it's the girls' birthday party and they're talking to Jenn and Lyndi about prom and Lyndi asks, "Can girls ask guys to prom?" and Taylor tells her, "Sure. It's a free country." Very short and sweet conversation, but an important, relatable message.
This movie is also very funny, because it's so weird and unrealistic. So, if I needed a good laugh I wouldn't mind watching this movie just for that reason alone. For instance, there's this one scene when Sam is talking to Kylie and he asks her what they are and Kylie says, "You know, I think we're in that area, like the grey area. You know, friends but...friends." and Sam says, "I don't think grey's a real color. I mean, blue, green, orange, those are colors." And Kylie says, "Well, I don't think I'm really ready for blue, green, or any of the other real, so-called colors." And Sam says," Okay, fine but, grey is so blah" and Kylie says, "Well, then, let's call it charcoal. We're in the charcoal area." 🤣That scene just always makes me laugh, even though I don't like Sam's character in this movie at all. I mean, it's very funny and pretty deep, but also kind of odd what they say during that scene. Something I also noticed heavily in this movie during my re-watch, that I never really noticed or paid attention to before watching it, is the way that the characters talk. It was really annoying to me. It just seemed very stereotypical, teen-talking. I mean, I didn't ever talk the way that the characters do in this movie nor did I know anyone else that talked that way when they were sixteen. And if that's really just their natural voices then I apologize for judging that, but I mean I know they had to just be acting and it was too act-y for me. The characters' diction in this movie is just wildly bad (and it's not just Mary-Kate and Ashley). So many of the lines are weird and so much of the delivery of those lines is weird. It sounded like A LOT of ADR going on, which just makes this movie that much harder to watch at times but also quite very funny at times, too.🤣
This movie is also pretty educational, though. At least, I, like Lyndi in this movie, learned why they call the seat by the driver in the front of a car "shot gun". Which is because, as Taylor and Kylie tell Lyndi in this movie, back in the day before Henry Ford did his thing and people rode stage coaches which were pulled by horses (the Wild West), the person sitting next to the driver carried a shot gun. Now, I didn't look up to see if that's actually true but that's one thing I learned from this movie. And that was perhaps maybe a callback to one of their earliest films, How the West Was Fun. When they are playing Twister, Jenn also mentions how in the 70's a game like that was yoga. Again, I don't know if that's true, but I'm going with it. Charly also tells Taylor at one point during the movie that orange juice has no cholesterol, no fat, no salt, and provides 120% of your daily Vitamin C. Again, if that fact is true, good to know, but not really. Lol. And something I never thought about until I saw this movie, is the whole s'mores question made by Jenn. As Jenn asks why s'mores are called s'mores and Taylor tells her because you always want some more.🤣♨🍫
This movie had some little nods to Full House, or at least a couple of things that made me think of Mary-Kate and Ashley in Full House. As when they realize that their car gets stolen outside the restaurant Taylor (aka Ashley) says to Kylie (aka Mary-Kate), "Yeah, you know, smooth sailing. Right, Gilligan?" Which I couldn't help but think of this scene in Full House (put Season 2 clip when michelle is quotes Gilligan's Island).
And then of course when Kylie (aka Mary-Kate) gets San Diego and San Francisco mixed up, obviously it made me think of Full House because they lived in San Francisco. Yeah, so just some small things I noticed, which I wonder if those little add-ins were intentional. There's also a funny callback moment to one of their other movies (that also came before this one), Holiday in the Sun. As when Taylor and Kylie are having their Sweet 16th birthday party at their house with all their friends, Toast jumps into the pool when Taylor and Kylie are about to blow out the candles on their cake making a big splash and ruining everything and Taylor says, "Well, guess you cant have your cake and eat it, too." Which, if you know Holiday in the Sun, then you remember that iconic, very funny, apparently never-ending line of conversation. But it's a topic of conversation/metaphor that I will always just associate with Holiday in the Sun because they (Mary-Kate and Ashley) said it first in that movie. But, that's not the only thing from Holiday in the Sun featured in this movie. As one of the girls' best guy friends in this movie, Danny, is played by the same guy (Billy Aaron Brown) who was also in Holiday in the Sun as Scott. But what's even more interesting, is that in this movie (Getting There), Billy's character likes Ashley's character, and in Holiday in the Sun, Billy's character likes Mary-Kate's character. So, they switched it up. This movie was also directed by the same director who did Holiday in the Sun, which is another interesting fact I just learned. So, all of those things from that other movie being included into this movie makes sense.
This movie is also pretty similar to New York Minute, or at least it reminded me a little bit of New York Minute, because in both movies the girls are trying to get somewhere but all these wrong turns and bad things keep happening to them. Preventing them from being able to get where they wanna go. But even New York Minute, in my opinion, is hands-down MUCH BETTER than this movie. There is also a voice-over narration by Mary-Kate as Kylie at the very beginning and throughout this movie as she sets the scene(s), which is a common thing that happens in a lot of the movies on this ranking. As depending on which movie, you can hear Mary-Kate or Ashley narrate certain parts of it. Which was another fun thing to decipher who's voice narration it was when I was re-watching all these movies. And for this movie, Mary-Kate is the narrator. Well, her character is. In this movie Mary-Kate's character is the free-spirit and Ashley's character is the one that likes to follow the rules, type-A. Which, is actually very similar to the characters they play in some of their other movies, like The Challenge and New York Minute. This movie is also one of a few from the Mary-Kate and Ashley universe that starts out as a foreshadowing into future events to come. In other words, the very beginning of this movie is a flash forward scene and it begs the question like how did they "get there". How did they get to getting there? And then they go back to six months earlier, which is always interesting.
Every time after I watch this movie (at least, after seeing the driving scenes), it does make me just want to go cruisin' in the car, with the windows down, my hair whipping in the wind, chillin' while jamming to some music with some of my friends/family. This movie does have the mystery, fun, and adventure and it's pretty relatable if you got your driver's license at 16, had rich parents who bought you whatever you wanted (like a new car), have all the money in the world to go on a lavish vacation and all these other places that you didn't even plan on and none of it be a money issue or worry. Something I can't relate to, but maybe you reading this can. And if so, then this movie is definitely for you. But even if you can't relate, at least this movie has the comedy and Mary-Kate and Ashley which is always a plus.👧👧👍💕
I also give this movie props for being the FIRST AND ONLY Mary-Kate and Ashley movie, when it comes to their destination movies that is, without a love story. In other words, this is the only movie where Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters do not have love interests, which makes this movie that much more unique from the rest on this ranking. There are boy characters that like them in this movie, but the girls (Taylor and Kylie) don't like them back. They're not pursuing or wanting a relationship with any guy in this movie. The other girls in their friend group like a guy, but Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters do not. Which I do love and appreciate and it makes it that much more of a friendship movie than a romantic one. Again, something quite different from all their other teen, vacation movies. And I wouldn't say this is the best friendship movie, just because the friends are not-so-nice to each other in this movie but it's still what this movie is, a friend, road trip movie.🚘👧👧👦👦👦👧👧
Again, this the Mary-Kate and Ashley movie that I've seen the least amount of times. And that's intentional. By choice. It's just one of those movies that's hard to get through because there are so many annoying things about it. But I really want to LOVE it just because it's Mary-Kate and Ashley. Unfortunately, I don't love it. And I was right from the very beginning, before re-watching this movie for the second time, that I wouldn't like it and I didn't. Nothing really changed for me about this movie. This is not only Mary-Kate and Ashley's WORST movie, but one of the WORST movies I've ever seen. And I HATE to say that, but I have to be honest. Nothing against Mary-Kate and Ashley, though.😊 Getting There is just more boring and the cheesiest of cheesiest movies to exist. Again, some very small things about this movie are great, but overall it's just NOT GOOD. I mean, the central question in this movie isn't even really answered or learned from the character it needed to be learned from, when it is a constant battle that this film is going up against. So is the fun getting there or is the fun there? You can decide when you watch this movie. If you decide to watch this movie after reading all this.😊👎👍
Overall, if you love Mary-Kate and Ashley and friend, road-trip movies, I would say it doesn't hurt to give this movie a chance. You'll probably enjoy this movie even a little bit. Maybe even a lot more than I did. And it's a perfect watch for the winter months (at least the last 30 minutes are). But for me, it goes last on my ranking for all the reasons I mentioned above.😊
This is actually a good, cute Halloween movie.🎃❤🍁🍂 But, because it's a Halloween movie is also why it ranks lower on this list. If you know me, then you know that I'm not a big fan of Halloween, so that's also why I'm not the biggest fan of this movie. Even if I did like or even LOVE Halloween, this is still a movie that I wouldn't be able to just watch any time or day of the year. 'Cause if you know me, then you also know that I don't like watching holiday-themed movies like this when the time of year does not match with what that holiday movie is. In other words, I can only watch Christmas movies during Christmastime and Halloween-esque movies during Fall time and so on and so forth.😊👍 So, sadly, this just isn't a movie I could watch ALL THE TIME even if I did LOVE it, which is another reason why I ranked this movie lower on this list. Though, don't get me wrong, because this is still a good, must-watch movie and I'll tell you why.
First of all, this movie is about two precocious 7-year-old twin girls, Kelly (played by Mary-Kate) and Lynn Farmer (played by Ashley), who learn that their parents are having some financial problems and overhear their mom say that if their Aunt Sophia (played by Cloris Leachman) were still around she would be able to help them. But the girls discover that their Great Aunt Sophia has been trapped and cursed by her evil twin sister Agatha (also played by Cloris Leachman) and will be doomed to the netherworld on the 7th year of her imprisonment, unless the curse is broken by the magical spell of twins who have the moonstone. So, on Halloween night (the 7th year of Sophia's imprisonment), Kelly and Lynn, try to seize the magical moonstone from their evil Aunt Agatha who wears the gem around her neck at all times. While out trick-or-treating, the girls swap costumes with two other kids to get away from their parents without them actually noticing they're gone. Magic abounds and they meet mysterious new friends along the way to save their Aunt Sophia, their parents (played by Eric McCormack and Kelli Fox), and their family home. The first person they meet is Mr. N (played by Meshach Taylor), a homeless man who dreams of money and stardom. They then meet a guy who lives deep into the woods and just wishes to be taller, named Oscar (plaued by Phil Fondacaro). And they lastly meet Mr. Gravedigger (played by Wayne Robson), who apparently doesn't want anything but to just help the girls with their mission.
This was only my third time having ever watched this movie. So, this is another one of the few Mary-Kate and Ashley movies that I've seen the least amount of times. But, unlike Getting There, it's not because it's necessarily a bad movie that is the reason why I haven't watched this movie has much as I have their other ones. Like I mentioned before, I just don't like Halloween or scary movies and this is pretty much all that. It's not scary, scary, but it's a little creepy and doesn't give the best, feel-good vibes. But, again, it's meant to be that way a little bit because it is a Halloween movie. And I do LOVE that Mary-Kate and Ashley gave us a Christmas and Halloween-themed movie because it's fun and interesting to see them in those types of settings.💕👧👧🎄🎃
Even though I haven't seen this movie a ton throughout my life, I do have a fond memory of when I watched this movie for the VERY FIRST TIME. Which was with my little sister in our dad's room when I was like 15 or 16. One of us (probably me) found it airing on some cable TV channel and we recorded it to watch together. It was nighttime (and maybe even right around Halloween, because I don't know why we would have watched it any other time before or after that otherwise), the perfect time to watch this movie, and I just remember us both liking it but also being quite scared because it just gave off all those creepy, Halloween vibes. I think I liked it a little more than my sister, but I remember us just being, at first, quite excited about the movie because before that time we didn't even know it existed and we loved Mary-Kate and Ashley's other shows and movies and stuff so it was just FUN to see a new Mary-Kate and Ashley movie that we had never seen before, even though it obviously wasn't new at the time.
After that FIRST TIME of watching this movie with my sister, I had then only watched this movie once after that, by myself on Halloween day in 2014.❤🎃🍁🍂 So, both times I enjoyed the movie but only LOVED certain scenes and aspects of it. Therefore, I was very curious and pretty EXCITED to re-watch this movie again for this post, just because I hadn't seen it in FOREVER and I would be watching it as an adult this time, which is always usually leaves one with a different perspective. And, despite it's low ranking on this list, I did ENJOY re-watching this movie. This was actually the FIRST Mary-Kate and Ashley movie that I re-watched for this post. But, only the SECOND movie they ever made.🤯 So, I did have to go a little out of chronological order when doing this just because I did decide to start re-watching these movies in October of last year and of course this was THE BEST and ONLY movie to start with at that time. And it was actually Halloween night of last year that I watched this movie in my bedroom while my sisters watched Twitches. So, because it was October, it fit the vibes of this movie perfectly. Now, there are obviously some things I don't like about this movie but I definitely plan to watch this movie every year during the Fall time. At least, my favorite scenes of the movie. Maybe not the whole movie.😊
This movie starts out very dark and creepy from the very beginning. As it starts off with just a black screen and a creepy voice saying, "The following is based on a true story...maybe...hahaha (he does a creepy laugh and then it transitions into showing the first actual scene of the movie)". I do love the beginning of this movie though because it actually begins with a fun little montage. With creepy music, of course, but it's very Fall-y, nostalgic, cute and cool.❤🎃🍂🍁🎶 I have definitely seen scarier and creepier Halloween movies than this one. So, it's not that creepy, but it's still creepy. However, despite this movie's darkness and creepiness, there are things I really do LOVE about this movie. I LOVE the 90's Fall vibes. The storyline, although creepy, is unique and sweet. And, most of all, this is just a GREAT SISTER movie.💕👧👧 As the twin girls literally save the day and break the cycle of twin evil hate through the power of their sisterly love bond. Which, again, is just so SWEET and CUTE, in and of itself.
Speaking of that, I LOVE the many GREAT messages/lessons in this movie, too. Such as the importance of family, family always being there for each other, and knowing that you can get through anything with the help of your family/friends by your side. As at one point during the movie the girls' dad says to them, "I want you girls to remember that we're a family, and we're gonna be fine. I love you and there's nothing to be afraid of." The girls then say "love you, goodnight" to their dad and he says, "Well, that's all that matters." There's also that reminder of knowing that everyone's just out here trying to do the best with what they got. Something Lynn and Kelly's mom also tells them at one point during this movie. Another quote that stood out to me when re-watching this movie this time around, is when at one point during the beginning of the movie, after the girls' parents are trying to remind Agatha that they're family and family is supposed to help each other out, Agatha says to them, "Family is just strangers who happen to be related." I don't necessarily agree with that statement, but I thought it was an interesting enough quote to mention here. Another quote that I actually thought was so deep, kinda sad, and true is when Oscar says at one point during the movie, "As people get bigger their imagination gets smaller." Another message/lesson in this movie is about the importance of not being jealous of others and knowing that just because you might not like or want something in life doesn't mean that others have to follow suit. And you don't need anyone else's permission to live the life you want to live. As in the movie when Sophia tells Agatha that she wants a life of kindness, care, and love, Agatha says to Sophia, "Who gave you permission to have someone fall in love with you?" and Sophia says to her (Agatha), "Just because you won't let anybody love you, doesn't mean I need your permission."👏👏
There's also this great story arc and message when it comes to the girls (Lynn and Kelly) themselves in this movie, that I kind of briefly mentioned before. A message/lesson about twins. How it can be hard being a twin sometimes because they don't want to be seen as one person but as the two individuals that they are.🥹 Like what the girls' dad says to their mom at the beginning of this movie. After they put the girls down for bed, Don says to Christine, "As for this twin thing, hey they just want to be recognized as individuals. That's fair enough." And Christine says to her husband, "It's hard for twins though." And Don says, "Yeah...Kids are stronger than we think. They'll get over it." And Christine says, "I don't know. Agatha never did." So, this movie is like a lesson when it comes to that. Betray your sister and go your separate path, like Agatha and Sophia did, or unite with her and be stronger than ever, like Lynn and Kelly do. And that lesson doesn't just have to go for twins but for siblings of any kind.💕Usually, in most of these movies on this ranking, Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters are like two peas in a pod, but then there a few movies where their characters don't get along and are constantly against each other. Which, the latter is seen in this movie, but by the end Lynn and Kelly realize that they don't want to be like their Aunt Agatha and Sophia, and they learn that it's better to be for each other than against each other. And the SWEET, EMOTIONAL, HEART-TO-HEART moment between Lynn and Kelly at the end explains it all in the BEST way. (see clip below)
Ugh...such a GREAT SCENE. I literally want to cry every time I watch that scene in this movie.🥹💕 It's so good and their acting is actually really good, too.👏👏 Mary-Kate and Ashley did some great acting in this movie. They honestly deserved an Oscar for that specific scene, for real though.🏆🏆There are only three scenes in this movie that I really LOVE. That one I just mentioned, the scene when the girls are helping their mom bake cookies, and the very ending attic scene (all clips included below). Just top tier moments in this film. Truly.🧡
Another great and important message/lesson in this movie is knowing that money is not the most important thing in life. The love of people is. 'Cause people will love you, but money cannot. Which is something Mr. N learns by the end of this movie. As at first, when Mr. N is sitting in the back of the truck full of pumpkins with Kelly and Lynn that they snuck onto, he says, “Well, here we are. Of course, if there were any justice, I would have a limo and and a chauffeur.” And Lynn says to him, “And a bill you couldn’t pay.” And Mr. N says to the girls, “Yes, ladies, money is the key and I want lots and lots of it.” And Lynn asks him, “Have you ever tried working for it?” And Mr. N says, “Hey, there are limits. Besides, saving your house and finding long-lost art, what else are you going to wish for?” And then Kelly says that she wants to be a doctor when she grows up, and Lynn then says that she wants to be a doctor when she grows up, too. And Mr. N says to them, “Yes, I would like to be a doctor, also.” And Kelly says, “So, you can save peoples’ lives?” And Mr. N says, “So I can pull down 300 grand a year, and drive a Mercedes.” Then, when Mr. N is a bird at the end, he says to Agatha, "No deal. I'm ashamed about betraying Lynn and Kelly and sticking up for them is more important than money." And at the end when Lynn and Kelly are thanking their new friends for helping them and they get to Mr. N, Kelly says to him, "Mr. N, we couldn't have done it without you" and Lynn adds, "We wish we can give you a million dollar reward." But, Mr. N says to them, "Hey, I've learned that money is money but friends, good friends, are the riches of a lifetime." ❤ And Mr. Gravedigger also learns a valuable lesson about bravery and being fearful of things. As Agatha at one point tells Mr. Gravedigger that she guesses that he must not be afraid of her either and Mr. Gravedigger says to her, "I'm petrified, but I'm staying here anyway...I guess being brave isn't about not being scared, it's about being scared but doing what you have to do anyway."👏Agatha then looks off distance (kind of breaking the fourth wall) and says, "Isn't that nice, he found the moral of the story." So, apparently that's the central message of this movie, but there's also so many more great ones too as I just mentioned. But, I believe that must be the main one they wanted viewers to takeaway from this movie. 'Cause even Lynn and Kelly showed bravery throughout this movie. So it does make sense.
Overall, I really enjoyed watching this movie again. I don't like all the evil, witchy, seance, creepy Halloween stuff, but I LOVE the GOOD, POSITIVE things I mentioned above about it. Again, it's not my favorite MK&A movie just because it is Halloween-themed and has some of the Halloween evil stuff I don't like or agree with, but it's still a GREAT, MUST-WATCH film.🧡❤ Especially, for the Fall season.🍂🍁 It's funny, emotional, it has the mystery and adventure, and it's just a very cute sister movie. I have two sisters so I can relate a little to this movie in that way. And even though I had only seen this movie like two other times before re-watching it for this post, it was still super nostalgic to me. I remembered every scene once I saw them again. This is also just a FUN, NOSTALGIC movie to watch because it does bring up good memories in my mind of when I was a kid trick-or-treating and when I used to do all those FUN, FESTIVE Halloween things as a kid.👧🧡❤🎃 There's also actually some really FUNNY moments and unforgettable quotes in this movie, as well. Such as when Kelly asks Lynn, "Where do you have a witch's gathering?" and Lynn answers, "Hollywood?"🤣And when Kelly says to Agatha, "You are so cranky. Get a life." The way she says it too, is just so blunt and seriously honest.🤣 There is also a little Full House reference in this movie when Lynn (Ashley) at one point does the Bullwinkle thing that is a gag done quite a lot in Full House. iykyk (see clip below).
This was Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST movie when it comes to their full-length feature direct-to-video franchise.🎉 It's a movie that I usually kind of forget about. Therefore, it's not one of their most memorable movies to me, just because it's a little more boring and just not the BEST when compared to all the others on this ranking. But it's still a GOOD movie.💙😊
Before, re-watching this movie for this post, I had already seen this movie a few times throughout my life, but not A LOT like I have with some of the other movies that I will be mentioning later. However, I actually do have a vivid, fond memory of watching this movie for the FIRST TIME when I found it on some cable TV channel when I was in my early teens.📺 So I did go through a phase of loving this movie back then, just because I had never seen it before and it was like very new to me, even though it wasn't technically new. Every couple of years I go back to watch these movies by Mary-Kate and Ashley, but this is one that I hadn't seen in a VERY LONG TIME. In other words, this is not one of their movies that I immediately go to and choose to re-watch all the time. So, I was very excited and curious to re-watch this movie now as an adult, because literally the last time I had watched it I was a teenager. I was also really curious to see where it would rank on this list of movies and to see if my opinions of it (that I had as a teen) had changed at all. 'Cause again, this hasn't ever been one of my favorite Mary-Kate and Ashley movies. But I also knew that there were some great things about it. I just have always sort of love/hated this movie, which is all the reasons why it ranks here at #12, and I'm not that surprised.
The title of this movie basically explains itself. As this movie is about two 12-year-old twin sisters, Emily (a surfer girl) (played by Ashley) and Tess (a member of the high-diving team) (played by Mary-Kate) who try various strategies to get their widower dad, Max (a talented artist and sculptor) (played by Tom Amandes), a girlfriend.👨👧👧🏄🏊🎨 'Cause it's been two years since their mom passed away. Their first attempts end in failure, so Emily and Tess team up with their friend, Cody (played by Rafael Rojas lll), to paint an ad on a giant billboard positioned high above Sunset Boulevard. Many women answer the ad through letters and Max agrees to go on five dates for the sake of Emily and Tess. Those five dates don't go well, but Emily and Tess still encourage their dad to go through the big bag of letters and pick one. And then, through random chance (from playing a game of paper basketball with the letters✉🏀), Max answers a letter submitted by a woman named Debbie (played by Ellen Ratner).
In preparation for her date with Max at a museum, Debbie brings along her friend Brooke (played by Jessica Tuck) as a back-up. Brooke and Max coincidentally meet and take a liking to each other, and Debbie pushes for Brooke and Max to start dating, because she wants Brooke to get back into the dating scene herself. As Brooke is going through sort of the same thing as Max is in this movie, having divorced her husband 26 months ago. So Max and Brooke go on a few dates, while Max's business manager, Nigel (played by Carl Banks) continues to forge Max's sculptures and sell fakes to honest people just to make money for himself.😠🎨💰
After Brooke and Max have their dates together, Max tells Nigel that Brooke has encouraged him to broaden his focus as an artist.👨🎨 Which is something that Nigel doesn't like or want, because he doesn't want Max to be happy because if he gets happy again then his art might change, and if Max's art changes then it might not sell as good as the art he makes when he's been sad and depressed, and if Max's art doesn't sell, well then, there goes Nigel's "shiny little lifestyle".👎💰💸 'Cause, unfortunately for Nigel, Max is the only client that he has. At first, Emily and Tess don't like Brooke's son, Ryan (a skater punk boy👦🛹) (played by Sam Saletta). But Ryan and the girls decide to put aside their differences in order to prevent Nigel's elaborate scheme to break up the romantic relationship between Max and Brooke.👨👩👧👧👦💙
Like I mentioned before, even though prior to doing this I would always kind of forget that this movie even existed, and is therefore why I haven't seen it a ton throughout my life, I did remember A LOT of the scenes from this movie before even re-watching it for this post (just thinking about it). Which, then made me think that maybe I had seen this movie more times than I could remember? But anyways, basically nothing really happened in this movie that surprised me because every scene just came back to me instantly once I started this movie. Although, there were a few problematic things that I noticed this time around while watching this movie that I didn't really notice ever before.😔
For example, in this movie Emily has a crush on her much older swim/diving coach and there's this weird scene when Emily is about to dive off the diving board into the pool, but it shows her have a quick day dream where the swim coach says to her while she's in the pool, "I've never trained a more beautiful and talented diver. Can I take you to the next 7th grade dance?" and the kisses her on the cheek. And I know that that scene is just her little kid dream, but they still had to film that scene and I just found it weird. It was just kind of an unnecessary scene and thing in the movie that I just don't think needed to be a thing in the movie at all. I mean, a 12-year-old girl liking her 20-something-year-old swim/diving coach...just NO.👎👨👧🚫🚩 Again, they probably meant it as an innocent thing, but it really wasn't needed for this movie.
The whole montage scene with the dad going on the five different dates was also problematic.👨👩👩👩👩👩🍽 😬Brooke also says some rude and unnecessary comment about how men should avoid dating women/girls with glasses or something.🤓 Even though she wears glasses herself and that comment does kind of come full circle at the end when Brooke puts glasses on Max's picture up on the billboard at the end. Something about that glasses comment rubbed me the wrong way. But maybe I need to re-watch the scene again when she said that, because I forgot exactly what she said. and now I'm thinking maybe it might not be as bad as I thought. Although, I had it written down in my notes as something I disliked for a reason.🤔 There was also a pretty risque moment in this movie when Nigel brings in these models for Max to sculpt and it just made me a little uncomfortable watching Max fix the woman's shirt and stuff to take her picture. And then the comment Nigel makes to the model about going into the bathroom and changing. Also, what Max says to Nigel when he's pouring the wine.👎 I don't know, but that whole scene I just didn't like. It was a little too much. Especially for what's supposed to be a kids movie. That was definitely my least favorite scene in this movie and it was just boring, too.
Remember earlier, when I was talking about Getting There, and how in some of these movies there would be a voice-over narration by either Mary-Kate or Ashley's character at the beginning of and maybe even during some other scenes throughout the movie? Yeah, well in Getting There I said Mary-Kate (aka Kylie) narrates the beginning of the movie, but in this movie (Billboard Dad) it is Ashley (aka Emily Tyler) who does the narration. The beginning of this movie is fun and unique as it shows Ashley's character, Emily skating through Venice to get home from surfing at the beach and it's at that time when we learn the names of the characters that Mary-Kate and Ashley play in this movie. Mary-Kate being Tess Tyler and, as I've already just mentioned, Ashley being Emily Tyler. We also learn, by seeing this little montage, where this movie takes place. Which, as I also just mentioned, is in Venice Beach, California. And we also learn through this narration by Emily, that a couple of years ago their family went through a difficult time. But we don't find out exactly what that difficult time was until a little later in the movie, which SPOILER ALERT, that difficult time is the passing of their mom. We also kind of learn immediately who Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters are during this beginning montage scene. As Emily tells the audience, "My sister and I are a lot alike. But we are really very different. Tess is better at most sports, but I'm a better surfer. My sister's left-handed and I'm right-handed. (and just by that last sentence alone you know that the person talking is Ashley because that last fact about them is actually true to their real life. Ashley is right-handed and Mary-Kate is left-handed.)" She (Emily) goes on to say that, "Tess likes boys, and I like boys. Well, there's gotta be some things we agree on." So, like in most of their shows and movies, Ashley's character is more of the girly-girl and Mary-Kate's character is more of the tom-boy. But they're both boy-crazy.👧👧🏄🏊🩱🛼
So, that little beginning montage scene gives off all those feel-good, beach, 90's summer vibes from the start. Which really gets you hooked into wanting to continue to watch this movie. At least, it always does for me. But, that's not all I like about this movie. I LOVE that the whole storyline is about the girls trying to help their dad, because I'm really close to my dad, too. So, I just love a good daddy-daughter movie, which is what this movie is.💙👨👧
In this movie, Max is very hesitant to get back out there in the dating world, because he really loved his wife and is still in the mourning process. Which is very understandable and can be very relatable to anyone who watches this movie who has lost someone close to them. Losing someone and having to move on in life without them is hard.💔😢 So, I understood the girls' points of view in wanting their dad to be happy again and not alone. I mean, they are just kids wanting what they think is best for their dad. But I also didn't like this movie for that reason, too, because not everyone who loses someone has to find someone else to make themselves happy again. It's okay to not be okay. And it's okay to not want a partner to go through life with. Especially in this case, when he lost the love of his life who he had been married to for years and had children with. Something Debbie should have also learned in this movie, too. As she's just too pushy with Brooke about her dating life. A divorce is like a loss, too. It takes time. Although, this movie doesn't really make that message clear, but I would say don't force your way of life on others. Let others do what they want on their own time. When they are ready, not when you are ready. In other words, there is no need to rush into a relationship. Although, this movie does give the message of hope and the importance of never saying never. As at the very beginning of this movie Max thinks he'll never be happy again or find love again like the magic he had everyday with his late wife. But, then he does, when he meets Brooke. As it's love at first sight between the two of them, just like when he met his late wife. I mean, still different from when he met his late wife, but you know what I mean.
There were some quotes that I did like that stood out to me during my re-watch of this movie such as when Debbie tells Brooke, "Besides, if you don't put yourself out there, you'll never meet anyone." Which is true, when a person is ready to date.👏👍 Knowing that you shouldn't be afraid to put yourself out there is a good, relatable message, because a lot of people are afraid to do that but no one should be. I also love when Brooke does basically tell Debbie at one point that she doesn't need a man to make her happy.👏👏 Which I think is so important for ALL WOMEN to know, and vice versa. In other words, that can go for some men, too. There's also the message/lesson about the importance of trust in relationships. TRUST being the most important thing in any kind of relationship.👏👍 The reminder that nobody's perfect.👏👍 As in this movie, Ryan at first thinks that Emily and Tess are these perfect people with this perfect life but he comes to learn that they're not. And nobody is, as the girls tell him. Which also goes along with the message/lesson about not judging a book by its cover, because people aren't always as they appear to be.👏👍 'Cause even Nigel wasn't who he appeared to be to people, either.
Overall, this was a good movie.💙 Again, not one of the best or one of my most favorite MK&A movies, but it's still a must-watch. 'Cause there are some good things about it, and it's not like it's their worst movie. Getting There gets the award for that.🏆 I actually really wanted to LOVE this movie more than I did just because I have fond memories of watching this movie as a teen, but I just didn't for some of the problematic reasons I mentioned above. This movie is also just more solemn and depressing at times, because the storyline does deal with a very real, deep and dark topic.❤💔😢 As Max is actually really depressed in this movie, until he meets Brooke and things change towards the end. And you definitely feel that sadness and solemness throughout this movie. So, that's also another reason why this movie ranked lower for me, just because it's not the most upbeat, fun, feel-good movie. However, I do appreciate the real and emotional aspect of it, but I prefer a movie that makes me happier. In fact, I actually would have ranked this movie even lower, under Double, Double, Toil & Trouble, but I only didn't because at least I can watch this movie pretty much any time of the year and it's not creepy like Double, Double, Toil & Trouble, it's just more sad. It's also one of their more slower and boring (at times) movies.
But, back to the things I do like about this movie. I love the 90's, summer, surfer, beach vibes of this movie.💙🏖🏄🛼🏊🍨🌞 I also LOVE the many great, important, and relatable messages/lessons one can takeaway from watching this movie, as per some of the ones I mentioned above. I LOVE Mary-Kate and Ashley's late 90's fashion in this movie.😎👚👖👟👒👙 That alone is so NOSTALGIC and FUN. The scene when Emily and Tess are in their bedroom and they both clap to turn the lights off...also SO ICONIC in and of itself.👏👏💡I mean, that scene in this movie made every kid/teen want a light system like that in their own bedroom. At least, for me it did. I mean, is it weird that I kind of still want one? Lol.😊 This movie is also more unique from some of their other movies, because there's quite a few freeze frames going on throughout this movie, which is how they get a lot of their narration/exposition out. It's not the only MK&A movie to do this, but it is the FIRST one to do it, which is interesting. This is also not only Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST movie when it comes to their full-length feature direct-to-video franchise, but it's also the FIRST movie where it's mostly about the adults and not about Mary-Kate and Ashley liking boys (even though Ashley does have a crush on her swim coach, but that's not the main storyline) or going on vacation like they do in majority of their other full-length feature direct-to-video movies.
