Minutemen (film)

Last updated
Minutemen
Minutemen poster.jpg
Film poster
Screenplay byJohn Killoran
Story by David Diamond
David Weissman
Directed by Lev L. Spiro
Starring Jason Dolley
Luke Benward
Nicholas Braun
Chelsea Staub
J. P. Manoux
Steven R. McQueen
Kara Crane
Music by Nathan Wang
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerDouglas Sloan
CinematographyBruce Douglas Johnson
EditorMark Conte
Running time90 minutes
Production company Salty Pictures
Budget$5 million
Original release
Network Disney Channel
ReleaseJanuary 25, 2008 (2008-01-25) [1]

Minutemen is a 2008 science-fiction Disney Channel Original Movie. [2] The movie was the most viewed program on American cable TV for the week ending January 27, 2008, with 6.48 million viewers. [3]

Contents

The film was written by John Killoran (writing the teleplay) and David Diamond and David Weissman (writing the story) and directed by Lev L. Spiro, who received a Directors Guild nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programs for it. [4] Andrew Gunn, Ann Marie Sanderlin and Doug Sloan are the executive producers. [2] The movie was originally slated for release in March 2008, [5] but the film premiered on Disney Channel in United States on January 25. [6]

Plot

On their first day of high school, best friends Virgil Fox, Derek Beaugard, and Stephanie Jameson decide to try various activities. As Derek and Stephanie try out for the football and cheerleading teams respectively, Virgil tries to help young genius Charlie Tuttle after the latter interrupts football practice with a homemade rocket-powered vehicle. However, both are publicly humiliated by the jocks by getting dressed up and hung on the school's ram statue. Following this, Derek claims to Virgil that he tried to help the pair while Virgil comes to resent that day.

Three years later, Virgil and Charlie have become outcasts while Derek and Stephanie have become popular and are in a relationship. Amidst this, Charlie designs a time machine, recruits another outcast named Zeke Thompson for his engineering expertise to help him build it, and tells Virgil. During their first test run, the trio travel back in time and convince a local street performer to purchase a winning lottery ticket for them. However, they are forced to return to the present early, leading to the performer winning the lottery. Due to this, Charlie decides they should only use the time machine to undo their classmates' mistakes and recruit Jeannette Pachelewski, a classmate with an unrequited crush on Charlie, to oversee it while the trio are in the past. In the process, she gives them snowsuits to protect them from the time stream's freezing temperatures.

Throughout their adventures, the trio becomes known as the "Snowsuit Guys" despite their desire to be called the "Minutemen" and earn a heroic reputation with their classmates while Vice Principal Tolkan sees them as troublemakers. However, they soon realize that former bullying victims are becoming bullies themselves. Even worse, Charlie reveals he hacked into and used NASA's files to complete the time machine. To avoid attracting unwanted attention, Charlie advises Zeke and Virgil to minimize their use of the time machine, but Virgil disobeys him to prevent Stephanie from suffering an injury that will cost her a scholarship to her dream college and reveal his identity to her.

After Derek experiences a loss at the state championship, Stephanie asks Virgil to help him win. Virgil mends his friendship with them but abandons Charlie and Zeke. When Stephanie catches Derek cheating on her, he asks Virgil to avert it. Realizing his own feelings for her, Virgil proves reluctant.

Meanwhile, having monitored the Minutemen's activities, the FBI locates and interrogates the trio, causing them to disband over Virgil's selfishness. After consulting with government scientists, Charlie learns that the Minutemen's work damaged the space-time continuum and created a black hole. With hours to live, the trio reunites and ventures into it to repair the damage. Transported back to their first day of high school, they work to retrieve a component from past Charlie. Since it is their first day of high school, Virgil realizes he can stop his past self from helping Charlie and undo the event that permanently ruined his reputation. Charlie tells Virgil to do whatever he wants but admits he cherishes this day because it was when he got a real friend. Virgil starts having second thoughts and discovers Derek actually contributed to their humiliation to join the football team.

