In 2022, it’s like a new, “must-see” movie is released every week. It can be overwhelming, trying to catch up on all of the blockbuster films that people are talking about, especially as Oscar season rolls around. Therefore, we think it’s important to take a second, breathe, and look back at the movies that helped shape us at a young age. Here are some forgotten movies from our childhood that are still, deep down, our favorites:
I have an emotional attachment to Monsters vs. Aliens because it was the first movie I remember seeing in 3D in theaters, and I think the humor from the movie still holds up. The major celebrity voice actors like Seth Rogarn, Rainn WIlson, and Reese Witherspoon work perfectly with the crazy plot, and I love how original and all over the place the storyline and characters were. And for kids, what else was funnier than having a blue blob named “BOB?” In Dreamworks fashion, there are enough adult jokes thrown in and genuinely funny lines throughout the movie to still be entertaining and endearing to me and my friends today.
- Maria Sell ‘23
I think we all grew up with a favorite American Girl movie, and I always had Samantha: An American Girl Holiday playing on repeat as a kid. I loved the characters, outfits, scenery, and the very dramatic plot of Samantha saving her friends from being child laborers in the city. However, the scene where a young boy working in a factory gets impaled by a sewing machine needle traumatized me and revolutionized young audiences to believe in safe workplace conditions and worker compensation.
- Maria Sell ‘23
After the Olympics, I was suffering from a bit of “figure skating withdrawal,” so I figured it was time to revisit one of my favorite movies: Ice Princess. This movie about a science nerd turned star skater was truly one of the defining movies from my childhood, and the catalyst for my obsession with figure skating as an adult. Watching Casey Carlyle fall on her triple salchow, see her mother in the audience, and continue on to place second, with “Reaching for Heaven” playing in the background always fills me with joy. I honestly wish this movie had a sequel, because it’s one of the best figure skating movies out there.
- Ellie Wagner ‘23
The best movies from childhood are the ones that still hold up when you watch them a decade later. One of my favorite examples of this is The Lizzie McGuire Movie. I didn’t watch this movie between 2010 and 2020, but when I sat down to watch it during quarantine, I instantly found myself remembering all the little details. This movie has Hillary Duff, Italy, doppelgangers and horrible 2000s fashion…what more could you ask for? And if the fun and foolish storyline isn’t enough to keep you hooked, the song “What Dreams Are Made Of,” is a bop and will be stuck in your head for days after watching.
- Caitlin Boyd ‘24
My favorite childhood movies are the ones that I watched with my sister. We were big fans of the Barbie film franchise and had movie nights where we watched almost all of them. Some of our favorites were Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses, Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper and Barbie: Fairytopia. Our all time favorite was, of course, Princess and the Pauper. The classic song, “I Am a Girl Like You,” always prompted us to sing along. These movies were all iconic and I am not ashamed to say that if I watched any of them today, as a college student, I would still enjoy them. The nostalgia and fond memories I associate with them ensures that these movies will always occupy a place in my heart.
- Sarah Hennig ‘24
As a child, I had an avid obsession with fairies, namely those from the Pixie Hollow universe. Watching the Tinkerbell movies were some of my particular favorite ways to indulge in my love for these magical beings. I grew out of the movies by the time the fourth one rolled around, but those first three films will always hold a special place in my heart. I wanted nothing more than to be that little girl in the third movie who befriends Tinkerbell. I definitely lived vicariously through her, and hoped that the many fairy houses I built in the woods would one day attract a fairy friend of my own. I had the first two soundtracks on CDs which I played profusely from my Hello Kitty radio. I still consider those songs to be some of the catchiest tunes to come from the Disney Channel stars (Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato don’t disappoint).
- Hannah Grinnell ‘24
As a child, I clearly remember checking the same two movies out of my public library week after week: The Last Unicorn and The Lion King 1 ½. The first is a classic, 1982 animated movie with a breathtaking soundtrack recorded by the band America. My little-kid mind was enraptured as I watched the story follow the beautiful last unicorn as she journeys to free the rest of her kind from the terrifying Red Bull. She encounters magic, faces heartbreak, and makes friends along the way in this ultra emotional film. In all honesty, I rewatched The Last Unicorn recently for the first time in years, and I was confused as to how I was so in love with a movie lacking any humor with, frankly, terrifying animations. However, there is no hiding the impact that this movie had on my childhood. The other movie that was a staple in my life growing up was The Lion King 1 ½, a sequel to one of the greatest films of all time, but told from the perspective of the side characters Pumbaa and Timon. It’s hilarious, it’s inspiring, and the original music is sure to get stuck in your head instantly.
- Lara Beckius ‘24