This movie also brings quite A LOT of nostalgia. Not only from the fashion that the girls wear and the music, but there's also some other familiar 90's/2000's faces in this movie. For example, Trioan Bellisario from Pretty Little Liars, plays one of the girls' (Emily and Tess's) best friends, Kristen, in this movie (see clip below). And little fun fact, did you know that Mary-Kate and Ashley were actually best friends with Trioan in real life at the time. Here's a 2012 article of Trioan talking about the Olsen twins and Billboard Dad:
There are also two people from a 90's/2000's show called 7th Heaven, which I also grew up watching and is MY FAVORITE SHOW EVER, who appear in this movie. The actor who played George in 7th Heaven, also plays Ryan in this movie.👦🛹 And the actor who played Rod in 7th Heaven, also plays one of the surfer boys at the ice cream shop in this movie.👦🍨 Which, I did remember the actor who played Ryan being in this movie, but I totally forgot about the actor who played Rod in 7th Heaven also being in this movie. So, that was a little interesting. There's also a nod to Full House in this movie, at least what I believe to be sort of a call back to Full House.🏠 As when Emily and Tess are having an ice cream date with their dad, he asks the girls what they remember about their mom and Tess says, "...and I remember how great she was at telling stories especially the ones about growing up in San Francisco." And if you know Full House, then you get that reference. Again, I don't know if that was an intentional nod to Full House, but I take it as one.😊
Again, this may not be the best or one of my most favorite MK&A movies, but I wouldn't mind watching this movie again. I'll maybe skip some scenes the next time I watch it, but it's not all bad. And I definitely would recommend this movie to fans of MK&A and to those of you who just like a good summer, adventure, chill, 90's movie with a good daddy-daughter (or, in this case, daughters) storyline. It also has it's funny moments, a little bit of mystery, and of course the romance. And it screams SUMMER with the swimming🏊, the beach🏖, the surfing🏄, the skating🛼🛹, the fashion😎👚👖👒👙👟💄, the sun🌞, and the ICE CREAM🍦🍨. So, there's those things that might bring a smile on your face while watching this movie.😊👍💙
This is ONE of the TWO full-length direct-to-video movies that Mary-Kate and Ashley released in 1999 (Which was also the year my little sister was born. Shout-out to you Amber😊💕).🎉Passport to Paris being the other. 💗🗼✈🥖And, as you can see by my ranking of this movie, it's certainly not the better one of the two. Not only that, but sadly, Switching Goals is also not one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's better movies, period.😞 Which, I am actually really hate to say and am shocked about it's place here on this ranking, because I used to LOVE this movie when I was a teenager and always thought of it as one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's best. However, after re-watching it again for this post, my opinions on this movie have clearly changed since I last watched it.😢
Switching Goals, as the title suggests, is about two 13-year-old identical twins, Emma (played by Ashley) and Sam (played by Mary-Kate) who are basically forced to each join a soccer team and then switch places to prove to their very competitive, obsessed with winning, soccer coach dad that there's more to Emma than pretty dresses and more to Sam than sports.💙💚👗⚽👨👧👧 Once again, immediately continuing that trope of Ashley's character being the more girly-girl one and Mary-Kate being the tomboy from the very beginning. But anyways, their dad wants to pick the great-at-soccer daughter (Sam) for his youth soccer team, but his wife is like, "You can't do that." So she forces him to pick the daughter that is worse at sports, specifically soccer (which is Emma). The dad listens to his wife and picks Emma for his team (the Hurricanes💙⚽) and Sam ends up on the opposing, goof-around team (the Buzzards💚⚽). Once on the teams, both daughters want to be on the opposite teams, because Sam wants to actually work really hard and get good at soccer to make it to the big leagues and Emma just wants to play and have fun. So, Emma and Sam do the "great sister swap" by switching teams (more like jerseys) on their mom and the soccer league, but then they get in trouble by their mom. After their mom becomes a new addition to the Buzzards' coaching staff, having always been interested in sports psychology and all, and she finds out the girls' secret.👩👧👧⚽ So, the girls' then have to switch back to their original teams.
SPOILER ALERT...And of course, then the championship of the league is between the two of their teams (the Hurricanes versus the Buzzards), and it turns out that the daughter who's not great at soccer (Emma) is actually a natural at being goalie.👧🥅⚽ So, she (Emma) plays goalie for the last 30 seconds of the big game and her dad sort of comes around at the end, because she's good, and she didn't win them the game but she also didn't lose them the game. As the championship game just ends with a tie. But, my whole question after watching this movie was like, would the dad have come around otherwise even if Emma wasn't good and didn't lose them the game? Did he actually learn his lesson about winning not being everything? 'Cause I don't think he really did. I mean, he only agrees to have Emma back on his team because of some convincing from Sam and his wife telling him to. Although, at the end of this movie, after the championship tie game, when his wife (Denise) wants to go into an overtime period so one of them can break the tie and someone can actually win, Jerry actually does say "no". And when Denise says, "What do you mean? Nobody won." Jerry says, "I don't know about that". And then it shows the girls, and Sam finally gets asked out by Greg and Emma not only helped her team tie the game but she also has a great day after also then being asked out by the goalie boy of the Hurricanes. So, if Jerry was meaning Emma won, then that is a very sweet ending, but I still feel like he himself didn't actually really learn the lesson.🤔 The ICONIC soccer teams group picture moment at the end is GREAT, too.👨👩👧👧💙💚⚽🏆
I was very EXCITED to watch this movie again, because I just I have always LOVED this movie and have such fond memories of watching this movie as a teen, and I hadn't seen it in SO LONG. But, after having re-watched it, I don't feel the same way about it as I once did. I honestly don't understand why I used to LOVE this movie SO MUCH and watch it over and over. I mean, obviously because of Mary-Kate and Ashley, but watching this movie back this time around I realized that Mary-Kate and Ashley are really barely even shown in this movie. As this movie is mostly about the adults. More specifically, it's all about the men.👎Which, is a bummer. But I guess you could also say that's what makes this movie different and unique from all the others on this list. Just not in the best way. This is also one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's most unique movies because it's their FIRST and ONLY sports-themed movie from their collection.🎥⚽ Sure, some of their other movies feature the girls doing some sports like swimming🏊, skiing⛷, equestrian riding🏇, etc.. But, this is the only movie of theirs where it's solely focused on that one sport and is about nothing else. Another little random, fun fact about this movie that I also just found out when looking up trailers and other things for this movie, is that this is actually the only Wonderful World of Disney movie on this ranking. YES, this movie played on Disney Channel. So, that's very interesting, and also kind of explains why this movie feels very different from their other ones.
There are things I like and things that I dislike about this movie. When it comes to the things I LOVE about this movie, I LOVE the very beginning wheelbarrow competition montage scene of this movie. Just that scene alone is very NOSTALGIC, INTERESTING, and FUN to watch. Unfortunately, it makes you get hooked to believe that this will be a great movie, but it's not. Although, again, I still appreciate that very beginning scene in the movie. Except for when their mom is doing fortune teller stuff. Yeah, that I'm not about. I feel like there's never a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie without a nod to or mention of Full House.🏠 And in this movie, there are two. One is when Jerry is playing poker with his buddies and he wins with a Full House.👨♣♠♥♦🂡 Again, don't know if that was intentional or not, but it seemed so to me.😊💓 And, second, just the whole movie itself being about the girls playing soccer just always instantly reminds me of the episode of Full House when Michelle (Mary-Kate and Ashley) joins the soccer team and the whole episode is about that.👧⚽💓 Take a look at the clip below for some similarities I found between this movie and that ICONIC episode of Full House:
So, does anyone else think of that episode of Full House whenever they watch this movie? No, just me? Okay. But that's not the only thing I think about or remember when I watch this movie. As I also think of that 2005 Disney movie, Ice Princess, every time I watch this movie. 'Cause the boy who Sam has a crush on in this movie (Switching Goals), Greg, is played by the same actor who played the love interest (Teddy) to one of the main characters in Ice Princess.⛸❆❄ Take a look:
The actor who plays the girls' dad in this movie is also the same actor who goes on to play Mary-Kate and Ashley's dad in their VERY ICONIC show So Little Time. So, this movie is fun and interesting to watch just to see the start of that whole relationship/business-ship between the three of them.👨👧👧 Speaking of So Little Time, from what I can remember from the show, he's definitely a way better dad to the girls in So Little Time than in this movie. Oh, and also speaking of their dad, even though I don't like his character in this movie, I do think he is the best dad from any and all of Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies. At least, in regards to the actor himself. I just feel like whenever they act with him, whether it's in this movie or in So Little Time, they have the best daddy-daughter chemistry than any of the other actors who played Mary-Kate and Ashley's dad in their other movies. In other words, the girls' chemistry with the dad actor in this movie just seems so natural and not forced, which does make the scenes with them all three together more believable and real and easy to watch.💙👨👧👧👏 That's why I wish the dad character in this movie wasn't the way he is, because I do like the specific actor playing their dad just whenever he does play their dad. Hope that makes sense.😊
And, speaking of special appearances, there's also sort of a random appearance by an actual real-life pro soccer player in this movie, Alexi Lalas.👨⚽🏆 Who apparently plays for Kansas City. Or, did play for Kansas City. So, if you're a sports fan, you might enjoy this movie for that. But I don't watch sports, so I had no idea at first who Alexi Lalas was until Emma and Sam says who he is in this movie. I still don't really know everything about him, but I just thought that guest star was worth a mention here.👍😊
When it comes to my favorite scenes in this movie, I only LOVE the scenes with Mary-Kate and Ashley in this movie.💕 When it's just the two of them or one of them with Greg. As there is the secondary storyline in this movie about Sam liking Greg, but Greg likes Emma. So, Sam acts as Emma to impress Greg. Again, I LOVE all those scenes with them. In fact, one of my FAVORITE scenes from this movie, that has ALWAYS been one of my FAVORITE scenes, but is a pretty short scene is when Emma is teaching Sam how to walk like her, dress like her, and be like her for her first date with Greg.💕👧👧👓👗👡 'Cause Greg ends up asking Emma out, not knowing it was actually Sam he was talking to, so Sam has to then act like she's really Emma during the date. Which is also a very interesting scene in and of itself. Again, all the scenes with just the girls or the girls with Greg, are the only thing that keeps me interested in this movie.
This movie also has its funny moments, too, like when Emma and Sam go back and forth talking to Greg while he's eating lunch at school, and Sam wants to tell him that she's been playing as Emma. That's a GREAT scene. And, again, some GREAT acting by Mary-Kate and Ashley.🎬👧👧💕 I also do like how this movie doesn't end with them winning the big game, which would just be a typical, happy ending. Even though, it was still a happy ending, but it wasn't the expected ending. This movie also has some GREAT messages/lessons, even if some of the characters in this movie didn't necessarily learn them themselves (cough, cough, Jerry👀). As viewers can definitely takeaway from this movie that winning isn't everything, you don't have to be good at something just because somebody else is, don't push your goals and dreams onto others (you do you and let others do them), you can't always get what you want in life, everybody makes mistakes, and be yourself, because if someone doesn't like you for you then they aren't worth your time or energy anyway, you don't need to impress anyone but yourself.👍👏
For the things that I dislike about this movie, well, it's very misogynistic, which is what made me not like this movie the most.👎 As the men in this movie were very against girls and women joining their little sports league.👎 For example, at one point during this movie there's a conversation between Jerry and his friend/co-worker, Dave. As Dave (Jerry's work friend) tells Jerry that it's the end of an era, as he then breaks the news to Jerry that the soccer league is going co-ed. Meaning that girls are going to join the league. Jerry is quite surprised about this idea and doesn't seem to like it, neither does Dave, obviously. As Dave goes on to say, "This poses a threat to our very existence. I mean you know how expansion dilutes the talent pool in baseball. We're not talking about some pint-sized underachiever who's just lucky to be in the league. We're talking girls. Face it, Jer, we're heading into the great unknown. Girls being a whole other component into the game. Tears, fashion, their moms." And when Dave gets done saying all this nonsense, Jerry just says, "Wait a minute, I'm covered. I got Sam." Jerry also gets really competitive against his own wife when she decides to join the league by becoming the head coach of the Buzzards, the Hurricanes' opposing team. I just don't like the whole philosophy of the men in this movie.👎 I never really paid attention to or realized that whole aspect of this movie when I used to watch this movie A LOT as a teen, but re-watching this movie now as an adult I didn't appreciate or like it. Which, again, is the main reason why I ranked this movie lower than I initially would have.😞
There is also a moment in this movie when Sam is telling Emma about Greg, the boy she likes, and Emma encourages Sam to just go up and introduce herself to him (Greg). But Sam says she can't because she'd have to remember her name and Emma says, "Relax, he's just a guy." And Sam says, "Guy to you, God to me."👎Yeah, I've just never liked that comment made by Sam because nobody can or should be compared to God, because NOBODY IS GOD EXCEPT FOR GOD.🕇 It's an offensive line to me. A small, quick comment, but still one that bothers me whenever I watch this movie.😞
As I've mentioned before, I'm also just not a big sports person. I don't like watching sports, I would rather play the sports I do like than watch them. So, this movie just being mostly all about soccer and watching kids play soccer, is also why it's not that interesting or that fun to watch. I mean, you could also tell that a lot of the soccer-playing scenes that were supposed to feature Mary-Kate and Ashley playing the sport, were really just stunt doubles. Very obvious, unfortunately. The girls' mom is also a shrink in this movie, which makes for some very boring scenes. And I already mentioned that one fortune teller scene at the beginning of this movie, which I also don't like. But I do LOVE how the mom is so for the girls and women being equal to men in this movie.👨🟰👩 👦🟰👧👏That's a plus. As she literally tells her husband (Jerry) at one point during the movie, after he (Jerry) tells her that the league is going co-ed, that it will be a perfect opportunity for him to get involved with both girls not just one of them (Sam). 'Cause as she says, "I mean, what better way to put them on equal footing?"👏 There's also another time at the beginning when she tells Jerry that he's got to stop pigeon-holding the girls because as she says, "There is more to Sam than sports and there is more to Emma than pretty dresses."👏
Not only do I feel like this movie didn't wrap up well with the dad learning his lesson, but as much as I LOVE the scenes with Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters and Greg, I also don't think that storyline wrapped up well, either. As I didn't really like some of the ways Greg acted towards Sam in this movie and by the end he just thinks he can ask her out and Sam accepts it. I don't know, but part of me thinks Greg didn't deserve Sam. But that's also not the worst thing about this movie. So, it's whatever. This was another movie just all about the parents as it showed more scenes with the adults than with Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters, which was a bummer. And something I don't know how I never really realized before. I just wanted to see more of Mary-Kate and Ashley in this movie because the scenes with them were the BEST parts of this whole movie and is what makes it even a little worth watching. But I also would have LOVED to see more of the family moments between Sam, Emma, and their parents. I feel like they could have done more with that whole aspect. As it just seemed like they were always separated and we never saw the actual family dynamic except for in three scenes.👨👩👧👧
I know there's some mixed opinions online about whether or not this movie (Switching Goals) came out or was filmed before Passport to Paris, but per my research Passport to Paris came out before Switching Goals. Now, Switching Goals maybe could have been filmed before Passport to Paris but it DID NOT come out before Passport to Paris. So, in other words, release date wise, Switching Goals was Mary-Kate and Ashley's SECOND movie release in 1999. However, when going back to re-watch these movies for this post, I did go out of chronological order and chose to re-watch Switching Goals before Passport to Paris. I saved Passport to Paris to watch a little later for this post, just because I had just watched Passport to Paris not that long ago (last year actually, on my BDAY🎂🎈). Plus, at the time I chose to -rewatch Switching Goals for this post, it just wasn't the right vibe yet to re-watch Passport to Paris. Yeah, none of what I just said there is really important or has anything to do with why this movie ranks where it does on this list, but I thought I would just mention it anyways.
Again, I just wish this movie wasn't as misogynistic as it is. As it's just all about the dad and his buddies and what they wanted for the soccer league more than it was about Mary-Kate and Ashley. The title of this movie doesn't really make sense either because the girls don't actually switch goals, because only Emma becomes a goalie, and she doesn't actually become goalie until the very end. So they switch teams, but that's it. I mean, I get it's still a soccer reference, and I guess they do kind of switch their life goals. So, maybe that's what it means? I don't know.🤔I'm just as confused as you are. If I were ranking this movie just based on Mary-Kate and Ashley's scenes alone in this movie, than it would go much higher on this ranking. But, this movie as a whole is actually not that great storyline wise. Well, and character wise. But there is still something about the calmness and simplicity of this movie. It does give off those relaxing, 90's vibes, which I do also really LOVE.
I'm just still kind of bummed that this movie had to rank SO LOW on this ranking. And I don't know if maybe I just watched this movie too early on in the day when I decided to re-watch it or just hyped it up in my head too much before re-watching it, because I've seen this movie so many times before but this was the FIRST TIME that I actually didn't vibe with this movie as much as I usually have in the past. This is still a pretty good movie but after watching all the other MK&A movies that came before this one and comparing them all together, this just isn't one of their best. Which, even shocks me saying that because this movie has always been a favorite of mine for the longest time since I got it on DVD when I was in my early teens for my birthday. And so, I guess now it's not one of my favorite movies, which is kind of sad.😞 I really wanted to like this movie more than I did, re-watching it this time around, but there were those things that I mentioned above which made me not like it as much. One that I had always never liked and some others that I had just really paid attention to or realized for the first time and didn't like. I just can't stop saying how shocked I am that I didn't LOVE this movie like I used to. 'Cause literally, when I was a teen, it was this movie and Passport to Paris that I would re-watch over and over. I knew every scene and like every line from the both of them. Now there are some things in this movie that I don't ever want to remember. But also, maybe I was kind of forced into loving this movie as a teen because it was one of only three MK&A movies I had on DVD at the time. So, of course because those three movies (New York Minute, Passport to Paris, and Switching Goals) were the only MK&A movies I could watch over and over at the time, it was engrained in my mind to just LOVE it.
Anyways, despite the things I don't like about this movie, it is still pretty ICONIC, just because it is Mary-Kate and Ashley in their peak 90's era. One of my FAVORITE eras of theirs.💕And even though this isn't one of my FAVORITE Mary-Kate and Ashley movies anymore, it will always be NOSTALGIC and UNFORGETTABLE to me, simply because it was one of the VERY FIRST MK&A movies I owned on DVD as a kid that was all MY OWN, which is a memory I'll never forget. And also one main reason why it ranks above the other MK&A movies I've already mentioned. Even watching this movie back this time around as an adult, is a memory I'll never forget. And despite all the mostly adult men scenes in this movie, and it just mostly being about the sport of soccer, I would still rather watch this movie over all the previous MK&A movies I already mentioned before. At least just for the scenes with Mary-Kate and Ashley. 'Cause those are really the only scenes worth watching.😊
Overall, this is a decent movie, but not a GREAT or AMAZING movie. Especially when compared to all the other MK&A movies I will be mentioning in this post. Although, I am glad that this movie exists just because it is cool and different seeing the girls (Mary-Kate and Ashley) in this type of setting and storyline. And every time I watch this movie, it does bring me back to my sports days as a kid when I did cheerleading and softball.📣🥎 Again, as crazy as it is, I would still choose to watch this movie again sometime in the future. And I do think it's worth a one-time watch for everyone out there. Even for those who aren't fans of Mary-Kate and Ashley. But, I think the people who would really enjoy this movie are sports lovers, specifically those who love soccer, and those who are just fans of anything that Mary-Kate and Ashley do/have done (much like me). 'Cause other than that, there's really not much else for just anyone to enjoy about this movie.
Mary-Kate and Ashley came out with two full-length direct-to-video movies in 2002, this movie (When In Rome) and Getting There. And of course, as you can tell from where this movie is ranked on this list, it is by far (in my opinion) the BETTER of the two.🎉😊 This is also another MK&A movie that I discovered later on, in my teens, when TeenNick was airing all of these movies on their channel. So, I didn't see this movie at all when I was a kid, and only found out that it even existed back in 2015.🤯 Which, of course, I do have such fond memories of watching this movie for the FIRST TIME that year and all the other times I watched this movie after that.💗
The last time I had watched this movie, before doing so again for this post, wasn't that long ago. It was actually just a few years ago, (maybe even during the pandemic in 2020😷), that I had re-watched this movie. So, even though it hadn't been that long since I had last watched it, I was still very curious to re-watch this movie for this post.😀 Just because each time I watch this movie, I feel a little differently about it. And, of course, I was also just VERY EXCITED to re-watch this movie. 'Cause after having re-watched all the MK&A movies leading up to this one, I already had seen some not-so-good ones and figured that this was probably going to be better than I used to think it was just because I've always thought (since the first time I had watched it) that it's not the best. So, it had to better than I used to think it was. In other words, I went into re-watching this movie really wanting to LOVE it, and now that I've watched it again it's safe to say that I do LOVE it. In fact, I've found a new LOVE and APPRECIATION for this movie than ever before.💚🤍💗👏
Basically, if you've never seen this movie before, it's about LA twins Charli (played by Mary-Kate) and Leila Hunter (played by Ashley) who are in Rome to participate in a Summer Intern Program, along with four other interns: Paolo from Rome, Italy (played by Michelangelo Tommaso), Heidi from Munich, Germany (played by Valentina Mattolini) , Dari from Venice, Italy (played by llenia Lazzarin), and Nobu from Tokyo, Japan (played by Archie Kao).👧👧👦👧👦👧💚🤍💗❤💗💛🔴They are all competing against each other to be one of the two personal assistants that Derek Hammond (who is the owner of the company that they're interning for) (played by Julian Stone) plans to pick to join him in New York for the next summer. 👨👔💼The interns split up into small teams/partners to work on separate tasks as part of their internship for the company. Paolo and Charli become instant partners and decide to work together. However, the interns' first day is a BIG FAIL, as everyone other than Heidi, get on preliminary probation.👎😞So, the girls ALMOST get fired on their FIRST DAY.😮 Due to careless mishaps later on, the girls (Charli and Leila) actually get immediately fired.👎😞 But then, after overhearing an emotional conversation between the girls, Mr. Hammond decides to re-hire Charli and Leila.👏👏The girls (Leila and Charli) and Jamie then spend a day at Mr. Hammond's seaside villa for a few days of fun and sun, which is where Leila meets a "bad boy" from New York named Ryan (played by Derek Lee Nixon), who turns out to be Derek's nephew.👨👦😮And Leila and Ryan develop a liking for each other, but not romantically.👎👍
The girls grasp more the concept of being responsible while back at work, and they become great friends with the other interns.👧👧👦👧👦👧 Which is then when Charli and Paulo ("Sing to me Paulo"🤣😉) develop feelings for each other.👦💓👧 Charli and her group later on, at one point in the movie, attempt to deliver some designs for a photoshoot, but Mr. Tortoni (played by Matt Patresi) sabotages them by stealing the clothes.😮Mr. Tortoni then fires all the interns.😠👎But Leila, with help from Ryan (finally getting him to work but he does so to prove to himself that he can), captured pictures of the incident when it happened, so she then delivers the pictures to Mr. Hammond.👏👧👦📸🖻👨Everyone then puts to use what they learned all summer and work together to help make a new collection of clothes for the photoshoot before the big day, using Charli's designs.👏👧👧👦👧👦👧👩✂👗👚👖👜👠 In the end, SPOILER ALERT, the photoshoot goes well, it is discovered that Mr. Tortoni was always just jealous of Derek for having the girl (Jamie) (played by Leslie Danon) he wanted and getting all the glory in the fashion world, Derek has Mr. Tortoni arrested, Derek un-fires the interns, and then he (Derek) asks all the interns to come to New York with him next summer. Derek wants to be with Jamie for life, they kiss, Charli and Paulo kiss, and Ashley tells Ryan that she's just good with a hug.😂👎👍👨👩👧👦👧👦💚🤍💗✈🗽😊
Like I briefly mentioned before, I used to say and think that this was one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's worst movies. In other words, it used to be my least favorite movie of theirs. But now, I've completely changed my mind on that.😊 'Cause this movie (When in Rome) is actually a GOOD movie and one of their BEST.👍👏 Getting There is clearly their WORST.👎 Hence, why it made it to the TOP 10 on this ranking.👏👏 In fact, the movies that I mention from here on up, are Mary-Kate and Ashley's BEST.👍 Although, the TOP 3 movies on this ranking are the BEST BEST BEST, but more on those later. Right now, let's continue with the reasons why I LOVE this movie specifically.😊💚🤍💗
First of all, I just LOVE that this movie takes place in Italy.💚🤍💗✈🍝🍕🍦🍷☕ I've always wanted to go to Italy, so whenever I watch good movies like this one, it just makes me want to go there even more.😊 At least, just by watching this movie, I feel like I am there myself and so I LOVE this movie (and ALL of Mary-Kate and Ashley's destination movies) for that reason. I also just instantly think of the Lizzie McGuire Movie every time that I watch this movie or see/hear the title of it. Another ICONIC movie in and of itself, and not a bad movie at all to be compared to. Which, it does make sense that the Lizzie McGuire Movie comes to my mind whenever I watch When in Rome, because both movies take place in Rome, Italy and there are exact spots and things from the exact location featured in both movies. And, I don't know if you know this, but Robert Thorne became Hilary Duff's manager after Mary-Kate and Ashley let him go in 2004? So, there is some connection there. Anyways, check out the video below of the specific similarities between When in Rome and the Lizzie McGuire Movie, to get what I'm talking about if you're confused.
Back to When in Rome, though. The very beginning of this movie I also really LOVE. It's very unique in that this movie starts out like no other Mary-Kate and Ashley destination movie, as it shows the girls already at their destination (which in this movie, is Rome, Italy). As usually, in Mary-Kate and Ashley's other destination movies, it shows them in their hometown AND THEN traveling to their destination, but this movie DOESN'T do that. Which, again, I actually don't mind at all. I actually LOVE it.💚🤍💗Ashley's character does mention how they got there, though. As she (Leila) says at one point, when her and Charli are first standing outside on the balcony, that they flew thirteen hours from Los Angeles over the Arctic Circle and came straight there from the Roma Airport. So, they don't leave viewers wondering how they got there, they just don't actually show it.
To be more specific, the very beginning of this movie starts by showing the girls in their hotel room, sleeping in their separate beds, they get some knocks on their door, and they wake up to get ready for the FIRST DAY at their NEW JOB. But they head out onto their balcony first to check out the wonderful view of Rome and tell us (the viewers) why they're there. All while the ICONIC, VERY FITTING, 80s song, "Roam" plays.🌅🎶❤ It's one of the BEST beginnings to a movie EVER and it instantly gets you hooked to wanna watch the whole thing. At least, it always does for me.😊
From the beginning scene, we also instantly get a sense of what Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters are like in this movie. As while Mary-Kate's character (Charli) is looking around taking in the view of Rome from their balcony, Ashley's character (Leila) does the same but through a camera lens.👀📸 And that's all because Ashley's character in this movie LOVES photography and Charli, as we learn a little later on in the movie, LOVES sketching/designing clothes.👧📸👧👗👚👖👡👛💄✂📖 Both of them LOVE fashion, though, which is why they are there for the internship to begin with. Which is another thing that I just LOVE about this movie, the FASHION. I LOVE FASHION myself, so this movie being all about that is just AWESOME.😊👏👏 When it comes to Mary-Kate and Ashley themselves, it's also the most art-imitating-life movie to exist from their collection of movies. In other words, in this movie we get to see Mary-Kate and Ashley in their element. A little glimpse into how Mary-Kate and Ashley's real-life must look like on the daily, ever since they quit acting to focus solely on fashion.👧👧 👗👚👖👡👛💄✂📖Which, again, is pretty cool and special. Besides the FASHION, I also just LOVE the PHOTOGRAPHY aspect of this movie and that Ashley's character loves photography. 'Cause I mean, who doesn't LOVE photography? I know I do.💗📸🖼😊✋
It's also cool during that beginning scene, because as we hear each click of Leila's camera it shows us (the viewers) a picture of some of Rome's most notable architectures and popular tourists spots.👧📸 Leila also goes into some history about Rome that I never knew before.👧 As she mentions it being twenty-seven-hundred years old (at the time that this movie was filmed).😮 She also mentions some other big, historic Roman things being there like the Roman Empire, Gladiators, Michaelangelo, Versace, and Caesar (and she's not talking about the salad😉🥗😂). Speaking of Roman history, we also learn at one point during the movie, about the Spanish Steps. And that they were completed in 1726.😮 And we learn that the Colosseum was built 2,000 years ago (at the time of this movie) where 55,000 Romans would fill the place and men and some women would battle to the death.😮So, those are some fun facts that I didn't know or remember before re-watching this movie. I was also today-years-old when I found out what GPS stands for, all thanks to this movie (particularly, Charli aka Mary-Kate).😂 'Cause now I know, if anybody ever asks, that the letters in GPS stand for Global Positioning System. Did anyone else not already know that fact? No, just me? Okay.😂😊
This movie also has quite A LOT of GREAT messages/lessons that one can takeaway while watching it.👏Such as the importance of not being late to important dates. As at the very beginning, Charli wants to sleep in on her first day of work but Leila tells her that if they want to do something meaningful for the company and work on a fashion shoot then it's best that they're not late on their first day. Understanding that it takes time to get to the top is another GREAT and IMPORTANT message/lesson, that goes for anyone pursuing anything in life. As Leila and Charli start out as mailroom interns and have to earn their way to actually getting to work the fashion shoot. Their dream happened for them, but it also took a lot of time and patience for that to happen. This is something Jamie basically tells Leila after Leila asks her (Jamie), "So, a successful internship can lead to good things?" and Jamie tells her (Leila), "Well, it's not the yellow brick road to Oz, but you do get your foot in the door."
Remembering that everybody makes mistakes is another GREAT message/lesson from this movie. 'Cause a few of the characters in this movie do make mistakes. Don't take the easy way out is another GREAT message/lesson. Something that Leila basically tells Charli at the very beginning of this movie after Charli mentions that it would be much easier for them to just work at the mall for the summer, Leila then tells her, "Charli, this is a great opportunity for us to learn about the fashion business. I mean, in the center of the fashion world. Well, I'm sure we'll make a mistake or two but, we'll be fine." There's also that great, emotional moment when Leila, Charli and Jamie are sitting by the Trevi Fountain and Leila tells Charli and Jamie, after her and Charli got fired, how upset she is and how she wants to cry but she can't because it just doesn't seem real to her. And Charli then puts Leila's head on her shoulder and says, "Lei Lei, life goes on." And then Leila thanks Charli for cheering her up and says that she'll save her tears for their 13-hour plane ride back home. So, basically, going with that message of people make mistakes and bad things might happen in life but life does go on and things will get better. But, I also do think it was important in that moment for Charli to also let Leila know that it's okay to cry about it, too. Because when you're going through something hard in life it is important to let your emotions out. Just don't be afraid to cry if you need to is a message I would say.😢👍😊
There's a GREAT reminder, that when it comes to any business, to be successful everyone from top to bottom must do their job and do it right. Something that Mr. Hammond tells the interns when he first meets them. And everyone involved in any company is an important part of said company and should be treated as such. Something Mr. Hammond also learns by the end, as at the beginning of the movie he just plans on picking two interns to go to New York with him the next summer, but by the end he asks all the interns to go because as he tells them, "You never break up a winning team." Also, don't be a greedy person. Which is something Mr. Hammond tells Mr. Tortoni. This movie also just teaches you to go for your dreams and cease amazing opportunities when you can. At least, it reminds me of those things every time that I watch this movie.😊☁🌟
You know when it comes to any Mary-Kate and Ashley movie that there's going to be at least one cute, sweet sister moment, and this movie is no exception.💕👧👧As there's one moment in this movie when Heidi and Leila are talking while doing their business task and Heidi asks Leila if she thinks Paolo is very cute and Leila says that he's not for her. And then Heidi asks, "You have a boyfriend back home?" and Leila says, "No, um, Paolo's not for me because I think my sister might be interested." And then Heidi says, "You don't compete with your sister?" and Leila says, "No. I don't and I won't."🥹 I LOVE THAT MOMENT SO MUCH.💕IT'S SO SWEET, SO REAL, and just SO RELATABLE. Definitely something I would say or stand by if one of my sisters and I ever liked the same guy.👧👧👧💕
Another quote that I really LOVED in this movie is when Leila is doing a little photoshoot with Jamie and as Jamie watches Leila do her thing with the camera she (Jamie) says to Leila, "You're really serious about this." And Leila says, "Well, to capture an image, freeze time, make a moment last forever...It's all good." 📸💗😂😊That quote is also quite funny, but so true and relatable because that's also a reason why I LOVE taking photos, too. There's another great, relatable moment when Leila and Jamie are talking about goals and Leila says she doesn't have a set goal but she loves fashion and photography so she's using this summer to get a little taste of that and after college maybe she'll be working for Jamie. Which, again, is just a great message about just living in the moment and being hopeful. 'Cause when I was in college, even during my last year of college, I didn't have a set goal or know what exactly I wanted to do for the rest of my life either. I'm still at odds with that. So, I can relate to Leila in that way and I think that's a great message one can takeaway from watching this movie, too. Knowing that it's okay not to know what you want to do for the rest of your life. 'Cause even once you do know, that could end up changing at some point anyways, as your life changes. In other words, your goals change as your life progresses and changes.
There's also a really funny, great quote and moment in this movie by Paolo.👦💚 As when he is talking to Charli at one point he says to her, "Relax, chill, be mellow, be cool, be Italian, 'cause tomorrow's a new day, so don't worry about..." And then Charli puts her finger over his mouth so we don't hear the rest of what he was going to say, but I'm sure it was great. Lol.🤣 Just another fun, positive message in and of itself, about appreciating the small, simple, quiet moments in life. Another quote that stood out to me during my re-watch of this movie is when Jamie and the girls are at Mr. Hammond's house and Jamie asks Charli if she'll ever talk to Paolo again, and Charli says, "You know, I don't think Paolo and I would have ever really gotten along. You know, he thinks I'm a way too uptight American and I think he's a way too laid-back Italian." And then Leila says, "Like oil and vinegar", and Jamie says, "Yeah, they might not mix real well, but you put them on a salad and it turns out to be a great combination."🤣🥗🥗 So, basically that message of opposites can sometimes attract and not to judge a book by it's cover. I also liked the little piece of advice (aka Hammond's 7 C's) that Derek (aka Mr. Hammond) gives to Charli and Leila when he tells them that when they get back to work they should remember to, "Be clever, be conscientious, be calm, be cooperative, be consistent, be creative, and most important of all, be confident." I also LOVE the quote from Jamie in this movie, when she says to Charli, "I mean it's out there, but sometimes the best ideas are the most unconventional." I agree. In other words, don't stick to the status quo, be unique, be different, don't do what everyone else is doing.💗
This movie not only gives off all those Italian vibes, but it also gives off some Spring vibes, as well. As the photoshoot they end up working on is a Spring shoot for their Spring line of clothes.👗👚👖👠👜🎕 This movie also gives you those SUMMER VIBES, too, of course. 💙🌞🏖🌴😎Although, I was a little confused, because they clearly say it's a summer internship from the very beginning and at other times throughout the movie, but then at one point during the movie Leila says, "I can't believe we almost got fired from a summer job and it's not even summer."😕🤔 So, is it really summer or is it not? I think they just messed up with that line and it actually really is summer. Otherwise, they wouldn't be calling it a summer internship. There's cute Italian boys, cute Italian fashion, pizza, gelato, espresso, spaghetti, and just all the Italian things you could want in one movie. I even learned some Italian slang from watching this movie.
