Maybe I’m blinded by nostalgia , but I think the ’90s were a high point when it came to kids’ movies.
From animated Disney classics to unexpectedly popular comedies, the decade was full of Hollywood high points, especially if you were a kid.
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Let’s take a trip down memory lane and check out 20 of the best kids’ movies from the 1990s.
*Toy Story* (1995)
The first instalment in Pixar’s flagship franchise, Toy Story had incredible CGI for its time. Even now, more than a quarter of a century later, it holds up just fine — and that’s to say nothing of its excellent sequels.
*The Lion King* (1994)
The Lion King broke from Disney tradition somewhat, as it was based on an original story rather than a fairytale. A smash hit at the box office, it grossed nearly a billion dollars against a $45 million budget.
*Aladdin* (1992)
Yes, there’s a theme here: the top three films in this list are all officially Disney ventures. Aladdin came out right in the middle of what became known as the Disney Renaissance. After a shaky decade, Disney came back strong with hit after hit in the ’90s.
*Home Alone* (1990)
The film that made Macauley Culkin perhaps the biggest child star of the decade, Home Alone has become a holiday classic.
That said, I still don’t understand how Kevin’s family could have left him home alone all that time.
*Jumanji* (1995)
The special effects may look dated by 21st century standards, but at the time, there was no movie more visually stunning than Jumanji . This film revolves around a supernatural board game that causes trouble for anyone who dares play.
*Beauty and the Beast* (1991)
Disney’s landmark 30th animated feature film, Beauty and the Beast has a bit of a weird plot, where Belle is kidnapped and experiences Stockholm Syndrome. But the visuals are nice, the songs are good, and the voice acting is top notch.
*The Sandlot* (1993)
A baseball movie set in early ’60s Los Angeles, The Sandlot tells the story of a ragtag baseball team that has to do battle with rival teams and, eventually, a giant dog. It also introduced, “You’re killing me, Smalls!” into the vernacular.
*Mrs. Doubtfire* (1993)
Expert makeup and convincing acting combined to transform Robin Williams into a charming British nanny. The film has an all-star cast that also features Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, and child star Mara Wilson. It grossed a whopping $441 million at the box office.
*Toy Story 2* (1999)
After the smash success of 1995’s Toy Story , a sequel was all but inevitable. Four years later, at the tail end of the decade, Toy Story 2 was released to universal acclaim. Once again, the plot centers around Woody and Buzz.
*Casper* (1995)
A live-action adaptation of an old cartoon, Casper is a movie with a big heart. Christina Ricci leads the way, while Bill Pullman, Devon Sawa and Eric Idle help fill out the cast. Like other movies on this list, the CGI looks dated today but looked great at the time.
*Matilda* (1996)
Three years after the success of Mrs. Doubtfire , Mara Wilson came back with a starring role in Matilda , based on the book by Roald Dahl. Wilson plays Matilda Wormwood, a precocious child prodigy who has to cope with a difficult family.
*Hocus Pocus* (1993)
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy team up to play a trio of witches in Hocus Pocus . While it received mixed reviews on release and was a modest box office success, it’s gone on to become a cult classic.
*Hook* (1991)
A swashbuckling adventure, Hook spares no expense in immersing the viewer into its fantastic world. Steven Spielberg directs and Dustin Hoffman steals the show as Captain Hook, while Robin Williams plays an adult Peter Pan in this reimagining of the classic tale.
*The Parent Trap* (1998)
The film that introduced Lindsay Lohan to the world, The Parent Trap was a 1998 hit that was actually a remake of a 1961 film that went by the same name. Lohan helps carry the film by playing a pair of twins.
*Space Jam* (1996)
Unlike 2021’s brand-obsessed remake, 1996’s Space Jam had a certain charm that’s hard to recapture. It combines well-known Looney Tunes characters with stars like Bill Murray, Wayne Knight, and — oh yeah — Michael Jordan himself.
*The Mighty Ducks* (1992)
Kids’ sports movies are nothing new, but kids’ hockey movies were virtually unheard of before The Mighty Ducks . An unexpected success, it spawned sequels and even served as the namesake for a National Hockey League expansion team.
*The Little Rascals* (1994)
Based on a series of short films that began all the way back in the 1920s, The Little Rascals still found a way to resonate with ’90s audiences. The main cast didn’t feature many stars, but there were cameos aplenty, including the Olsen twins, Whoopi Goldberg, and Mel Brooks.
*The Addams Family* (1991)
A creepy, virtually monochromatic family based on characters created by a cartoonist decades earlier didn’t sound like it would be a big hit, but The Addams Family defied expectations.
Along with Casper , this makes two creepy Christina Ricci movies on this list.
*Home Alone 2: Lost in New York* (1992)
The sequel to 1991’s Home Alone , Lost in New York stepped everything up a notch. While Harry and Marv did battle once again with Kevin McCallister, the action moved to the larger stage of New York during the holiday season.
*Mulan* (1998)
While it didn’t reach the same dizzying heights of success that Disney’s other animated features did, Mulan featured a strong, original story and excellent voice cast. It grossed over $300 million and earned a Golden Globe award, along with an Academy Award nomination.
