The 2000s are perhaps the height of theteen film era. The ideal movies to help us through adolescence were available to viewers who missed the cutoff to be deemed ’90s kids, but are too old to be considered members of Gen Z. These movies ranged from classic rom-coms to vacation dreams to bizarrecoming of age stories. As youngsters, we created so many memories associated with the personalities of these movies — either watching with pals at sleepover parties or cuddling up on the sofa with popcorn and candy — that we can’t resist watching these movies again now. In many cases, these early-2000s adolescent films hit us more now as adults than they did when we were only kids fantasizing about our futures as feisty, confident, and effortlessly attractive adults.
Aaron Carter, a famous musician and actor, tragically passed away suddenly in November 2022 amid what his mother believesare suspicious circumstances. With his four studio albums, Carter established himself as a celebrity among preteen and adolescent audiences throughout the first years of the new millennium. Carter originally gained notoriety as a teen pop singer in the late-1990s. Once his elder brother Nick Carter’s band the Backstreet Boys was formed, Carter started performing alongside them at the age of seven. At the age of nine, he debuted his self-titled first album, which went on to sell one million copies worldwide. Despite guest appearances on television programs likeLizzie McGuire,Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and7th Heaven, Carter only appeared in one feature film,Popstar, which was released in 2005.
All About Popstar
The 2005 American filmPopstar, which was directed by Richard Gabai and written by Timothy Barton, centers on the adolescent Jane Brighton (Alana Austin), a math prodigy in high school who becomes fixated on J.D. McQueen (Carter), a popular teen musician. J.D.’s parents have re-enrolled him in a public high school in an effort to raise his failing grades, but if he doesn’t succeed, he may miss a crucial summer tour, which may end his musical career. He establishes a rapport with Jane to receive math assistance, but not everything is as it seems. Former teen stars David Cassidy and Leif Garrett play J.D.’s manager and a contemplative janitor, respectively, in secondary roles.
Related:Aaron Carter Was Working on Sitcom Before His Death, Pilot Still Moving Forward
Why You Should Watch Popstar
Popstarhas an average 4-star rating onVudufrom over 2,700 viewers, which shouldn’t mean much, but does prove there are people out there who enjoy teen films from the early-2000s. And anyone who grew up in that era watching similar films will most likely enjoyPopstar. The movie has a way of bringing you back to the moments when the only things that mattered were who was dating who and what band had the hottest lead singer.
Teen films of the early-2000s were mostly about losing yourself in a world many pre-teens of that time period could only dream of. Being in the popular clique and making something of yourself within the school hierarchy was paramount to anything else. With regard toPopstar, Carter and Austin have a distinct chemistry that makes for an enjoyable film, even now. The teen movie clichés, such as nerdy girls getting makeovers, random love triangles, popular kids being bullies, school dances as plot points, and quirky best friends, have since continued in most teen films across genres over the years. But one thing is clear,Popstarhad a unique flavor all its own.