One thing I didn't like about this movie is Ashley's character.😞I never realized before how mean and judge-y Leila is to Ryan in this movie. For example, there's a scene when Ryan tells Leila that Derek is his uncle and that he's staying with him (Derek) for the summer and Leila says, "Alone?", and Ryan then tells her that he's not alone. That he's got his friends, Miss Speedboat, Mr. Dune Buggy, Uncle Harley Davidson, and Surfboard.👦🚤🏍🏄 Leila then makes the comment that she'd be totally bored, and Ryan then tells her to lighten up, saying that he thought LA types were laid back. Leila then continues to hound him asking Ryan why he's not in the internship program and Ryan asks her, "What is this, 20 questions?", and Leila says, "It would just seem natural. I mean, the intern program's in Rome, you're very close...I mean, if the shoe fits." And Ryan says, "Sun and fun! Where's the bad, Leila?", and Leila says, "You're all by yourself." And Ryan then says no he's not, not today, because he's with her. Again, to me, Ryan was being funny and sweet in that moment not judging Leila or her life (besides the LA-type comment) and Leila was just kind of judge-y, rude, pushy, and obnoxious to him from the start. And who cares if he was alone? I didn't understand her frustration with that about him.👎😞
Leila also acts the same way during the gelato shop scene. Her and Ryan have a conversation while eating some gelato, where Ryan asks Leila why she doesn't like him and Leila tells him, "Fine, here it goes. You're spoiled, sort of obnoxious and kind of...arrogant."😮👎 Ryan does basically then beg even more for her honest opinion about him, and Leila goes on to say, "And the clencher is, you're happy being that way. Okay, I don't mean to be harsh but, your uncle would be so happy if you'd just join the program. For that matter, just do something more challenging than applying SPF 50 every day, all day."😮👎 Ryan then realizes that his initial thought about why his uncle (Derek) invited him to Italy for the summer to begin with, was correct. In that Leila just proved that his uncle invited him (Ryan) there all summer just because he (Derek) wants to instill some sort of work ethic in him (Ryan). But Ryan tells Leila he's never gonna be like his uncle, and that's when Leila sarcastically says "So, why bother trying?", and Ryan says "I'm only seventeen", and Leila says "You're right. You should just play with your uncle's toys all summer."😮👎 Again, just very RUDE and something I never paid much attention to before when I watched this movie. I mean, like Ryan said, he's ONLY 17. Let him just enjoy the last year of his youth, not having to work, before he has to work for the rest of his life. I just believe that people should do things that they want to do when they want to do them. In other words, live the life you want to live, not the life others want you to. While this message doesn't necessarily come across in this movie, someone could still learn that by watching this movie and just not treating people the way that Leila treats Ryan in this movie. (Again, no hate to Ashley herself. She was just playing the character, not actually writing the script.💗😊)
It was just sort of a bummer to re-watch those scenes, because I used to always love more of Ashley's characters in these movies and her scenes with the boys. But not this time. At least, not when it comes to her character in this specific movie, unfortunately.😞 Leila's also mean AGAIN to Ryan when she tells him to come to Rome for work with her (for his first summer job) but he doesn't want to, and so Leila tells him, "Ryan, do something productive and gain some respect."😮👎 She (Leila) also just uses him (Ryan) to help her get evidence against Mr. Tortoni, and then she just ditches him at the end. I mean, she could have given him one kiss on the cheek at least. A hug? Really? I mean, Ryan was even nice enough to thank Leila for helping him get it together, because as he says he ended up having "big time fun".🤣 But, I don't think Leila really deserved his thanks. Plus, I don't remember her thanking him for his help with the evidence. Yeah, so those are the only scenes I don't really like in this movie. The ones with Leila judging Ryan. Leila should have taken a cue from her sister in this movie. As when Charli and Paolo are eating the pasta that Paolo made at a restaurant (what I call the Lady and the Tramp moment) Charli says to Paolo, "If this is what you wanna do with your life, do it."👏As before that moment, when they made pizzas together earlier on in the movie, Paolo told Charli that he really wants to be a chef.🍝🍷 So it was sweet how encouraging Charli is to Paolo about his dreams during that scene and throughout this movie. And vice versa, how Paolo is to Charli about her dreams, as well.👦💗👧
Again, other than Leila's scenes with Ryan, there's nothing I don't like about this movie. Just when compared to all the other MK&A movies I will be mentioning, this one had to go lower on this ranking. But this movie is very nostalgic to me, it has that mystery element to it, it's pretty relatable, it has a lot of great messages/lessons one can takeaway while watching it, it's very funny at times, it has the romance, the sweet sister moments, and Italy, Italy, and more Italy.💚🤍💗 Oh, and all the Italian food you could think of. Specifically, pizza, spaghetti, gelato and coffee.🍕🍦🍝 ☕Even though I'm not a fan of coffee, but I'm definitely a fan of this movie.😊
I just love the overall vibes and aesthetic of this movie. Oh, and the music doesn't disappoint either.🎶 Neither, does Mary-Kate and Ashley's fashion.👧👧👗👚👖👜💄👡 I also LOVE the skating scene when Leila and Dari find a much faster and more efficient way to send off mail by using skates✉🛼 That's just a fun, cute little scene, and it reminds me of when I used to go roller skating a lot as a kid. What also really stood out to me in this movie re-watching it this time around, that for some reason I also never noticed before, is the cool, grainy-ish vintage filter on this whole movie. That in and of itself makes this movie that much more unique from all the rest and it just adds to the whole Italian vibes going on. There are some GREAT montages in this movie, too. As you know, I LOVE montage scenes, and Mary-Kate and Ashley have some of the BEST MOVIE MONTAGES EVER. This movie being no different. Like I mentioned before, I LOVE the very beginning montage scene and there's also two other GREAT ones at the end of this movie. The one that shows them all working together preparing for and creating the photoshoot and the very ending short montage scene after the photoshoot and everything happens to close out the movie officially. Again, I really LOVED every Charli and Paolo scene in this movie more than I did Leila and Ryan's scenes together. Like the pizza making scene with them (Paolo and Charli) and the Lady and the Tramp-esque scene I mentioned earlier.👦👧🍕🍝🍷I also did like the gelato shop scene with Leila and Ryan, but the conversation between them ruined it for me a little bit. But, I just liked seeing them get gelato.👦👧🍦 I also appreciate that all the European characters in this movie are actually European actors in real life, and NOT Americans faking European accents. 'Cause it's kind of the worst when you can tell it's an American just doing a different accent in a movie. So, again, I'm glad that they didn't do that with this movie.👏
Although, I will say, one other reason why I ranked this movie lower than some of the others is simply because something about this movie does feel incomplete every time I watch it. I can't pinpoint what exactly, but something just feels like it's missing from this movie, despite all the GREAT things that it does have which I mentioned above.🤔 Maybe it's the ending of this movie that seems off to me, because it does seem to end kind of abruptly and it's the fastest part of the movie. Fun fact, though, there is actually an alternate ending of this movie which I do kind of like better. In other words, I do think the alternate ending of this movie should have been the ACTUAL ending of this movie, but with the added Charli, Paolo, Leila and Ryan ending conversation moments that ARE in the ACTUAL ending that they went with. 'Cause they do leave out the wrap-ups of Charli and Leila's relationships in the alternate ending which I don't like. So, I guess there are things I like and dislike about both endings. But watch the clips below of both endings, and tell me which ending you like better, if any?
Something that also makes the actual ending of this movie interesting is that Mary-Kate and Ashley's team were already working on the script and idea for their final film New York Minute during the year that they were filming this movie, and New York Minute would come out just two years after this movie. So, I wonder if they were even planning on making the movie that they did after this one, The Challenge, which came out in 2003? I wonder if New York Minute would have actually just came out after this movie, since they mention going to New York at the end of this movie and in The Challenge they don't mention that at all? Just something interesting to think about...Moving on.
Overall, this is a GOOD movie. I really enjoyed it more than I ever did before. It's definitely one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's more slower movies, but it's very chill and calming and just a feel-good movie. The slowness kind of works for the whole Italian setting, anyway. Every time I watch this movie, it inspires and motivates me to work hard everyday and reach for my dreams. As the interns are there to work and learn about work and I learned more about work (especially the kind of work they're doing) while watching them work. Like I mentioned before, this is a very unique and special movie from the MK&A collection just because it's their only movie solely focused on FASHION, something we know that Mary-Kate and Ashley LOVE in real-life. And so I LOVE this movie for that. 'Cause, again, it's cool and interesting to see them in their element doing what they do BEST and LOVE the MOST. As I've also already said many times before, I also just LOVE the photography aspect and that it takes place in Italy. 'Cause it's always FUN and INTERESTING seeing Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters doing a new hobby in a new place. I would definitely watch this movie again. Especially, during the summer months and I highly suggest to anyone who LOVES anything Mary-Kate and Ashley or Italy to watch this movie, too.
Just because I can't say this enough, this movie has cute Italian boys, Italian accents, Italian food, Italian fashion, Italian EVERYTHING! As Leila says at the very beginning, "So much to do. So much to see. The culture. The history. The incredible food." And as Charli says, "The Italian boys. Ah, and it's all very, very good." Yep, that pretty much sums up this whole movie. So, as Paolo would say, relax, chill, be mellow, be cool, and go watch this movie.💚🤍💗 Oh, and don't forget your instant coffee or espresso.☕Arrivederci! Ciao! Grazie!👋✌😊
This is the ONLY Mary-Kate and Ashley movie that came out in 2000, and it's actually a really GOOD one. 🎉💚💛Despite it being kind of low on this ranking.😊Our Lips Our Sealed was also only the SECOND Mary-Kate and Ashley destination-inspired movie that they filmed.😮Before re-watching this movie for this post, I was already pretty familiar with it, because it's one that I've seen a good amount of times, where I know every scene before it even happens and pretty much every line the girls' characters say before they even say it. So, this movie is VERY NOSTALGIC to me.💛💚 Even though I wasn't introduced to this movie until I was in my later teens. Again, when TeenNick was airing all of Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies in 2015. So, like many of these movies on this ranking, I do have such a fond memory of watching this movie for the FIRST TIME back in 2015, and from when I re-watched this movie a couple of other times after that year with my sisters.👧👧👧📺 However, I do remember when I watched this movie the first couple of times, thinking that this movie was very cheesy and that it just wasn't one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's best movies.🤔But, I have to say, I was TOTALLY WRONG.👎 'Cause after re-watching this movie for this post, I do really LOVE this movie.💚💛 It's truly one-of-a-kind. It is kind of cheesy, and crazy, and all-over-the- place, but that's actually why I've come around to LOVE it.💛💚
If you've never seen this movie before, which I highly suggest that you do, it's basically about Los Angeles twin sisters Maddie (played by Mary-Kate) and Abby Parker (played by Ashley) who, after witnessing a robbery at their local museum in which a priceless Kneel Diamond is stolen, are placed in the FBI's Witness Protection Program. 👧👧💎🕵👨👮Until, crime boss, Emil Hatchew, is permanently put in the pokey (aka prison).🤣 They (the Parkers) must move to a new city, with new identities, and nobody can know their whereabouts. Not even their friends and family.😮The girls' dad even has to give up his job as a mailman, and the girls have to go to a new school their freshman year of high school.👨👩👧👧✈🏫🎒📚 And if for any reason their cover is blown, they will have to be relocated immediately.😯 Unfortunately, that's easier said than done for the Parker family, because Maddie and Abby have a problem with being blabbermouths.👧👧🤐😂 Therefore, as a result, the girls unintentionally end up revealing their witness status everywhere they, and their mom (played by Tamara Clatterbuck) and dad (played by Jim Meskimen), are sent to live.😞✈🤣 Meanwhile, Emil Hatchew (played by Robert Miano), will do anything to get his hands on the diamond, which the thieves slipped into one of the girls' shoulder bags during their escape from the crime scene.💎🕵👧👧🎒 And the gem ultimately ends up being set into one of the girls' necklaces. 👧💎
The Parker family is first sent to Texas where Maddie and Abby go by aliases Carla and Andrea👧👧🤠🐎, they then go to Seattle, Washington🌳🍃, then to an Amish country in Pennsylvania🐐🤎, then to Chicago🌽❆❄, Florida🌞🦩, Hawaii💮🏖🏄, Alaska🐺💛, and eventually every other possible geographic location around the world, with the single exception of Australia💛💚✈🌏🏄🦘.🤣 Therefore, the FBI sends the Parkers to live down under in Sydney, Australia, where the girls are given the aliases, Maddie and Abby Turtleby. 👧👧And they can't mess up this time, or else they will be pulled from the Witness Protection Program.🤐So, Maddie and Abby decide to make it work for their parents safety and their own, and their cover this time (in Australia) is Priders of the Salvation Shore Inn, the Turtleby's of Cleveland, Ohio.👨👩👧👧🐍 Their parents are Stanley and Sherly Turtleby and the girls go by the names Maddie and Abby Turtleby. Oh, and the Inn's mascot, a baby kangaroo named Boomer.🤎🦘
Maddie and Abby have some trouble at first, especially when trying to fit in with their Australian peers. But they soon realize that if they want to fit in they just have to do the Aussie thing. In other words, they must: (Step One) Speak the lingo; (Step Two) Eat the local grub (vegemite - "brown, sticky, disgusting goo"); (Step Three) Catch a wave (surf); and (Step Four) Use your head (smash soda cans on your head).🤣There also ends up being a turf/feud between the surfers and the popular kids, but they don't really get into what the actual feud is, and why there is such a turf war with the beach and the whole thing culminates in this surf war (competition). They even hire judges to come and judge who is the better surfer of these two groups and whoever wins, wins the right to the beach. 🏖🏄🏆😕 On the other hand, after discovering Maddie and Abby's location by breaking into the FBI office, two assassins named Mac (played by Jason Clarke) and Sidney (played by Richard Carter), are sent after the girls.
SPOILIER ALERT: The girls (Maddie and Abby) defeat the bad guys (Mac and Sidney) by knocking them out, tying them to surfboards, putting clips in Sidney's hair, painting Mac's toenails, and threatening to put pink and blue bikinis on them.🤣 So, Maddie and Abby manage to convince Mac and Sidney to change sides, and they (Mac and Sidney) leave after the girls lure Hatchew to Australia. Hatchew then comes after the girls, manages to get the diamond, and sets his hitman on them. It looks like Maddie and Abby are about to die, until Mac and Sidney return and defeat the hitman, saving the girls.👏 Hatchew nearly gets away on a seaplane, but Maddie and Abby stop him by using a boomerang, and Hatchew is then arrested by Katie (played by Jo Phillips) who was really an FBI agent the whole time undercover as a lifeguard. The girls throw the most awesome rockin' beach party EVER with all their new Aussie friends.🎉👧👧🎶🎸🏖💃 Then finally, the Parkers are able to return home to the U.S. with half the reward money for capturing the thieves.👏💸🌏✈ 🌎
Even though I initially went into re-watching this movie thinking it was just an okay movie, I was still VERY EXCITED and very curious to watch it again, just because it had been a while since I had last seen it. And, again, it did not disappoint.😊💚💛 First of all, I just LOVE that this movie takes place in Australia.🌏💛💚 Another place I've always wanted to visit. and this movie makes me want to go more so. Them just being in Australia brings a whole other character and life to this movie in and of itself. And it's also GREAT because they actually really did film this movie in Sydney, Australia. So, nothing fake there. Which is always a plus.👍👏 This movie is also very unique and different just because of the whole opening scene. As the very beginning scene of this movie shows a fake 1950s/1960s black-and-white movie depicting and explaining to us (the viewers) what the Witness Protection Program is.❤🤍📼 Which, that very beginning scene can either get one hooked to wanna watch this movie or not interested at all. Luckily, I gave this movie a chance the very first time that I saw it on TV, just because I wanted to at least see the first scene with Mary-Kate and Ashley in it. 'Cause I'm not someone who likes to watch black-and-white movies or shows and things like that, so if this weren't a MK&A movie then I probably wouldn't have continued to watch it. So, the very beginning scene of this movie will make you think like, "What is this?", but trust me it's not what you think. If you don't like old, black-and-white movies, you will like this movie. You just just have to get past that beginning part. Plus, it's not that long. Again, it's not a bad opening scene, it's just a little deceiving and confusing.👎👍😊😕
That very beginning black-and-white scene is very important, though, because it's when we also first learn the last name of Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters in this movie and that they are a part of the Witness Protection Program. Them specifically being witnesses 9235 and 9236.🤣👧👧🕵👀 However, it is interesting because throughout this movie we never actually learn that the girls' characters real first names are Maddie and Abby, as they are just referenced as "the Parker sisters". Until, they actually get to Australia and say what their first names are. So, this movie is the longest they go without telling viewers the main two characters real names. Which, we still kind of don't know if Maddie and Abby are their real first names, but I'm just going by what IMDB says.
The first scene with Mary-Kate and Ashley in this movie, the one after the black-and-white little movie montage, is very similar to the very beginning scene in another movie they did, that I will be mentioning later on in this post, called How the West Was Fun. As it shows the girls (Maddie and Abby) getting off the school bus and it being the FIRST DAY of high school. They (Maddie and Abby) mention just wanting to be the most popular girls in school and then when they walk onto the school campus it shows that they are popular, as all the students crowd around them and the principal announces that it's Parker Sister Day.🎉🌟👧👧🏫 And there's confetti and a marching band playing loud music.🎉🎶🎺🥁 But then, shortly after, we see that that was all just a dream. A dream the girls both had about their first day of high school being great because they were popular. Again, that particular scene in this movie is very similar to the very beginning scene in How the West Was Fun when they inexplicably have a dream, too. Only they're not in high school in that movie. So, I wonder if that was a little Easter egg, callback to their earlier movies.🤔 What's also interesting about this movie (Our Lips Are Sealed), that I never knew before until researching some things for this post, is that the writers of this movie also wrote one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE MK&A movies (that you will for sure be seeing later), Passport to Paris. I just thought that was so interesting, because this movie (Our Lips Are Sealed) is really different from Passport to Paris. Both are GREAT, though, but one is also clearly much BETTER. Which, again, you'll see soon.😉😊
Okay, just a random thought, but every time I see the title of this movie I just automatically start singing the song "Our Lips Are Sealed" by Hilary and Haylie Duff in my head. 🎶🎤Anyone else? I mean, honestly that could be the theme song for this movie. It didn't come out until a few years later, and it doesn't really fit the whole vibe of this movie, but I can't help but always think about that specific song every time that this movie come to mind. If you don't know what song I'm talking about I included the song below for you to enjoy, because why not? Anyways...back to Our Lips Are Sealed the movie.😊🎥🌏🦘
There's so many, GREAT, FUNNY, and ICONIC one-liners in this movie. Such as when the girls are at cheerleading tryouts and the head cheerleader says to Maddie and Abby, "Girls, Halloween isn't until October" and Abby says, "Well, then why are you acting like such a witch?"🤣🎃 A little mean, but hey, I can't help but laugh about it.😊 There's also another great line when the Australian mean girl, Victoria (played by Jane Bronneberg) sees Abby surfing for the first time and she says, "Since when did she learn how to surf?" and Maddie says, "Since this scene apparently."🤣🏄🎬 I also LOVE the part when the girls go to Victoria's boat party and all the kids are dancing, and the music stops every few seconds for one of the characters to say something funny directly to the camera, and when it gets to Abby (aka Ashley) she says, "Oh, am I supposed to say something funny? Something funny."🤣 That's definitely my FAVORITE quote from this whole movie. I've actually quoted that line randomly to myself and to others before, ever since I first watched this movie and heard that line by Ashley's character. I just think it's great. I just LOVE all the funny things Maddie and Abby and some of the other characters say during the many times that they look directly at the camera and say something.💛💚 'Cause, if you didn't already know, out of all of Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies, this one is the most wink-at-the-audience type of movie. As they constantly talk to the audience and they also specifically constantly talk TO us and TELL us about how this is a movie. 'Cause they say, "This scene..." A LOT. Which, again, I actually LOVE and it is something very creative and forward-thinking for its time.
It's also quite funny and a pretty ICONIC line when one of the girls (I forgot which girl says it exactly) pronounces Yurugli, which is the fictional nation in Europe that was featured to be the home of the Hatchew family in this movie, as "You're Ugly".🤣 I mean, I don't agree with anyone calling anyone ugly, but it's a pretty funny line, no? 👍👎And it's not like they were actually calling the guy ugly, but just saying the name of the place to be similar to the phrase, "You're ugly".🤣 The montage scene at the beginning, when the Parkers are being relocated several times, is also a very funny, great, and unforgettable moment in this movie. 👨👩👧👧✈Another very FUNNY, UNFORGETTABLE and just one of my FAVORITE scenes in this movie is the little montage scene of the girls (Maddie and Abby) doing all the Aussie things to try and fit in to become, as they say, "awesome Aussies".🤣 There's just some VERY FUNNY and ICONIC quotes and moments in that scene alone. Such as when Abby does Step One, which is to speak the lingo. And she (Abby, aka Ashley) says to a small crowd of students huddled around her at her new school, "So I put on Mi jumper (sweater) and hold into some tucker (food) but Mi breaky (breakfast) had chicken snacks. Well, I don't like to winge (whine) but I said, "Bring on Mi damper (toast) and hot choci (chocolate).""🤣🤣
One of my other FAVORITE moments/scenes in this movie is when Maddie and Abby first go on Victoria's boat and the soft, calming, beautiful music plays as it shows the girls look out at the beautiful Australian view from the boat.🌇🛳🎶👧👧 That whole short, montage scene is just actually so calming, relaxing, and beautiful to watch. It even makes me feel quite emotional, probably mostly because of the song playing.🥹💗There's also another ICONIC and GREAT scene with Maddie, Abby, and the Aussie boys walking over the historic Sydney Harbour Bridge to view the Sydney Opera House. But, my FAVORITE SCENE in this whole movie is the scene when Maddie and Abby go to the amusement park (Luna Park) with the Aussie boys, Pete (played by Ryan Clark) and Avery (played by Scott Swalwell).👧👧👦👦🎢 That montage scene in and of itself is just SO FUN, the music is GREAT, and I just want to rewind it instantly whenever it ends because I never want it to end.😊 I also LOVE the line that Maddie (aka Mary-Kate) says to her parents after she and Abby get back from the amusement park with the boys. As their parents ask where they've been and Maddie says, "The rollercoaster of life."🤣🎢All those specific scenes and quotes that I just mentioned are ones that I've just always LOVED about this movie and ones that have always stood out to me the most. But that amusement park scene definitely tops them all.
This movie has some GREAT, IMPORTANT, and RELATABLE messages/lessons, as well. Such as the importance of not worrying about what others think about you. Don't fit in, stand out. And have FUN. Which are some things that Katie tells Maddie and Abby. Be true to YOUrself. Be YOU. Don't be what others want you to be. Which is something else that Katie tells Maddie at one point during this movie. Follow your heart and be true to yourself, because that's the key to happiness, which is also something that Shelby Shaw (played by Harold Hopkins) says to Abby at one point during this movie. There's also that message/lesson about the importance of family always sticking together. Something Rick says to Teri at one point during this movie. And just by watching what the Parkers go through before they have to move to Australia, it just teaches viewers to always tell the truth, don't live a lie, and don't run from your problems because eventually they'll just catch up to you anyways. So, face them head on. And the three specific, main lessons of this movie that they wanted to get across and are ones that Maddie and Abby say directly to the camera at the very end, is that crime really doesn't pay, being a blabbermouth is really uncool, and life's not about being popular, it's about being yourself. And that's fair dinkum.😊👍🤣
This movie just gives you all the summer, Australian beach vibes while watching it and I LOVE it SO MUCH for that reason alone.🌏🏖🌅🏄 But also for all the other GREAT things I mentioned above. You not only get to see a lot of the famous spots in Australia through watching this movie, but you also learn some Australian history and language by watching this movie, too. At least I do every time that I watch this movie. As this movie actually showed me, someone who's never been to Australia, what vegemite actually looks like, and let me know that I probably wouldn't want to try it if I ever do go to Australia one day. I also just LOVE the very cute, baby kangaroo (Boomer) in this movie. His scenes alone are just GREAT and worth-watching.🤎🦘
Like I mentioned before, there's not only cute Australian animals in this movie, but there's funny Australian slang, interesting Australian beach surfing, great Australian accents, Australian food scenes, and there's literally confetti and a marching band playing celebratory music at random moments throughout this movie, as well.🎉🎶🎸🎺🥁🌏🦘🐨 There's also subtitles, a very FUNNY, RANDOM and ICONIC Titanic moment🛳, a Home Alone-esque moment🏡, and this is one of the very few movies from Mary-Kate and Ashley's collection of movies where their characters break the fourth wall by speaking directly to the camera at us (the viewers). In fact, speaking of all the breaking the fourth wall moments in this movie, Our Lips Are Sealed is actually the FIRST movie where we see Mary-Kate and Ashley do this speaking to the camera thing. So, that makes this movie that much more special and unique. I know some people don't like when the characters speak directly to the camera in movies, but it actually really works for this movie. And they do it A LOT. I actually used to be one of those people that didn't like the speaking directly to the camera thing, especially the first couple of times that I watched this movie, but now it doesn't bother me at all. In other words, it's one of the things that I actually really LOVE about this movie now. This is also one of their more unique movies because in this movie Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters don't have any boy love interests. There are boys in this movie that they hang out with, but they don't really like them enough to wanna date them. They are more so just good friends with the boys in this movie. Which, is not a common thing in Mary-Kate and Ashley's other destination movies. And I actually like that, because for one, they are too young in this movie to be dating and they don't need to fall in love with a boy in every movie. Also, Mary-Kate and Ashley's FASHION in this movie is on point and just SO ICONIC in and of itself. I mean, most of the time I just watch this movie just to see their FASHION looks. No, but seriously, their FASHION in this movie alone, gives off all the summer, early 2000's, beach vibes you could want and it also fits well with the whole Australian setting and theme.💗👧👧 👚👖👟👙👓👗👜👢
Overall, this is just a really random, kind of weird, and very funny movie with some great messages/lessons. I would say this is actually Mary-Kate and Ashley's FUNNIEST movie EVER. As it's more so funny than anything else, which is always a plus.👍👏🤣 At least to me it is. It's also their CHEESIEST movie because it's so random and funny and kind of weird, but it's still GREAT and ICONIC and very, very NOSTALGIC to me at this point. This movie does, I think, have something for anyone to enjoy. 'Cause it has the adventure, the mystery, suspense, drama, and the comedy. And if you like Australian surf/swim movies/shows (like Alien Surf Girls or H20) then you would definitely like this movie, because it gives off some of those vibes, as well. Just all around FUN, COOL, AUSTRALIAN VIBES.🌏😎 Speaking of this movie having that mystery and adventure factor to it, this movie does kind of bring back those mystery/adventure series that Mary-Kate and Ashley did when they were even younger, The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley.👧👧🕵 'Cause in that series they would solve different cases and in this movie they solve a case.💼 So, this movie is kind of a nice little nod or callback to those videos in that way.🤎 Again, I don't know if that was an intentional thing they wanted to do for this movie, but it seemed a little like it to me.😊 I would definitely watch this movie again. Especially during the summertime, because it just fits those vibes perfectly. This movie ranks lower than the others I will be mentioning just because there are some plot holes and we don't really even get to know the girls' real first names which is not the best thing for a movie. But really, other than those two things, there's nothing I dislike about this movie. Just when compared to the others left on this ranking, it's not better than those. However, being #9 on this ranking of fourteen movies is still pretty good and says something. 'Cause I am actually a little surprised that this movie ranks above some of the other MK&A movies that I've already mentioned on here, because younger me (teenager me) wouldn't have thought so. Our Lips Are Sealed might not be one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's TOP 3 movies ever made, but it's still a GREAT, FUN, CHILL, NOSTALGIC, FEEL-GOOD movie that I would suggest you to watch if you haven't.😊👍💚💛 👧👧🌏
Would you look at that, my FAVORITE number (#8) is one of my FAVORITE Mary-Kate and Ashley movies, what a coincidence.😊😉 This movie has always been one of the most UNFORGETTABLE and ICONIC Mary-Kate and Ashley movies of all-time.💗🤍 It's one that literally ALWAYS comes to my mind FIRST whenever I think about these Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies. All because it's one that I watched many times throughout my childhood and teen-hood. It was actually only the SECOND Mary-Kate and Ashley movie that I was ever introduced to as a kid.🤯 In other words, New York Minute wasn't the FIRST Mary-Kate and Ashley movie I had seen as a kid, but the SECOND. Which still makes it quite special just for that reason alone.💗
In fact, I still remember and will NEVER FORGET the VERY FIRST TIME that I ever saw this movie at only seven years old.👧🤍🎥🗽📺📼We (my sisters and I) rented it on VHS at our local knock-off Blockbuster store (Well, our parents rented it for us😊)...'Cause, yes, there was still VHS at the time...and my sisters and I watched it in the basement at our house, and I just remember us playing around while watching some of it and just having the BEST time.👧👧👧💗 I definitely didn't pay attention to this whole movie at that time, and therefore missed some scenes and things in this movie, but that's why I watched it many more times after that night. My older sister (Ariel) even then got the DVD of this movie for her birthday or Christmas or for some holiday, and so it was the FIRST Mary-Kate and Ashley DVD that we had.🤍💗🎥📀Well, that my older sister had. But you know with sisters, usually what's theirs is also yours.😊😉😜 I also do have a fond, special memory of watching that exact DVD with my older sister in her bedroom one night when we were kids. And how after we watched the movie again, we watched all the special features too. Just another GREAT moment that I'll never forget.💕👧👧 I actually used that same DVD that my sister got many years ago for this re-watch, too. So, thanks Ariel.😊😉💗📀
The last time I had watched this movie was actually when I was eighteen-years-old. So, this was the first time that I had watched this movie in a very, VERY long time. Therefore, it was way overdue for a re-watch. Having said that, I was so EXCITED and very curious to watch this movie again just to see if it was still everything I remembered it to be. 'Cause now being an adult watching these movies, you just never know. 👍👎Although, at the same time, this is a movie that I didn't even really have to re-watch to know or remember every scene and a lot of the lines that the main characters say, because I knew every scene from this movie pretty well already, having watched it SO MUCH throughout my childhood and teen-hood. As EXCITED as I was to re-watch this movie, though, it was also bittersweet, because this was Mary-Kate and Ashley's LAST movie that they ever made together.🥹😢😭💔 And even though, as I mentioned before, I kind of went out of chronological order watching these movies, therefore I did not save this movie for last, it was still quite sad when I finished it. Just watching the whole thing again and knowing it was/is their LAST one. 'Cause there would be no more movies with them, after the year this movie was made, to re-watch or watch for the first time for this psot. Which is still SO SAD and just kind of a bummer.👎😞 So, it was actually a good thing that I saved their BEST and more happier movie for last, to watch for this post.😉 Which I will get to soon, but for now, we must continue to talk about this ICONIC and SPECIAL movie, New York Minute.💗🤍✈🗽🎥👧👧
This movie is basically about Long Island seventeen-year-old twin sisters Jane (played by Ashley) and Roxanne "Roxy" Ryan (played by Mary-Kate) who find themselves on numerous misadventures when they journey into New York City on a school day.👧👧🏫📚🚗🗽Where the uptight, overachiever, studious Jane intends to deliver a speech for a prestigious college scholarship👧🤓📆📙🏫📜, and the more relaxed, carefree, rebellious, aspiring rock star Roxy wants to track down her favorite band, Simple Plan (Yes, the ACTUAL Simple Plan), who is in town to shoot a music video. All so she can hand them her band's demo tape, so that she can hopefully then be the new opening act for them in the future to market her own band, and get a contract for a record deal.👧💿 🎶🎸🥁But Jane and Roxy are clearly polar opposites and never see eye-to-eye since their mother's death. So, it's not an easy journey through New York. They also have their school's obsessive truant officer, Max (played by Eugene Levy) following behind them every step of the way.👮🚔 As he's on the hunt for Roxy, for her skipping school yet again.👀
The girls get thrown off a train.🚇Jane meets a boy named Jim (played by Riley Smith).👦💓👧 A chip device is mistakenly planted in Roxy's bag.👜💾 Where then Bennie Bang (played by Andy Richter), the man behind the device, offers Roxy a limo ride.👀 Roxy, of course, drags Jane along to ride with her in the limo.👧👧 The girls then get locked inside the limo and have to escape through the sunroof into the subway.🚆 Jane then realizes that she left her day planner in the limo which has all her money and prompt cards for her important speech.😮📙📅👧 Jane and Roxy then break into an upscale hotel room to freshen up, where they receive a phone call from Bennie who asks for his chip back in exchange for Jane's day planner.🏨👧📙👨💾 The girls meet Trey (played by Jared Padalecki), who's the son of a powerful senator staying at the hotel, and his dog Reinaldo.👧👧🏨👦🐕👩 While freshening up in the hotel room, the girls find out that Reinaldo has eaten the chip.🐕💾😮😂 Roxy then heads to the Simple Plan music video shoot while Jane meets with Bennie for the exchange.👧🎥🎶🎸🎤🥁👧📙💾 But when Bennie learns that the dog has swallowed the chip, he tries to kidnap Jane, but Jane escapes to go find Roxy, and so Bennie then kidnaps Trey.😮
After appearing in the Simple Plan music video, Jane, Roxy, and Reinaldo end up in the underground sewer, with less than two hours left for Jane to give her speech.👧👧🐕🚧⌚⌛ The girls and Reinaldo then make their way to a Harlem beauty salon, where they receive makeovers.👧👧🪞✂💄👚👖👢Although Max hunts them down and the girls have to escape using a cab.👧👧🚫🚖 Jane and Roxy then have a big argument in the middle of the streets of New York, therefore then going their separate ways.👧💔👧🥹⛖ Jane goes to meet Bennie, Bennie takes Jane to see his mother who is the head of a DVD and CD pirating operation.👨👩👧💾📀 Meanwhile, Roxy finds Bennie's limo, retrieves Jane's day planner, and frees Trey who was locked inside the trunk.👧💓👦 Roxy and Trey then rush to the building where Jane is supposed to give her speech. Roxy poses as Jane so she can give the speech, but she drops the prompt cards and has to then ad lib.😧 Jane soon turns up and explains why she wasn't there. Max and Bennie then suddenly arrive, and after Bennie's illegal doings are exposed, he then gets arrested by Max.👮👨 Jane leaves the building with Roxy and as they do, one of the judges (played by Darrell Hammond) catches up to Jane after finding her prompt cards, and he offers her the college scholarship to Oxford.👏👧🎓🏫💼📜 'Cause as he tells Jane, she "didn't just want to win, she absolutely refused to fail."👏 It then shows months later and Roxy is in a studio recording music with her band, as Jane, Jim, Trey and even Max (who's now an official police officer) watch on and celebrate their success all together. 👧👧👦👦👮🎉🎶🎸🥁
First of all, I just LOVE that this movie takes place in New York because, like everywhere they travel in their movies, it just adds a whole other character and FUN VIBE to this movie in and of itself. Another place that I would like to visit one day just because of this movie.😊💗🤍🗽This movie also begins similar to how some of Mary-Kate and Ashley's previous movies that came before this one do. In that it starts out with a dream sequence.☁ ⏰As Ashley's character Jane, has a nightmare about herself, with no clothes on, giving her speech in front of a whole crowd of people.😮😬 Yes, this movie starts out already quite scandalous, which I will get into more about later. The sexualization of Mary-Kate and Ashley in this movie is what I DON'T LIKE at all about this movie, and it is the main reason why I chose to rank this movie lower than my kid self would have.😞👎 So, there's that whole beginning, which always did kind of creep me out as a kid and a moment from this movie that I still don't love. It's definitely the creepiest, weirdest, just WORST opening scene from a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie. But, definitely UNFORGETTABLE, that's for sure. And not in a good way.👎😬
However, the montage scene after that short opening scene, after Ashley wakes up from her dream, is actually really good. It's one of the most UNFORGETTABLE (in the BEST way) and ICONIC scenes from this whole movie. And a scene I've always loved since I first watched this movie as a kid. It is also the scene when we learn exactly the type of characters Mary-Kate and Ashley are playing in this movie. Ashley, once again, being the more girly, neat and tidy, type-A character, and Mary-Kate being the tomboy, messy, carefree, rebellious one. Which are characters that they both play really well. 👧👗🎀💄👧👚👖🥁🐍I actually remember when I watched the bathroom part of this beginning scene for the first time as a kid, when Jane and Roxy are entering their shared bathroom through their separate doors, me wanting a bathroom just like that to share with one of my sisters.🚪👧👧🚪 As a kid, I just thought for some reason that their bathroom was so cool. I know, random, but true.🤣 The beginning scene of this movie is also important because it's also when we first learn that the girls don't have a mother, and they just live with their dad (played by Drew Pinsky) who's a doctor.👨😷💉💼👧👧
Besides, that very beginning montage scene, another one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE scenes in this movie and honestly one of the BEST scenes from any movie EVER is the Simple Plan music video shoot scene with Roxy, Jane,, and the dog.💗🤍👧👧🐕🎶🎤🎸🥁 AHHH...you don't know how EXCITED I am to finally get to talk about this specific scene in this movie. It's just SO NOSTALGIC and ICONIC in and of itself. In fact, if the Simple Plan music video shoot was just this whole movie I would be fine with it. 'Cause every time that I watch that scene in this movie I just never want it to end. And I've always felt this way since I first watched this movie at seven-years-old. I'm a big MUSIC LOVER, so of course it's really no surprise that it is my FAVORITE scene in this movie, though.💗🎶 Any movies with AMAZING music scenes like this one I just LOVE, and they usually are the ones that STAND OUT the most from any other. As this specific musical scene alone is one that I instantly think about FIRST whenever I think about this movie or whenever someone mentions this movie. In other words, it's THE scene that I associate this movie with MOST. Even during my re-watch of this movie, once the scene was over I just had to rewind it to watch it over again, because I didn't want it to ever end. It honestly needed to be longer, in my opinion. Seriously, I can't give that specific scene in this movie enough hype. I would say if you don't want to watch this whole movie, at least watch the Simple Plan music video scene, because that's all you really need. And once you watch it, be ready to not be able to get the song that they sing out of your head for the rest of the week, if ever. 👍😊🎶
As you could probably tell from reading my synopsis of this movie above, besides Mary-Kate and Ashley, there are quite a few other familiar faces in this movie. Actors who have played on other notable movies/shows you may know. Such as Jared Padalecki, from Gilmore Girls, who plays Roxy's love interest (Trey) in this movie.👦💓👧 Riley Smith, from the Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) Motocrossed, 7th Heaven, and Summerland, plays Jane's love interest.👦💓👧 And Eugene Levy, from Cheaper by the Dozen, plays Maximillion "Max" Lomax, in this movie.👨
Speaking of other familiar actors being in this movie, this film also reunited (on-screen at least) Mary-Kate and Ashley with their TV dad, Bob Saget, for the FIRST TIME since they all starred together on the FOREVER ICONIC 90's TV series Full House (1987-1995).🏡👨👧👧 As he makes a non-speaking cameo as himself in this movie, at one point when Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters are running around the streets of New York in towels.😬 So, that's a little special callback/nod to the VERY FIRST thing they ever did on-screen. However, it is kind of an awkward and weird moment. Like he couldn't have seen them any other time when they were running around New York not just in towels? They had to pick that specific scene to put him in? Why?🤔👎 Anyways, that's just a scene and cameo that I had to mention, because I mean it is a moment that happens in this movie, and I'm sure it was a special reunion for Mary-Kate and Ashley. However, I do also just want to say here, that even though I LOVE the show Full House, I am not a fan of Bob Saget. Sorry, but he's made some weird and very wrong comedic jokes before that I do not agree with at all.👎😞 Again, just when it comes to other things he's played in, like Full House, I am able to separate the character from the real-life person.😊
Speaking of callback moments, there is also another nod to a VERY ICONIC movie of Mary-Kate and Ashley's, in this movie. As at one point during the movie, before Roxy and Jane stop at a gas station, they pass a lady on the street selling DVDs and two of the DVDs clearly displayed in the front are titled Holiday in the Sun 2.😮🎥📀🌞🏖 And it's not something you can really miss. Even though I never noticed it before myself, but they clearly wanted us (viewers) to see the name on the DVDs because it zooms into it. Which, as you should already know, Holiday in the Sun is an actual name of one of the movies they did in 2001, that I will also be mentioning soon.🧡😉So that was a very interesting Easter egg that I noticed re-watching this movie, that again, I had actually never noticed before. And it then had me wondering, and still wondering, were Mary-Kate and Ashley actually going to make a SEQUEL to Holiday in the Sun?😮🤔 And maybe it would have been a theatrical release like this movie?😮🤔 How COOL would that have been? Too bad it didn't happen.😢😞👎 Also, going back to the very beginning of this movie, there is a moment when Jane is walking down the stairs to get to the kitchen and it shows picture frames hanging on the wall leading down the stairs with actual real-life childhood pictures of Mary-Kate and Ashley.🏡👧👧🖼 And one of the pictures, inside one of the frames, is an actual real-life picture of Mary-Kate and Ashley celebrating their birthday behind-the-scenes of their FIRST theatrical film, It Takes Two. Awww...Again, just quite a few GREAT Easter eggs and nods to the other past work that Mary-Kate and Ashley have done.💗👧👧🎥📼📀🥚
Although, sort of problematic, I have always loved the scene when Jane and Roxy go to the House of Bling. But, another scene that really stood out to me this time around while re-watching this movie is the very emotional, dramatic sister argument scene between Jane and Roxy.👧👧💔🥹 That scene is a tear-jerker for sure. And honestly some of Mary-Kate and Ashley's BEST ACTING. They definitely deserved an Oscar for that scene in this movie.🏆 You can just tell that they were really putting their all into that scene, and it paid off because it's one of the BETTER scenes from this movie. A very, sweet, emotional, relatable, sister moment, too.💕 Ugh, and with the sad music then playing.🎶🎹🥹 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I also LOVE the sister moment when Jane and Roxy get stuck in the sewer and have a short, deep, and real conversation. It's just another very SWEET and EMOTIONAL scene, and what they talk about in that moment can also be relatable to sisters/siblings everywhere. 'Cause again, as someone who has two sisters herself, there have been times when we've grown apart or haven't been as close, which can be hard. But I think that is something normal for any sibling relationship. So, those two emotional sister scenes kind of hit hard every time I watch them.💕
This movie also has it's very FUNNY moments, too. One funny moment in this movie is when Jane realizes she's lost her day planner and starts freaking out about it and blaming Roxy for making her lose it, telling Roxy that she can't even function without her day planner, and she's trying to think of a reason to keep on living. And Roxy says, "You need to chill, okay. You just need to relax", and Jane says, "Relax? How am I supposed to relax! My relaxation tips are in my day planner!" Then Jane starts taking deep breathes in and out, and Roxy gives her a good slap on the face and tells her to snap out of it.🤣 Them with the dog (Reinaldo) in the hotel room, is also another really FUNNY moment.👧👧🐕🏨 When they accidentally throw him out the hotel window, but you can clearly see that it's just a stuffed animal dog.🤣 Speaking of fake dogs, this movie didn't do the best job at hiding the stunt double stuff during the more actionable scenes, but it's still fun to watch and makes for some good laughs. 🤣There's a lot of FUNNY moments during the House of Bling scene, too.🤣 Also the scene when Roxy poses as Jane to give her (Jane's) speech and when she nervously drops Jane's note cards she (Roxy) then has to wing the speech and she just starts quoting the lyrics from Avril Lavigne's song "Complicated".🤣 Another VERY ICONIC scene in and of itself.
