Nostalgia affects us in strange ways. It can change the way we remember our childhoods. It can change the way we see people. I can even change the way we see movies. Looking back on all the great ‘90s kids movies, there are quite a few that are objectively bad or downright awful, but those of us who grew up watching them will defend them until the day we die.
Whether it’s something like Hook, Dennis the Menace, or even the first Super Mario Bros. Movie, here are 32 kids movies from the ‘90s I still like no matter what…
The Little Rascals (1994)
I was six when The Little Rascals came out in theaters, so I was pretty much the target audience for this revamp of the classic TV show of the same name. I’ve watched it countless times since then, and while there are some issues with the 1994 movie, it’s still a blast from the past. This was especially true when I introduced it to my kids.
Rookie Of The Year (1993)
My dad took me to see Rookie of the Year, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. A kid getting to pitch for the Chicago Cubs? Sign me up! A lot of things don’t add up in this iconic ‘90s kids sports movie; the dialogue is rough, and the acting is even worse, but it did give us “Funky Butt-Loving.”
Dennis The Menace (1993)
Dennis the Menace, the 1993 movie bringing the beloved comic strip character to the big screen, is not a great movie. It’s not even a good movie. However, I can’t sit here and act like I don’t have a soft spot for it, even iif it’s just because of the way Christopher Lloyd eats apples with knife.
Camp Nowhere (1994)
Camp Nowhere is one of those ‘90s movies I completely forgot about until much later in life. I think I watched it at a friend’s birthday party in the second grade, and had a great time watching it. Yeah, it’s a little much at times, but not enough to ruin the experience.
Hook (1991)
You know, I didn’t realize people didn’t like Hook until a few years ago. I spent most of my life thinking that this 1991 Steven Spielberg film (either my first or second theater experience) was universally beloved. Though there are some serious issues with this film, it’s hard not to get carried away by the wonder and joy of this fantasy adventure.
Super Mario Bros. (1993)
When it comes to faithful adaptations of video games, the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. movie is about as bad as it gets. However, this bonkers movie starring Bob Hoskins as the iconic plumber and Dennis Hopper as Bowser has such a distinct style that it’s hard to overlook. Is it good? No. Will I watch it again? You know it.
Little Big League (1994)
There are so many things that don’t make sense when it comes to Little Big League. How MLB would let a child hold a majority stake in a team and then let him coach said team is beyond me. However, this movie has Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson in the final act, and that’s still cool 30-plus years later.
Problem Child (1990)
Problem Child is essentially a zanier and less scary version of The Good Son. The tone is all over the place, Junior is a diabolical force of evil, and the shenanigans in this movie are too much. That said, if this is on when I’m flipping channels, I’m going to watch.
Angels In The Outfield (1994)
Is Angels in the Outfield a silly, predictable, and arguably preposterous movie? Yes to all three. However, this 1994 baseball flick has a lot going for it. With four Oscar winners (no, not for this movie), an oddly dark turn at the end, and some great physical comedy, this is a wild ride.
Man Of The House (1995)
Not to be confused with the similarly titled movie starring Tommy Lee Jones, Man of the House came out in 1995 and sees a young boy (played by Jonathan Taylor Thomas) go to war with his mom’s boyfriend (played by Chevy Chase). I went back and watched this with my kids a few years ago to see if it still holds up. It doesn’t, but it was a fun trip down memory lane.
George Of The Jungle (1997)
George of the Jungle, a movie that made a killing at the box office, is nothing to write home about. However, I can’t lie to you all and say that I don’t like the 1997 comedy’s fourth-walling-breaking nature or all that physical comedy. I don’t know if I would like this movie now if I didn’t see it as a kid, but again, nostalgia.
Air Bud (1996)
As much as it pains me to say this, I still like Air Bud after all these years. Am I going to watch this over other ‘90s sports movies? No, probably not. However, if I want to disconnect and show my kids an okay-at-best sports flick starring a dog that can play basketball, this is it.