Coming to his senses, Virgil reconciles with Charlie and Zeke. The trio returns and re-enters the black hole as it closes and is brought back to the day they first time traveled. While exploring the school, they learn that nobody remembers their activities. As Virgil confronts Derek over his treachery and wins over Stephanie, Charlie reciprocates Jeannette's feelings and later comes up with an idea for a teleportation machine, though Charlie and Zeke carry him away.

Cast

Additionally, Larry Filion and Dwayne Hackett make uncredited appearances as an FBI agent and a store manager, respectively.

Production

Disney Channel first released an official press via its press release website DisneyChannelMedianet.com on July 14, 2007, to confirm the production of Minutemen. The lead star, plot, writers, director, and executive producers of this movie were revealed in this press. In addition, another 2008 DCOM named Camp Rock , scheduled to begin production in September 2007, was also confirmed in the same press. [2]

Location

Minutemen was filmed at Murray High School. [7] Murray High School was also the set of the auditorium scene of High School Musical (2006), [8] and High School Musical: Get in the Picture (2008). [9] Filming also took place at Highland High School located in Sugar House. [10]

The first single of the movie, "Run It Back Again" by Corbin Bleu was released January 22, 2008 on Radio Disney Jams, Vol. 10 and its music video premiered on Disney Channel. Another single titled "Like Whoa" from Aly & AJ began airing January 19 around the world, as a music video on Disney Channel. The song became available on their album Insomniatic .

Reception

Minutemen premiered on Disney Channel on January 25, 2008, with 6.48 million views. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Dolley</span> American actor, musician and Twitch streamer

Jason Scott Dolley is an American actor, musician, and Twitch streamer known for his roles in Disney Channel shows and movies. These include Newton "Newt" Livingston III on Cory in the House, Virgil Fox in Minutemen, Connor Kennedy in Read It and Weep, Pete Ivey in Hatching Pete, and PJ Duncan on Good Luck Charlie.

<i>High School Musical</i> 2006 American musical TV movie

High School Musical is a 2006 American musical television film produced by and aired on Disney Channel as part of the network's slate of original television films. The first installment of the High School Musical series, the film was directed by choreographer and filmmaker Kenny Ortega from a screenplay by Peter Barsocchini. It stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Alyson Reed, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman. High School Musical follows student Troy Bolton (Efron), the captain of his school basketball team, and Gabriella Montez (Hudgens), an academically gifted transfer student, who together audition for the lead roles in their school musical, causing division among the school's cliques.

<i>Genius</i> (1999 film) 1999 TV series or program

Genius is a 1999 American comedy film released as a Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) and directed by Rod Daniel. The film stars Trevor Morgan and Emmy Rossum, and premiered on Disney Channel on August 21, 1999. In the film, Morgan portrays a genius who enrolls in college at the age of 12 and takes on a bad boy image in an attempt to gain friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corbin Bleu</span> American actor (born 1989)

Corbin Bleu Reivers is an American actor and singer. He began acting professionally in the late 1990s before rising to prominence in the late 2000s for his leading role as Chad Danforth in the High School Musical trilogy (2006–2008). Songs from the films also charted worldwide, with the song "I Don't Dance" peaking inside the Top 70 of the Billboard Hot 100. During this time, he also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Jump In! (2007) and the film To Write Love on Her Arms (2015). He competed in the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars.

<i>High School Musical 2</i> 2007 film by Kenny Ortega

High School Musical 2 is a 2007 American musical television film directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Peter Barsocchini. The 70th Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), it is the sequel to High School Musical (2006) and the second installment of the High School Musical film series. The film stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman. In High School Musical 2, Troy Bolton (Efron), Gabriella Montez (Hudgens), and the Wildcats find summer jobs at a country club, but tensions rise when Sharpay Evans (Tisdale) recruits Bolton for a talent show performance.