There really is only one main message/lesson in this movie and that is knowing that things in life don't always go as planned. Just as we learn from all of Jane and Roxy's misadventures in New York. And just like we see when Roxy decides to pose as Jane to give Jane's speech, but she gets nervous and drops Jane's already written note cards, so Roxy then has to wing the speech. Knowing that just because something might not go as you planned it to, doesn't mean it's all bad, because as they would say in Getting There, sometimes the misadventure is the adventure. There's also that message about the importance of spontaneity and not taking life too seriously. Have FUN, be CAREFREE, and just enjoy life, because you only have one (down here on Earth that is). Which is something that Jane has to learn to do more of by the end of this movie. As at the very beginning of this movie Jane is very uptight and by-the-book and can't even imagine her life without her day planner. She even tells Roxy at one point in the movie that spontaneity doesn't just happen that you have to get there and rehearse, but by the very end she learns that that's actually not true and we see that she's a little more carefree and has learned to enjoy life a little more. Knowing that it's okay to want to plan things, but if your plans don't turn out exactly how you wanted them to, just know that that's okay, too. There's a time to be serious and a time to have FUN. And if things don't turned out the way you planned, "Figure something else out. Don't stay down, try again."...Sorry, I couldn't help but start singing Hannah Montana's "Nobody Perfect"🤣🎶😊...But seriously, if things don't go as you planned, as Roxy would say, try to look on the bright side.🌞 As even though Jane and Roxy had all this unplanned, bad stuff happen to them, they realized the bright side of it all was them getting to spend the whole day together, which they hadn't done in years. And it made them become closer and want to spend even more days together, because they missed doing so.💕 I also LOVE what the lady at the House of Bling says to the girls when it comes to this message/lesson. As after Jane and Roxy get to the House and Bling and Jane has her panic attack moment, the lady who works there (Shirl) (played by Mary Bond Davis) asks what her freak out moment was all about and Jane tells her that it's because she has less than two hours before she has to make the most important speech of her life. Roxy adds that it's been a rough day for them and then the lady says, "Oh, sweetheart, if it was all smooth sailing you know where we'd be? Bored to tears, that's what...It's the curve balls that make life interesting. It shows us what we're made of and sometimes if you're real lucky, there's a blessing waiting for us at the end of that wrong turn."👏🙌💗 And then when Jane says, "Well, what if there's been 50 wrong turns?", Shirl then says, "Well, that last wrong turn brought you up in here now, didn't it? So prepare to be blessed."👏👏 AMEN! SO TRUE, all those words Shirl says there. LOVE IT! 👏🙌💗
But there's some other GREAT and IMPORTANT messages/lessons, too. Such as the importance of taking responsibility for one's own actions. Just like Roxy learns when she realizes that she got Jane into this whole mess, so she takes responsibility to help get Jane out of it. Again, by helping to give Jane's speech on time.💕 There's also a message about the importance of being YOUrself and not letting anyone fault you for that. As throughout a lot of this movie, and a reason why Jane and Roxy grew apart, is because Jane judged Roxy for being different than her. Something that Roxy confronts Jane about. But, Jane does learn to appreciate her sister for who she is by the end.💕 There's another great message/lesson about the importance of knowing that not everything in life revolves around you. You and your problems are not the center of the whole world. Something Jane and Roxy both kind of learn by the end of this movie. As at first Jane is just all about her speech and getting the scholarship of her dreams to move 3,000 miles away from her sister, not even thinking or caring about how Roxy would feel. And Roxy throughout most of the movie is just focused on skipping school again to get her music out there to become a rock star, not caring about the repercussions or how that might hurt Jane or her dad. But of course, by the end, both girls stop thinking about themselves and help each other out.👏💕 Another important message/lesson that should already be known loud and clear to people, but that is prominent in this movie, is knowing NEVER to accept rides from strangers. Something even Bennie, the stranger who kidnaps Jane and Roxy at one point during this movie, even tells Jane and Roxy after they accept a ride from him. Never give up is another GREAT, IMPORTANT, and very prominent message in this movie, as well. As Jane never gave up on getting to where she wanted to be and like the judge said to her at the end, she "didn't just want to win, she absolutely refused to fail."💗👏
Another kind of random thing I've always LOVED about this movie is Mary-Kate and Ashley's character names, Jane and Roxy. Their names alone actually fit really well with the whole New York theme of this movie. Especially, the name Roxy. Again, just a little random thing that always STOOD OUT to me since I was a kid watching this movie. Definitely some of their more ICONIC and more MEMORABLE character names from any movie they've done. Sadly, we don't get to see A LOT of GREAT FASHION in this movie from Mary-Kate and Ashley, because they only wear like three normal, decent outfits.😞👎👗👚👖👢👜💄 However, the outfits we do see them get to wear are pretty GREAT and ICONIC in and of themselves. Especially their "I 💗 New York" looks. I also like Ashley's blue look that she wears after they leave the House of Bling.💙💛 Which, is kind of funny and interesting, because I think I used to prefer all of Mary-Kate's outfits in this movie when I was a kid watching it. But now, I like certain looks from each of their characters. This movie also has a pretty great soundtrack to along with it. I mean, all of Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies have GREAT soundtracks, and this one is no exception. I mean, just the songs in this movie alone are SO NOSTALGIC to me. Not just the Simple Plan one.😊🎶💗
What was interesting re-watching all these movies back is seeing Mary-Kate and Ashley's acting evolution. This being their LAST film that they ever did together, you can definitely see how far they've come since their FIRST EVER movie. In their earliest movies, when they were little, little, they were both good and you can't really tell the difference in their acting. And then in their tween movies like Billboard Dad and Passport to Paris, they still both played their roles good, where one wasn't really better than the other. But then their later teen movies, like Winning London and Holiday in the Sun, you can see that one of them is more-so the "better" actor. And in this movie, at least re-watching it this time around, I actually felt like Ashley really took more of a lead role in this movie compared to some of the other movies they did prior to this. Don't get me wrong, Ashley and Mary-Kate are both GREAT actors in this movie, but I just noticed kind of more of a difference in Ashley's acting in this movie. Ashley did some really great acting in this movie and she has some great comedic timing, but that's obvious in a few of their other shows/movies, too. I like both of their characters in this movie, though. And in real-life, I would say that I'm actually a mix of both their characters in this movie.😊
Something I also just learned myself, when doing some research for this post, is that this WASN'T Mary-Kate and Ashley's first and only movie that was released in theaters.😮 As the 1995 movie they did, called It Takes Two, was actually their FIRST THEATRICAL RELEASE.💙💕 However, New York Minute was Mary-Kate and Ashley's SECOND and LAST movie ever released in theaters, and it was also the LAST film to be produced by them under the their Dualstar Entertainment Company, before it went into dormacy. This is also one of the very few movies from Mary-Kate and Ashley's collection of movies, where their characters start off automatically not liking each other. As in majority of all their other movies, Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters are good friends/sisters from the start and throughout until the end. But NOT in this movie. Also, I feel like with this movie in particular, it really shows how polar opposite Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters are in terms of the types of characters they continued to play in all their previous movies. Ashley being the girly-girl one and Mary-Kate being the tomboy one. This movie just took that up 10 notches. In other words, this movie really showcases Mary-Kate as the most tomboy, rebel, carefree character you could get and Ashley as the most girly-girl, type-A, more serious character you could get from any and all their movies. So, in this movie Mary-Kate and Ashley really just played exaggerated versions of their own characters that they grew up playing the most in all their past shows/movies that came before this one.
New York Minute is also just SO DIFFERENT from A LOT of their other movies just because it is more "mature", in that it's more scandalous because it sexualizes the girls more.👎😞😬 In fact, I really just ranked this movie as high as it is on this ranking more so just because it's SUPER NOSTALGIC to me, but it could have gone even higher based on just that. Although, it didn't, because there are quite a few other things I don't LOVE about it. Besides, this movie just sexualizing the girls (Mary-Kate and Ashley) way too much, there's also some bad stereotypical things in this movie.👎 Some cultural appropriation going on.👎 Such as the guy who plays the Bennie character not actually being Chinese but Caucasian, and he also puts on a fake Chinese accent.👎 Not good. I also don't like the more scandalous moments in this movie. Such as, not only the one I mentioned before, when talking about Jane's dream at the very beginning of the movie, but there is also a moment (a small, kind of quick moment, but still a moment) when Mary-Kate and Ashley are running through the streets of New York in their towels and they pass a naked cowboy. Yeah, no one wants to see that. I mean, he wasn't fully naked, but still. No one needs to see that. 👎👀🙄😞
Despite, all the things I don't like about this movie, though, it's still a GREAT movie and one that I would watch again. As this movie has the spy-like mystery, adventure, action, drama, romance, comedy, and just all around New York fun. It also has some GREAT and IMPROTANT messages/lessons. And it's quite relatable. From the sister aspect of it all, the pressure of college and one's future career aspect, and even how their family dynamic is. As I, too, also understand what's it's like not to have a mom, which is something Jane and Roxy deal with in this movie.😢 Having said that, this movie definitely made me quite emotional at times while re-watching it. As there are some scenes that get really deep and emotional, such as the ones that I mentioned above. But, I also just always get more emotional and sentimental any time that I watch a childhood movie like this one, just because of all the NOSTALGIA that it brings. But, on a more positive note, this movie gives off all the early 2000's vibes from the music to the fashion to even the hair, which I also just LOVE to see.
Overall, this movie will always be a movie I like because of the childhood/teen-hood memories I have of watching it, but older me wouldn't choose to watch this movie all the time and I certainly know now that it's certainly not their BEST-BEST movie. Though, it's still a good, must-watch movie. In other words, this movie will always be a childhood classic FAVORITE of mine and hold a very special place in heart. And even though it's not one that I would choose to watch ALL THE TIME, I wouldn't mind watching this movie again at SOME POINT. For those of you who have never seen this movie before, I would say that it is worth watching at least once in your life.
It's kind of crazy, because you would think that this movie, Mary-Kate and Ashley's LAST movie EVER together, would be SO OVERRATED or hyped up by people, but I feel like it's not talked about enough. In other words, this movie is definitely one of their most UNDERRATED ones and I'm hear to give it some of the hype that it deserves. Hopefully by writing what I did here about it.💗😊 I mean, I know I still ranked this movie pretty low, but it's still a TOP 10 FAVORITE for all the GOOD reasons I mentioned above.👍
Speaking of this movie being Mary-Kate and Ashley's LAST, it's a pretty good LAST movie. Although, I do think in a way this movie wasn't really necessary after the one they came out with in 2003, called The Challenge. 'Cause The Challenge, which I will be mentioning soon😉, I do think is a better wrap-up to their movie career. However, in this movie (New York Minute) it is all about them being in New York and heading off to college and their respective career paths, which is exactly what Mary-Kate and Ashley did after this movie. Although, Mary-Kate didn't start a band career, as she and Ashley both went off to college in New York. So, this movie is kind of art imitating life. Out with the old, in with the new. Goodbye to their childhood, and onto adulthood.👧👧🏫📚✂👚👖👗👙👜👠💄👓 One other GREAT thing about this movie is that the plot constantly draws you in even if you've seen it a billion times like I have. (Okay, not really a billion, but you get the point.)
Like I said many times before, if we were going on childhood NOSTALGIA alone, then this movie would most definitely be in the TOP 3. But, because I'm NOT just going by that factor, this movie is GOOD but it's definitely not their best, especially when compared to all the other movies that I will be mentioning next. This movie TRULY never gets old, though. So, as Roxy would tell Jane, "chill, relax" and give this movie a watch. Even if it's just a one-time watch, because it's worth it. Plus, this movie is actually one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's more faster-paced movies, so it'll be over in a New York Minute. (Ha. See what I did there?😉😊)💗🤍👧👧🗽
Oh, and HAPPY (ALMOST) 20 YEARS to New York Minute!🎉🎈🥳
Out of all of Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies on this list, this is one that I had seen the least amount of times before re-watching it for this post. In fact, this was probably only my THIRD time having ever seen this movie.😮 So, I was very curious and EXCITED to re-watch it.😊 This is also another MK&A movie that I was introduced to later on in my teen years. Actually, before TeenNick was even airing all their movies in 2015. As I don't remember them even airing this movie at that time at all. But when I was like 18 or 19, I remember ordering the VHS of this movie on Amazon after my dad had already bought me a VCR player from a thrift store. And this movie, How the West Was Fun, was the FIRST movie I ever played using that VCR player. It's also the FIRST and ONLY Mary-Kate and Ashley movie that I owned (and still have) on VHS.🤎📼📺 Therefore, this movie is already quite SPECIAL just for those reasons alone.🤎🤠🐴📼
So, that was my FIRST TIME having EVER watched this movie and I remember liking it, but not LOVING it.👍👎 It was just nice to get to see a NEW Mary-Kate and Ashley movie that I had never seen before.👧👧🎥📼 Even though, clearly, it wasn't technically new. It was just new to me at the time.😊 Ever since that FIRST WATCH this movie was never one of the most memorable or stand-out movies from Mary-Kate and Ashley's collection. So, like I mentioned before, I was very curious to re-watch this movie again just to see if my opinions of it had changed at all. And, I can happily say that they have. 'Cause now this is a movie that I could NEVER FORGET. And I TRULY believe that it's one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's BEST movies. Hence, why it's here at #7 on this ranking. And I'll tell you all the reasons why.🤎
First of all, this movie is all about 8-year-old twin sisters Susie (played by Mary-Kate) and Jessica Martin (played by Ashley) who live with their widowed father, Stephen (played by Patrick Cassidy), since their mom's (Sarah's) death three years ago.🏡👨👧👧 One day they receive a letter from their late mom's godmother, Natty (played by Peg Phillips), inviting them to come visit her right away, at her dude ranch where their mom spent a lot of time growing up, because the ranch is in trouble.👵🌳🤠🐴 As in the letter, she (Natty) literally writes, "DO NOT CALL, JUST COME BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE." Even though their dad has trouble at work with his hard-hearted boss, the family eventually manages to go visit Natty at the dude ranch.👨👧👧🚗👵 But only because the girls (Susie and Jessica) first had to convince their dad how important it is that they go, reasons being that Natty needs their help and their mom loved Natty and the ranch, and because they can go for their spring break and their dad has lots of vacation time that he's never taken. Their dad says it would be a good idea, but only if his boss let's him have the time off. So, Susie and Jessica then make a call to their dad's boss (without him knowing, of course), Ms. Plaskett (aka Dragon Lady), (played by Georgie Collins) asking for their dad to have some vacation time, which only then gets their dad fired.😬👨🚫💼👔 Of course, the girls don't tell their dad that they accidentally got him fired. They just lie and say that his boss said that he can take the vacation. As they only playback the first part, the positive part, of the call/message from his boss, which was his boss saying for him to go ahead and take a vacation.😮☎
When they (Susie, Jessica, and their dad) first arrive to the dude ranch they meet a rodeo woman and trick-horse rider named Laura Forrester (played by Michele Greene) and a friendly, Native American named George (played by Ben Cardinal). They (Susie, Jessica, and their dad) then learn more about why the ranch is in trouble, as the number of paying visitors has decreased and Natty might not be able to afford it much longer, as they are deep in debt and back taxes. So, Susie and Jessica want to help and begin coming up with ideas.👧👧🤔 After the girls come across Sarah's Lair (their mom's old lair) and find her diary, it gives them all the clues they need to solve the mystery and save the ranch.👩📕🤠🐴 Their idea to Natty then being for her to fix up the ranch and open it again.
Meanwhile, throughout the whole movie, Natty's adult son Bart Gifooley (played by Martin Mull) pushes for his elderly mother to sell the ranch for the sake of her health, but Susie and Jessica suspect that he has ulterior motives.👧👧👨👵🤔 Which he does, as the girls discover that Bart has been turning people away from coming to visit the ranch and he has been planning to sell the ranch to developers to turn the property into his own amusement park, Gifooley Land Theme Park ("the greatest theme and ride park in the universe").😮😞👨🎢🍿🍬🍭 So, SPOILER ALERT, before Natty is about to sign the deed to the ranch to Bart, Susie and Jessica let Natty know what Bart is plotting. Natty, now heartbroken, orders her son (Bart) off the land, or else he would "get a good spanking".👵🚫👨
Stephen tries to get a loan, but is turned down. 'Cause what he does not know is that the bank is already with Bart on the whole deal.👨🏦💵✍ So Susie and Jessica then ride off to Denver, on horseback, to convince the businessman to whom Bart is selling the ranch to (Leo McRugger) (played by Leon Pownall), not to go through with the deal.👧👧🐎✍🚫👴 The girls' offers are so interesting that McRugger and his executives decide to come down to Natty's ranch for a week to experience how the West was fun.👴💼👔🤠🐴🎉 In other words, just to see if it is actually what the girls are talking about.👧👧With the help of George, Laura (Stephen's now girlfriend), Natty, Stephen, and the girls (Susie and Jessica), the ranch gets fixed up and activities set up.👵👨👧👧👩👨🤠🐴 However, each activity is then sabotaged by Bart. But, just when all appears to be lost, Susie and Jessica decide to find a lost treasure since they have a map. However, they first trap Bart so that he can't do anymore damage.
SPOILER ALERT: The girls and everyone else find the gold, which turns out to be fool's gold, but it still pleases McRugger and his executives. As McRugger then agrees to spare the ranch, saying that he's gonna recommend the ranch experience to all his business friends, he gives Natty the idea to run the gold mine hunt every weekend, and then he gives them the money to pay off the loan to spruce up the ranch.💲👏 But as they head to the river, they are confronted by Bart. He (Bart) tries to escape in a raft. Susie and Jessica go after him only to then be grabbed by him and taken down the river.😮 The girls basically end up freeing themselves, but Bart gets severely injured as a result. Stephen gets a new job being the manager and/or marketing director at the ranch.👨✍👔💼📈🤠🐴 Susie and Jessica then write in their diaries about their experience on the ranch.👧👧🌳🤠🐎📗✍📘 And the movie ends with everyone dancing at the ranch, minus Bart, who is sitting down.👨👩👧👧👨👵🎶💃🕺🤠🐴
This is a GOOD western movie.👍🎥🤠🐎 It's actually Mary-Kate and Ashley's ONLY western-style film.😮 Unless, you count the little bit of western theme going on in To Grandmother's House We Go.🎥👧👧👵🏡🎄🤠🐴 This is not only Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST fully western-themed movie, but it's also their FIRST movie to begin with a full-on dream sequence.☁ As this movie begins very interestingly, and unexpectedly, with a dream by Susie and Jessica of them in the middle of a Wild West Showdown.👧👧🤠🤠🐴 So, just like with what I mentioned before when talking about Our Lips Are Sealed, the very beginning dream sequence in this movie makes you believe that this movie is going to be something totally different than it actually really is. As that little dream sequence, while being the most western thing you can get, it only really works as a foreshadowing to this evil person that the girls are about to meet.👀 It's quite cheesy and not the most appealing or exciting opening scene to a MK&A movie ever, but it is still quite unique and does get you kind of hooked from the get-go to want to continue to watch the movie to see what happens.👀In other words, basically what I'm trying to say, is that the very beginning dream sequence of this movie doesn't show the true depth and emotional appeal that this movie has to offer, but that's why the rest of this movie does make up for it.😊
Speaking of firsts, though, this movie actually has quite A LOT of FIRSTS. As this is also the FIRST movie where Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters show their different styles and therefore personalities, where Mary-Kate is more of the stereotypical tomboyish one and Ashley is more of the stereotypical girly-girl one.👧💙👚👖👟👧💗👗👡 Something that continues into majority of all their other movies (and TV shows) to come. As there is a specific scene in this movie when Susie and Jessica are chasing after Lightning (the horse) and Ashley's character (Jessica) says to Mary-Kate's character (Susie) as she's lagging behind, "Where are we going?", and Susie says, "I can't tell. Come on!" and Jessica then says, "It's too far off. I'll ruin my dress." And Susie says, "I told you to wear jeans!" and Jessica says, "It's not my look!"🤣 As Susie (aka Mary-Kate) in that scene is wearing jeans and a t-shirt with a baby blue, long-sleeve button-down on top, and Jessica (aka Ashley) is wearing a cute blue floral dress with a short-sleeve tee underneath.💙💗💜 Speaking of their fashion in this movie, I know it's kid clothes, but they have such cute western, country, spring fashion in this movie. Which goes really well with the whole theme.🤎👧👧👗👚👖👟🤠🐴
At one point while re-watching this movie, I just thought about how much Mary-Kate must have LOVED filming this movie, because it involved a lot of horse stuff, and we all know Mary-Kate was always the biggest horse lover and rider.👧💗🏇🐴 So, this movie is just SO CUTE just for that reason of being able to see Mary-Kate in her element doing things she actually loves to do in real life. Another great example of art imitating life in these movies. Mary-Kate and Ashley's acting in this movie is actually some of their BEST. I mean, for this to have been only their THIRD movie they ever did and considering their ages at the time, their acting is pretty GREAT.👏👏 The very beginning is a little rough and there's one other mess-up line moment, but other than those two things, their acting is some of the BEST in this movie.👏👏As they even add in some improv, at least what I believe to be an improv moment, when Susie and Jessica are running through the grass at one point during the movie to get somewhere and Ashley (aka Jessica) randomly does a cartwheel.🤣 It looks like a real, just kid being a kid improv moment, that wasn't something written in the script. I don't know. Just another little thing I noticed this time around while re-watching this movie.😊
When it comes to the things that I LOVE about this movie, I really like the scene in this movie when Susie and Jessica are reading some pages from their mom's journal and they read about what their mom thought was so special about the ranch.👧👧📖👩🤠🐴🌳 As they say, "Here the sky is wide open and the birds fly free.🌄🐦 The animals here are trusting and gentle.🐎🐄🐇🐈🐐🐑🐛 They seem to know who you are and want to be your friend.🤎 The water in the river is so clean and fresh you can see the pebbles on the bottom. Sparkling like diamonds when the sunlight hits them.💧💎 And the horses are like magic spirits.🐎🐎They run and play and when I watch them, I'm so happy to be alive. It must always be kept this way for Natty and everyone who loves the world." 🤎👵🗺And as Susie and Jessica are reading those words on the pages, describing each of those things in nature, it shows us (the viewers) those exact things with a little montage as the girls narrate over the beautiful scenery being shown on screen. That specific scene just really STOOD-OUT to me this time while re-watching this movie. It's a very beautiful, emotionally deep, and thought-provoking scene.🤎
Another scene I ABSOLUTELY just LOVE from this movie is the very ending scene of this movie when it shows Susie and Jessica sitting on a log high on top of a grassy hill with Lightning (the horse) standing beside them.👧👧🐴🌳⛰ And the girls are writing in their diaries (like their mom did) about their first summer on the ranch.📗✍📘 Which I was also a little confused about, because they say it's summer during this ending scene, but in an earlier scene in the movie they say it's spring?🤔 So, a little mess up there. Unless, it's just because they ended up having to stay longer because their dad lost his job in the city and all that, and what started out as it being spring ended up becoming summertime.🤔⚘🎕🌞🌊 I don't know. But, anyways, it shows the girls writing in their diaries, with Mary-Kate (aka Susie) and Ashley's (aka Jessica's) voices narrating over the whole scene, recapping all that happened throughout the movie (summarizing it of course). After they stop writing and the narration stops, the girls put their arms around each other as they stare into the distance watching the sunset.👧👧🌇🥹 I know, SO CUTE.💕 And just one of the BEST and more EMOTIONAL endings to one of their movies EVER.🤎🎥
This movie also has quite a few GREAT, RELATABLE, and IMPORTANT messages/lessons. Such as the importance of never giving up. Just like the girls never gave up on trying to help Natty save the ranch. As they even gave her the advice to start another loan and start over again to get the place back on its feet. Never lying and the importance of having hope are some other prominent messages/lessons in this movie. As well as knowing that REAL is ALWAYS BETTER than FAKE. Cling to the REAL things in life, like nature. As when the girls go to the board meeting and the head guy (Mr. McRugger) says to them that they'll love the new western theme park, Susie says to him, "No, we won't." And Jessica then adds, "It'll be plastic and fake." And Susie says, "There'll be robot animals instead of real animals." And Jessica says, "And there'll be cement instead of dirt." And Susie says, "And everybody will be smiling all the time and wearing fake cowboy outfits." Mr. McRugger then says to them, "So, the point?", and Susie says (quoting from her mom's diary), "The ranch isn't cement or neon. It's where the sky's wide open and the birds fly free". And Jessica adds (also quoting from her mom's diary), "And the animals are trusting and gentle." And Susie says (quoting again from her mom's diary), "And the water's so clean and fresh you could see the pebbles sparkling like diamonds." And Jessica says, "And it's horse manurer, but even that's okay, because it's real." LOVE, LOVE, LOVE EVERYTHING they say during that scene.👏👏🤎
There's also another moment in this movie when Susie or Jessica (sorry, I forgot which one exactly) makes a comment saying, "We spent all day searching and what we found was worthless?", but Natty then says, "Heck, no. What we had today was a great day. When you get as old as I am, you learn that it's not what you find that matters, it's the fun you have looking for it." 👏🙌🤎AMEN! Another GREAT, RELATABLE, and IMPORTANT message/lesson. One that's also kind of similar to the message in Getting There, with the whole misadventure being the adventure, but this movie (How the West Was Fun) did it better. I also like what Mr. McRugger says to the girls and everyone else at the ranch after they do the whole gold mine hunting thing and it changes his mind about tearing down the ranch to put up a theme park. As he decides to give them the money to pay off the loan and spruce up the ranch for 50% of profits...well, he goes with 10% after a little negotiating/persuading from Jessica, and Mr. McRugger says, "Oh, this isn't about money anymore. It's about enjoying life. Something I haven't done for a long time." So, in other words, reminding viewers to try not to take life too seriously, enjoy life and what it has to offer, and don't make money the most important thing in life. 'Cause as they say, "For the love of money is the root of all evil."🤎 Although, the overall message of this movie, and what I associate this movie with most because it's also what sets this movie APART MOST from all the rest on this ranking, is the message about appreciating the Earth we live on. Appreciating all the beauty and wonders of the world. This movie has a really GREAT, GO-GREEN theme, that I absolutely LOVE. It's about taking care of the world around us and I am all about that.💚🍃🪴🌎Something we can all relate to and work hard to do.
