Did you have a favourite film when you were younger? Or a selection of films that you watched again and again throughout your entire childhood? If the answer is yes, phew! It wasn’t just me then!
Those like me who were lucky enough to grow up in the 1990s had a wonderful generation of films to enjoy and were like no other.
Observe…
1990s Disney
Come on, do I really need to explain myself here? It’s Disney! It was a great decade for it too!
The 1990s was when the Disney Princesses evolved into strong independent women who didn’t wait around for a prince to rescue them from their troubles. This feminist movement allowed us to think it was acceptable for women to be heroes.
Home Alone (1990)
This was just one of the many Macaulay Culkin films released for children in the ‘90s, but Home Alone just tops the lot!
Home Alone was the Christmas movie for children in the 1990s. While demonstrating the best pranks, the film teaches us how to appreciate the family you have, no matter how dysfunctional it appears.
A perfect ‘90s Christmas film!
Beethoven (1992)
Beethoven is a great way to demonstrate the joys of having a dog for children. While adults are presented with their worst fears when it comes to owning a dog.
What child could resist a film about a dog joining a family and wreaking havoc, only to save the day at the end?
Robin Williams Family Films
Although I’m not a huge fan of typecasting, the late Robin Williams (RIP) appeared in a lot of family films in the 1990s.
He gave children the ability to laugh and cry with his performance in Mrs Doubtfire (1993) and taught us how to fly and think positively in Hook (1991).
Thanks to his role in Jumanji (1995), we are not afraid to be ourselves or have quirky friends (especially if one was a monkey). If only we were brave enough to play with strange board games that drums until you find it!
Jurassic Park (1993)
Theme of the film: how to make Palaeontology cool. If Ross Gellar couldn’t convince you, then Jurassic Park (1993) would be able to show you how Palaeontology could be cool. Chris Pratt may be doing a great job in the reboot, but nothing can compare to the ‘90s original. Still, life found a way to keep the dinosaurs from becoming extinct in 2010s.
The Mask (1994)
This smoking film features Jim Carrey at his finest. Like Robin Williams, Carrey was often a victim of typecasting for comedies, but the ‘90s was his time to shine, particularly in The Mask as a self-loathing loser who found a mask that was cursed by the God of mischief.
Baby’s Day Out (1994)
Baby Bink’s adventure into the world while dealing with kidnappers makes this film a great choice for ‘90s childhood.
The film taught children in the 1990s how even a baby in nappies could outwit three grown men chasing their tails all over town trying to find him.
Matilda (1996)
I watched this film so many times as a child that I was starting to believe I could be telekinetic!
Come on, everyone in this decade must have always dreamed of magic that could make their lives easier as a child. And I’m sure some adults would say the same too.
What a decade to have lived in. Can you think of any great films from your childhood? Share in the comments below or tweet #childhoodfilm.
Musson Writings 