Blast From the Past: Your Favorite Childhood Movies
It would be impossible to get all your friends to agree on what the best movie was from when you were kids. Some would vote for the comedies, others the love stories, others the cartoons. What you'd probably agree on is how important they were to you, the crazy number of times you watched them, and the almost embarrassing amount you still remember about them. The following list has the movies (in no particular order) most memorable to me from my childhood. Enjoy!
Indiana Jones
Indiana “Indy” Jones was no superhero, but he certainly fought the bad guys like one. With his bullwhip, fedora, and leather jacket, Indiana Jones carved himself a place on my list of best-ever action heroes. He made me want to travel to ancient civilizations and exotic cultures, mastered all the phobias known to man, went face-to-face with Adolf Hitler, and once even had monkey brains for dessert. My favorite Indy scene has got to be the moment where he gets impatient and just shoots the guy who's challenging him to a sword-fighting duel. [Photo courtesy of Coventry Telegraph]
Beauty and the Beast
For me, the best moment from this movie was the magical reception prepared for the beautiful Belle, when she's invited by everything in the Beast's castle to “be our guest.” The Beast's table etiquette may be sub-par, but you know it's only a matter of time before he wins Belle over. Of course, there's no way I can forget about Gaston, the stalker on steroids. He had the looks, but his slimy personality made the Beast even more attractive. From the moment you saw this film onwards, you knew that judging a book by its cover was a big mistake.
Dumb and Dumber
Some people really are dumber than they look. Who would be dumb enough to trade in their van for a cheap motor scooter? Lloyd Christmas, that's who. And then there was Harry, who infamously managed to clog the toilet after taking care of business at his date's house. Remember the mockingbird song? Or the unforgettable scene where Mary Swanson turns Lloyd down as his potential girlfriend, but her “one in a million” response makes him think he actually has a chance? This movie was a reminder that what you're searching for in life might sometimes be staring at you right in the face. [Photo courtesy of The Trot Blog]
The Little Mermaid
Lets face it: Ariel was so hot that even little kids had crushes on her. Thanks to this movie, every boy who's swum in the ocean has secretly hoped he'll bump heads with a mermaid. And talk about the trials and tribulations of getting a first kiss! It's hard to rival a set of furious eels, an over-protective father, and a sea witch. Ariel gave up her voice in exchange for legs and still managed to sweep prince Eric off of his feet – in just three days! Sebastian the crab is another character firmly down on my list of favorites, not just because of the accent, but because he kept it real with his roots. I'm embarrassed to say I could probably still sing all the words to that Disney classic “under the sea” today.
Aladdin
This is definitely one of Disney's funniest movies ever. Though the storyline followed Aladdin, the genie tended to take the spotlight. Robin Williams did a fantastic job with his energy, humor, and many voices, making the genie an unforgettable character. This film made me wish I had my own magic carpet! I can't forget about the monkey Abu either. His sneaky and small frame always proved useful when Aladdin got in trouble. Let's be honest: princess Jazmin was beautiful, but she was never my favorite princess. Though she did earn my respect when she was willing to leave all riches behind to find true love and happiness. [Photo courtesy of Jinni Blog]
Charlotte's Web
Though the original Charlotte's Web movie was filmed back in the 70s, its popularity among grade school children throughout the country remained huge for years. We saw it at home and at school again and again. I learnt from this film that in order to be famous, a pig doesn't have to be able to fly; and that being the runt doesn't have to be a bad thing. Wilbur had such a big impact on me that he made me think twice before eating another pork chop, to the point where I practically became vegetarian. You always knew you could rely on Charlotte to play the motherly role and protect both Wilbur and our feelings. What this film taught me was that whether you are terrific, radiant, or humble, it's your friendships that are important.
Back to the Future
Back to the Future was an interesting movie (and series) for many reasons. The concept of time travel was an intriguing one. My imagination went in directions like never before as a result of this movie. What would you do if you went back into time and your mother started hitting on you not knowing you were her future son? You'd definitely make sure she hooked up with your future father. I loved that that Biff guy could never get the metaphor right: “why don't you make like a tree…and get out of here!” And as loony as Doc was, his crazy inventions were key to the adventures of Marty McFly. Fuelling your time traveling car with garbage? Genius. [Photo courtesy of CityPages]
A League of Their Own
After dealing with manager Jimmy Dugan, the whole Rockford Peaches team learned that there's no crying in baseball! Tom Hanks was hilarious in this movie. And the long pee scene certainly made for a memorable entrance! I felt bad for that girl who was so ugly her picture always had to be taken from afar. And remember that annoying pudgy little kid always yelling, “you're gonna lose!”? He definitely had that coming. I learned a bit about U.S. history in a time of war from this movie, and what that meant for women. As the movie illustrated, when an opportunity presents itself you just make the best of it.
