13 Nostalgic Movies Every ‘90s Kid Will Remember

People in their mid-20s and early 30s are at an odd place in life. I sometimes feel like I’m not old enough to be an adult (even though I am), but I don’t quite understand this younger generation. The internet was a thing when I was growing up, but I didn't carry it around in my pocket like Gen Z. Social media has created an entirely new aspect of life that wasn’t very prevalent when I was young, but I’m still young enough to embrace it. Movies and entertainment have also changed, and special effects have advanced by leaps and bounds. But there's just something about those '90s movies that are still so great. So, if you’re a ‘90s kid, the following movies will give you all the nostalgic vibes.

The Little Rascals (1994)

Remember the days when it was safe to roam the streets and play outside with your neighbors? The Little Rascals features some notable names who will still see pop up today, like Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Reba McEntire, Raven Symone, and even Donald Trump!

Dennis the Menace (1993)

How did I not get nightmares about the creepy thief that roamed around town in this movie? Dennis the Menace is about a young boy who stays with his older neighbors while his parents are out of town, and he drives them a little crazy. 

Beethoven (1992)

The anxiety my parents must’ve felt when watching this dog terrorize the house in the movie was probably at an all-time high. But for kids, Beethoven was a reminder of how much you can love a dog, even when he's a mess. 

Richie Rich (1994)

Why was Macaulay Culkin always having to defend his family against the bad guys in his movies? Richie Rich brought the 1950s comic back to life in this live-action film. The premise — about a rich kid who, along with his friends, solves a mystery about his family in trouble — is the same, but Culkin brought his adorable kid charm to this classic version.

Free Willy (1993)

If you never cared about killer whales, you did after watching this movie. Free Willy is about a boy who risks everything to free the whale who was going to be killed by the aquarium owners.

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is about a scientist father who accidentally shrinks his and his neighbor’s kids, and they are faced with challenges as he tries to find them and save them. I’m not sure what disturbed me more as a kid, that their dad (accidentally) endangered them or all the gross “giant” bugs they had to survive in the backyard when they were tiny. You have to admit, the special effects are still pretty cool.

My Girl (1991)

This movie is wholesome and devastating all at the same time. We watched Vada struggle with some heavy circumstances – feeling guilt for her mother’s death, getting her first period, the tragic loss of her best friend, and her father’s remarriage. It’s a coming-of-age story that we could relate to, yet was also much worse than anything we were going through.

The Parent Trap (1998)

How many of us thought about attempting to pierce our own ears after seeing this movie? Just me? Oh. A remake of the 1961 movie starring Hayley Mills, The Parent Trap stars Lindsey Lohan, and is about two girls (Lohan plays both rolls!) meeting at camp, realizing they are long-lost sisters, and attempting to reunite their parents. 

Matilda (1996)

Adapted from the 1988 novel by Roald Dahl, the story is about a child who, after being repeatedly neglected by her parents, discovers she has telekinetic powers that help her overcome her circumstances. She forms a special bond with her teacher Miss Honey and makes a better life for herself. I think we all wished we had mental superpowers as a kid!

The Sandlot (1993)

Set in the summer of 1962, a new kid in town is taken in by a group of boys on a local baseball team who embark on the adventures of growing up together. Remember the days when the worst thing that could happen was losing your ball over the neighbor’s fence and having to stop playing? 

Hook (1991)

Starring Robin Williams, Hook is about grown-up Peter Pan – now a workaholic lawyer – who must go back to Neverland to save his children after they were abducted by Captain Hook. The best part of this film was watching Peter from a different perspective, as he has to remember who he is, relearn how to play and imagine, and fight Captain Hook one last time to save his children.

Stuart Little (1999)

Why was the cat treated like a pet, but the mouse like a human child? But as kids, we overlook those funny details. Based on the book by E. B. White, Stuart Little is about a family that adopted a mouse and his new journey with their family. 

Madeline (1998)

Madeline is about an orphan who attempts to save her boarding school from being sold. If you read this book series when you were a little girl, then you’ll recognize how the plots of several books were woven together to create the film adaptation. Madeline’s appendicitis, Pepito the boy next door, Genevieve the dog, and the circus all make their appearance in this movie.

Closing Thoughts

Most of us 20- and 30-somethings have seen these movies — often over and over — and still watch them because they take us right back to our childhood and gives us all the warm fuzzies. 

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