Speaking of relatability, this is another one of the few Mary-Kate and Ashley movies where their characters don't have a mom. Something that can be very relatable to some people watching this movie, like myself. There is also one point during this movie, when Susie and Jessica's dad says to Mr. McRugger, "We want you to know the magic of real Western living." Which is exactly what Mr. McRugger experiences and learns, and it's also exactly what this movie will make you feel whenever you watch it. In other words, this movie SO GREATLY showcases all the magic that is real Western living. As someone, myself, who's never really lived that Western lifestyle but has experienced parts of it, this movie is just very comforting to watch and relatable for that reason, too.🤎🤠🐴🌄
Another memorable, notable quote from this movie is when the girls' dad is having a picnic with Laura and he says, "Wow, now this isn't just food. This is grub." And Laura says, "This is the West, where the men are men and so are the women." Basically, saying that around there, women and men are equal. They can do the same work and eat the same food, which I LOVE and totally agree with.👨=👩Another great message/lesson.🤎 I also like some of what Natty tells Susie and Jessica when they are talking about Bart. As she says to them, "Girls, even if your family doesn't turn out just the way you hope, you gotta stick by them. Deep down Bart is a good soul." Now, I don't agree with that whole statement, because I do believe in the importance of family always being there for one another, but if one of your family members is toxic and continues to just treat you wrong (like Bart does in this movie), I don't believe that one should have to continue to put up with someone who's like that in their family. At some point you have to cut them off and out of your life. Which, Natty does kind of go against what she tells the girls during that scene, as she does end up kicking her son (Bart) off the property at one point when he gets to be too much. So, I would say, take what Natty says to the girls during that scene with a grain of salt. But the message about family being the most important thing and always being there for the good people in your life, I do agree with 100%.🤎
We also learn about some western history in this movie, which I LOVE as well. Such as when the girls and their dad are in the kitchen of Natty's house and Susie asks her dad about the wood-burning stove and we viewers learn that they were once used by the pioneers, "before they had microwaves you know" (as Susie says). Jessica also asks at one point during the movie about how back in the day there was no TV, and her dad (Stephen) tells her and Susie that people knew how to amuse themselves long before there was TV by talking to each other.📺🚫 Wow, what a concept, isn't it?🤣 No, but seriously, that's a GREAT message/lesson/reminder in and of itself, about the importance of human connection and remembering to get off your electronics every once and awhile to actually build connections with REAL people the old-fashioned way. A reminder that there was life before TV, laptops, cellphones, tablets, video games, social media, etc., and there CAN be again. Well, to a certain extent.😊 There's also another GREAT and IMPORTANT lesson and moment in this movie between George and the girls. As when Susie and Jessica are just walking with George at one point, he tells them that "before the white man came to this country, the Indians didn't have any concept of owning land. They just lived off the land. You hunted, you fished, you grew crops, and then you thank the land for what it gave you. The land's for everybody. People and animals, too. The land's a living thing. You can own a living thing." And Jessica then tells him (George), "I wish Indians still ran things," And George then says, "You and me."👏👍🤎
This movie has the mystery, the drama, the emotional moments, the sweet family moments, and even a little bit of that scary, creepiness vibe going on. But it's a feel-good, comforting, peaceful movie to watch. It's definitely one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's more deep, thought-provoking, emotional, and slower movies. But, again, I LOVE all of those things about this movie.🤎 There's also a couple of musical moments in this movie. One being a Mary-Kate and Ashley singing moment.👧👧🎤🎶 Something that I also kind of forgot about, until I saw the campfire and immediately remembered that they do sing a song during the campfire scene. Which, a GREAT musical moment is always a PLUS in any movie. And the one in this one is quite funny just because it's a little random. Something you wouldn't really expect to see from this movie. But, again, it's a CUTE little scene. There's also the GREAT and UNFORGETTABLE country line-dancing number at the end of this movie. Again, a good dance number in any movie is always a PLUS.👧👧🤠🎶💃🕺
Besides Mary-Kate and Ashley, there are a few other recognizable faces one may notice when watching this movie. At least, ones that I did. As the actress who plays Natty in this movie is the same actress who played in a few episodes of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE show, 7th Heaven.👵📺 The guy who plays Bart in this movie also looked quite familiar, but I don't remember what other show or movie I may have seen him on.👨🤔 But the MOST NOTABLE and SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE in this movie being that of Mary-Kate and Ashley's real-life little sister, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Olsen.👧👧👧Who you may know from all the Avengers movies and such, but to TRUE, OG Mary-Kate and Ashley fans, like me, we know her from Mary-Kate and Ashley's straight-to-video series, The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley.📺📼🕵🕵 So, this wasn't Elizabeth Olsen's first ever acting role but it was her FIRST EVER movie role. And it's cool that it was a film with her sisters.💕 It's also the FIRST and LAST time we see her appear in any of her sisters' movies.😢 It's kind of funny because in this movie she does such a small role that she's simply credited as "Girl in car".😂👧🚗 As she literally just appears in the scene when Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters (Susie and Jessica) are riding down the streets of Denver on horseback and Elizabeth (as herself) yells out a car window to the girls which way they need to go. It's a VERY CUTE and quite FUNNY little moment in this movie. I actually forgot that their sister made this small appearance in the movie. So, it was kind of a fun surprise for me to see, too.😊
Speaking of The Adventure's of Mary-Kate and Ashley, this movie was made during the start of that straight-to-video series by Mary-Kate and Ashley, and this movie is very similar to those videos because like in that series where they would solve different mysteries, the girls also have to solve a mystery in this movie. Which is a FUN little nod to that whole series of videos they did. Another fun fact about this movie is that the person who wrote their movie that came before this one, Double, Double, Toil & Trouble, was the same writer for this movie (How the West Was Fun). So, that's a little interesting and something that I just found out myself when doing a little research on these movies. Both are good movies, but as you can see, this one is clearly the BETTER of the two. At least, in my opinion. 😊
There's really NOT A LOT of things that I dislike about this movie, which is just AWESOME and RARE in and of itself. As a lot of the movies I've already mentioned have quite a few things that I don't like about them, but that's NOT true for this movie. As there's actually ONLY ONE problematic thing about this movie, and that's when it comes to the stereotypical Native American character. As there's one point during this movie when the girls (Susie and Jessica) are asking George about his name. And I won't go into any further details, because I don't want to repeat it here. So, you'll just have to watch this movie yourself to really understand what I'm talking about. But, let's just say that they gave the only Native American/Indian character in this movie the name George Tailfeathers.😬😞 Yeah, I know. 'Nough said. Despite that, like I briefly mentioned before, there ARE more GOOD things in this movie than there are bad. Which is why I do LOVE this movie and would most definitely watch it again. I'm not even a big fan of western shows or movies like this one, but this western movie by Mary-Kate and Ashley I am a BIG FAN of.😊👍👧👧🤠🐴🤎
Overall, I actually really enjoyed re-watching this movie. Like I mentioned before, but can't say enough, it's a very calm, comforting, feel-good, peaceful movie to watch. I LOVE the whole, overall message of this movie being about just LOVING and APPRECIATING the Earth we live, being in love with all the land, animals and nature, and just not taking it for granted.🌎🍃🪴💚 Which goes into a whole other similar message/lesson about appreciating the smaller things in life. Which, this movie ABSOLUTELY does a GREAT JOB of showcasing.🎥🤎 It's kind of surprising because before going into re-watching this movie, I actually didn't think that this movie was going to make it this high on this ranking.😮 I didn't think it would be last on here, but I also didn't ever imagine it being here at #7. Which, #7 may still be considered low to some people. I mean, I know it's not TOP 3, but this movie is still one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's TOP 10 BEST and that's still GREAT. Speaking of that, as you can probably already tell from where this movie is ranked on this list, I definitely enjoyed this movie more than I ever did before. In other words, I definitely found a new LOVE and APPRECIATION for this movie. As again, I DID know going into this that this movie WOULDN'T be in my TOP 3, but it still made it to my TOP 10, which is still a pretty GREAT feat.🤎👏🎥👧👧🤠🐴
So, if you love Mary-Kate and Ashley movies, western shows/movies, horses, campfires, roasting marshmallows, country line-dancing, country music, country food, country fashion, and just all things country-western living, then you will more than likely also LOVE this movie. And if you don't really enjoy those things, well then watch this movie anyways, and just experience how the West was fun!🤎🎥👧👧🤠🐎🌇 (Ha, see what I did there?😉😊)
This is one of the MOST UNFORGETTABLE, ICONIC, and just very NOSTAGLIC MK&A movies, and it has been a FAVORITE of mine since I was a kid.💙🤍💗🌍🎥 As this is actually one of the few MK&A movies that I remember watching as a kid. Unlike, majority of the other movies on this list, that I watched later on in my teens. However, having said that, I don't have a vivid, exact memory of watching this movie for the FIRST TIME, but I do know that I had to be under ten years old when I FIRST watched this movie. Too young to really remember it. And I'm sure I watched it after one of my family and I's occasional trips to a VHS rental store (Yes, I say VHS rental store because I don't remember ever going to a Blockbuster when I was a kid, but I do remember my parents taking my sisters and I to a knock-off Blockbuster😁📼) to pick it up or, for some reason, I feel like I have a memory of my sisters and I watching this movie on some cable TV channel as kids.🤔📺 But again, I don't know for sure when and where I was when I FIRST watched this movie. I just know I for sure saw it at least once as a kid.👍I also do remember seeing the commercials/promos for Winning London on some of the video tapes I had rented as a kid, of Mary-Kate and Ashley's other video series and movies.👧👧🌍📼📺💙🤍💗 I mean, the promo for this movie is SO ICONIC and UNFORGETTABLE in and of itself.💗
Even though I have no recollection of the VERY FIRST TIME I ever watched this movie, I do have many other fond memories of watching Winning London the many times I did after that first time.💗😊I also got the DVD of this movie for my 23rd birthday from my little sister (Amber), which I still have (see pic below). Thanks, Amber.👧👧💕😊 So, it's safe to say that I had seen this movie more than just a couple of times before re-watching it again for this post. However, having said that, the last time I had watched this movie (before this time) was with my sisters during the pandemic (in 2020). So, I was very EXCITED to re-watch this movie just because it had been a little while since I had last seen it. Also because this movie has ALWAYS been one of my MOST FAVORITES from the MK&A movie collection. In fact, it's ALWAYS been #2 in my book. So, I was a little curious just to see if it would still stand where I think it belonged. Sadly, it clearly DOES NOT.👎😞😢'Cause even though this movie made it into my TOP 10, it's not my #2 favorite anymore. Which, I KNOW, I am very much shocked about, myself.😮 And I will tell you some reasons why this movie did not live up to how GREAT I used to think it was. Still GREAT, but not GREAT-GREAT. But first, for those of you who for some reason have never seen this movie, I will give you a brief summary on what it's about.😊
Winning London is about two American twin students Chloe (a very driven teenager who's the captain of her high school's Model U.N. team👧🏫📚) (played by Mary-Kate) and Riley Lawrence (a boy-crazy, only- cares-about-having-fun-girl👧💓👦, or aka "Brian's mother's best friend's daughter"🤣) (played by Ashley) who are invited to London, England to participate in the International Model United Nations competition, after Chloe and her team perform well in a competition where they live. As each year the International UN gives a scholarship to a public school team that shows promise, or in this case, to a STUDENT who shows promise. Chloe being that student.👧🏆 But when Randall, one of Chloe's teammates, is unable to attend the competition in London due to a family obligation (his sister's wedding👦👰💒), Riley decides to step in to take Randall's place for the competition. And Riley only does so to get closer to another one of her sister's (Chloe's) teammates, Brian, with whom she (Riley) happens to have a crush on.👧💓👦 But, Brian doesn't even know that Riley likes him.😬 Chloe is of course instantly skeptical of Riley joining her team, because she knows the real reason why Riley is joining and she doesn't like it. 'Cause Chloe just won California and now she wants to win the world, and this London competition thing is a great way for her to do so.👧🏆🗺 As Chloe even tells Riley that the competition is very important to her. "That it's not some play-to-play thing, it's a play-to-win thing." But she (Chloe) also tells her sister (Riley) that if she goes all the way to London and doesn't ask Brian out, then she'll kill her. Okay, not literally, but you get the point.🤣
When the group of students (Chloe, Riley, Brian (star running back of Lakeview High, who only joined the team to pad his college resume👦🏈🏫📚📄) (played by Brandon Tyler), Rachel Burr (as Dylan describes her, "the typical high school teen. Driven, sensitive, and out to change the world."👧🗺📚) (played by Rachel Roth), and Dylan (the videographer of the group👦📹) (played by Eric Jungmann) arrive in London, they discover that someone's already representing their usual country, China.😮🔴 So, due to this database error, the two teams have to negotiate who will represent which country, because it's against the rules for two schools to represent the same country. So, Mr. Holmes (played by Steve Shenbaum), the head leader of Chloe's team, points out to the head lady of the International Model U.N. competition, Julia (played by Claire Yarlett), that London, England isn't on the list as a country for one of the teams to do. So, the Lakeview High School Model U.N. team gives the competing team a proposal, that they will give them China if they can have their hotel room, which then happens.👧👧👦👦👧👨 Even though, as Julia told Mr. Holmes, usually in international competition they try not to assign the host country to any team.
So, Chloe's team ends up representing the United Kingdom.💙🤍💗 Riley then gives her team a little speech, basically telling them that they are in England, so to learn about England they just need to go out and explore the place. Plenty of sight-seeing, shopping👜, and polo playing ensues🐎⚔, and the girls even find time for romance.👧💓 👦👧💓👦As the competition progresses, Chloe falls in love with James Browning (played by Jesse Spencer), the son of a wealthy British nobleman named Lord Browning (played by Paul Ridley), who's constantly being pressured by his dad to achieve more because he wants James to stay in the family business.👧💓👦🚫👨 And later Chloe's over-competitive nature hinders her budding romance with James😬, Riley tries to get even closer to Brian👧💓👦, even Rachel and Dylan have their romantic moments👧💓👦, and the team earns both appreciation and anger for their unorthodox methods. Nevertheless, tribulations are weathered and lessons are learned. Yeah, my summary of this movie doesn't really do it that much justice, that's why you just HAVE TO WATCH this movie to see how GREAT it truly is.💙🤍💗🎥👧👧✈🌍
This was actually the LAST movie I decided to watch for this post. 'Cause like I mentioned earlier, I did choose to go out of chronological order a little bit when going back to watch these movies just to fit with the time of year it was, and also just because I wanted to save the movies I knew would be some of the BEST for LAST (like this one and my #1 FAVORITE, which you'll see soon😉). This is a movie where I knew pretty much everything the characters said before they even said it and every scene that happens before it even happened. So, I didn't really need to re-watch this movie to refresh my memory on those things too much. I mean, this is one of those VERY QUOTABLE movies, where you watch it once and you start being able to quote the lines for days. I'll first talk about the things that I LOVE about this movie, and then some of the things that I don't LOVE about it, that made it rank a little lower than I initially thought it would have.👍😊
First of all, hence the title of this movie, I just OH-SO LOVE that this movie takes place in London.💙🤍💗 This is also another one of their movies with an ICONIC, NOSTALGIC, and just UNFORGETTABLE soundtrack, too.🎥💿🎶 And Mary-Kate and Ashley's FASHION in this movie is just EVERYTHING.👧👧👗👚👖👒👢👟👒👜👛 I WANT IT ALL. Always have and probably always will.😊
This movie has another VERY UNIQUE, EDUCATIONAL, and INTRIGUING beginning/opening scene. (Which, actually for some reason is the ONLY thing I forgot about this movie before re-watching it again.😮) As it shows an old computer screen, and a mouse clicks every time it shows the opening credits of the actors names and stuff. It then shows AOL.com (what a throwback in and of itself😂) and someone then typing the words "United Nations" in the search bar on the internet, and then it shows does a mini montage of a bunch of U.N. country websites, and then some videos on a 90's video player, giving us a little history lesson on what the Model U.N. is. A voiceover/narrator (which sounds a lot like Ashley's love interest in this movie, Brian👦) sets the scene saying that it is "Headquartered in New York City and founded in 1945, with nearly 200 member nations, the U.N. is committed to preserving peace through international cooperation, thereby making the world a safer, healthier place. Each year over 60,000 high school students (could be more now🤔) from around the world participate in Model U.N.. Each school representing one country sends a team of delegates to a conference where they debate issues, pass resolutions, and have fun. This year's international conference is being held in London."💙🤍💗🗺 ✈🌍
It then goes from just showing pictures of the U.N. on a computer screen, to then actually showing some scenery in London and Chloe's team actually in London looking at that scenery (a foreshadowing of future events to come).🌍👧👧👦👦👧 As we also get Ashley's voiceover, saying, "London, England. City of theater, city of night life, city of history. Okay, so, how did we five kids from Lakeview, California wind up in England, overlooking parliament in the most beautiful spot in London? Well, it all started three weeks ago at our state Model U.N. competition. The whole team was backstage waiting for the final round to begin. Dylan as always had his video camera." And then it shows three weeks prior with Dylan holding his video camera, video taping his team at the Model U.N. competition taking place in California, and he introduces all the other characters through the lens of his camera.👦📹 So, that whole opening scene is something I actually really LOVE about this movie, as it already makes someone very interested in wanting to watch more of the movie, and it's already very educational from the start. It's very of the time, and I just LOVE that it's different from a lot of their other movie opening scenes. It's also one of the longest opening scenes from any of the movies listed on this ranking.😮
I LOVE Chloe's little speech at the beginning of this movie when she, Brian, Rachel, Randall, and Dylan are representing for China and Chloe says, "In conclusion, who says you can't control the Internet? Our government can. Just as we can control what's on our newspapers or on television. Why do it? Because it's important to protect our people from dangerous ideas. Because ultimately freedom of speech does more harm than good." A speech that she ends up winning the Golden Cup for, for outstanding delegate performance.👧🏆 I agree with Chloe's statement there to an extent, but not all of it. As I do believe it's important to not always just put all the BAD stuff out there on the news, on social media, other news sites, and/or on tv. But I also don't believe in silencing certain individuals or groups just to further your own narrative. Everyone should have the freedom to have their voices be heard, but there should also be limits to that freedom if it becomes dangerous to others. Again, a topic I could go on and on about, but I'll just leave it at that. This movie can get quite political, but I'm not here to do that.😊
Still speaking about the beginning of this movie, I also LOVE the moment and quote when Chloe is confronting Riley about the real reason why she's joining the team, and after Chloe tells Riley that the competition is very important to her and that it's not a play-to-play thing, but a play-to-win thing, Riley then says to her sister, "Chill. I'm down with the whole peace-keeping thing."🤣👧✌🕊 and Chloe says, "Fine...(and as she walks away she yells back to Riley) And if you go all the way to London and don't ask Brian out, I'll kill you."🤣 Just a very funny moment and quote. The way both of them say their lines there. But a scene you probably have to see to understand why it's so GREAT and FUNNY.👍😊
Another GREAT quote that stood out to me this time while re-watching this movie, is what Julia says to Mr. Holmes when his students have to pick another country. As he (Mr. Holmes) asks Julia what other countries are available and he asks if there is any country with a football team (like that's all that matters to him🙄🏈) and Julia says, "Mr. Holmes, the greatness of a country is special by the character of its people, not by the strength of its football team." 👏Another great message/lesson in and of itself. I also like what Chloe and Riley say in the scene after they get the United Kingdom assigned to them as their country to represent, and after they get the competing team's hotel room.🏨 To which the whole group is happy about, except for Chloe, because that's not what she cares about (having the biggest hotel room). Chloe also doesn't like Riley's attitude. As Chloe tells Riley, "I knew your attitude was gonna sink this team." And Riley says to Chloe, "You're the only one with an attitude. We're not actually saving the world, Chloe. It's supposed to be fun." Which, again, I agree with both of them there. In that there is a time to be serious and a time to have fun.
I also LOVE what Chloe says to Riley after Riley reads her (Chloe) the letter that James' dad had delivered to her. As Riley tells Chloe that James got into a fight with his dad and he wants James to meet him. So, Chloe wants to go find James, but Riley says to her, "Now? You can't go now. What if you don't make it back in time?" And Chloe says to her sister, "You guys can manage without me. You'll do great." But Riley says to Chloe, "Hello?! There's a trophy calling your name in the next room!" And Chloe says, "And for the first time, Riles, I just don't hear it."👏👏 So, Chloe leaves Riley to have to step up to the plate and give the oral essay for the final day of the International Model U.N. competition. And I LOVE the ending moment when James and Chloe make it in time for the final essay, and instead of Chloe running up to give the final speech, she watches her sister walk up to give it. And Chloe even tells James, "Wait. It's her turn." (referring to Riley). And she (Chloe) supports Riley from the sidelines.🥹👧👧💕 I also like part of Riley's speech that she gives, when she says, "Because the downside to having kings and queens, and lords and ladies, is believing that birth right makes you better than everyone else. And it doesn't...Being a part of a country, is like being a part of a family. Just because we complain about them, doesn't mean that they don't have a warm place in our hearts."👏 Yeah, I don't really understand the whole thing she meant there, but basically what I take from that is that birth right, wealth, or even your status doesn't make you better than anyone else. And just because everyone in your country isn't your family, we must treat each other as such because it's just the kind and caring thing to do and it's what makes the world go round. When we work together we can achieve great things. I also LOVE what the Madame Secretary lady says to the students and everyone in the room after Riley's speech, "There are no easy answers to the world's problems. Creative solutions and creative people are what make the world go round." 👏Again, SO TRUE.
My ALL-TIME FAVORITE scene in this movie, one that's SO ICONIC, NOSTAGLIC, and just EVERYTHING, is the scene when Chloe and Riley are fencing with their love interests, while Rachel and Dylan watch on. And the So Little Time theme song plays in the forefront of it all.👧👦👧👦⚔🎶💗 Which, the So Little Time theme song...SO ICONIC and NOSTALGIC in and of itself. That specific scene just makes this whole movie for me. As I could watch just that scene over and over and be HAPPY. If you don't want to watch this movie for nothing else, at least watch it for that specific scene, because it's just SO GREAT. But that specific scene is NOT the ONLY time that the So Little Time theme song plays. As it also plays during one of my other FAVORITE scenes, another ICONIC and UNFORGETTABLE scene, when Chloe is playing polo.👧🐎 Speaking of that horse-riding, polo scene, it's cool to see Mary-Kate do what she loves to do (ride horses) in this movie. 'Cause in this movie and that scene specifically, we get to see how GREAT she really is at riding horses and playing polo. As it's something she still LOVES to do to this day. And even Ashley gets to dance some in this movie, which according to a lot of old interviews with her and her sister, that was her thing that she always LOVED to do.👧💃
Another scene and GREAT quote that really stood out to me this time around when re-watching this movie is the Peter Pan scene with Chloe and James.👧👦💚 And it's interesting, because I always used to only really LOVE this movie for not only Mary-Kate and Ashley's scenes together, but also for Riley and Brian's scenes together. However now, after some comments made by Riley and Brian in this movie that I don't like at all, I actually more so enjoyed watching Chloe and James' scenes together over Riley and Brian's. And, again, this Peter Pan scene is one reason why. It's just a GREAT, EMOTIONAL, and THOUGHT-PROVOKING scene.💚As during this specific scene, Chloe is walking around looking at the Peter Pan statue and James is admiring it from a bit of a distance away from her. As he's mostly just letting her look at it, while he really watches her admiring it. James tells Chloe he comes there sometimes to think, and Chloe then reads out-loud the engraved name plate on the statue that says, "Peter Pan. The boy who didn't want to grow up. (Chloe then looks at James and asks him) Don't you ever wanna grow up, lord Browning?", and James says, "Do I have the choice, Lady Lawrence?" And Chloe says, "You could fly off to Never Never Land", and James asks her, "Would you go with me?", and Chloe says, "Only if I didn't have to be Wendy. I don't clean up after lost boys."👏👏 Ughh...SO CUTE and SWEET. GREAT scene, GREAT quote, and GREAT message/lesson in and of itself about growing up. And if you just like the story of Peter Pan, then you'll definitely LOVE this scene just for that reason alone.💚👦
My other FAVORITE scene in this movie is the dance club scene. I also LOVE the shopping montage scene. Again, Mary-Kate and Ashley have some of the ALL-TIME BEST shopping montages in their movies, and this is certainly one of them.💗👧👧👦👦👧👚👖👗👢👟👛👜👒 Speaking of the whole club, dance scene, I do appreciate how it showed Chloe and Riley ordering cokes and not actual alcoholic drinks. Which is a small, tiny detail, but one I just had to mention. 'Cause they are teenagers in this movie, in a different country, where they could drink if they wanted to be typical "rebellious teens", but they decide to go the SMARTER route and order cokes.👏👏Mary-Kate and Ashley, once again, setting a good example for people of all ages, everywhere. It also just goes to show that you CAN have FUN without drinking alcohol. As in any other teen movie at that time, even now, would probably show girls like them choosing an alcoholic drink instead of a coke, but that's why I LOVE and APPRECIATE these movies by Mary-Kate and Ashley because they don't stick to the status quo. They lead by example.👏👏 It's also more relatable to people like me, who have never touched an ounce of an alcoholic beverage in their life.😊This movie not only teaches viewers that but it also teaches viewers the importance of staying humble and being ambitious. As Chloe is a very ambitious, hard-working girl in this movie and she has to learn how to tone it down, not to be a sore winner (as she was during the polo match). Keeping the competitiveness and ambition, but knowing how to be more humble about it.
Speaking of lessons being learned, there's quite a few other GREAT, RELATABLE, and IMPORTANT messages/lessons in this movie. Such as the importance of not letting others tell you what to do with your life or who to be. Which is something that Chloe helps James to learn. As at one point during this movie, James thanks Chloe for rescuing him and letting him have some fun hanging out with friends, something that his father never really allows him to do. As James tells Chloe that his father is always pushing him to do something or to be someone. But Chloe tells him (James), "You already are someone. I mean, our parents got to be kids, now it's our turn." And James says, "I agree. It's definitely our turn." And then they kiss, and Chloe then says to James, "Although, growing up definitely has its advantages." So, also that message/lesson about the importance of not growing up too fast, enjoying your youth while you still have it, because adulthood can wait since it's the rest of your life after you turn 18.
At one point during this movie Brian says to Riley, "Looks like Chloe snagged herself a Prince Charming", and Riley says, "Chloe wins again. She always gets what she wants."🙄 And Brian then says to Riley, "What about you? You don't get what you want", and Riley says, "Well, it seems like whatever I want is just, out of my reach. By about...two or three inches. (as she motions to Brian walking right next to her)" Again, Riley being a little annoying in this scene and showing jealousy, as she's just complaining about not getting what she wants like she thinks her sister does.🙄 But one can learn how not to be like Riley in this movie, by learning that you can't always get what you want in life. Life isn't fair most of the time, but you just have to deal with it. It is what it is. But even Chloe learns that she can't always get what she wants either. As after Chloe wins the polo match she says to James, "Sorry, James, but I play to win." And James then says to her, "Chloe, sometimes you win one thing and lose another."👏 She then tries to tell him, as he (James) walks away, that it's just a game. But clearly it's not just a game to her, for her to have taken her win so seriously. So, Chloe also learns towards the end of this movie, that winning isn't everything.👏
As another moment and quote that stood out to me during my re-watch of this movie that I LOVE and that goes along with what Chloe learns in this movie, is the conversation that Chloe and James have after the polo match. When Chloe says to James, "Okay, I know I get carried away sometimes." And James says, "Yeah, it's not what you did, Chloe. It's the way you did it. Whatever happened to the notion of it's how you play the game?", and Chloe says, "I don't know. Hopscotch happened, spelling bees, soccer games (a nod to Switching Goals perhaps?🤔⚽), field hockey!...People always say, it's not about winning, it's about doing your best. Then your team loses, and you see it on their faces. Your coach, your parents. They're disappointed. They wanted to win and you disappointed them. After a while, you get sick of looking at those faces so you make yourself win and you win again, and suddenly the rush of winning becomes the most important thing." And James says, "And you forget why you even liked playing in the first place. (And Chloe shakes her head in agreement)"👏👏 Another GREAT and TRUE message/lesson in and of itself. Very relatable, deep, and thought-provoking.
A couple of other quotes that stood-out to me when re-watching this movie, is one that Chloe says at one point during this movie. When she tells James about her and her sister (Riley) saying to him, "We're very different. You see, she likes to have fun and hang out with boys. And...not that there's anything wrong with that (as she looks at James)." Which just reminded me of in Billboard Dad, when they made it clear that even though they are twins they are very different. Something that clearly want us (viewers) to know. And is a good lesson to learn about twins. Don't assume they're all the same. After the United Kingdom rescues the diplomats and returns them safe and sound to Madame Secretary General, Riley says a quote that I also believe to be important and true. As she says, "Look, talk is fine, but when negotiations flounder, sometimes you have to take action."👏 In other words, sometimes talk is cheap, it's peoples' actions that will get things done. Action over words. But three main, common messages/lessons that I believe they wanted viewers to takeaway from watching this movie, is that of sportsmanship, the importance of not overlooking your friends, and enjoying one's youth. And this movie captures all of that.
Riley ends up getting her chance to shine, as she wins the crystal dove.👧🌟🕊 Which, in Model U.N. speak, is the most valuable player.🏆 And the United Kingdom, Lakeview High School team, wins the first place trophy, as well. Which kind of goes against the whole winning isn't everything message/lesson, but it's whatever I guess.😂👍👎 And I LOVE the very ending scene, as it shows Riley, Brian, Chloe, and James riding off on horses into the sunset.👧👦👧👦💓🐎🐎🐎🐎🌇 Just a BEAUTIFUL scene and one of the BEST endings to a movie EVER.💙🤍💗
When it comes to some things that I DON'T LOVE about this movie, I don't like at the beginning of this movie when Dylan is videotaping everyone and introducing us (the viewers) to some of the other characters in the movie and when he gets to Randall he (Dylan) says, "Dude's not too familiar with the bathing, showering scene."👎😠🙄 Just a very judgmental and mean thing to say about someone. There's also a moment in this movie when they first make it to London and enter their hotel that they'll be staying at, and when Riley sees James and his school team she says, "Check it out. Aliens from planet prep school." And Brian says, "I thought they only cloned sheep in England." And Chloe's whole team laughs, which was just something else I didn't like when re-watching this movie.👎They were just being mean for no reason. Not the right winning attitude to have. I also don't like the comment that Brian makes when Rachel shows him the very spot where Henry VIII had two of his wives beheaded, and Brian says, "Right, the fat dude who invented divorce."👎😠🙄 Ugh...I just HATE whenever shows and movies use that f word. It's just SO JUDGMENTAL, RUDE, and LAZY WRITING. That scene made me dislike Brian's character and I used to always LOVE his character. In fact, when I was in my later teens, I would just watch this movie not only for Mary-Kate and Ashley, but also just for him. Not anymore.😞(And I'm not blaming the actor himself, just the writer(s) of this movie.😊)
However, the scene that I really DON'T DISLIKE in this movie, that also made me NOT LIKE Ashley's character, is the scene when Brian and Riley are sitting on a bench drinking something and Riley then looks over to see Brian looking at another woman walking by and Riley says to Brian, "Hello? You know it's not very cool to look at other girls when someone's talking to you." and Brian says, "We weren't talking, we were drinking." (Which was the same thing I said in my head.😂) But Riley then continues on to say, "She's not your type anyway...She's not sensitive or funny or pretty."🙄👎😠 Yeah, I just didn't like those comments at all by her, and I was actually really surprised she would say that about someone when she only saw their back. At least that's what the camera showed to us (viewers). Again, you can't know all those things about a person just by seeing their back as they are walking away from you. Even if Riley did see what the woman looked like, you can't assume those things about someone when she didn't even have a conversation with the lady to really actually know if she was Brian's type or not. If she was really funny or not. In other words, it's just mean to call another woman not pretty, not funny, or sensitive when you don't even know them. Brian even does a little laugh and says, "She's not?" and Riley says, "Okay, maybe with the right lighting and some heavy foundation, but I bet she doesn't like sports."🙄👎😠 (She says as she's more than likely wearing foundation and was put in good lighting for this whole movie. Sorry. Again, no offense to Ashley herself, because she didn't write the script, but her character really shows her jealousy during that scene. What was the writer thinking?😞🤔) Again, VERY RUDE AND JUDGMENTAL. And does Riley even really like sports? She only said that about the sports thing, because she knows that's what Brian likes and would love to hear a girl say. As Brian even then says to Riley that he "so can't get into a girl who doesn't like sports".🙄 That scene just made me so mad at Ashley's character and it's not like Brian was any better. 'Cause he could have defended the woman, that he and Riley didn't know, at least a little bit during that conversation, but yet he said nothing.👎Again, it's a bummer, because I just didn't like Ashley's character after seeing that scene again, and I used to favor her character more over Mary-Kate's all the other previous times that I used to watch this movie. But I guess growing up is realizing Chloe is the better character out of the two sisters in this movie.😞😊There's also a boat scene in this movie that I don't LOVE. As I call it, "The Big Kissing Scene". As it's the scene when all the couples in this movie, Briley (Riley and Brian), Chames (James and Chloe), and Dachel (Rachel and Dylan) kiss.👧👦👧👦👧👦💋 And it's just a very awkward scene, because their kisses are too long and the camera angles are weird, too up close and personal, which makes for an uncomfortable watch. So, that scene just isn't my favorite thing about this movie.😬👎
Like I said before, it's interesting because every time I used to watch this movie I used to just be really into Riley and Brian's relationship storyline, but this time watching this movie I was more invested and interested in Chloe and James' relationship storyline. 'Cause theirs wasn't typical high school. It had more depth to it. Plus, again, just the mean comments made by Riley and Brian in this movie, turned me off from caring about them.😞Speaking of things I never noticed before when re-watching this movie for this post, is that of the little vintage filter in this movie. So, this movie is kind of like When In Rome in that way. The only other MK&A movie where the filter was very noticeable. It was clearly intended to be, and I actually like the little grainy, vintage-y filter in both movies. It just adds to the whole gloomy, rainy-day vibes. Something very different and unique about this movie is that Mary-Kate plays the type-A, overachiever while Ashley is the more free-spirited, slacker one. Which, again, is SO DIFFERENT from what they usually play in majority of their other movies. Some that I've already mentioned on here already. This is also another one of the few Mary-Kate and Ashley movies where they do a lot of talking directly to the camera, like in Our Lips Are Sealed. Which I do LOVE. And is something that I did actually remember about this movie.
