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Films That Formed the Tween Collective Unconscious of the Y2K Era

Welcome to Sleepover Cinema, where we analyze the films that created the collective unconscious of the girls, gays, and theys of the late 90s and early 2000s.

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All Episodes

Ella Enchanted

2004’s “Ella Enchanted,” while a prime byproduct of the Shrek Industrial Complex of the early 2000s, is in retrospect a rare breed.
Listen to Ella Enchanted

She's The Man

| S:2 E:2
Is this movie the understated exploration of queer identity that we want it to be?
Listen to She's The Man

Season Two Premiere: Sleepover

| S:2 E:1
A critically-misunderstood movie ceaselessly packed with clichés, hijinks, and cute boys, “Sleepover” is, according to the Leach sisters, a perspective from the female gaze in a culture stacked against it.
Listen to Season Two Premiere: Sleepover

Aquamarine: Season One Finalé

2006’s “Aquamarine.” Where do we begin? An inspiration. A vision. A fount of creative energy.
Listen to Aquamarine: Season One Finalé

Josie and The Pussycats ft. Name 3 Songs

2001’s “Josie and the Pussycats” suffered from a classic case of misaligned marketing— and while this movie was certainly NOT made for kids, the impact that it made on the generation of girls, gays, and theys that DID find this movie is immeasurable.
Listen to Josie and The Pussycats ft. Name 3 Songs

Bratz vs. The Clique

2008’s “The Clique” and 2007’s "Bratz” SHOULD have been huge hits, considering that they were products of some of the most popular intellectual properties of our youth.
Listen to Bratz vs. The Clique

The Lizzie McGuire Movie ft. YouthCulture2000

Who didn’t want to see their favorite everywoman swept into a highly-fantastical scenario involving Italian pop stars, couture, AND being the center of attention… and all at age 14?
Listen to The Lizzie McGuire Movie ft. YouthCulture2000

Cow Belles vs. Material Girls

| S:1 E:13
2006 was clearly a time full of growing pains for women in pop culture, as told by two ENTIRELY SEPARATE tween-targeted movies centering around the rich and spoiled sisters getting their comeuppance.
Listen to Cow Belles vs. Material Girls

Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Featuring baby Chris Pine, painful jokes about a wooden leg, and an only-somewhat justifiable autotuned duet between Dame Julie Andrews and Raven Symoné, there’s a lot to talk about.
Listen to Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Ice Princess

With lots of visible breath in cold air, plenty of Zamboni shots, and of course, GREAT sparkling leotards, does this movie live up to the ladies’ memories?
Listen to Ice Princess

Life Size

In 2000’s cult classic “Life Size,” we were surprised to rediscover under-discussed successful witchcraft, visible traumatization of an eleven-year-old girl, and a shocking amount of sexual harassment
Listen to Life Size

Freaky Friday

The female-fronted band of your dreams, a middle-aged makeover montage, and genuinely compelling chemistry between a teen heartthrob and someone old enough to be his mother. How does it hold up in 2020?
Listen to Freaky Friday

Passport to Paris

| S:1 E:8
What do two all-American tweens do the city of lights? Diplomatically finesse a revamp of the aqueduct system of Paris, apparently.
Listen to Passport to Paris

1997's Cinderella

There are few made-for-TV spectaculars as egregiously underrated.
Listen to 1997's Cinderella

The Princess Diaries

Not to be dramatic, but 2001’s “The Princess Diaries” is a movie so close to our hearts that it’s almost impossible to interpret it as art.
Listen to The Princess Diaries

A Cinderella Story

| S:1 E:5
Does it stand the test of time? Short answer... no.
Listen to A Cinderella Story

Uptown Girls

| S:1 E:4
2003’s Uptown Girls starring Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning would be nothing without its complicated female characters
Listen to Uptown Girls

The Cheetah Girls

| S:1 E:3
2003’s The Cheetah Girls marked the beginning of the iconic Disney Channel movie musical era— one that Hannah and Audrey grew up in the thick of.
Listen to The Cheetah Girls

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

| S:1 E:3
Featuring an offscreen hookup with a camp counselor, terminal illness in suburbia, a Grecian vacation, AND an emotional breakdown in a bridal shop, there’s drama aplenty in this one… and we, obviously, love it.
Listen to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

| S:1 E:1
2004's Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen has everything one could ever want: fantasy sequences, impeccable costumes, AND a mean girl played by Megan Fox.
Listen to Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

Coming Soon!

Welcome to Sleepover Cinema, where we analyze the films that created the collective unconscious of the girls, gays, and girl-gays of the late 90s and early 2000s.
Listen to Coming Soon!

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