Top 10 Movies You Watched On Repeat As A Kid
#20: “Space Jam” (1996)
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Bugs Bunny and his Looney Tunes pals have been making us laugh on repeat for decades, and this 90s film was no exception. Threatened by sinister aliens, our favorite animated toons recruit NBA star Michael Jordan to help them earn their freedom. To do that, Jordan must help them become a winning basketball team. Just like classic Looney Tunes cartoons, the film was colorful, wacky, and packed with action. Even Jordan has a moment of animated magic during the final game. Overflowing with celebrity cameos, this was a movie made for kids that also appealed to sports fans. Just as kids have been rewatching Bugs and the gang for years, this movie was made to be played on repeat.
#19: “Hocus Pocus” (1993)
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You might think that three witches trying to suck the souls out of children doesn’t sound like a comic children’s film. However, the comedic genius of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy made kids giggle at every wickedly chaotic moment. Wacky faces, wild broomstick antics and colorful musical numbers kept this movie fast-paced and engaging. During a season of films that commonly give children nightmares, this one was campy fun for all ages. So, when you hear someone at karaoke belting out “I Put a Spell On You,” you can bet they played this movie on repeat every Halloween.
#18: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1990)
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As soon as the digital drums and keyboards start on this movie’s theme song, all of the nostalgia comes flowing back. Who are these mysterious heroes that live in the sewers of New York City? They’re four ninja-trained teenagers that just happen to be mutant turtles. Kids were dialed in to watch Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo fight crime, eat pizza, and learn important lessons about growing up. Each bodacious mutant had a distinctive personality and unique ninja weapon, so everyone had their favorite turtle to imitate. The combination of silly comedy and seriously radical fighting was just the right combo to make this movie a knock-out.
#17: “Spy Kids” (2001)
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You know your boring parents? What if they were spies? And they needed you to rescue them with cool gadgets? The premise of this unique movie instantly drew young people in. Why did they watch it again and again? Maybe because Carmen and Juni, the two charismatic leads, got to use inventions that came straight out of a child’s imagination. They also fought giant thumb thugs and psychedelic monsters that were inspired by their nightmares. The young sibling pair learned to work together, appreciate their family, and ultimately they saved the day. This wild romp of super saturated wackiness was so fun and bizarre that kids couldn’t look away.
#16: “Elf” (2003)
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When you're feeling down, nothing will lift your spirits better than Buddy the Elf. This heart-warming story is taken beyond the usual cheesy Christmas tale by Will Ferrell’s charming characterization. The adopted elf on a journey to find his human father is naive, but not dumb. He points out the goodness in life that we often overlook. Without Buddy would kids know how to appreciate a really good revolving door? Sure, it’s a Christmas movie, but since 2003, we’ve been putting it on repeat whenever we feel the need for a little extra cheer.
#15: “Finding Nemo” (2003)
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This underwater tale of a father’s search for his lost son was something that parents could easily relate to. You know that if the adults like it, it’s going to get played more often. For the young fans, this hero’s journey was an amazing look at the mysterious world under the sea and its fabulous creatures. It showed them how to get along with different personalities and reminded everyone that when things look dark you should “just keep swimming.” So, whether you loved the fish with a short attention span, the aggressively friendly shark or the super chill turtle, this movie takes its young viewers on an adventure of whale-sized proportions.
#14: “The Sandlot” (1993)
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Is it a sports movie about playing baseball? Yes and no; and that’s why kids loved it. This coming-of-age story was more about hanging out with your buddies during the summer than it was about playing the game. And for the main character, Scotty Smalls, it was about finding your way into a new group of friends. That’s something that anyone who’s felt like an outsider could connect with. “The Sandlot” was also about doing dumb things like chewing tobacco on a carnival ride and challenging the neighborhood’s scariest dog. In other words, what summer is all about. Sitting down for another inning of this feel-good comedy was always going to be a home run.
#13: “Beethoven” (1992)
Just as Beethoven sneaked into the house of the Newton family, this movie mysteriously found its way onto every kid’s television again and again. “Beethoven” is the story of a lovable St. Bernard who solves problems and frequently saves the day. He also causes quite a lot of destruction, which was a big part of the appeal. What could be funnier than a big muddy dog shaking slimy goo all over the uptight dad? From adorable puppy to big-hearted mastiff, this was a movie that dog-lovers couldn’t get enough of.
#12: “Ghostbusters” (1984)
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Why did parents in the 80s let their children watch this movie? It’s true that it had a cartoonish slime-ghost and a giant marshmallow man. Did that balance the constant deadly peril and characters getting turned into demon dogs? Well, since the ghost-hunting professors didn’t take any of these scary things seriously, kids could laugh at it as well. The hapless hunters cracked jokes, got slimed, and had the laser-enhanced backpacks that ended up on every Christmas wish list. Watching this comedy over and over felt like you were following in the steps of the Ghostbusters themselves by doing something you probably shouldn’t.
#11: “The Mask” (1994)
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Jim Carrey was the king of 90s comedies, and this off-the-wall film was another perfect vehicle for his physical humor. When timid Stanley Ipkiss put on a mysterious mask, he found that wearing it gave him the kind of wacky powers usually only found in animation. He could make crazy faces, break anything he wanted and teach jerks a lesson with magically appearing objects. Even though the masked persona could get violent, it didn’t have serious consequences. The green-faced alter-ego was a cartoon character brought to life in the real world, which is basically every kid’s dream.