Something else that I've always found INTERESTING, FUN, and NOSTALGIC about this movie is even just Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters' names themselves. As Mary-Kate and Ashley give a little hint to the characters they would be playing in a future show of theirs at the time called, So Little Time. In other words, Mary-Kate and Ashley used their So Little Time character names in this movie, but switched. As in So Little Time, which came out just a couple of months after this movie, Mary-Kate's character name is Riley and Ashley's character name is Chloe. However, in Winning London they switched it, because Mary-Kate is Chloe and Ashley is Riley. Which makes this movie quite confusing at times, just because ever since seeing So Little Time before this movie, I've always just seen Ashley as Chloe and Mary-Kate as Riley. And I just think it fits them better that way than the way they are switched in this movie. But I still LOVE both names, and clearly they did too, since they used them for two different projects of theirs.💗💗
Interestingly enough, Winning London wasn't the only movie that Mary-Kate and Ashley came out with in 2001, as they also released Holiday in the Sun (Which, may be coming up real soon on this ranking. And I mean real soon.😉) a few months later that same year. So, 2001 was a GREAT year in movies just because of both of those.😊 And surprisingly, although I thought that Winning London would always be the better of the two, that is no longer true.😞👍👎 Though, don't get me wrong, because I still LOVE Winning London. Hence, why it even made it into the TOP 10 on this ranking. I also just wish that I could rank this movie even HIGHER just because it's the ONLY MK&A movie that was released on my birthday month, March.💚😊🎂🎈 But, this movie is still GREAT and pretty SPECIAL to me just for that reason alone. That it is the only March MK&A movie release.
Despite the few things I didn't like about this movie re-watching it this time around, it will still always hold a very special place in my heart.💗 And I would most definitely choose to watch this movie again, just for the sake of this post, it had to rank here at #6. But, as I mentioned before, I LOVE the messages/lessons of this movie, and I LOVE that the main characters in this movie actually learned about the world around them. Instead, of like in some of their other movies, where it's just all about them and their world. So, that is something else that I do appreciate about this movie and something else that makes it stand-out from some of the rest. Again, I LOVE where this movie takes place and that they are actually in London, England and not just in some other place pretending like it's London, England. It was definitely this movie that made me want to visit London one day, and it still does.✈🌍 I mean, it's still THE London movie of all London movies. In other words, no other movie set in London, England can beat this movie. 'Cause it's usually the FIRST thing I think about whenever someone even just mentions the word "London". As I also mentioned before, this movie also has a GREAT soundtrack, not just the So Little Time theme song.🎥💿🎶 All the music fits so well with the theme and vibes of this movie. I mean, I wanted to rank this movie higher just for the music alone.😊
Again, I'm actually really surprised that this movie is not my #2 favorite movie of Mary-Kate and Ashley's, as I originally thought it would be after re-watching it for this post. For some reason, I just didn't enjoy this movie as much as I have in the past re-watching it this time around. And I don't know if that's just because I've seen this movie so many times throughout my life, and therefore it's become a little monotonous to me. Or because this time around watching it I was really making sure to take every detail about this movie in, and therefore some of the comments that I had never noticed before, that the characters made, really bothered me this time which turned me off for the rest of the movie. But anyways, sadly and shockingly to me this is not in my TOP 3 movies. And I just can't say that enough. But that's why this ranking is not definitive, because I realize as I get older and re-watch old movies I watched as a kid/teen, they don't always hit the same as they did the first few times around. But it could also be the mood I was in while watching these movies. So like, maybe I wasn't in the right mood when I chose to re-watch this movie this time around. In other words, whenever I decide to watch this movie again (because I definitely will), there is a chance I could like this movie even more than I did this time watching it for this post. But, as of now, I am pretty set on where I ranked this movie for this post.
Speaking of when I chose to watch this movie, I feel like I should have been watching this movie during the Fall because it definitely gives off those fall vibes from their fashion to the gloomy, rainy weather. As Winning London is a very moody and gloomy movie. Mary-Kate and Ashley's only moody, gloomy and rainy movie. ☁☔⛆❤ But, I do LOVE that about it. It's just probably best to watch it on a rainy, gloomy, moody day. Despite, or maybe even because of, the gloominess and moodiness of it, this movie is still a comforting, feel-good movie. And definitely their MOST EDUCATIONAL movie, which you either love or hate.👍👎📚 I LOVE learning new things, and I didn't mind learning about the UK, like when they give a history lesson all about the U.N. and they even mention London, England being the home of William Shakespeare, Winston Churchill (whoever that is), and Austin Powers (again, don't know who that is), but when it comes to the politics of it all...Been there. Done that. Over it. This movie did get a little boring at times during some of those historical, political lessons, which is one other reason why I chose to rank this movie lower than the others I will be mentioning next.
However, this movie also does have it's FUNNY moments and even a little bit of mystery with the spy stuff and all. Which, you know Mary-Kate and Ashley, they got the mystery.👧👧🕵🕵🎶📼 (iykyk)🤣 This movie is a little slower at times, too. Slower than I remembered it to be. But, again, could just be because I watched this movie at the wrong time. But the slowness of this movie also does go along really well with the whole rainy, solemn, moody vibe. This movie has adventure, romance, sweet sister moments (not enough, in my opinion), educational moments, shopping moments, horse moments, Mary-Kate and Ashley in one of their BEST eras, FASHION and EVERYTHING LONDON. Therefore, what more could one want from a movie? No, but seriously, I highly recommend anyone who hasn't seen this movie to watch it immediately because it's a must-watch, at least once. 'Cause despite the few things I don't love about this movie, it still has plenty of GREAT things going for it. Again, if only it would have came out 19 days earlier (aka on my birthday March 8th).😊🎥🎂🎈🥳
Okay, AAHHH...I'm SO EXCITED to finally get to talk about this movie.😊🎥👧👧✈🌎🏖🌞 As this is another one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's most ICONIC and UNFORGETTABLE movies. In fact, as much as I was anticipating on talking about this movie on here, I was just as EXCITED and just couldn't wait to re-watch this movie for this post. 'Cause I've ALWAYS LOVED this movie ever since I watched it for the FIRST TIME, in my later teens, when TeenNick was airing majority of these MK&A movies in 2015.📺 Yes, this is another MK&A movie that I DID NOT first see as a kid, but I'm so glad that I found out about it when I was a teenager because this movie is a pretty typical teenager movie. So it was the BEST time for me to watch it back then, because I could still relate to it a little more just for that reason. So I have such a fond, vivid memory of watching this movie for the FIRST TIME back in 2015, and I'll never forget it.💛 I will also never forget all the many times I re-watched this movie after that first time, including my time re-watching it for this post.💛🧡 Having said that, I am ALWAYS EXCITED to watch this movie, and this time (re-watching it for this post) was no different. I wasn't even that curious about watching it, just more-so EXCITED because I already knew this movie pretty well. I was only a little curious to see if my opinions of this movie would change at all, and therefore where it would rank amongst all the other MK&A movies on this list. 'Cause it had been quite a while since I had last watched this movie. And clearly, my opinions of this movie have changed a little bit, just because this movie ranks higher than some of Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies that I always used to LOVE more.😮😊
This is the SECOND movie that Mary-Kate and Ashley came out with in 2001, the other one being Winning London (the movie I just talked about previously). And, obviously, Holiday in the Sun is the BETTER movie out of the two.🎥💛🧡 However, I didn't always think this. As I mentioned before, when talking about Winning London, I never would have thought that this movie would rank higher than that other MK&A movie from 2001 (Winning London). I didn't even think that this movie would rank above Switching Goals.😮 Don't get me wrong, I've always LOVED this movie (Holiday in the Sun) ever since I FIRST watched it, but I didn't ever LOVE it more than Winning London or even Switching Goals which is actually SO CRAZY to think about.🤯 Though, as you can see, I most certainly do now.👍😊💛🧡 Which is saying quite a lot already about how GREAT this movie really is.💛 I just can't say enough my surprise of where I ranked this movie on this list, because it just goes to show how much one's taste in movies can change as that person grows up and changes. Which, again, is exactly what happened with this movie for me.😊
For those of you who have never seen this movie, it's basically about Illinois twin sisters, Madison (played by Mary-Kate) and Alex Stewart (played by Ashley) who are whisked away by their parents (Harrison (played by Markus Flanigan) and Judy (played by Jamie Rose) to Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas for winter break.👨👩👧👧❆❄✈🏖🌞 (Yes, there are some winter vibes going on at the very beginning of this movie, which is something I did kind of forget about because I just thought it was their summer break. It's not.) At first, Madison and Alex are disappointed that they don't get to go to Hawaii with their friends.🙄🏝 But they eventually overcome that feeling by enjoying their newly earned freedom in the form of their own suite (which they get from their parents for working so hard in school), as well as the immaculate beaches of the Caribbean.👧👧😊🏨🏖 Alex falls for "hottie" Jordan Landers (played by Ben Easter), who works at the resort.👧💓👦 But, she's not the only one with her eyes on Jordan.👀 As the spoiled heiress, Brianna Wallace (played by Megan Fox), is also in love with him and plays dirty to get her way.👧👦👧
Meanwhile, Madison is being wooed by cute, but brainless, Scott (played by Billy Aaron Brown), who is being coached behind the scenes by a childhood friend of Madison's who has a not-so-subtle crush on her (Madison), Griffen Grayson (played by Austin Nichols).👦👧👦 As Griffen uses Scott to talk to Madison because he's too chicken to.🐥 However, Madison and Alex's holiday of fun in the sun is interrupted when Jordan is blamed for allegedly encompassing stolen antiquities.😮👦👮💰Therefore, the twins and Griffen dodge their meanwhile suspicious parents to find and expose the real culprit. By the end of this movie Madison and Alex understand the true meaning of sisterhood along with having a great family vacation.👨👩👧👧💕🏖🌞💛🧡👏
Yeah, my summary of this movie doesn't do it that much justice. So, you just HAVE TO WATCH this movie to see how GREAT it TRULY is. Fun fact, but did you know that the original title for this movie was "The Last Family Vacation"?😮 'Cause I also did not know that until now, when researching a little bit more about this movie. I'm actually glad that they went with the title Holiday in the Sun.💛🧡 What do you think? Both titles make sense for the movie, but Holiday in the Sun is better and feels more like a title of a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie.👍
First of all, I just LOVE the whole setting of this movie, in that it takes place in the Bahamas. Which just brings all the summer, beach, FUN vibes in and of itself.💛🧡🏖🌞 Speaking of vibes, I just LOVE the WHOLE vibe of this movie. As it's just SO BRIGHT, COLORFUL, FUN, and again, just gives you all those NOSTALGIC, SUMMER, FEEL-GOOD vibes. Even though it is winter at the very beginning of this movie, the rest of the movie does give off all the SUMMER VIBES. Making it a TRULY GREAT summer movie.🧡💛🏖🌞
This movie sucks you right in from the very beginning, in the BEST way of course. As the ICONIC, MOST SUMMER-VIBE song plays while the opening credits roll.🎶🏝🌞That song being "Island in the Sun" by Weezer. 💛And that's not the ONLY time that song plays during this movie, but it is the FIRST TIME it does. Which, speaking of that song, I always can't help but instantly think of another VERY ICONIC SUMMER movie, Aquamarine, whenever I hear it. In other words, "Island in the Sun" does fit perfectly for this movie, and it is a big part of what makes this movie SO GREAT, but I will just always associate the song more with Aquamarine any and every time I hear it. Just because that is the movie I heard this song in FIRST.😊🎥🎶🏖🐟 Even though, Holiday in the Sun came out before Aquamarine, and therefore had the idea to use the song FIRST. If only I had seen this movie before Aquamarine then I maybe would have always associated the song with this movie, but that's just not the case.😊 Again, both movies are GREAT, the song is GREAT, it's all GREAT. This song is just more-so, I believe, known from Aquamarine. At least, it is to me.😊
Still speaking about the very beginning of this movie, it first shows a map telling us where the girls live in this movie, which is Illinois.💗🤍❤💛 A not-so-unique beginning scene, as they also did something similar to this in Passport to Paris, but still a GREAT beginning scene that they still managed to make different in other ways.👍 This movie also starts out again with Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters dreaming of events to come, like they also did in How the West Was Fun and Our Lips Are Sealed. As it shows Madison and Alex both day dreaming in science class about them "hanging out with like the cutest guys in the world"🤣 (as Alex says) in Hawaii for winter break having their independence away from their parents.👧👧🏝 🌞Much like the beginning scenes in How the West Was Fun and Our Lips Are Sealed, the beginning scene in this movie is also one that makes viewers believe this movie is going to be one thing, but it turns out to be something totally different than you'd expect. As I mentioned before, it starts out all gloomy with the girls in class at school on a snowy, wintery day.👧👧🏫📚❄❆ But that's not what the rest of this movie is like at all. As it then changes fairly quickly to SUN, FUN, and HAPPINESS. 🏖🌞 I will say though, when watching the beginning scene of the movie, it will definitely make you want to get some Krispy Kreme donuts.🍩🍩 At least it always does for me.😋😊 As after their dad picks the girls up from school on their private jet, he gives them their own box of Krispy Kreme glazed donuts.💗 I know. YUM.🍩😋😊 I mean, I'm more of a Dunkin' girl, but I'll take any brand of donut right now.😊🍩
They do ALL the FUN, SUMMER things while in the Bahamas, and all things that I would also SO LOVE to do if I ever get to go there one day.😊 As the girls of course lay out in the sun on the beach🏖🌞😎, but they also go jet skiing, meet some cute boys👦👦👦, go to a couple of beach parties🎉🎶, they slide down the Leap of Faith🛝🌊, feed sting rays, ride horses on the beach🐴, go scuba diving🤿, fish gutting (I could do without that one, though😂😬🐟), scooter riding🏍, swimming with dolphins🏊🐬🐬, they go on a moonlight cruise🛥🌃, and of course they go SHOPPING👜👚👖👗👓👟👒👙. 'Cause as you know, there's no MK&A movie without a GREAT shopping montage. They also go to jail for a few hours, but that's NOT a great summer activity.👎😬 Definitely, one that I would skip out on. Lol.😂
There are A LOT of random and FUNNY quotes in this movie. Such as when Jordan goes to sit with Alex at a table when they're at the beach party, and he asks her, "What's your name?" And Alex says, "Alex." And Jordan says, "That's it? Just one name?", and Alex says, "One more than you."🤣 And then he tells her his name.🤣 Another funny moment is when the girls are at the party and some random guy goes up to Brianna Wallace and says, "Hey, what's up?", and Brianna says, "Not my temperature."🤣🌡
However, the MOST memorable, random, and funniest quote from this movie is the whole "have your cake and eat it too" figure of speech that the girls constantly talk about in this movie, and in one of their other movies (Getting There), as I mentioned earlier.🎂 As they first talk about this when Madison and Alex get back from a shopping date with their mom, and Madison says to her mom and sister, "I'm having an awful time with Scott. I mean, I feel like we have a connection, it's just...he gets so tongue-tied." And Alex says, "You know what your problem is? You wanna have your cake and eat it, too."🎂And Madison then says, "Alex, you know that makes no sense. I mean, I have some cake, and then I eat it. You're trying to tell me I can't do that?"🎂🤣 And Alex says, "Kay, it's just a saying. I mean, everyone knows you can't have your cake and eat it, too."🎂🤣 But Madison says, "Sure you can." And Alex says, "Kay, why are you saying you can? You can't. I mean, everyone knows you can't." And Madison says, "I'm saying I can because everybody gets it wrong. What you mean to say is you can't eat your cake and have it, too. Now that, you can't have."🎂🤣 And Alex says, "Hmm, never thought of it like that. (And I've never thought of cake as much as I did while watching this scene and this movie. LOL.🤣🎂) Good point. You can't eat your cake and have it, too. Except..." 🎂And Madison says, "What do you mean except? There is no except." And Alex says, "Okay, just hear me out for a sec, okay? If I eat my cake, it's in my stomach, right?", and Madison says, "Unless it's on your blouse, yes."🤣🎂 And Alex says, "And if it's in my stomach, isn't that the same as having it?", and Madison says, "In a manner of speaking."🤣
Yeah, I know, I've never really understood what they meant by any of that.🤔 But I also just can't help but laugh during that whole scene, so then I lose what they're actually trying to say anyways. It's always just been SO FUNNY to me when they talk about the whole cake figure of speech thing, especially because it's the way they say it. Like it's so deep and thought-provoking, which it kind of is. I mean, I guess, it is the deepest and most thought-provoking conversation they have in this whole movie. I just still don't really know what it means.🤣🤔 But, maybe you'll get it after you watch it (see clip below).
Apparently, from what I could gather after re-typing out that whole cake conversation and remembering the scene, is that Alex is saying that Madison's problem is that she wants a boy who's hot and human. In other words, she either wants a guy who she can connect with or a guy who is hot (who she's attracted to). And to have both at the same time is not realistic. Madison's asking for too much, in a way that's impossible, not attainable, and Alex is saying that it's her (Madison's) problem for wanting that. But that's also easy for Alex to say, because she's got a cute guy who is so easy to talk to and does not wanna be with the other girl (Brianna Wallace). As Jordan wants Alex to get to know the real him. As he even shows Alex all of the things about the aquarium where he works, and he writes and sings Alex a song.👦😍🎶🎤 Therefore, Alex is having her cake and eating it, too.🎂 So, why can't Madison?🤔
They talk about this whole cake figure of speech thing again (but by switching the word "cake" for "bed"🎂🛏) during the scene when they're in their hotel suite, and Madison says to Alex, "Running up dad's room service tab alone just doesn't quite carry the same allure. I miss mom and dad telling us what to do." And Alex says, "We deserve this. I mean, we brushed them off this whole trip. And now look at us. We're going out and they don't even care." And Madison says, "We made our bed and now we have to sleep in it."🛏 And Alex repeats, "We made our bed and now we have to sleep in it.🛏 Ah-ha...If we made our bed, why do we wanna sleep in it? I mean, do you make your bed and then want to sleep in it?"🛏, and Madison says, "No." And Alex says, "Exactly! When I make my bed, I'm up for the day. What about you?", and Madison says, "I'm ready for breakfast." And Alex says, "I'm ready to go shopping. I'm ready to go to the beach. I'm ready to do anything but sleep in that just-made bed."🤣🛏 And Madison says, "Okay, you have a point. But let's say I make my bed. Go out, do a little shopping, but in the middle of the day I wanna take a little nap. So I come home, can I sleep in it?"🛏, and Alex says, "Yes. But would you fold it down before you went to sleep?"🛏, and Madison says. "Well, I wouldn't sleep on top of it."🛏 And Alex says, "Then, technically the bed would be unmade."🤣🛏And Madison says, "Alright?...Okay, you win." Again another very random, FUNNY quote and scene. And another one of their more deep and thought-provoking conversations in this movie, that I still don't quite understand.🤣🤔
Speaking of some unforgettable and FAVORITE scenes from this movie, I really just LOVE ALL the scenes in this movie with Alex (aka Ashley) and Jordan, and I ALWAYS have since the VERY FIRST TIME I watched this movie. In fact, there was a time I actually would just watch this movie for their scenes together, because I had a little crush on Jordan myself.👦😍😊 I mean, who didn't?😂 Though, re-watching this movie this time around I did also actually enjoy the scenes with Madison (aka Mary-Kate) and Scott. As those were some really FUNNY scenes. However, I DID NOT like Griffen in this movie. Which is why I prefer Madison and Scott's scenes. I LOVE montages, and this movie has A LOT of them. Probably the MOST from any of their movies. Which, again, something that some people either LOVE or HATE.👍👎But, I for sure, LOVE THEM ALL.😊💛🧡 In fact, I would have LOVED to see even more of them in this movie. 'Cause I could never get enough.😊
The ending of this movie is VERY DIFFERENT and UNIQUE from any of Mary-Kate and Ashley's other movies. As it ends with sort of a cliffhanger. As Alex says to their dad, "Um, dad, we were wondering if next year...", and their dad says, "What?", and Madison looks directly to the camera, smiles, and says, "Well, I guess this won't be the last family vacation."🎬🤔 Further making me think that that scene in New York Minute I mentioned earlier was right, and that they actually were planning on making a sequel to this movie at some point.🤔After Mary-Kate as Madison says that last line, the camera quickly then cuts to Ashley saying to Mary-Kate (as themselves, not their characters) that there's been a rewrite. And it shows Mary-Kate and Ashley (still as themselves) look at the script and the director calls "Action!" So, Mary-Kate (back as her character) then looks to the camera and says, "We hope next year's trip is as good as the last family vacation."🎬
It then shows some more "behind-the-scenes", as Ashley says, "Well, the big question now is, where are we gonna shoot our next film?", and then Mary-Kate and Ashley both say at the same time, "The map!"👧👧🗺 It then shows them in some dark room looking at a map on the wall as they pinpoint out and show places they've traveled to so far in their movies. As Ashley says, "London, Paris, Sydney, the Bahamas..(she then turns to Mary-Kate and says) Now, where can we go?...Someplace that we love. Someplace that the audience will love." And Mary-Kate says, "Wait a minute. You always get to pick locations. In fact, you always get to pick the stories, the cast, and the crew, too. This time, I'm putting my foot down. It's my turn." And Ashley says, "Do not take this responsibility lightly." And Mary-Kate says, "I will cherish this moment forever." As Mary-Kate then throws a dart at the map and where it lands nobody knows. Unless, of course, you've seen their other movies and already know which one came after this one (Holiday in the Sun).😉👧👧✈⛷❄❆💙
That very ending scene is just SO GREAT in and of itself, because it really breaks the fourth wall and shows how much Mary-Kate and Ashley really cared about their fans when it came to making these movies. They didn't take their responsibility lightly.💗💗 I actually totally forgot about that very ending scene of this movie, for some reason. But once I saw it again, it all came back to me. In fact, it did make me think that maybe I had actually seen some of this movie as a kid, because I feel like I remember seeing this specific ending scene as a kid on TV or on one of their VHS tapes that I would occasionally rent from a knock-off Blockbuster store at the time.🤔 However, I also don't know if this very ending scene is just on the DVD version of this movie, but it definitely should have been the way that all their destination movies ended. With them throwing a dart at a map for their next location.💗👧👧🗺✈
This movie has the mystery, action, adventure, the romance, family moments, sweet sisters moments, and just all the fun, fun, FUN in the SUN. Therefore, like I mentioned before, the title is perfectly fitting for this movie. I also LOVE the whole soundtrack to this movie, not just the song "Island in the Sun". The whole soundtrack to this movie is just TOP-NOTCH. It's SO ICONIC and SO EARLY 2000's in and of itself. Although, there is ONLY ONE song that plays in this movie, I think during the jet skiing scene, that I DON'T LOVE.👎As it mentions the word "god*" or something like that.👎 But, other than that song, I LOVE the rest of this movie's soundtrack.🧡💛🎶 The camera shots alone in this movie are SO UNIQUE from any of Mary-Kate and Ashley's other movies, and is such a VIBE in and of itself.📹🎥 You either LOVE or HATE the camera work in this movie. I, for one, LOVE IT. It goes along well with the whole chaotic, hecticness, and FUN VIBE of this movie.💛🧡
It's also quite interesting because Mary-Kate and Ashley also don't have any distinguishing character traits in this movie either.👧👧🎥 In other words, they play sort of the same characters. Neither one of them is more girly or tomboy or carefree. 'Cause both their characters are pretty much the same in this movie in terms of characteristics like that. I mean, obviously they're not totally the same person but it's not like in their other movies when they are so polar opposite. They just have different tastes in boys, that's for sure.😂 Having said that though, it is pretty easy to know which character Mary-Kate and Ashley play in this movie, because the first letter of their character names matches with the first letter of their actual names. (Ashley🟰Alex, Mary-Kate🟰Madison) Which is something I never really noticed, before re-watching this movie for this post. Just a little interesting tidbit that I thought was worth mentioning here.😊 Both of the girls love stories also involve triangles, because Brianna Wallace is a part of the Alex and Jordan love story and Scott is a part of Madison and Griffen's love story. Which has never been done before in any other Mary-Kate and Ashley movie. So that's another interesting aspect of this movie.😊
There are a few GREAT and important messages/lessons that one can takeaway from watching this movie. One being about letting go. Which is something that the parents in this movie have to learn to do. Along with trusting their daughters.💛 Which, having trust, is something one also needs in order to let go of someone or something. In other words, the importance of having trust in relationships and with family, those people closest to you, is a present message/lesson in this movie.🧡 Independence, which kind of still goes along with that message/lesson of letting go, is another prominent word in this movie.💛 As we watch Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters wanting to be very independent in this movie and then getting that chance to be very independent. A little too independent for 15-year-old girls, if you ask me. Which is not the best example this movie sets to other 15-year-olds. 'Cause kids their age watching this movie and seeing how the girls act, might want to then do exactly what they do, and it's not the best idea. As Madison and Alex do three rebel teenager things in this movie: (1) they stay out 75 minutes past their 11 pm curfew, (2) they go into the pool at midnight during closed hours, and (3) they then get arrested and go to jail for a few hours. Although, this movie is very RELATABLE in that teenage rebellion way, because what 15-year-old (other-aged teenager in general) didn't want time away from their parents and the freedom to do anything they wanted to at times? I know that's just what teenagers do, having been one myself.😊So, I do get it. But still. I don't think that message/lesson about not doing every bad thing the girls do in this movie, was really conveyed to viewers watching this movie. And it should have been.
In other words, the parents storyline is about learning to let go and the twins storyline is all about being independent. And the storylines don't really add up, because the girls don't really get consequences and it doesn't show that they are wrestling with this not a girl, not yet a woman, last- vacation-with-their-parents issue, as well as it should have (and as it starts out at the very beginning when they're in the private jet talking to their dad). In other words, the message/lesson of this movie just doesn't come all the way through in that the girls are dealing with not wanting to be on vacation with their parents. Again, it starts out that way, but then it loses that whole message. Until, I guess, the end when they do ask about where their next family vacation should be. But, is that because they think their next vacation will be just like the one they have in this movie, more freedom without their parents, doing whatever they want?🤔 Again, I just don't know if the main characters learned that lesson. So, a lot of the important and GREAT messages/lessons kind of get lost in this movie. But you are still able to pinpoint them out and learn from the mistakes that the characters make in this movie.
However, another message/lesson that one can takeaway from watching this movie is that of the importance of not growing up too fast and enjoying your youth while you still have it.🧡 Something that Madison and Alex, again, kind of learn in this movie.👍👎 As what didn't turn out as a Hawaiian vacay with their friends, does end up being a great Bahamas vacay with their family and the new friends that they meet along the way. But they didn't spend much of any time with their parents, so really they just enjoyed their youth and had FUN with their friends. Which also goes along with message/lesson about the importance of not taking your parents for granted because when you get older you will miss the days when they were around to always be there for you and help you.💛 Again, just all the more a reason to enjoy your youth, because it flies by. The importance of family over everything also goes along with that.💗 Another thing that I LOVE and absolutely stand by myself, because FAMILY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.💗 This movie also is overall just a GREAT reminder and message about the importance of just having FUN, enjoying LIFE, and not taking life too seriously.💗 Well, at least those are some things that I took away from watching this movie again. As again, they don't say any of these specific messages/lessons in this movie or really show us that they learn most of them, it's just the ones that I took away from re-watching this movie.😊
The only thing I don't really like about this movie is that Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters do come off as out-of-touch with reality and super privileged.👎 Especially at the very beginning with them being the only ones wearing designer bucket hats in their class, getting out of school early to then get on their private jet to go on vacation, and while on that private jet they complain to their dad about not being able to go to Hawaii with their friends but instead to the Bahamas with their parents.🙄 But they then get happy when they get their own boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts. And when they arrive to the Bahamas they travel to their hotel by limo, get to stay at one of the most expensive resorts, and they get their own suite. And they have the money to do basically ANYTHING and EVERYTHING they want while staying there.🙄 So, they really had no reason to complain at all during this movie. Although that did bother me about Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters in this movie, I still can't help but LOVE this movie regardless. But it's just definitely one of their LEAST RELATABLE movies for that reason. I'm also NOT a jealous person, so it is what it is. And it also doesn't really bother me that bad, but it is still just a reason why I don't like their characters, and it's also a little bit of a reason why this movie ranked a little lower. I just had to point it out, because no movie is perfect despite it's higher ranking on this list. Again, this movie is not the most relatable to me and probably not to most normal people out in the world. It really is just a complete fantasy, and a BIG AD for the Bahamas and Atlantis Resort.🤣. But that's why it's also very FUN and INTERESTING to watch at the same time.
Speaking of the few things I dislike about this movie, I also have never really cared for the parents scenes in this movie. As those are the most boring to watch. As there are quite a lot of scenes in this movie that don't feature Mary-Kate or Ashley . So, any of the scenes not with Mary-Kate and/or Ashley, I don't really LOVE. As I really just LOVE this movie for all the scenes that Mary-Kate and/or Ashley are in.🎥👧👧💕 As this movie was just trying to do too much at once. With the love triangle, a mystery, and a leaving-the- nest-last-family-holiday-vacation storyline. In other words, there are a lot of different characters and storylines that they were trying to show all at once during this movie. As we get Ashley with her love interest, scenes with Mary-Kate and Scott and Griffen, the parents scenes, and even scenes with just Griffen's sister playing with some other kid. I just feel like some of the non-main characters in this movie didn't need all the screen time that they got. No offense, but those scenes just aren't what I look forward to seeing from a MK&A movie. Like I said before, I just really care to see all the scenes with Mary-Kate and/or Ashley in them.💗👧👧 Also, because there's so much that goes on in this movie with the many different storylines and characters, it is a little hectic and all over the place. So, although not my favorite thing about this movie, it's still a thing that just makes this movie that much MORE UNIQUE and SPECIAL.
In other words, if you're not concerned or don't care about character development or consistent storylines or whatever, which I don't really care about all the time when I'm wanting to just watch a GREAT movie, then this is the movie for you.👍😊 'Cause if nothing else, it's VERY ENTERTAINING, NOSALGIC, and just FUN. In fact, for me, watching this movie is literally like going on a summer vacation. Which is what I really LOVE MOST about this movie. I sort of just live vicariously through Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters while watching this movie. It just makes me feel VERY HAPPY and NOSTALGIC every time I watch it. As it even brings back GREAT memories of all the vacations that my family and I went on, and the things my sisters and I did during those vacations. A few things similar to what Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters do in this movie during their family vacation. Such as swimming and playing games in the pool at night at the hotel. Laying on the beach🏖🌞😎, and eating delicious food at the restaurants where we would stay.🍽🍔🍕🍟🍦🍨🍫
Speaking of familiar things in this movie, there are quite a few familiar faces in this movie. As the actor who plays Scott in this movie, Billy Aaron Brown, also ended up playing in Getting There, another MK&A movie, which I mentioned earlier. And even the actor who plays Jordan in this movie, Ben Easter, played in Mary-Kate and Ashley's short-lived series, So Little Time and their 2003 movie The Challenge. Oh, and the actor who plays Scott in this movie, also made an appearance in their 2003 film, The Challenge, which I almost forgot to add. This movie was also not only Megan Fox's FIRST EVER movie role, but her FIRST acting role ever, which is pretty cool and something I just found out myself researching for this.😮 Even the actor who plays Mary-Kate and Ashley's dad in this movie, Markus Flanigan, you might recognize also from the show Unfabulous. And the actress who plays Griffen's little sister in this movie, I also recognized from an episode of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE show, 7th Heaven.