Mrs. Doubtfire
Not all divorced fathers are as creative and persistent as Daniel Hillard in trying to spend time with his children. And Robin Williams was the perfect actor for the role of Mrs. Doubtfire with his amazing talent to create multiple voices and personalities. To stay in character may have been difficult, but it provided many hilarious scenes. Like when Mrs. Doubtfire set her boobs on fire. Or when she got walked in on in the restroom and was caught peeing like a man… It was only right that the hit single for the movie was Aerosmith's “Dude Looks Like a Lady.” [Photo courtesy of Digital TV]
The Sandlot
Even if you didn't grow up playing baseball, you had to love The Sandlot. The phrase “You're killing me Smalls!” is a classic, and it all started with Ham when he asked Smalls “you want a s'more?” The Sandlot even changed the way I used to tell a scary story, with the “For-ever…For-ever…For-ever” moment. And of course I envied Squints with his successful ploy to kiss the lifeguard Wendy by pretending to drown. With all the failed attempts to get back the lost Babe Ruth-autographed baseball, the PF Flyer shoes were a must-buy for extra speed to run away from “the Beast.”
Milo and Otis
If I were to watch Milo and Otis today, I'm sure all I'd think would be “how cute.” Watching it as a kid, though, this simple but creative film about the adventures of a cat and dog was far more than just cute. Milo and Otis were the epitome of a friendship. Whether battling crabs, going for unexpected swims, or falling into holes, they were always looking to help each other out. Milo and Otis proved that animals don't just roam and live freely, but have feelings too, and care about their families just as much as we do. [Photo courtesy of ScreenRush]
The Princess Bride
“As you wish” – three simple words that would define the love story of a princess and a humble farm boy named Westley. It was that simplicity that kept their love intact throughout the weaving of the complicated adventures of all the characters. It was only a matter of time before the search for the “six-fingered man” came to an end with the classic line “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father; prepare to die.” Apparently it was classy to chat before fighting back in those days, and of course there was always the option of a battle of wits. After so many battles and so much roller-coaster suspense leading up to Buttercup's rescue, Westley finally got the kiss that fulfilled his wish, making it one of the best bedtime love stories ever told.
Toy Story
After seeing Toy Story you finally knew that it was true: our toys do come to life when we're not present. After watching this movie, how could any kid blow up another toy again? How could you yell out Woody's name and not laugh? To infinity and beyond! Buzz Lightyear always took himself a little too seriously and Woody capitalized on that. Remember when Woody began to punk Buzz and his space helmet came off? Woody just kept making fun of him – “Buzz look, an alien!” This movie was so artfully crafted that even the outtakes were hilarious. [Photo courtesy of The Fire Wire]
Home Alone
Home Alone – Macaulay Culkin in his prime and slapstick humor at its greatest. After watching this movie, staying at home alone and booby-trapping your entire house seemed like the best idea in the world. Remember how you begged your parents to buy you the Talkboy tape recorder? That thing was awesome! It was either that, or the wandering tarantula. How many times did I go around impersonating the classic Kevin scream? Not enough times. Harry and Marv were the definitely the worst intruders and criminals in history. They were hit, shot, burned, tripped, cut, glued, and they always came back for more. Good thing Kevin was always willing to provide the fun.
The Lion King
The Lion King gets my vote for most memorable movie of the 90s. It had me hooked from the beginning with the African beats of the Circle of Life. I think that The Lion King was also my first encounter with death on screen, watching Mufasa meet his fate. Timon and Pumba were one crazy duo, but they were the perfect friends when Simba needed them the most. And of course they were there to tell him to relax when the stress and worry got all too much: Hakuna Matata! Simba and Nala's love scene made my heart melt, and though Ed was a bad guy, he was my favorite ever hyena with his uncontrollable laughter. And who can forget kung fu Rafiki! His lesson was to not be a coward, but to face the world and be the king (or the queen) of your own jungle. [Photo courtesy of Vikras Dreddy]
