The 1990’s and early 2000’s were a different time for cinema. CGI was about as primitive as a coconut knee drum. VHS tapes were things that existed. It was a different time indeed, but it was full of flicks that have only gotten better with age.

It’s been quite some time since you were a kid, so allow me to hit you with a list of ten childhood classics you should totally watch again.

1. Blank Check (1994)

An American comedy film and a childhood treasure, Blank Check tells the story of Preston Waters, an 11-year-old boy who (somehow) successfully cashes a $1,000,000 check. Extravagant purchases such as a castle, a go kart track, and a top-of-the-line limo service made this movie every kid’s financial fantasy.


2. Phantom of the Megaplex (2000)

Disney Channel Original Movies were the bomb dot com back in the day. Based loosely on The Phantom of the Opera, this flick focuses on a handful of strange happenings at a movie theatre. It’s like a murder mystery without the murder, because kids.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6sEBqggGq0


3. 3 Ninjas (1992)

My goodness, the nostalgia in the air is thicker than this season’s pollen count. 3 Ninjas is a martial arts comedy film about three young brothers who learn martial arts from their grandfather. These bros will like superheroes in my eyes, and I think they’re the reason I took karate for more than one year.


4. Space Jam (1996)

MY ALL TIME FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MOVIE. As an avid basketball fan, Space Jam was my sh*t. If you didn’t play this VHS over and over again while windmill dunking on your Fisher-Price basketball hoop, what were you even doing as a little tike? It currently has a 38 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes but it holds a 100 percent score in my heart.


5. The Sandlot (1993)

Did you really think this movie wouldn’t show up in the list? The Sandlot is an American staple. It’s like a hotdog on the Fourth of July. I’m going to spare you the plot points and assume you know, but if you don’t: shame on you. Oh, and ICYMI, the stars of the film recently had their 25 year (*GASP*) reunion on the TODAY show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QDq-e1GbjE


6. The Even Stevens Movie (2003)

I am ROFL just thinking about this one. Another Disney Channel Original Movie, this epic adventure debuted on the network in 2003 and took 5.1 million viewers to a fictional island called Mandelino with the Stevens family. For those who don’t remember, Louis (Shia LaBeouf) and the gang head to the island for vacation, before they discover that they’re actually on a show called Family Fake Out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqoTRJvCeEk


7. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

Jim Carrey is the king of physical comedy, and this flick essentially kick started his film career. After all, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber both debuted later that year. For a good laugh, there’s nothing better than watching the comedian hunt down an abducted bottlenose dolphin mascot two weeks before the Miami Dolphins play in the Super Bowl. What an outrageous plot.


8. Under Wraps (1997)

This made-for-tv movie was perfect for the Halloween season. The film follows two 12 year olds as they discover a clumsy, confused mummy being sold by a bad, bad man. If I remember correctly, the mummy also has a mummy girlfriend that appears at the end of the film. Talk about undying love.


9. Spy Kids (2001)

This movie must have cost my parents hundreds of dollars in spy gear. The first of four films in the franchise, Spy Kids throws two siblings, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara) into Fegan Floop’s castle to battle Thumb-Thumb robots and save their parents. The film is basically a children’s version of Mission: Impossible.


10. Big Daddy (1999)

This is a classic comedy film, and probably one of the more mature movies you watched as a kid. Sonny Koufax (the iconic Adam Sandler) is a deadbeat 32-year-old who works one day a week and lives off a payout from a small accident. That is, until 5-year-old Julian (Cole and Dylan Sprouse) shows up at his door looking for a father. The film features an outstanding cast, including Jon Stewart, Leslie Mann, Rob Schneider, Steve Buscemi, and David Spade.

About the author

Joe Ibraham

Joe Ibraham

Joe Ibraham is the Art Director at the Toy Insider, the Toy Book, and the Pop Insider. He creates all graphic content for the Toy Insider, the Pop Insider, and the Toy Book social channels, including promos and stagnant graphics, as well as all signage, programming, and media graphics for various networking events. Joe shoots, edits, and manages all YouTube content for the Toy Insider and Pop Insider brand, including Play by Play videos, event videos, and other promotional videos. When he's not in the office, you can find Joe in the gym or hanging with his friends and family. He loves music, basketball, and art in a variety of forms. He STILL wonders why Drake and Josh is not available on Netflix.

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