This is another VERY ICONIC, NOSTALGIC, and UNFORGETTABLE MK&A movie, and I'm SO EXCITED to finally get to talk about it on here.😊🎥💗💙🧡This was the only movie that Mary-Kate and Ashley came out with in 1995, and it was their FIRST EVER movie that was released in theaters.😮🎥🍿🎉👏 As, like I mentioned before, they only had two movies that were theatrical releases this one and their LAST EVER film together, New York Minute.👏👏 I've always known about New York Minute being a movie that was released in theaters, but for some reason I never knew until now (after having done some research for this post) that It Takes Two was also a theatrical release.😮 So, that's an interesting fact about this movie that I also just learned myself.😊
This movie is the basically The Parent Trap (1998), but with actual real-life twins.👧👧 And who doesn't LOVE that? If you LOVE The Parent Trap, then you'll definitely also LOVE It Takes Two.💗 Probably even more.👍👎 However, both movies are GREAT, and they are a bit different in their approach to the story. 'Cause in The Parent Trap, (the 1998 version, because I've still never seen the original version😮😊), the girls (both played by Lindsay Lohan) learn that they're sisters who had been separated by their parents. But in this movie, the girls (Mary-Kate and Ashley) aren't related, they just find out they look exactly alike and try to get their parents/caregivers together by the end.👧👧👨💓👩 Having said that, I just SO LOVE that we got a version of The Parent Trap with Mary-Kate and Ashley, because I could not imagine Mary-Kate and Ashley's collection of movies without this movie.👧👧🎥💗💙🧡 It's just TOO ICONIC and SPECIAL. Oh, and speaking of The Parent Trap...Sorry, not trying to make this all about The Parent Trap....But it was sort of a coincidence, because when I chose to re-watch It Takes Two for this post, my family and I had just re-watched The Parent Trap (1998) on my sister's birthday.🎂🎈🎉🥳🎥📺 So, I was very curious for that reason alone, to re-watch this movie (It Takes Two), just to see the similarities and differences of the two, it being still very fresh in my mind. I was also, therefore, quite curious to see if I would like this movie (It Takes Two) more than The Parent Trap. Which I will tell you if I did at the end of my thoughts about this movie.💗😉
When it comes to this movie, It Takes Two, I actually do have a fond, pretty vivid memory of the FIRST TIME that I ever watched it as a kid. Or, at least, what I strongly believe to be the VERY FIRST TIME I ever saw this movie.💗I don't remember exactly what age I was when I FIRST watched this movie, but I do remember chilling on the bed in my parents room and this movie being on the TV on some cable channel.👧🛏🎥📺 And the specific scenes that have always been stuck in my mind since that FIRST WATCH is the whole beginning baseball scene with Mary-Kate (aka Amanda)👧⚾, the Sloppy Joe, cafeteria, food fight scene🏕🍔🍞🍝🍖🍠, and the ending horse carriage ride scene/moment🐎. Speaking of the Sloppy Joe, cafeteria, food fight scene in this movie, every time I watch this movie and that specific scene it just instantly makes me want a Sloppy Joe.😂 Anyone else? I actually haven't had one in FOREVER, so I don't even know if I would like it anymore, but I'm also not a really picky eater.👍👎😊 But, anyways, that's the only memory I have of watching this movie as a kid, and some of the scenes that ALWAYS stood out to me. Having said that, I don't think I watched this movie A LOT as a kid, but it has always been engrained in my mind ever since that FIRST TIME of me watching it. Which, just shows how IMPACTFUL of a movie It Takes Two is.💗 I only remember one other time when I watched this movie, which was in my later teens, which I believe was also the last time that I had seen this movie. So, I haven't really seen this movie A LOT throughout my life (at least from what I can remember🤔), but for some reason it feels like I have. So, I was VERY EXCITED and curious to re-watch this movie now as an adult, having not seen it in quite some time.😊
Again, I don't know why I never watched this movie more than the few times that I did as a kid, because it's a REALLY GREAT movie.💗 Especially, from Mary-Kate and Ashley. Hence, why it ranked here at #4.👏🎉 And I wanted to rank this movie even higher, but there are just a couple of things I don't like about it. Also, just when compared to the other MK&A movies that I will be mentioning next, this movie is not better than those, because the TOP 3 literally have no flaws in my eyes.😉 But, don't get wrong, because this movie being at #4 on this ranking is still REALLY GOOD. And I'll tell you the reasons why. But first, I'll give those of you who have never seen this movie a brief summary about it.😊
Like I briefly mentioned before, this movie is about two lookalike 9-year-old girls, orphaned tomboy👨👩🚫💔👧⚾👚👖👟, Amanda Lemmon (played by Mary-Kate), and little rich girl, Alyssa Callaway (played by Ashley)👧💰💸, who meet by chance at a summer camp, Camp Callaway.⛺🏕 As Alyssa runs away from her home, after finding out that her dad is getting remarried to someone awful, and Amanda then runs away from Alyssa's house (unbeknownst to her that it is Alyssa's house) after going through with a bet from her orphan friends to ring the doorbell of the "haunted house" to show that she's not a scaredy-cat, but then she (Amanda) gets scared when someone actually answers the door calling her Alyssa. It's then there at Camp Callaway, where the girls run into each other. Yes, they LITERALLY run into each other, and realize that they are each other's exact doubles.😮👧👧💞
Amanda and Alyssa are both worried about their caregivers. As Alyssa's father, Roger Callaway (played by Steve Guttenberg)👨, who's a very wealthy widower and owns Camp Callaway, is about to marry a socialite, gold digger who hates children and baseball, Clarice Kensington (played by Jane Sibbett)👩😠. And Amanda's kind social worker, Diane Barrow (played by Kirstie Alley)👩, loves Amanda and would like to adopt her, but she does not make enough money to be able to do so.😢And if a cruel family adopts Amanda, Diane will be pushed aside.😢 Diane also wants to find love.👩💓👨So, the girls (Amanda and Alyssa) decide to switch identities and act as matchmakers for their respective parent figures.👧👧👨💓👩Again, my summary of this movie doesn't really do it that much justice. You just MUST WATCH this movie to understand how GREAT it really is.💗💙🧡🎥👧👧💞🏕👨👩
First off, I do have to say, that I am a little bit more biased towards this movie just because one of the characters, one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters to be exact, has MY (FIRST) NAME in this movie.👏😊That name being Alyssa, played by Ashley Olsen.👏😊 Which, I mean, how COOL is that? I still can't get over it.😁 No, but for real, although I LOVE this movie just for that reason alone, that's NOT the ONLY reason why I LOVE this movie. Another thing that I just LOVE about this movie is the orphan and adoption storyline stuff.👏💗 Something we don't see in any other MK&A movie. And that is also a MAJOR reason why this movie ranks as high as it does on this list. This movie also GREATLY shows the differences in lifestyle of the underprivileged and the extremely rich and what that can be like, which I think is important and a message/lesson in and of itself.💗
Speaking of messages/lessons, there are quite a few GREAT, RELATABLE, and IMPORTANT messages/lessons in this movie. Such as the importance of not judging a book by it's cover.💗👍 Which is something that Diane says to Amanda at the beginning when they arrive at her (Amanda's) possible new home to meet her possible new family. As Diane says to Amanda during that moment, "Okay, so it's not exactly Park Avenue, but you can't always judge a book by its cover. Besides, you don't wanna be an orphan forever." Don't make promises that you can't keep, is another message/lesson that one can takeaway from watching this movie.💗👍 As at the beginning of this movie, Diane promises Amanda that she's gonna find her the best home in the entire world. But for one, "the best home in the ENTIRE WORLD"...a little too far-fetched don't you think?😬🤔I'm just saying, I don't think Diane should have promised that to Amanda, because she didn't know for sure that she would find the love of her life by the end of this movie and therefore a new, great family and home for Amanda. Even though she (Diane) did end up finding all that, it's still just a good reminder to others not to make too big of a promise that you don't know if you can actually keep.💗👍😊
Another great message/lesson in this movie, for kids/tweens/teens mostly, is the reminder to not run away from home or your parents without their knowledge.💗👍As even though Amanda and Alyssa running away from their respective homes turns out well in the end for them, it doesn't mean it's a good idea for all kids out there. Well, technically Alyssa did tell and adult in her house that she was running away, but Amanda didn't. But I also get why Amanda and Alyssa ran away without really telling anyone. As they kind of had good reasons to. But still, it's not always the safest or right thing to do.😊 Don't let others pressure you into doing things that you don't want to do is another prominent message/lesson in this movie.💗👍As when Amanda accepts a bet from the other orphan kids to ring the doorbell of a house she's never been to, just to prove that she's not scared, it wasn't the safest thing to do but she only did it to impress her friends. Again, although doing that bet and ringing that doorbell is what ultimately led Amanda and Alyssa to meet each other, it's still not okay to peer pressure anyone. Or for others to give into peer pressure from their friends or from anyone.💗👍There's also that message/lesson about the importance of never giving up. Like Diane doesn't give up on finding Amanda the home and family that she deserves. And even Amanda and Alyssa don't give up on trying to get Diane and Roger to be together. Which also goes along with the message/lesson of knowing that nothing's impossible.💗👍😊
When it comes to my FAVORITE scenes in It Takes Two, I won't do the best job explaining them, so just watch all the clips below to know what my FAVORITE scenes in this movie are.↓😊 Although, I will go into more detail about a couple of my all-time FAVORITE quotes in this movie that go along with some of those FAVORITE scenes of mine.💗One of the MOST MEMORABLE and ICONIC quotes from this movie that I LOVE, and one that has ALWAYS stood out to me, is a line that Amanda says to Diane after Diane talks to her about not judging a book by its cover and Amanda says, "So, adopt me why don't ya?" and Diane says, "They won't let me adopt you on my salary. Besides that, you know what? You deserve a mother and a father." And Amanda then says, "So get a husband." And Diane says, "It's not like buying a car you know." And Amanda then says THE ICONIC line, "I know. It's gotta be that can't eat, can't sleep, reach for the stars, over the fence, World Series kinda stuff, right?"💗🤣Another VERY ICONIC and UNFORGETTABLE quote from this movie that I also LOVE, is what Amanda and Alyssa say to each other right after they literally run into each other at the camp, when they both say, "They thought I was you!"💗😊🤣
This is another movie where Mary-Kate and Ashley's acting is SO GOOD.👏👏👧👧As they not only each have to play ONE character in this movie, but TWO, and Mary-Kate and Ashley do a GREAT job at playing both characters. You really can't tell the difference. In other words, you only really know that they are playing the opposite character from who they start out playing from the very beginning of this movie, if you know how to tell them apart easily. 'Cause with how good they are at playing both characters, at times you actually forget that Mary-Kate's supposed to be playing Alyssa in this scene and Ashley is supposed to be playing Amanda in that other scene and vice versa.
Speaking of the characters that Mary-Kate and Ashley play in this movie, we get that same trope that's in A LOT of their other movies, where Mary-Kate plays the tomboy character and Ashley the more girly-girl character.👧⚾👚👖👟👧🩷👗👝💄 Which is only up until they switch places. As Mary-Kate's character, Amanda, even mentions a couple of times in this movie that she doesn't like to wear dresses and we clearly see her tomboy style in this movie, and that she also likes to play sports.👧⚾👚👖👟 And Ashley's character, Alyssa, is the complete opposite. As she actually likes to wear dresses and more girly clothes, and she doesn't like to play sports, but she does play the piano.👧🩷👗👝💄🎹
Like I mentioned briefly before, this movie not only shows the differences in the girls' characters, but it also shows the different types of lifestyles between the underprivileged, unwealthy compared to the very rich. Which is makes this movie more interesting and relatable. As Amanda and Alyssa switch places and get to experience the way the other one lives. Which, just as a viewer watching this movie, makes you appreciate the things you have, and feel for those, like Amanda in this movie, who don't come from an easy, rich life, like Alyssa does. Having said that, although I was never an orphan, I can relate more to Amanda in this movie. Because I, too, am not filthy rich in terms of money, but I am rich in LOVE and that's all that really MATTERS in life.💗👍 Which is also another GREAT message/lesson one can takeaway from this movie, as well. As this movie goes to show by the end that LOVE is really what makes the world go 'round and that you don't really need money in order to have a good life.💗👍 Speaking of relatable things from this movie, another relatable thing about this movie is that both girls deal with loss. Especially that of a family member(s). Which, I myself, can relate to as I'm sure A LOT of people can. As Alyssa doesn't have a mom in this movie, because she passed away when Alyssa was born, and Amanda doesn't have her biological parents or any biological family which is why she's an orphan.😢 So, I can also relate to both of the characters in that way. Especially Alyssa, because although I didn't lose my mom when I was born, I haven't had a mom since I was thirteen for other reasons.😞 Therefore, having said that, this movie sort of takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. 'Cause it has its funny moments. emotional moments, dramatic moments, happy moments, sad moments, romantic moments, celebratory moments, cute sister moments, action and adventure moments, it even has a little bit of mystery to it. This movie pretty much HAS IT ALL.💗💙🧡
Speaking of this movie having it ALL. I almost forgot to mention that this movie also has a GREAT, NOSTALGIC soundtrack. I mean, I would rank this movie even higher just for the soundtrack alone.🎶🎸🎹🎷🎤 And I says it's NOSTALGIC, because you may recognize and remember A LOT of the songs in this movie from another one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's projects they did, Full House. 🏡👨👨👨👧👧👧🐕Yes, there are songs that were featured in Full House (Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST EVER on-screen project) that are ALSO in this movie. Which, I just LOVE little nods to their other shows/movies like that.💗Which, was it really a nod/callback to Full House?🤔 I believe it was.😊
I LOVE that this movie takes place mostly at camp, which just gives off all the SUMMER, FUN VIBES.🏕🌞 Something else in this movie that's very similar to The Parent Trap. But, unlike in The Parent Trap, this movie actually show the girls at camp way more. Which, just makes me LOVE this movie even more.💗 'Cause the camp scenes in this movie are some of the BEST scenes. And something that I think The Parent Trap should have taken note of. In other words, I've ALWAYS hated how in The Parent Trap it only shows the camp stuff for a little bit at the beginning, because that whole beginning camp scene in The Parent Trap has ALWAYS been my MOST FAVORITE part of that whole movie.💚🏕 In fact, I've told my sister (Amber) this multiple times, ('Cause she LOVES The Parent Trap. It's her FAVORITE movie.💚😊) that I would have been okay with just The Parent Trap ending right after the girls (Hallie and Annie) leave the camp. 'Cause that's the only scene I really care to watch over and over again. No, but for real, I like The Parent Trap. I just wish that it had been a little bit more like It Takes Two in that way. So, I LOVE that It Takes Two did it right and has more scenes with the girls at camp than The Parent Trap does.💗🏕👧👧
Like I also mentioned briefly before, It Takes Two ALWAYS makes me instantly think of The Parent Trap. It Takes Two still stands out on its own, though, because they really aren't that much alike. It's just the same basic concept, but executed very differently. Again, just the fact that the actresses (Mary-Kate and Ashley) playing twins in this movie are actually twins in real-life, makes this movie that much more interesting, believable and just better.👧👧💞 In fact, once Mary-Kate and Ashley's characters meet up and share the screen together it's just like MAGIC happens.🪄📺 You can't help but want to keep watching any movie with them in it on-screen together. 'Cause when they are separate at times during this movie, and have their moments to shine on their own, it's a totally different vibe. And you just want to immediately see them back together interacting and doing all the hijinks that they do during this movie.👧👧💞 In other words, you can just feel the difference from when Mary-Kate and Ashley are just by themselves compared to when they are acting together on-screen. They are just better together. Again, not that they're also not good actresses when in scenes alone, but something more special just happens when they are in a scene together. Something you can't really explain, but enjoy seeing. At least I do.😊💞
However, one of the things I don't like about this movie is the evil character Clarice, because she's just annoying and not my favorite thing about this movie. Although, obviously she's supposed to be evil and annoying, but I just could careless about her character. But the main thing/moment in this movie that really bothered me and that made me dislike this movie just a little bit, is the moment at the end of the movie when the preacher at the wedding throws the Bible he's holding when he's tired of waiting to complete the ceremony.👎😠 You should NEVER throw a Bible EVER. So, that was really offensive to me, and something I strongly dislike about this movie. It was actually something that I never noticed before when watching this movie, so when I saw it this time around it just kind of shocked me and made me mad.👎😔 Other than those two things, though, this movie is 90's NOSTALGIC GOLD, and it's a must-watch for sure. Again, it's another movie that I believe Mary-Kate and Ashley deserved Oscars for, for their AMAZING acting.👧👧🏆🏆
Overall, this is just one of those movies that TRULY NEVER GETS OLD. It's one that, once it ends, I just want to start it over immediately to watch it again, and again, and again, and AGAIN.💗😊In fact, I just knew that this movie would be one of my MOST FAVORITES from the start, so I'm not that surprised that it ranked here at #4. However, talking about being surprised, I really thought that after watching this movie and comparing it to The Parent Trap that I would think it (It Takes Two) was the BETTER movie out of the two. Just because it's Mary-Kate and Ashley, and they're real twins, not fake twins, AND it takes place at camp more than what's shown of camp in The Parent Trap. But, just because of the whole throwing-of-the-Bible thing and there being characters that I dislike in this movie (cough cough...Clarice), I would say that The Parent Trap is still slightly better than this movie for those reasons.💚👧👧 'Cause in The Parent Trap, even though I LOVE it mostly just for the beginning camp scene, I do still enjoy and like the whole rest of the movie, and there are no characters that I don't LOVE or annoy me, either. Plus, there's no throwing-of-the-Bible, which is one of the worst things you could do in any movie.
Although again, don't get me wrong, because I still LOVE this movie SO SO MUCH. Just when compared to a movie similar to it, that one is going to inevitable compare this movie to, like The Parent Trap, It Takes Two is not better than that other movie. But this is also NOT about The Parent Trap. As this post is about Mary-Kate and Ashley and their GREAT, ICONIC movies. And I'm here to say that It Takes Two, in particular, is a GREAT, VERY NOSTALGIC, FEEL-GOOD, HEART-WARMING, SUMMER CAMP movie.💗💙🧡 I really don't have any words to describe my LOVE for this movie, even though I just kinda did. The fact that there's only two things that I really dislike about this movie just goes to show how GREAT it still TRULY is. Again, I just HIGHLY recommend that you watch this movie at least once, because that's really all you need for it to be FOREVER engrained in your mind. At least, like it's ALWAYS stayed in my mind, since the FIRST day I ever watched it.😊🎥👧👧💗💚🧡💛🏕
This is another MK&A movie that I am just SO EXCITED to finally get to talk about on here.😁 'Cause I LOVE this Christmas movie SO MUCH.💗💚🎄 It's SO NOSTALGIC and ICONIC for so many reasons. One reason why this movie is SO SPECIAL is because it was the FIRST movie that Mary-Kate and Ashley EVER did. It was also their FIRST and LAST Christmas movie EVER.👎😞 Which, I mean, come on. We should have gotten more Christmas movies with Mary-Kate and Ashley, because this one is SO GREAT.👏👍😊 I mean, the more Christmas movies the better, am I right?✋😊
At least, To Grandmother's House We Go wasn't their last holiday-themed movie, though. As we did get Double, Double, Toil & Trouble just a year later after this movie.👏👍🧡❤🎃Although, because To Grandmother's House We Go was Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST movie together and happened before they became part owners of their production company in 1993, it is not a Dualstar Production. In other words, this is also a VERY UNIQUE MK&A movie, just because it's the ONLY ONE from their collection of movies that they (Mary-Kate and Ashley) filmed before they started Dualstar (their production company). This is not only one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's BEST movies, but it's also one of the ALL-TIME BEST Christmas movies EVER. In fact, if you go on my Letterboxd, you will see that I have this film included in my TOP 20 BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES OF ALL-TIME list.😊💚💗🎄Yes, this movie is THAT GOOD.💗💚
To Grandmother's House We Go is one of those movies that comes to my mind instantly whenever I think about, or someone mentions, Mary-Kate and Ashley, and whenever I just think of Christmas movies to watch during Christmastime in general.💚💗🎄📺 So, this movie is VERY NOSTALGIC to me. Especially around Christmastime. Though, being completely honest, I would LOVE to say that I've watched this movie every year during Christmastime, but that's not totally true.😞 As I have gone a few Christmases without having watched this movie. But, don't get me wrong, because I still try to watch this movie EVERY CHRISTMAS.💗💚🎄It's a must for me. Just sometimes that doesn't happen.😊 However, I've seen this movie A LOT of times throughout my life, therefore I don't ever really need to watch it every Christmas, because I already know it SO WELL. Like the back of my hand. Although, even though I did already know EVERYTHING about this movie, without even having to really watch it again, I still did re-watch it ALL again for this post. And I still knew every scene that happened before it even happened and basically every line the characters said before they even said it.😊
I feel like this Christmas movie, this Mary-Kate and Ashley movie, is not talked about enough. In other words, To Grandmother's House We Go definitely seems like one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's more UNDERRATED movies.👎😞 So, I'm here to hopefully change that a little, by sharing with you ALL THE THINGS that I LOVE about this movie. To remind people how GREAT it TRULY IS.💚💗🎄
This is actually one of the very few MK&A movies that I had watched for the FIRST TIME as a kid. I don't remember exactly how old I was at the time when I FIRST saw this movie, but I do remember where I was and how I saw it.😊As I just remember, it must have been around Christmastime, this movie playing on some cable TV channel and I watched some of it (And, I say some of it, because I don't think I watched the whole thing) in my parents bedroom at the time.📺🛏 I had to have been like under 10-years-old. Which, is why I don't remember it so vividly. But, those two things I just mentioned are the only things I do remember about my FIRST TIME having ever watched this movie. And then I re-watched the whole movie again when I was in my teens, and many more other times after that.
In fact, the last time I had watched To Grandmother's House We Go, before doing so again for this post, was just a couple of years ago during Christmastime and I watched it with my sisters.👧👧👧📺🎄I think we actually watched it on Christmas Eve, or maybe even Christmas day (at night, of course).🤔 So, I have some really GREAT, fond memories of watching this movie. It's a movie that TRULY never gets old and one that I'm ALWAYS EXCITED to watch. This time being no different. However, I was even more curious now to re-watch this movie for this post just because I am a little older than I was two years ago when I last watched it, and because I knew I had to really make sure to pay attention to it and take in every detail so that I could rank it here and give my specific thoughts and opinions about it. Not that that was going to be a problem, just you know, sometimes when you watch a movie that you've seen a million times you don't always pay attention to EVERY detail in it EVERY TIME. But this time I made sure to. I was also just very curious to see how this movie would hold up against all the other MK&A movies on this list and if my thoughts and opinions about it would change at all. Safe to say this movie held up pretty well against all the others, considering it made it to the TOP 3 on this list and my thoughts and opinions about this movie have not changed much at all because I still LOVE this movie SO MUCH and probably, more than likely, ALWAYS WILL.💗💚
First, I just want to say again, that I'm still SO GLAD we got a Christmas movie with Mary-Kate and Ashley because I couldn't imagine (and don't want to imagine) their collection of movies without To Grandmother's House We Go. Christmas is my FAVORITE time of the year, so I'm also just a little bit biased in liking this movie more than a lot of the others in that way, I guess.😊But seriously, who could hate a Christmas movie? Especially this movie by Mary-Kate and Ashley? This movie not only held up strong against all the other previous MK&A movies that I mentioned but I would go as far to even say that To Grandmother's We Go can hold up well against other Christmas movie classics like Home Alone, The Santa Clause, Jingle All The Way, Eloise at Christmastime, etc..💚💗🎄As it's just as GREAT, if not, even BETTER than some of those classic Christmas movies. What do you think?🤔👍👎
Although this is Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST movie that they EVER did, I did not watch this movie first for my re-watch.😮 As I mentioned earlier, I had to go out of chronological order at times watching these MK&A movies, depending on what time of the year it was. So, because I started this MK&A movie re-watch process last October, Double, Double, Toil & Trouble was actually the first movie of theirs that I watched for this post.😊🧡❤🎃 Which means, then after that, I re-watched To Grandmother's House We Go in December (last December).💗💚🎄Again, because I'm weird like that, where I can only watch Halloween movies during Halloween season and Christmas movies only during the Christmas season.😊 So even though I can't watch this movie any time of the year, which is a reason why I normally put holiday movies like this one lower on my rankings, this movie still ranks higher than all the previous MK&A movies I mentioned just because even though I can't watch it over and over all year long like I would LOVE to (and can do with a lot of Mary-Kate and Ashley's other movies), it's just what makes this movie that much more SPECIAL when Christmastime comes around. And, just when compared to all the other MK&A movies it's just simply, clearly, one of the BEST.💚💗🎄 In other words, this being a Christmas movie definitely made it pretty hard for me to rank amongst all the other MK&A movies. But it also stayed at the top of my list for a while, so I'm not surprised at all that it made it here at #3 on this ranking. Now, for those of you who have never seen this movie, I will give you a brief summary about it.
Basically, as the title so-clearly suggests, this movie is about 5-year-old twins Sarah (played by Mary-Kate) and Julie (played by Ashley) who are sweet, but naughty to the frustration of their single mother, Rhonda (played by Cynthia Geary).👩👧👧 When the girls overhear their mom say to her friend, Stacey (played by Venus Terzo), that she needs a break from them, Sarah and Julie decide to run away to their great-grandmother's house in Edgemont for Christmas to give their mom the break that she needs.👵👧👧🎄🚲🚲 Which is three hours away from where they live.😮 Along the girls adventure to their grandma's, they sneak onto a city bus to then get off of it when they learn that it only goes downtown.👧👧🚌 They then spot Eddie (played by J. Eddie Peck) a delivery man who has a love for cowboys and a crush on their mom.👨💓👩🤠🐎⛟📦 So, they sneak into the back of his truck for a ride to their grandma's, but are then quickly discovered by Eddie when Sarah asks for him to stop the truck because she has to so badly use the bathroom.⛟👨👧👧😬 Eddie, who generally dislikes children, warms up to Sarah and Julie over time. Even buying them a lottery ticket with their birthdate for the numbers.🎫
Eddie calls Rhonda and explains that he has the girls with him and promises to bring them back home at the end of the day.👨👧👧🠆🏡👩 But when Eddie drives Sarah and Julie home to reunite with their mother, the truck ends up getting stolen with the girls still inside it.😮⛟👧👧 That's when Sarah and Julie then encounter a couple of thieves, Harvey (played by Jerry Van Dyke) and Shirley (played by Rhea Perlman). Harvey and Shirley decide that they can make some money by holding the girls for ransom.😮👧👧💸💸 Sarah and Julie cooperate with the thieves, just because they convince the girls that they are taking them to their grandmother's house.👨👩👧👧🚫👵 While Harvey begins to like spending time with Sarah and Julie, Shirley calls Rhonda telling her she has her girls and asks for $10,000 in cash if she wants them back.😬📞👧👧💸💸 So, they decide to make the trade at the ice skating rink in Edgemont.⛸❄❆
However, first, Rhonda and Eddie must find a way to somehow come up with the ransom money.👨👩💸💸 So, they reluctantly (well, Rhonda is more-so reluctant than Eddie) raise the ransom money by pawning the contents of packages that Eddie is supposed to be delivering.👨👩⛟📦💸💸 Where then, staff at the pawnshops become suspicious and alert the police.👮🚔 Detective Gremp (played by Stuart Margolin) writes out a warrant for Rhonda and Eddie's arrest when he believes that they are the known criminals, Harvey and Shirley.😮👮👨👩 Everyone makes it to the skating rink in Edgemont, with tensions rising between both couples (Rhonda and Eddie, and Harvey and Shirley). Sarah and Julie then run off after Harvey reveals that they are not going to their grandmother's house.😮👧👧🚫🏡👵 They (Sarah and Julie) then come across the park's Santa Claus who has a horse and carriage made up to look like Santa's reindeer and his sleigh.👧👧🎅🦌🦌 The girls then race off in the carriage to still try and make it to their grandmother's house.😮👧👧🦌🦌🠆🏡👵 Eddie is then forced to use his cowboy skills to rescue Sarah and Julie, when he sees the horses galloping towards a steep ravine.👨🤠🐎🠆👧👧 When Eddie finally stops the horses and saves the girls, unbeknownst to them at first, they are actually stopped right outside near the home of Sarah and Julie's great-grandmother, Mimi (played by Florence Paterson).👏👨👧👧🠆🏡👵👩
SPOILER ALERT: After the girls have an emotional reunion with their mom and everything settles down👩👧👧💞, as the girls are making hot cocoa with their grandma☕👵, Detective Gremp and one of his officials arrive to arrest Rhonda and Eddie.👮😮 'Cause they still believe that they are the thieves. Shirley tries to take the opportunity to flee the scene, but Harvey feels bad so he confesses everything, and him and Shirley are then arrested. Then, so Eddie can be back in time to be able to have a chance at winning the lottery with the ticket he bought, Detective Gremp agrees to bring him (Eddie), Rhonda, and Sarah and Julie back to the city with him in his police car.👮🚔👨👩👧👧🎫💸 Eddie promises to split what he wins with Rhonda and the girls, and he then has Sarah and Julie spin the prize wheel for him, and...SPOILER ALERT...he ends up winning the jackpot.🎉💸💸🎉 Afterwards, Sarah and Julie help their mom and Eddie give all the people their parcels back ⛟📦, the girls get the Princess Penny doll they both wanted👧👧, their mom gets a mistletoe kiss from Eddie👨💋👩, and they're all happy spending the rest of Christmas together.👨👩👧👧💗🎄🎶👏
I really LOVE and enjoy watching EVERY scene in this movie. Mostly the ones with Mary-Kate and Ashley in them, though. But, I mean, Mary-Kate and Ashley are in pretty much EVERY scene in this movie. So, that's a plus.💗💚 Speaking of Mary-Kate and Ashley and the scenes they are in, Mary-Kate AND Ashley do some GREAT acting in this movie.👧👧🎥🎬👏👏 Especially for this to be their FIRST EVER movie and them being ONLY five years old.😮👶👶👏👏 They are in majority of the scenes together and in every one they act phenomenally.👏👏 There's even a scene in this movie when Ashley had to play both characters, because behind the scenes Mary-Kate had an eye injury so she couldn't film one scene. And Ashley took over the role of her sister's character SO WELL.👏👏 I mean, there's not much difference between their characters in this movie. Just the different colors of their outfits, really. But, in that scene you can't even tell it's Ashley sitting on both sides of the table, unless you're just really GREAT at telling them apart. Which most real, true Mary-Kate and Ashley fans, like myself, are.😊
Speaking of the characters that Mary-Kate and Ashley play in this movie, because this was Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST movie and thing that they did outside of Full House, To Grandmother's House We Go also marked Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST appearance as separate characters. As, if you already don't know, on Full House they (Mary-Kate and Ashley) had to play the same exact character just at different times. Also, speaking of Full House, did you know that this movie was written and directed by the same creator of Full House? Yep. So, because of that, we do get quite A LOT of Full House references and even appearances from actors/actresses that were on that show.🏡👨👨👨👩👧👧👧👦👦👧🐕
There a quite a few GREAT, RELATABLE, and IMPORTANT messages/lessons one can takeaway from watching this movie. Such as knowing that finding love isn't easy, not everyone has to find love, and you shouldn't push someone to find a significant other if they're not ready to or just don't want to. Which is something just like what Rhonda says to the girls at the very beginning of this movie. As after she finally gets the girls tucked into bed, she says to them, "It's not fair. There's two of you, there oughta be two of me." And Julie asks, "Why don't we get a daddy?", and Rhonda says, "Well, I wish I could just run down to Daddy's-R-Us and pick one up, but it's just not that easy." And Sarah then says, "You can talk to Santa Claus." And Rhonda says, "Right. I'll tell Santa to bring me a husband." And then Julie says, "Or at least a boyfriend." And Rhonda says, "Listen, I go on the same amount of dates as the two of you, so...there." What Rhonda says to the girls during that scene is also the first time we learn of how hard of a time she is having at being a working, single mom. This movie just makes you realize how hard it is to be a parent. Especially a single parent. It just makes you appreciate your parent(s) more for what they do/did for you. 'Cause it's not always as easy as it may look. Again, especially for single parents. Another GREAT, RELATABLE, and IMPORTANT message/lesson from this movie.
Rhonda also talks about how hard she has it during the scene where after she picks up spilt milk by Sarah and Julie, she (Rhonda) sits down and says to her friend (Stacey), "This just never stops. It's girls eat your dinner, girls get in the bath, girls get out of the bath, girls go to sleep. I mean it girls, go to sleep. Every time I turn around Sarah and Julie are in some kind of trouble." And Stacey says to Rhonda, "You know, you need a vacation." And then Rhonda says, "I would love a vacation. Sometimes Sarah and Julie are a handful. All I want for Christmas is just a couple of days by myself. No girls. No sludgies. No nothing." Which goes along with the message/lesson about the importance of being careful what you wish for, because it might actually come true and you might not like it.💗 Something that Rhonda ends up learning the hard way. As at the very beginning of this movie, during that scene, she's struggling trying to raise the girls herself and wishes for a day alone without the girls but when she gets that wish and doesn't have the girls, she doesn't know what to do with herself because they are everything to her. And she regrets that wish immediately.
Another message/lesson that one can takeaway from watching this movie is the importance of not being afraid to ask someone for help when it comes to anything in life.💗 Something that Rhonda should have wished for instead of wishing for a couple of days without her girls. She wasn't afraid to tell her friend how she was feeling, but she also didn't just ask for someone to help her more with her kids. Or, if she had to even hire someone to watch her girls 24/7 just to give herself a little break for once she could have even done that. No matter how desperate or needy it may have made her look. She clearly needed the help, so in my eyes she shouldn't have been afraid to ask for more help. Once Rhonda and Stacey found out that the girls were missing, they also did immediately call the police to help find the girls. Which is also an example of asking for help, but that was also just a must.💗
Speaking of the whole beginning scene of this movie, when Rhonda is trying desperately to get the girls (Sarah and Julie) to sleep and the girls are backing up slowly with their hands up and Rhonda says in her country-like accent something like, "Who was it? You or you?", everything she says there always instantly makes me think of my sister (Amber), because she loves that scene and the way the mom speaks that line during that scene. It's kind of funny I think, too.😂 The mom, Rhonda, just has some kind of unique accent in this movie and I LOVE it. It's just a small thing that's always stood out to me, too.💗
The importance of being slow to anger is another GREAT, RELATABLE, and IMPORTANT message/lesson that one can takeaway from watching this movie. As well as, the importance of teamwork and knowing that a family is stronger together than apart.💗 Which is something that Rhonda and the girls learn at the very end of this movie. As when Rhonda and the girls reunite at their grandma's house, Rhonda asks the girls why they ran away, and Sarah tells her, "You said we were a handful." And Rhonda then says, "Oh, honey, mommy was just upset. Sometimes people say things they don't mean when they're upset. I mean this, you girls are the most important people in my life...Sometimes it gets a little crazy cause it's just the three of us, but if we stick together and be a team, we can make it through anything."🥹💗 That reunion scene between Rhonda and the girls also never fails to make me emotional no matter how many times I've already seen it before. It's just a sweet, very relatable, emotional scene with a GREAT and IMPORTANT message/lesson.
