For my next installment of the #ThrowbackThursday series, it’s only right that I cover my top ten early childhood movies. Having grown up in the 90’s, it would be easy for me to make a list of all Disney movie everything, but then that would be like acting like films like the Sandlot(which didn’t make my list) or the Little Rascals(which didn’t either) didn’t exist.
I’m not saying I had impeccable taste as a child (questionable taste at best) but these are the films that I would watch over and over again in my younger years.
1.) Space Jam
No matter how much Michael Jordan continues to tarnish his public perception/image over the years, it will probably never completely crumble away thanks to this movie.
First of all, Space Jam has one of the best movie soundtracks of the nineties ever. We’re talking about a soundtrack that has songs like “Fly Like an Eagle” and “I Believe I can Fly” on there, as well as a great song for Hip Hop Heads: “Hit Em High”
Plus the movie combined the Looney Tunes, at their peak of cartoon influence, and Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of that time period especially, into a movie that didn’t suck. In fact, Space Jam is actually pretty good, and I’d consider it to be a classic family movie. It’s funny, the acting is solid, and the plot, although exaggerated at certain parts, is pretty solid and entertaining throughout. I’m hoping this next generation of kids will enjoy this movie as much as I did when I was young.
Fun Fact: When I first got this film on VHS, I watched it every day for a month straight. My 7 year old self could quote this movie almost word for word.
2.) Lion King
If the infamous stampede scene didn’t grip your little heart and maybe even cause you to tear up a bit, then you my friend, simply do not possess a soul.
There are a lot of Disney movie that either haven’t stood the test of time, or just weren’t very good to begin with, but Lion King falls into the upper echelon of classic Disney films. The soundtrack, the story, the characters… all timeless. I could go on but no reason to go into further detail about things on which we all already agree right?
3.) Aladdin
Another Disney film with a great soundtrack, and it’s my personal favorite Disney film. Even though it would go on to have some of the crappiest, straight to video sequels in Disney history, Aladdin is another film that has aged really well. There are a lot of cultural references, specifically made by the Genie, that I didn’t catch as a child.
With the exception of one scene, the film never gets too dark, it’s full of memorable moments, and how can you dislike a movie with an underlying moral of being true to who you are because what’s on the inside is what matters the most?
4.) Surf Ninjas
Surf Ninjas is that film that, even as a child, you realize as being pretty cheesy. All the nineties male childhood trappings are there: Ninjas, Kung Fu, and surfing. Plus Ernie Reyes Jr. aka “Keno from Ninja Turtles” is one of the main characters in the movie. The cameo roles are all pretty random (Tone Loc, he of the Wild Thing and Funky Cold Medina fame, plays a cop) and the plot is one big melting pot of all the elements I previously mentioned before, resulting in something born out of the 3 Ninjas and Ninja Turtles era. You can file this under my ‘guilty pleasure’ of early childhood movies.
5.) TMNT II: Secret Of The Ooze
There’s a good number of people who are fans of the 90’s Ninja Turtles films so I figured it’s best that I get this out of the way first. Yes, I understand that the first film was better than the sequel and it followed the source material more accurately. Yes, Vanilla Ice is the best worst thing to happen in this movie, and yes, thanks to all the complaints from parents about the dark undertone of the first film, this film is undoubtedly catered to children and only children. With that being said, it’s still a great children’s movie.
It’s full of quotable lines, and works well as a comedy and action film. Even though the first film had a pretty good balance of drama, action, and comedy, the second film doesn’t take itself too seriously and just focuses on providing a fun cinematic experience.
Plus even the infamous Vanilla Ice Scene falls into the “so-bad-that-it’s good” category. I’d even argue that “Go Ninja Go” is far less of an audio offense than “Ice Ice Baby.” Yeah… I said it.
