It can be nice to live vicariously through the characters in a movie. For Mary-Kate and Ashley's fans, regular trips around the world might not be too likely in real life. That's why it was so amazing that the Olsen twins took them instead! The certified travel movie series may be less than realistic, but it is 2000s gold in more ways than one.
Cute boys, fab parties, unlimited wardrobes, and stunning scenery made every girl reach for more popcorn. Pull those Mary-Kate and Ashley Barbies out of the closet, put on those slumber party pajamas, and get ready to relive the tour of the century.
Getting There - 4.8
The Utah Winter Olympics was an exciting time. Surely, everyone wanted to drive to Colorado to be a part of the crowd. Kylie and Taylor Hunter just want to drive...in their Mustang convertible...because that's what all the cool 16-year-old drivers had in 2002.
This movie thrives during the journey rather than the destination, and it's best to just go along for the ride. "Getting there is half the fun!"
When in Rome - 4.8
Charli and Leila Hunter (yes, Hunter again) are settled into their suite in Rome for their internships at mogul Derek Hammond's large corporation. Their fun-loving adventure turns into a serious detective job when they must prove that Hammond's second banana, Enrico Tortoni, is the villain and the mole of the business.
Food, fashion, love, and action — all wrapped up in one direct-to-TV movie. Cue the cute boys, including the Paolo who arrived on the scene before the one in The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
How the West was Fun - 4.9
The Mary-Kate and Ashley dude ranch film can be considered a junior travel movie, a taste of what is to come in their career. The pint-sized superstars play Susie and Jessica; the audience doesn't learn much about them, but their father is a widower who works hard for a difficult boss. Somehow, the family manages to get away to help godmother Natty, whose dude ranch is not doing well.
Olsen and Olsen Mystery Agency has to go into high gear for this one. Jessica and Susie discover that Natty's son, Bart Gafooley, is plotting to do away with the grandeur of the ranch to create his theme park, Gafooley Land, in its place.
New York Minute - 4.9
New York Minute is an honorable mention in the Olsen travelogue. There's no overseas flight or grandiose hotel stay, but New York City brings a big, bright, buzzing world to the screen. It's a creative film with a wild goose chase all over the Big Apple.
Roxy and Jane Ryan couldn't be more different, but they are forced to work together when a pirating thief winds up with Jane's prized day planner. The clock is ticking, and Jane's note cards for her speech to win the McGill Fellowship are in that planner. The story isn't always neat and tidy in this one, but the sisters make the most out of what would be their final movie together (unless something drastic changes in 2020).
Our Lips Are Sealed - 5.1
This flick was a little scandalous for its young viewers, given that the title characters are in the Witness Protection Program and are on the run. The crafty twins are in hiding because they stopped a jewel thief in his tracks.
They have blown their cover so many times that their last resort is a new identity in Sydney, Australia. Watch them try to make friends in a new culture, play with a kangaroo, and fight off the bad guy once again.
Holiday in The Sun - 5.1
The Olsen twins' movie with Megan Fox is next. Holiday in the Sun is the ultimate summer vacation movie, mainly because its setting is the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas. However, twins Madison and Alex Stewart can't rest for too long.
They have to stop an antique smuggler, deal with a mean girl (Megan Fox), and get the cute guys. They also get busted for going swimming after hours with said guys. One quality aspect of this film is the performance of "Us Against the World" by Play, the pop girl group at the height of their fame back in '01.
The Challenge - 5.3
The Challenge is not the movie to go to for posh vacationing or endless glamour. The film is basically Survivor with estranged twins. They have been divided emotionally and physically, as each twin lives with one divorced parent.
Elizabeth lives with their father in Washington, D.C., and Shane lives in California with their mother. They must come together to compete on a television show called The Challenge in Cabo San Lucas. This is one of the last official travel films for the dynamic duo.
port to Paris - 5.3
port to Paris is more than twenty years old, but it's still a Mary-Kate and Ashley fan favorite. It holds the esteemed chronological place as the first official travel movie for the twins.
Their grandfather is a US ambassador in Paris, so the twins' parents decide to send the two junior high school girls (this time, called Mel and Ally) over for a visit. Despite the odd parenting decision that got them there in the first place, Mary-Kate and Ashley's debut jet-setting story is a winner.
Winning London - 5.5
If you can't make it to England, Winning London will hit all the highlights, including Big Ben and a walk down Abbey Road. Chloe Lawrence is competing in an International Model UN Competition, and sister Riley s her to fill in for another teammate.
This may seem like an unusual premise for the popular teenagers, but think back to their roots as miniature sleuths, and an intellectual pursuit like this makes sense. As the narrator of the trailer aptly puts it, " Mary-Kate and Ashley in London as they experience the history, the romance, and the fun." Similarly, an iTunes review reads, "Olsen twins head to international competition, pursue boys." That sounds about right.
To Grandmother's House We Go - 5.8
To Grandmother's House We Go is the inaugural direct-to-video movie for Ashley and Mary-Kate. With its large amount of traveling, the movie fits into the junior travel category. It was directed by Jeff Franklin, the creator of Full House.
The movie is actually a terrible story for children to watch. In their roles as Sarah and Julie, the twins get a little wild and drive their single mother, Rhonda, crazy. They overhear her call them a handful, so the girls take off to go find their great-grandma, Mimi.
So, the film is about two five-year-olds running away, being found by a delivery truck driver who digs their mom, and then being kidnapped by Rhea Perlman and Jerry van Dyke. There's also a whole lot of emphasis placed on a lottery ticket. Anyhow, the movie became a Christmas classic for Olsen fans everywhere.