This movie also reminds viewers of that IMPORTANT holiday message/lesson that giving back is the reason for the season.💗As at one point during this movie when Rhonda is wondering how her and Eddie are going to come up with the ransom money to give to the thieves so that she can get her girls back, Eddie says to Rhonda, "We're simply gonna raise a ransom the same way the FPD bandits would. We're gonna open up all these packages, find the good stuff, then hit the pawnshops." And Rhonda then says to him, "Eddie, this isn't right. Those are other peoples' Christmas presents." And Eddie says to her, "Okay, Rhonda, do you realize how happy these other people would feel if they knew by giving up one present they would be helping a mother be reunited with her daughters? I mean, that's what this season's all about, giving." That very last part Eddie said there is true. But obviously they end up doing the wrong thing by selling the presents at pawnshops. Although, at the end of this movie they do give it all back. But, still, don't steal and don't use people for you're own benefit.💗 Again, something Eddie and Rhonda have to learn by the end of this movie. More-so, Eddie. As they use other peoples Christmas gifts to help themselves, when it wasn't their stuff to give away or make money from. But by the end, Eddie and Rhonda do give what they stole back.👏 Although, also knowing that one should give everyday of the year, not just around the holidays.💗
There's also quite A LOT of funny quotes from this movie. And ones that are very connected to Mary-Kate and Ashley's character in Full House.👧👧🏡📺 For instance, there's a quote that Ashley's character, Julie, says when her and Sarah (aka Mary-Kate) are playing in the snow outside and Julie yells to their mom inside the house from outside that they need more snow, but their mom then tells them from the window that the weatherman says that that's all they're gonna get, and that's when Julie says, "No snow for Christmas?! What a rip off!"🤣👧👧❄❆☃ I believe that last part that she says there is actually a line from Full House that Michelle says at one point or another during the series. Or, at least, the way Ashley says that last part is very similar to some catchphrase that Michelle says in Full House. In other words, when she says, "What a rip off!", it definitely sounds like something Michelle said on Full House. I just need to go back and find out. So, if I find the exact clip I'll post it here later.😉😊
There's also another funny, more memorable quote in this movie from Mary-Kate's character, Sarah, during the scene when she and Julie (aka Ashley) decide to run away to go to their grandma's house and Julie asks Sarah, "How do we get to grandma's house?" And Sarah says, "Do I have to think of everything? Now come one." And Mary-Kate says that in a voice and tone very similar to how Jesse speaks a lot of his lines in Full House (see clip below). There's also a scene when Eddie gets the girls some ice cream sundaes, and when Sarah and Julie start arguing over who has more nuts and whip cream on theirs, Eddie takes some of the whip cream from Julie's sundae and some nuts from Sarah's sundae and then Sarah says, "That was very unpolite."🤣👧👧🍨🍨🤣Another very funny moment and quote and another exact Michelle quote from Full House (see clip below). At another point during this movie, Mary-Kate's character, Sarah, also says "This is unbelievable." And she says it in that Michelle way. Just another direct Full House Michelle quote that I noticed this time re-watching this movie. Again, I just never noticed before how many direct quotes from Full House are in this movie, but I LOVE it all.💗
Like I briefly mentioned before, there's not only quite A LOT of Full House quotes in this movie, but there's also quite A LOT of familiar faces from Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST EVER on-screen project, Full House. As the actor who played Mary-Kate and Ashley's dad in Full House, plays the game show host at the end of this movie.👨🏡 Lori Loughlin, who played Aunt Becky in Full House, also plays in that same game show scene at the end of this movie, as the other host.👩🏡 And we even see Candace Cameron Bure, who played D.J. on Full House, appear in the audience at the end of this movie during that exact same game show scene.👧🏡 They don't give any of the Full House characters in that ending game show scene of this movie any names, so I guess they're playing as themselves?🤔 There's also a scene in this movie that shows a news lady on TV, and that news lady also played a character on Full House. Not a main character, but Howie's mom, Rebecca's sister in Full House. iykyk.😊 So, this movie is quite a Full House reunion.💗 I actually forgot about them showing Candace Cameron Bure in the audience at the end. I knew it showed Bob and Lori, but I for some reason just forgot all about Candace being in this movie. Again, a very random thing about this movie, but it's a FUN little NOSTALGIC SURPRISE. Well, a surprise if you've never seen this movie before. But, if you have, well it's still a FUN, NOSTALGIC little moment in this movie.💗
So, those are just some of the main things that I LOVE about this movie.💗💚 You can see more of my FAVORITE scenes from this movie below, instead of me going into full detail about them.😊There's nothing I don't LOVE about this movie. Although, I will admit, when I used to watch this movie as a kid/tween/teen, I remember not really loving this movie as much as I do now just because of the evil characters of Harvey and Shirley. They were always my least favorite parts of this whole movie. Just because the scenes with them always used to creep me out, but that just means they were doing their job right because viewers watching are supposed to not like their characters. So, even though I used to kind of dislike this movie just because of those two characters and their scenes, I actually no longer feel that way. In other words, I don't mind watching the scenes with Harvey and Shirley, because they no longer creep me out. I mean, obviously, I'm still not rooting for their characters but I also don't mind watching them actors act as those characters.😊I did also notice this time around while watching this movie that the character of Eddie can seem a bit stalkerish, as he's in LOVE with Rhonda but she doesn't really feel the same way about him at first and so he doesn't really back off from her when he should. But, that still doesn't make me dislike this movie. 'Cause I mean, I don't know, it's complicated. They ended up being together anyways. He didn't steal her kids. He helped save her kids from trouble. And, so he was an overall good guy. Just sometimes he didn't make the best decisions and couldn't take a hint.👍😂😊 Oh, and speaking of Eddie saving the girls, no matter how many times I watch this movie, the ending scene with the horse chase is ALWAYS intense.👨🤠👧👧🐎🐎🫣 Even though, again, I know what ends up happening. But, it's definitely a scene in this movie that will have you on the edge of your seat no matter how many times you've seen it.
Like I said before, to be Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST EVER, this is a GREAT movie. Even if it wasn't their first movie, it's still just GREAT. As it's clearly BETTER than even some of their movies that came later. Again, you can't even tell that this was their FIRST movie acting roles, because they are SO GOOD in this movie. Another Oscar-worthy performance by Mary-Kate and Ashley.💗👧👧🏆🏆 As this movie is funny, dramatic, emotional, it has the romance, the mystery moments, adventure moments, action moments, cute sister moments, sweet family moments, musical moments, nostalgic Full House moments, and ALL the Christmas you could ever need in one film.💚💗🎄This movie just makes me feel very cozy, warm, and happy every time I watch it. It's a feel-good movie for sure.
This movie also has it's musical moments.🎶 Which is always a major PLUS.😊 And, speaking of musical moments, after watching this movie you won't be able to get two songs out of your head: "Happy Trails" by Roy Rogers and "Over the River and Through the Woods".🎶 Those are the two theme songs of this movie. They aren't really, but those are two songs sung multiple times by some of the characters throughout this movie and ones that relate the most to what this movie is all about. In fact, whenever I just read or say the title of this movie, it automatically makes me start singing the song with the same lyric. Again, a song which the characters do sing at one point during this movie, "Over the River and Through the Woods".💗😋🎤🎶 Eddie also sings the song, "Yippy I O Ki Ay", a million times throughout this movie, which can be kind of annoying.👨🤠🎶🎤 But, it's mostly just funny.🤣And of course, you can't have a Christmas movie without a Christmas song featured in it, and this movie has just that, as well. As at the very end of this movie Eddie, Rhonda, Sarah and Julie (aka Mary-Kate and Ashley) all four sing a little bit of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". Which is just a perfect, jolly way to end a movie like this one.💗💚🎄🎶👧👧👩👨🎅
Overall, I not only LOVE this movie for mostly EVERY scene, all the GREAT quotes, IMPORTANT messages/lessons, funny moments, musical moments, sweet sister moments, and the fact that it all takes place during Christmas, but I MOSTLY LOVE the whole single parent aspect of it all. 'Cause again, this movie is very relatable. Especially to single parents or someone having to raise kids on their own. I'm not a parent, but I've definitely witnessed/seen people who deal with some of what Rhonda deals with in this movie. As I was raised for more than half my life by just my dad. So, I definitely feel for Rhonda in this movie. Which is a major reason why I just feel and connect with this particular movie more in general.💗
This movie just TRULY never gets old. I could watch it every Christmas and I ALWAYS try to, because it's a MUST-WATCH, especially during the holiday season. I HIGHLY SUGGEST that if you haven't seen this movie yet, that you make it a priority to watch when Christmastime comes around again. Or even if you like to watch Christmas movies in July. Just watch this movie when you can. Trust me, you won't regret it. At least, I never do.😊'Cause I loved this movie back then, I LOVE it now, and I probably, more-than-likely will LOVE it FOREVER and EVER.💚💗🎄👧👧🎥
This is the ONLY movie that Mary-Kate and Ashley released in 2003, and clearly one of their GREATEST movies EVER MADE.💛The Challenge was not only Mary-Kate and Ashley's FIRST and LAST movie from 2003, but it was also their LAST direct-to-video Dualstar Production.😮😢 Believe it or not, this is another MK&A movie that I found out about and watched for the FIRST TIME a little later on in my life. As I FIRST saw this movie when I was in my later teens, when TeenNick was airing A LOT of these Mary-Kate and Ashley movies that are on this ranking.📺👧👧 During that FIRST TIME of me having ever seen this movie (in 2015), I remember thinking that it was just okay.👍👎Then I watched it a couple of other times after that, with my sisters, and I LOVED it and thought it was GREAT.👍But, never in a million years, did I ever think that this movie would rank #2 on a ranking such as this one. Just because it's not one that has always been my favorite out of all their movies, nor one that I necessarily grew up with.😮As I've only seen it like four times throughout my life, and that's including when I re-watched it for this post. Don't get me wrong, I never thought that this movie was awful, like Getting There. But, I also just never thought of it as TOP 3 material.😮 So, again, it being here at #2 is really saying something about how GREAT this movie TRULY is. At least to me. 😊🤎💛👧👧📺📼🏆🌎✈💚🤍💗
Before, re-watching this movie again for this post, it had actually been quite a while since I had last watched it. So, I was VERY EXCITED to watch it again.😁In fact, it was one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies, that I was looking the most forward to watching again for so many reasons. And even though I already still remembered SO MUCH about this movie before going into this, I was still very curious to re-watch it, just to see if my opinions of it from before would change at all. And just to see, after having re-watched majority of all their other movies that came before this one, where The Challenge would rank amongst the other ones. And even though I didn't watch this movie last, I still felt the bittersweetness of it all. 'Cause no matter if you watch this movie last or first, you still get that last-movie-ever, sad feeling from it by the end.🎬😢🥹
This movie (The Challenge) is all about twin, teen sisters, Shane (played by Mary-Kate) and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Dalton (played by Ashley) who have been living separately from each other on opposite ends of the country after their parents divorce a couple of years ago.👨👧💔👧👩 Shane is a chilled-out, tree-hugging vegetarian who's very into nature and spiritual beliefs and lives with their mom in Los Angeles.💚🥗🥬🌳🍃♻✌👧👩🏡🌴🌞 While her estranged sister, Lizzie, is an uptight, detail-oriented, grade A student with a driven personality and lives with their dad in Washington, D.C..📚🏫✐📋👧👨 Shane and Lizzie, unbeknownst to each other, both apply to be contestants on a reality game show filmed in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico called The Challenge, which tests contestants strength and survival skills in various challenges as they work as part of a team in order to win college scholarships. So, when they get there and see each other for the first time in years, the bickering begins and the producers are all for it.👧😠👧📺👨📹
As Marcus (played by Brian Skala), the head intern at The Challenge, informs the show's producer, Max (played by Joe Michael Burke) of the girls distant relationship.😮👎😞👦🚩 Then, after learning that the girls dislike each other, as part of a scheme to boost the show's ratings, Marcus then puts Shane and Lizzie on the same team, Team Mayan.👧🚫👧 Along with Shane and Lizzie, Team Mayan also includes, Anthony (played by Theo Rossi), a second-generation Italian-American food enthusiast who plans to use his winnings to go to culinary school to be like Emeril Lagasse🌍💗🤍💚👦📚🏫🍝🍷, and Justin (played by Zakk Moore), a typical surfer and skater dude from sunny Florida with a very high IQ who plans to go to college and study astrophysics👦🏄🛹🌞🌴📚🏫. The opposite team that they play against is Team Aztec, which includes Kelly (played by Sarah Bastian), a very athletic, overly-competitive girl from Knoxville, Tennessee, with a special talent for swimming👧🤠🏅🏊, JJ (played by Diana Carreno), a ditzy, self-proclaimed "triple threat" with dreams of stardom👧🤎🌟, Charles (played by Ty Hodges), a calm and intuitive city boy who plans to study psychotherapy👦❤🏙📚🏫, and Adam (played by Lukas Behnken), an easy-going, laid-back jock, who plans to study journalism in college👦🏀🏈📚🏫. At the teams' first meeting (aka campfire council), Max tells the two teams how the game will go, saying that "There are 7 challenges, 7 totems, and for each event the winning team secures a wooden totem and at the end of the week the team with the most totems is the winner of The Challenge." He also informs the group of the rules, which includes no romantic entanglements between contestants, as it can result in disqualification from a challenge. However, that rule is quickly broken by Shane and Lizzie. As, behind the scenes, Shane becomes close to Team Aztec contestant, Adam, and Lizzie becomes close to the head intern of The Challenge, Marcus.👦💓👧 👦💓👧 It is also at this first council meeting when we learn that Shane and Lizzie's parents planned this for them to meet again after not seeing each other for two years.😮
At the beginning of the competition, Shane and Lizzie's bickering prevents them from working together, therefore making their team lose the challenges against The Aztecs. But then after some wise words from one of their teammates and as the competition goes on, Shane and Lizzie become more and more close.👧👧💕But Kelly, from Team Aztecs, tries to get Shane disqualified from the competition when she suspects that something is going on between her (Shane) and Adam.👧📹👀👦💓👧 While Lizzie and Marcus continue to hang out together behind the scenes, too, even though Marcus is being asked by Max to spy on the girls.👦💓👧👀📹👨 SPOILER ALERT: So, Marcus relays all the information he learns about what Shane and Lizzie don't like or are afraid of, to Max, and Max uses that information to sabotage the girls during the competition.👎😠Max ends up seeing video footage of Shane and Adam kissing in the pool, and he then disqualifies only Shane and Adam from competing in the next round of the game, because as he says, "disqualifications=ratings".😮👎👦💋👧And, like he said before, the rules of the game said no romantic entanglements.💓🚫 Even though Kelly also violated the rules of the game by taking a photo of Shane and Adam kissing in the pool and ratting them out.📸👎😠 By the final challenge, Team Mayans and Team Aztecs are both tied in scores.👧👧👦👦🟰👧👦👧👦 Marcus ends up telling Lizzie the truth that he's been behind Max's troublemaking. So, Lizzie dumps him (Marcus).👏👍 Shane and Lizzie then patch things up for good after realizing that they're not all that different from each other.👧👧💕 And during the final challenge, they (Shane and Lizzie) help each other out, and therefore their team, as Team Mayans win it all.𝋠 👧👧👦👦🏆All of the contestants receive college scholarships👏, Kelly apologizes for her mistakes👏, Lizzie makes up with Marcus👎, and then the girls retaliate against Max by tipping slime on him while taking his picture🤣👏👏. Honestly, my summary of this movie doesn't do it justice. So, you just have to watch this movie for yourself to TRULY see how GREAT it is.😊🤎💛👧👧📺📼🏆🌎✈💚🤍💗
FULL GAME BREAKDOWN:
Day 1 Challenge Event #1: Don't Spill The Beans (Winner: Aztecs)
Day 1 Challenge Event #2: The Labyrinth (Winner: Aztecs)
Day 2 Challenge Event #1: You Are What You Eat (Winner: Aztecs)
Day 2 Challenge Event #2: Animal Farm (Winner: Mayans)
Day 3 Challenge Event: Survival of the Fittest (Winner: Mayans)
Day 4 Challenge Event: Max Says (Winner: Mayans)
Day 5 Challenge Event (WINNER TAKES ALL): The Warrior Relay (Winner: Mayans🏆)
This movie is literally every Mary-Kate and Ashley direct-to-video, destination movie combined into one. As there are little things they took from each of those other destination movies that came before this one, that are very present in this movie, too. From the types of characters Mary-Kate and Ashley play in this movie themselves to even there being actual characters from those previous destination movies appearing in this movie. Which, is one major reason why I just LOVE this movie, because you literally get everything ALL IN ONE.🤎
For example, this movie begins similar to how some of Mary-Kate and Ashley's other movies (that I've already mentioned previously) begin, with a foreshadowing of events to come. In other words, it starts with a scene that actually happens later on in the movie. As it shows Shane (aka Mary-Kate) running fast on a beach and then her walking harnessed on a bridge high over a canyon, while Lizzie (aka Ashley) is encouraging her from the sidelines to keep going. And as it's showing Shane harnessed on the bridge, we get a voiceover from Ashley (as her character of course), setting the scene and she mentions them being city girls in a Mexican dessert.🏙👧👧🏜 It then goes back to a few months ago where it all started for them to get to that point in the movie. As Lizzie (aka Ashley), as the voiceover, says, "It all started with a very popular TV show". And then it shows that game show, The Challenge, and Max explaining what it is.📺
Speaking of that whole beginning scene of this movie, I just LOVE that this movie is literally like watching a show within a show. And that the game show that the characters compete in in this movie, is literally like Endurance meets Survivor meets a little bit of Fear Factor. 'Cause that whole promo with Max talking about The Challenge, at the very beginning, just instantly gives off those vibes. Especially, those Endurance vibes (see clips below). As he says that it's a show "where students from across the country compete for college scholarships, daring tests of endurance and knowledge. And driven by the pure desire to win, these young warriors continuously and fearlessly stretch the envelope testing their limits, facing their fears, surviving on their instinctual strength of will, but what you have to ask yourself is "Are you ready for The Challenge?" Again, I don't even really like reality shows, but I do LOVE reality GAME SHOWS. So, if you're like me in that sense, then you will definitely like this movie. 'Cause it's all just one big game show.😊It has some other things, too. But, it's mostly a reality game show you're watching.💛👍
Another major thing that I LOVE about this movie is that it takes place in Mexico. Which just gives off a whole different, FUN VIBE in and of itself.🌎✈💚🤍💗🏜 💃🌮In other words, Mexico brings it's own character to this movie. I also LOVE the characters that Mary-Kate and Ashley play in this movie. 'Cause neither one of them are dislikeable. And another major reason why I LOVE this movie is because their characters come from divorced parents. Something that is very relatable to me, and I'm sure to A LOT of people. So, I just LOVE and APPRECIATE that they included that aspect of the girls' family life in this movie. Mary-Kate and Ashley's ONLY movie to do so.🤎
Like I briefly mentioned before, in this movie, Shane and Lizzie can't stand each other because they are total opposites. As Marcus says at one point during this movie, "Lizzie's into ambition and Shane's into nutrition. Lizzie loves a big juicy steak and Shane's a vegetarian."🤣💚🥗🥬🌳🍃♻✌👧 ≠ 👧🥩📚🏫✐📋 Shane also meditates and tries to be in harmony with nature, which is not something Lizzie prefers to do.🤣 Which are some character tropes that we see again in Mary-Kate and Ashley's ACTUAL LAST movie ever, New York Minute.💗🤍🗽 As again, in this movie, Shane is the more mellow, go-with-the-flow one. Just like Mary-Kate's character in New York Minute. And Lizzie's the more serious, type-A girl. Also, just like the character that Ashley plays in New York Minute. Lizzie even explains Shane as being a "birkenstock-wearing, tree-hugging, sprout head, animal hugging weirdo." While Shane describes Lizzie as being an "uptight, cow-eating, type-A personality." This movie is VERY UNIQUE, however, in that their characters do not get along from the start and all the way until like the middle of the movie. Which is only similar to how their characters act in New York Minute. But this one was the FIRST movie to showcase their sister dynamic like that. So it makes it more UNIQUE and SPECIAL from all their other characters in all their other movies.💛
This movie has some GREAT, RELATABLE, and IMPORTANT messages/lessons, as well. For instance, there's a moment in this movie when Shane is talking to Adam and she tells him how her and Lizzie ended up living apart from each other, and Shane says that they used to all live together in D.C. (Lizzie and their parents) before her parents split when she was 12.😢 But she mentions that two years ago, her mom got her dream job opportunity in LA, and she just couldn't turn it down. So she (Shane) just jumped at the chance to go with her mom because she never really fit in in Washington, because to her it was so intense and not the vibe she wanted in her life. And, therefore, Lizzie never really forgave her for leaving, and Shane says the irony is that her parents get along great and they would do anything to bring Lizzie and her (Shane) back together. Which is a great message/lesson about the importance of doing what you want in life, going for your dreams not the dreams of others and just doing what you know is best for you. Of course, unless it's hurting others then don't do it. But also not shaming others for what they love to do with their life.🤎
Again, I also just LOVE how this movie talks about divorce and broken sibling relationships, because it's such a REAL thing and so, SO RELATEBLE.💛As, I too, am not only a child of divorced parents, but I also have two sisters and like all siblings, we fight sometimes, too. So, I get how Lizzie and Shane feel in this movie when you go not talking to your sister for a while. And a divorce between parents can also cause some division like that, too. Which, I also understand, having lived it before. And this movie is just a GREAT example of that being broken apart and then coming back together scenario, and a great reminder to cherish the time with the people you LOVE. In other words, don't take people for granted.🤎 Which also goes along with that message/lesson about not living your life without someone you love just because you're focusing on the differences of you and that other person. Don't stay angry at someone for years just because of that, because you'll most likely regret it later and miss out on all the fun you could have had with them.💛Something Lizzie and Shane both learn in this movie. As towards the end of this movie, at one point, Lizzie says that being on The Challenge with her sister made her realize what she was missing for the past four years. Lizzie also ends up winning the "Max Says" challenge by using what Shane does a lot, yoga. As she comes to appreciate some things her sister does more by the end, by trying them out and utilizing some of her sister's techniques during the end of the game.🤎Which, again, just goes to show why you shouldn't judge others for what they like to do.
Another message/lesson one can takeaway from this movie, that also kind of goes along with that previous message/lesson, is about the importance of making time for the people in your life that are important to you because life is short and that is how you keep a relationship strong and healthy.💛 Something else that Shane and Lizzie both learn by the end of this movie. As after The Challenge is over, and the Mayans have won, as they are walking out of the Bungalow with their bags packed, Lizzie says to Shane, "So, I'll see you in LA for Christmas?" And Shane says, "That's after I see you in D.C. for Thanksgiving." So, we see that they still have to go back to their own lives. in the two different states where they live, but they will be making sure to find more time to spend together.💕Which also goes with that message/lesson of knowing when to give someone the space they need, too. And understanding that everyone has their own life to live, but you can still come together when it is convenient for the both of you. And knowing that you shouldn't feel guilty for wanting to live your own life at times and do what you want to do for yourself. As well as knowing that you don't want to make someone give up their whole life for you, because it can be a selfish thing if that's not what's right for them.🤎 As like Shane and Lizzie say at that ending moment, they both still have their own lives in their different states with their separate parents that they have to live, but they don't ask each other to give up their lives to please the other. They just decide to make sure that they do make some time for each other when it is convenient for the both of them. In other words, don't force anything on anyone.💛
Another GREAT message/lesson in this movie is about the importance of not letting your fears rule your life. Be fearless.🤎 I know, sometimes that's easier said then done. But it's something else that both Shane and Lizzie learn by the end of this movie. As for the last challenge, Shane and Lizzie help each other get over their fears to complete the race. As Lizzie helps Shane get over her hurdle and fear of heights to cross a bridge high above a canyon (which, I myself would be freaking out about too because I'm scared of heights, as well😬🫣), and Shane helps Lizzie get over her fear of snakes to pass a part of the challenge event (another thing I'm deathly afraid of)🐍😬. One can also takeaway the message/lesson about the importance of just letting go and having FUN every once in a while. Don't take life too seriously.💛 Which is something that Lizzie learns from her sister in this movie. Even Marcus. As at one point during this movie, Lizzie says to Marcus, "This change of scenery, getting out of D.C....I feel like I can breathe." And Marcus says, "I know. We type-A's gotta remember to kick it from time to time." And Lizzie says, "Stop and smell the coffee grounds." And Marcus says, "But you never do, do you?", and Lizzie shakes her head "no", and Marcus says, "Me neither." But, again, they do learn to do just that by the end of this movie.🤎
A VERY FUNNY, STAND-OUT quote from this movie is when Shane is talking about Lizzie at one point during this movie and she says, "She hasn't opened herself up to the world and been able to see the true beauty of nature. People like that are just...I don't get it. They're always go-go-go-go-go and...where are they going?"🤣 So TRUE, and yet SO FUNNY, at least the way Mary-Kate says that line there.💛 Which is also just another GREAT message/lesson in and of itself. The importance of working together for the better of others is another GREAT, IMPORTANT, and prominent message/lesson in this movie, and something else that Shane and Lizzie learn in this movie.🤎As after the girls' team loses the first two events, and after some advice from Justin, Lizzie and Shane soon end up deciding to put their issues and differences aside for the sake of the team and when they do they start winning the challenges. Although, again, it's not all about winning but about helping others and working together for the betterment of one's team.👏💛
Another cliche, but VERY IMPORTANT reminder in this movie is about the importance of not lying to others. Especially to benefit yourself. Tell people the truth.🤎 As, like I mentioned before, in this movie Max uses the girls' (Shane and Lizzie's) conflicts with each other to boost his show's ratings. Something that one should never do. And Marcus is the one who helps give Marcus the idea in the first place. Something else one should never do. Marcus is honest to Lizzie when he eventually tells her the truth about it being his idea to put her and Shane on the show for entertainment, but he should have never lied to her in the first place. 'Cause he couldn't take back the damage that caused, even though it ended up being a good thing for Shane and Lizzie. And Lizzie does accept his apology by the end, but it does take a little bit of time because he did lie to her for a long time. But Max,...well, like I said before, the girls gave him what he deserved at the end. Speaking of the boys in this movie, I also LOVE that even though Shane and Lizzie do have love interests in this movie, they also sort of dump them by the end saying like we don't need boys. So they have their fun time with them, but also show viewers like as long as you have your family/friends/sister/siblings, you're all good. You don't need to be with someone else (a boyfriend/girlfriend in particular) to make you happy in life.💛Even though they do have their moment with their boys at the end, the movie ultimately does end with just Shane and Lizzie walking hand-in-hand, side-by-side. So, I like that the boys weren't really the main focus in this movie, as it was more about Shane and Lizzie's SISTER RELATIONSHIP.💕 'Cause I did not like Marcus in this movie. I definitely think Lizzie shouldn't have accepted his apology and taken him back because the damage was already done. And if he lied to her once, what makes her think that he won't lie to her again. So, already some red flags there.🚩
There are some GREAT sister moments in this movie. One that I LOVE in particular, and that stood-out to me more this time around while watching this movie, is the scene when Lizzie and Shane are sitting on the edge of the pool and having a deep conversation.💞 It's just such a SWEET moment and SO REAL and RELATABLE.🤎 I also really LOVE the moment in this movie when Lizzie and Shane talk on the beach after celebrating their challenge win for the day on the yacht with their other teammates, and they have another GREAT, EMOTIONALLY DEEP, and just a SWEET sisterly moment.💞As Lizzie tells Shane about her dumping Marcus and Shane then says to Lizzie, "I just can't believe it. I'm really sorry he turned out to be such a weasel, Lizzie." And Lizzie says, "Whatever. This trip was supposed to be about winning a college scholarship not falling in love." And Shane says, "Right. And no matter what happens tomorrow or even after tomorrow, and no matter what Max throws our way...We'll always have each other." And the emotional music plays in the background while they then lay their heads on each other and Lizzie says, "We do don't we."🥹💕Awww. I know, just SO SWEET.👧👧 Again, it's just one of my MOST FAVORITE scenes from this movie. I mean, I put it in my promotional video for this post for a reason.😊That scene never fails to make me smile and want to cry.🥹
Another GREAT SCENE in this movie, and one of my FAVORITE scenes from an MK&A movie EVER is the very end of this movie when they break the fourth wall and all of Mary-Kate and Ashley's fans' hearts.💛🥹💔🎬 As it shows Shane and Lizzie walking up from hanging out on the beach with their new boyfriends, and Marcus says to Lizzie, "You know, I know this sounds crazy but, you are my first love." And Lizzie says to Marcus, "Wow. You're the first guy that's ever said that to me." And then some of Mary-Kate and Ashley's past on-screen movie boyfriends show up as their real-life selves.😮 Ben Easter (aka Jordan from Holiday in the Sun and Ashley's love interest in the movie) walks up first saying, "Uh, hello? Remember me?" And then the stalker guy (Sam, played by Talon Ellithorpe) who liked Mary-Kate's character in Getting There shows up, as well as Ashley's character's love interest in Passport to Paris (Jean played by Brocker Way), and Billy Aaron Brown who played Mary-Kate's love interest in Holiday in the Sun and Ashley's love interest in Getting There. All those boys then start fighting over Mary-Kate and Ashley about who was the best boyfriend, and then Ashley gets their attention by saying, "Guys!...You're only our movie boyfriends."🤣 And then while the boys continue to argue, Mary-Kate looks at Ashley and says, "It's a perfect time for a getaway." So, then she (Mary-Kate) and Ashley run off from the boys down to the beach together (back the way they came), and as they are just having a nice walk down the beach holding hands, Mary-Kate says to Ashley, "You know, Ash, boys will come and go but, we'll always have each other." And Ashley says, "And that's not just in the movie."🥹💞 And then the "I Got You Babe" song plays as it then shows a montage of scenes of them from ALL their other previous destination movies. And, aahhhh...I just can't handle ALL the SWEETNESS and NOSTALGIA.🥹😢😊👧👧💕🎶 I literally almost fully cried watching that ending montage, because I've watched all their movies once again and it just brought me back and made me want to just start over and watch them all again. Which I will try to do every year, because I LOVE these movies SO MUCH that I now just want to make it a tradition to watch each one at least once every year from now on.👍😊The very ending scene of this movie is just like no other. It's SO NOSTALGIC and HEARTWARMING and EMOTIONAL in all the BEST ways. This may not be my #1 FAVORITE movie of theirs, but the ending of this movie is definitely my #1 FAVORITE ending from any and all of their movies.💗😊🎬
Although, interestingly enough, that ending montage scene is actually one that my little sister (celebrategoodtimesblog.blogspot.com) had reminded me of a little bit before I re-watched this movie, because I convinced my sister to watch these MK&A movies again as I was re-watching them and so she watched this one before I did and she told me about this moment in the movie, which for some reason was the only thing that I had totally forgotten about at first, until of course she reminded me of it and I saw it again and it all came back to me.😊I also had forgotten about the moment when their past movie "boyfriends" show up and so she reminded me of that moment in this movie, too, but she didn't tell me which ones came back. So, I was still a little surprised when I saw this very ending, breaking-of-the-fourth-wall moment. And now, I could NEVER FORGET IT. It's TOO ICONIC and SPECIAL.💞🌟
Speaking of montages, that's not the only GREAT montage in this movie, although it is the BEST one. As there are quite a few FUN montages throughout this movie, which I also just LOVE.💛But going back to some familiar things in this movie that's related to other MK&A movies/shows and even just Mary-Kate and Ashley's real-life, there are some familiar faces and names in this movie. Such as the fact that Mary-Kate and Ashley chose to name one of their own characters in this movie "Lizzie". Which, if you don't already know, is the name of Mary-Kate and Ashley's real-life little sister.💕👧👧👧 It's SO SWEET and COOL, and just such an obvious nod/call to her. Although, I do wonder why they chose to only use their sister's name and not their brother's name? In other words, since they used their sister's name for Ashley's character, why didn't they also use their brother's name for Mary-Kate's character in this movie?🤔 Mary-Kate having the name "Shane" in this movie, though, is pretty cool to me because my dad's name is Shane.💗👨👧 So, I also like this movie just for that little reason, too.😊However, this is not the only time Mary-Kate and Ashley use the name "Shane" for one of the characters in their movies. Something I will be mentioning more about very soon.😉 The actor who plays Charles in this movie, you might also know from Disney Channel's Even Stevens and Don't Look Under the Bed.
At the beginning of this movie, there's also another nod to Mary-Kate and Ashley's real life. As during the scene when it goes back to one month later, and Lizzie's riding in a cab to Mexico, Lizzie (aka Ashley) mentions to her driver that she was born later than her sister Shane (aka Mary-Kate), but in real life Mary-Kate is actually the one who was born after Ashley, so it's interesting that they switched that in this movie.🤔Lizzie also mentions them being born in 1986, which is true to their real-life, too. During another scene in this movie, Lizzie tells Marcus what her TOP 5 favorite movies are and she says one of them is Titanic, which is actually a movie they mention and reference quite a few times in their other movies and in their old, real-life interviews. Titanic is also one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE movies.❤💙🛳 In fact, if you go to my Letterboxd you will see it on my list of TOP 20 BEST MOVIES OF ALL-TIME. Although, it's kind of interesting, because at the time that I re-watched this movie (The Challenge), I still had NEVER seen the full movie of Titanic, and I told myself that I needed to get on that. So, I did end up watching Titanic in FULL for the FIRST TIME this year and LOVED it. So, now, I can say that I've actually seen the WHOLE movie and not just bits and pieces of it.👍😊
AHHH...Now, THIS is THE BEST and MY FAVORITE Mary-Kate and Ashley movie!!!🩷💙And I'm SO EXCITED to finally get to talk about it on here.😊Although this isn't the only Mary-Kate and Ashley movie from 1999, it is the BETTER ONE of the two, and it also was the FIRST 1999 movie release of theirs. 'Cause, like I mentioned earlier, the other movie that Mary-Kate and Ashley released in 1999 was Switching Goals.💙💚⚽ And although I still like Switching Goals, Passport to Paris is just A MILLION TIMES BETTER for so many reasons, which I will get into.😊🩷💙🎉👧👧✈🌍🏰🍷🥖🍟🍔🖼🎕⚘🌺🌸🌹💙🤍💗
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