<i>Read It and Weep</i> 2006 American TV series or program

Read It and Weep is a 2006 American comedy-drama film released as a Disney Channel Original Movie. It premiered on July 21, 2006. It is based on the novel How My Private, Personal Journal Became A Bestseller by Julia DeVillers. Sisters Kay and Danielle Panabaker star as Jamie Bartlett and her alter ego Isabella, respectively. Both sisters have starred in previous Disney Channel films: Kay in Life Is Ruff (2005), and Danielle in Stuck in the Suburbs (2004); like Read It and Weep, those films also premiered in July in their respective years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Benward</span> American actor and singer

Luke Aaron Benward is an American actor and singer. He is known for his role as Will in the Disney film Cloud 9 (2014). His first starring role was Billy Forrester in How to Eat Fried Worms (2006), and as Charlie Tuttle in Minutemen (2008). He played the role of Dillon in Ravenswood and Bo in the Netflix film Dumplin'. He recurred as Teddy's boyfriend, Beau, on the final season of the Disney Channel series Good Luck Charlie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray High School (Utah)</span> Public school in Murray, Utah, United States

Murray High School is the only high school in the Murray City School District in Murray, Utah. Murray High School is located in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area with 1,465 students enrolled in the 2019–2020 academic year. The school enrolls students in grades 10–12. The school's mascot is the Spartan, and the school colors are orange and black. Murray High is a 5-A school in Utah's 6 Division high school sports leagues. The Disney Channel reality show High School Musical: Get in the Picture was shot on the Murray High campus in 2008, and American Idol season 7 runner-up David Archuleta attended the school. The school also offers the highest number of Salt Lake Community College Concurrent Enrollment classes in the state of Utah.

<i>High School Musical 3: Senior Year</i> 2008 American film

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is a 2008 American teen musical film directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Peter Barsocchini. The sequel to High School Musical 2 (2007) and the third installment of the High School Musical film series, the film follows Troy Bolton, Gabriella Montez, Sharpay Evans, her twin brother Ryan Evans, Chad Danforth, and Taylor McKessie, who are in their final year of high school and face the daunting prospect of being separated as they go off to college. Joined by the rest of their East High classmates, they stage their last spring musical, reflecting their experiences, hopes, and fears about the future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Like Whoa</span> 2008 single by Aly & AJ

"Like Whoa" is a song by American pop rock duo Aly & AJ, written and recorded by the duo for their second studio album, Insomniatic. It is the second and final single from the album, released in 2008. The single release in the UK was cancelled for unknown reasons. It was their final single to be released before departing from Hollywood Records. A re-recorded version of the song was released on May 2, 2022.

<i>High School Musical on Stage!</i> Musical

High School Musical on Stage! is a musical based on the 2006 Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical, with music and lyrics by Matthew Gerrard, Robbie Nevil, Ray and Greg Cham, Drew Seeley, Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn, Andy Dodd, Adam Watts, Bryan Louiselle, David N. Lawrence, Faye Greenberg and Jamie Houston, and a book by David Simpatico. It quickly became a popular choice for high school musical theater productions.

<i>Camp Rock</i> 2008 musical television film

Camp Rock is a 2008 musical television film directed by Matthew Diamond from a screenplay by Karin Gist, Regina Hicks, Julie Brown, and Paul Brown. The 73rd Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), the film stars Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas, Meaghan Martin, Maria Canals-Barrera, Daniel Fathers, and Alyson Stoner. In the film, aspiring teenage singer Mitchie Torres (Lovato) visits Camp Rock, a summer music camp.

<i>High School Musical: Get in the Picture</i> 2008 American TV series or program

High School Musical: Get in the Picture is a reality television series, which debuted July 20, 2008 on the television channel ABC. Stan Carrizosa was named the winner on September 8, 2008. Tierney Chamberlain was the runner-up.