#10: “Back to the Future” (1985)
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Start with a teenager who hates school, loves rock and roll, and isn’t understood by his family. Then, send him to the past in a really cool car! No wonder everyone was obsessed with this classic 80s film. Marty McFly spends the movie desperately trying to fix the mistakes he made in the past to get back to his life in the future. The focus on running out of time kept the tension high and the story fast-paced. It also showed kids that their parents used to be young and have the same kinds of problems they did. This movie’s popularity was as unexpected as a lightning strike, but kept us watching far into the future.
#9: “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982)
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Picture a group of kids flying through the air on their bicycles as a small blanket-covered alien rests safely in the front basket. This iconic moment made the kid-friendly sci-fi movie an instant classic. It featured normal suburban young people working together to help a timid alien get back home. Also, by filming with low camera angles, Steven Spielberg created a movie from a child’s point of view. The young viewers rarely saw adult faces, and so could identify with Elliott and his siblings as they protected the big-eyed extraterrestrial. After all, if they could do something so big, then maybe any small person could do important things too.
#8: “The NeverEnding Story” (1984)
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In this fantasy adventure, a ten-year-old named Bastian reads a very special book that leads to a grand adventure. Through the eyes of the young warrior, Atreyu, he explores a world plagued by an encroaching darkness. Just as Bastian became a part of the story through the book, the film audience was included in the adventure as well. That in itself was enough to keep kids watching. But this eerie film also didn’t shy away from the idea that sadness, like the Nothing, can steal hope. It reminded its youthful viewers that sometimes you can find joy again by allowing yourself to dream.
#7: “Labyrinth” (1986)
Sarah, frustrated by her annoying baby brother, wishes the goblins would take him away. Older siblings everywhere could sympathize. Of course, she didn’t really mean it, but David Bowie’s darkly glamorous Goblin King takes her up on the offer. On her journey through the labyrinth, the dramatic teen encounters a series of creepily cute characters who challenge her to take responsibility for her choices. This musical fantasy was full of catchy songs and some of Jim Henson’s finest puppet creations. It reminded us that your childhood imagination is always there when you need it.
#6: “Shrek” (2001)
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A hero who burps, makes rude remarks, and has a talking donkey for a best friend? What kid wouldn't watch that over and over? The cranky ogre who found his swamp overrun by displaced fairy tale characters was an instant favorite. Although “Shrek”’s broad humor was clearly targeted at young people, the parody of fairy tale tropes made it fun for adults as well. Pairing the amazing comic timing of Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy created a chaotic duo that kids just couldn’t stop watching. Like the catchy soundtrack of tunes that played non-stop in your head, this smash hit was also constantly on repeat.
#5: “Home Alone” (1990)
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It has to be assumed that many kids watched this movie over and over to memorize the traps and try them out on their siblings. But, that’s not the only reason we pushed play on the story of Kevin McCallister living home alone at Christmas. This sassy eight-year-old was blunt and sarcastic, but kind when it was called for. He ate ice cream for dinner and watched as much TV as he wanted. The bad guys were goofy criminals, but not so evil as to be truly scary. The humor was violent, but nobody really got seriously injured. Best of all, the ingenious child saved the day and a happy Christmas was had by all.
#4: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988)
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Who knew a combination of film noir and wacky animated characters would make for such a rewatchable adventure? The quality animation in this mad-cap movie made it seem possible that cartoons and real people could live in the same world together. So kids jumped right on board to see if Eddie Valiant would clear the hapless rabbit of murder charges. No matter how many times you watched this live-action and animated mashup, there was always something new to see. Whether it was Daffy Duck and Donald Duck playing dueling pianos or a Dumbo flyby, this was a movie that was always worth another viewing.
#3: “Toy Story” (1995)
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All children suspect that their toys come alive when they leave the room, and this movie proved it. The toys in this film had some of the same problems all young people have. Buzz Lightyear, a charismatic space ranger, felt a little lost in his new home. Woody, the long-time favorite toy, was jealous of Andy’s new friend. When Woody and Buzz are lost, they have to learn to accept each other and work together to succeed. The series of mishaps that occur along the way kept it from being too serious, and the odd couple energy of Tim Allen and Tom Hanks kept kids laughing to infinity and beyond.
#2: “The Goonies” (1985)
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Is there a more lovable band of outcasts than the quirky crew trying to save the Goon Docks? On a mission to save their home from evil developers, these teens go on an epic treasure hunt. Who doesn’t dream of finding a pirate ship full of treasure? The characters talked the way real kids do when adults aren’t around. The bad guys were threatening, but also fought like a family and made hilarious mistakes. And there will always be a special place in our hearts for Chunk and Sloth’s pure friendship. Full of physical comedy, danger, and the desire to save their home, “The Goonies” was a feel-good triumph as legendary as One-Eyed Willy.
#1: “The Princess Bride” (1987)
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With the perfect combination of drama, humor, action, and romance, this eminently quotable film appeals to kids in every generation. From brave Princess Buttercup to the dangerously clever Vizzini, each character is unforgettable and completely sincere. The story is simple but full of witty banter and original peril. If it starts to feel a little too serious or tense, the movie flips back to the sick boy hearing the story from his doting grandfather. It’s a fairy tale full of pirates, sword fights, friendship, and true love. Only watching this movie once? Inconceivable.
