If I am relaxing at home, more often then not, my brain will turn to try to find something useful to do, so I decided that I would waste a Thursday afternoon trying to contribute something to my digital log because my eyes hurt from reading. For today's review of "Tween Pop Culture" and in honor of something good to stemi Demi Lavoto's poor reputation for going to Rehab yet again, this time for a Cocaine Addiction, I decided to watch The Princess Protection Program starring Demi Lavoto and Selena Gomez. This was actually very well executed. It is a Disney Channel Original Movie that aired in 2009. Before Selena began dating Justin, and before Demi went to Rehab, this was about two best friends making a fun little movie. 
The Princess Protection Program focuses on a young princess, Rosalinda Montaya, who is about to become queen when a coup d'tat is staged within her imaginary island country. (Think Genovia, from Princess Diaries) With the help of an elite protection detail, entitled The Princess Protection Program, Colonel Joe helps deliver the Princess to safety, far away from her country and without her mother. The Princess, devastated by her forced removal and turmoil within her country, only trusts the colonel with her life. The head ambassadors in charge of the Princess Protection detail entrust Colonel Joe Mason with his life, so he takes her back to live with him and his normal sixteen year old daughter, Carter. "Rosie" is taken to Louisiana to embrace her life as an "American Teenager." However, a Princess does not easily fit in to the "everyday norms" of an American teenager, and is even more taken aback when forced to share a room with Carter. However, the girls overcome the obstacles and become best friends. Carter who is reluctant to help her dad at first helps her best friend and even almost sacrifices herself for the safety of her new best friend and her best friend's mother.  


    For a Disney Channel Original Movie, this movie was actually really done. Besides the themes of friendship, sacrifice, and love, it is also about self-actualization. This self-actualization is extremely prevalent when Rosie convinces Carter that the atypical boy that she is in love with is not at all the right boy for her. The boy Carter is convinced is absolutely perfect is spoiled, selfish, and only cares about himself. Rosie steers Carter to a path where she realizes a boy already truly cares about her. The Self-actualization occurs when Rosie tells Carter that just because Carter is not born royalty does not mean that she cannot help others and become someone where people can rely on and help "lead them" to a better life. The movie is also about first impressions and how that first impressions can really lead to a life that is not at all fulfilling. Carter cannot stand Rosie when she first comes to live with Carter and her Dad, however, she realizes that there is more to life then being petty. 

    While this life is classified as a "tween" movie, this movie actually embodies "Reading Up." Disregarding the fact that Rosie's Kingdom is not read, political turmoil is a real thing. A coup d'tat is extremely reflective of all the coup's going on within the world and the Occupy Wall Street Movement. The movie also focused on how important the media is and first impressions. I was obviously looking for these themes to write about, however, consciously or not, these tweens are being exposed to the adult themes that so many people think kid's should be shadowed from. Everyone describes teens today as being ignorant and apathetic, however, that is simply not true. Nobody is asking these tweens opinions and then, we are surprised when children actually understand difficult concepts to comprehend. Part of the reasons is from these seemingly silly things children are watching on television. 


   The genre that I would mostly classify this movie as "Fantasy" along with aspects of "Political Science" and "Drama." All these rolled into one is both fun and surprisingly educational. The other tween materials that I would find this movie similar to is Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries and Shannon McHale's The Princess Academy. The viewing level that I would classify for this movie is definitely 9 and up with the aspects of High School thrown in and swords being thrown at poor Demi Lavoto. 


   Another thing regarding "Reading Up" or "Watching Up." While The Princess Protection Program may have a low viewing level, children are still understanding who Demi Lavoto is and what she represents. Demi Lavoto has been in and out of rehab over the last two years, first for cutting and now for Cocaine. It is slighlty scary to see that these role models that Disney produces (do not get me wrong, I am a HUGE Disney fan) such as Hannah Montana, The Jonas Brothers, and several other Disney Child Stars end up having major scandals. For instance Vanessa Hudgins had her entire scandel exposed for all of the internet, Miley Cyrus posed provocatively for Vanity Fair and was caught with a bong and drinking under-aged in Paris when she was 17, and know Demi Lavoto going in and out of Rehab. No matter how many people deny it, there is an undeniably level of celebrity impressions left upon us not matter what the age. These tweens are inspired by celebrities and it makes me fear for these children who embrace the mantra of "wanting to be exactly who the celebrities are" instead of themselves, which ruins the entire point of The Princess Protection Program.