<i>High School Musical</i> (franchise) Disney franchise

High School Musical is an American media franchise centered on a series of musical romantic comedy-drama films created by Peter Barsocchini. The franchise also includes stage musicals, books, comics, live shows, video games, and a television series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradley Steven Perry</span> American actor

Bradley Steven Perry is an American actor. He played the role of Gabe Duncan on the Disney Channel family sitcom Good Luck Charlie, and the role of Roger Ellison in Disney's High School Musical spin-off film Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure. Following this, Perry co-starred on the Disney XD comedies Mighty Med and its spinoff Lab Rats: Elite Force, where he played the role of Kaz. He is also known for his roles in the Disney XD Original Movie Pants on Fire (2014) and Hubie Halloween (2020).

<i>Avalon High</i> (film) 2010 American TV series or program

Avalon High is a 2010 American medieval fantasy film released as a Disney Channel Original Movie and starring Gregg Sulkin, Britt Robertson, Joey Pollari, and Devon Graye. The movie is loosely based on the 2005 book of the same name by Meg Cabot. It premiered on November 12, 2010, in the United States, January 22, 2011, in Australia and New Zealand, and January 28, 2011, in the United Kingdom.

<i>Lemonade Mouth</i> (film) 2011 television film directed by Patricia Riggen

Lemonade Mouth is a 2011 American teen musical drama television film, based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Mark Peter Hughes. The film was directed by Patricia Riggen and written by April Blair, and stars Bridgit Mendler, Adam Hicks, Naomi Scott, Hayley Kiyoko and Blake Michael. The film tells the story of five high school students who meet in detention and form a band to stand up for their beliefs and to overcome their individual and collective struggles.

<i>Groove Squad</i> 2002 television film by Patrick A. Ventura

Groove Squad Cheerleaders is a 2002 animated television film produced by DIC Entertainment as part of the DIC Movie Toons series of movies. It debuted on Nickelodeon on November 24, 2002 and was later released on VHS and DVD by MGM Home Entertainment, eventually airing internationally on Disney Channel and Toon Disney. The titular squad consists of three high school cheerleaders and best friends who gain superpowers after accidentally being zapped by a jolt of electricity from the mad scientist Dr. Nightingale. With help from their team mascot and their hairstylist, a former Mi6-agent, they must learn to use their newfound powers to defeat Dr. Nightingale while hiding their identities as superheroes and win the annual cheerleading competition. It was the only movie of the DIC Movie Toons to be an original story, as the other movies were either based on existing cartoons or adapted from classic literature.

<i>Frenemies</i> (film) 2012 television film directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer

Frenemies is a 2012 teen comedy-drama anthology television film based on the novel of the same name by Alexa Young. It features an ensemble cast starring Bella Thorne, Zendaya, Stefanie Scott, Nick Robinson, Mary Mouser and features Connor Price, Jascha Washington and Dylan Everett. The film follows three pairs of teenage friends that go from friends to enemies and back again. The film was directed by Daisy Mayer and written by Dava Savel, Wendy Weiner, and Jim Krieg. The Disney Channel Original Movie premiered on January 13, 2012, in the United States and Canada.

References

  1. "Disney Channel MediaNet". Archived from the original on 2014-04-19. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Production Begins on "Minutemen" and "Camp Rock", Disney Channel Original Movies for 2008" (Press release). Disney Channel Medianet Press. 2007-07-14. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  3. 1 2 Robert Seidman (January 29, 2008). "Top Cable Jan 21-27: Minutemen Wins for Disney". TV by the Numbers . Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2014-11-30.
  4. "McQueen on clock for Dis' 'Minutemen'". Hollywood Reporter. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
  5. "'Cory in the House' Actor Leads New Disney Movie". Archived from the original on 2014-04-16. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  6. Cable Nielsens (January 31, 2008) It premiered with 6.48 million viewers.[ dead link ]
  7. "Disney moment for Murray, Highland". Deseret News . Archived from the original on 2008-07-20. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  8. "Visit Utah | See Where High School Musical Was Born" . Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  9. "ksl.com - 'High School Musical' reality show wraps up filming". Archived from the original on 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
  10. "Disney moment for Murray, Highland". Deseret News . Archived from the original on 2008-07-20. Retrieved 2008-03-04.