Official Synopsis:
Sister singing sensations Aly & AJ make their DVD debut in the all-new, hilarious Disney Channel Original Movie - Cow Belles, with an exclusive alternate ending. Super-spoiled rich girls Taylor and Courtney Callum have a lot to learn when their dad insists they take summer jobs at the family's dairy while he goes on a long-overdue vacation. While struggling to balance the pressures of popularity, crushes on totally cute boys and the pain of really growing up, will these "Cow Belles" be able to save the family business and become better people in the process? Full of hip and hilarious adventure, this all-new DVD includes a cool behind-the-scenes featurette and two Aly & AJ music videos. So rustle up some friends and join the fun!
Our Take:
After years of denial, I've finally accepted one fact about the Disney Channel: they know how to make good TV-movies. You can ignore the popularity of things like High School Musical all you want, but there's something inherent in their films that just make them super-appealing to that tween set. Cow Belles is another example of the canny marketing folks at the Disney Channel striking while the iron is hot.
I know nothing about these AJ and Aly girls, other than what I gleaned from this DVD; they're sisters who sing in that Hilary Duff mode (although they supposedly play their own guitars). And of course, now they also act. But here's where Disney strikes gold; they're actually pretty good at it. Granted, this is not the most challenging material for an actor, but between the pair's natural acting ability and an only-occasionally embarrassing script, Cow Belles isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, because Disney is good at what they do, I found myself wrapped up in this completely disposable TV-movie. Much as it pains me to admit it, there came a point where I was like, "Oh no! How are they going to save the milk factory?"
So while the movie will strongly appeal to tween girls (and tween guys, if they dig on AJ and Aly), the DVD leaves a little something to be desired, featuring only scant extra features. According to the packaging, there’s an exclusive alternate ending, but it’s nowhere to be seen in the extra features, leading me to believe that the coda at the end of the film was added for the DVD. Here's what you get:
* On Set With Aly and A.J. (7 minutes) - A fairly standard making-of featurette.
* Music Videos - "On The Ride" and "Rush" by Aly & A.J.
Cow Belles is not intended to be for any audience other than those people who already watch the Disney Channel. If you happen to fall into that category, however, this is a fun little moo-vie.
Overall Picture:
Movie: B
DVD: C+
- Mike Spring
Editor
|
|