Honey, I Blew Up The Kid (1992)
When I first got a Disney+ subscription, I watched Honey, Blew Up the Kid with my daughter, and she loved it. I mean she LOVED it. It got her off a days-long Frozen 2 binge with that massive toddler destroying the Las Vegas Strip. Though we both loved it, this isn’t a good movie. But does that really matter with a spectacle like this?
Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)
Tim Allen was on top of the world when Jungle 2 Jungle came out. He was between Toy Story movies, the star of one of the top-rated sitcoms on TV, and putting out hit movie after hit movie. Though this 1997 family comedy isn’t the comedian’s best movie, it’s still a fun, and shockingly heartwarming father-son story that I can’t hate on too much.
Suburban Commando (1991)
There have been a ton of great movies starring wrestlers over the years, but Suburban Commando is not one of them. This 1991 comedy starring the late Hulk Hogan as an intergalactic mercenary trapped on Earth is actually about as bad as it gets. Despite that, this is a movie that I still like to watch all these years later.
3 Ninjas (1992)
3 Ninjas is a wildly fun movie despite being a complete and utter mess. With more plot holes than anyone can count, scenes that make no sense, and some awful characters, there’s a lot to hate. However, I watched this with my kids and quickly remembered just how much fun you can have watching a bad movie.
First Kid (1996)
I watched First Kid so many times growing up, and probably racked up some massive Blockbuster late fees for my parents because of it. And while this 1996 movie starring Sinbad as a hapless Secret Service agent protecting the President’s kid probably doesn’t hold up, that inner-kid in me can’t get enough of the hijinks throughout this slapstick comedy.
Blank Check (1994)
Blank Check is a fundamentally flawed movie when it comes to the value of the dollar in 1994, tax laws, and that whole scene where a grown woman kisses a pre-teen boy who’s madly in love with her. But let me tell you, watching this is like opening a time capsule from the early-to-mid ‘90s. The style, the toys, the technology, all of it.
Richie Rich (1994)
My grandma took me to see Richie Rich, and I walked out wanting a McDonald’s in my house and a rollercoaster in my backyard. Neither came true, and I think this movie isn’t as good as I remember it all those years ago. However, this is another one of those not-so-good ‘90s movies that I’ll watch if its streaming somewhere.
Ladybugs (1992)
I had a friend who was obsessed with Ladybugs growing up, and we watched this 1992 Rodney Dangerfield movie about a guy making his stepson dress up like a girl to play soccer way too many times. Looking back, this is an awful movie that should be erased from the collective consciousness, but can I watch it one more time before it’s gone forever?
Inspector Gadget (1998)
The Matthew Broderick-led Inspector Gadget is a movie that shouldn’t work, and judging by its Rotten Tomatoes score, the 1998 live-action adaptation of a classic cartoon didn’t (critics and audiences both hate it). Despite this, I’ve always had a fondness for this wacky, dated, and forgettable movie.
Mr. Nanny (1993)
There’s a scene early on in Mr. Nanny where Hulk Hogan’s character is riding a motorcycle, and you can see a random guy throwing a dog in the water behind him. I don’t know how that made the final cut, but it’s one of the reasons I love this totally terrible kids movie.
The Big Green (1995)
The Big Green could be seen as Disney cashing in on the kids sports movie boom of the ‘90s or even The Sandlot (both feature Patrick Renna in major roles). It’s not original, it’s predictable, and it’s forgettable. However, whenever I watch it, I just start calling people Deputy Dog all day.
Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)
I am obsessed with Ernest movies, no matter how good or how bad they may be. This is why I can never hate on Ernest Scared Stupid, one of my childhood favorites. Yeah, it’s nowhere as good as Ernest Goes to Camp, but that’s a top-tier comedy that’s better than pretty much everything else released in the ‘80s.
Houseguest (1995)
Houseguest didn’t do anything original when it came to its plot – a con man on the run from the mob hides out with an unsuspecting family whom he’s also conning – but the pairing of Sinband and the late Phil Hartman just works on so many levels. It’s not a good movie, but you don’t have to be good to be funny.
A Kid In King Arthur’s Court (1995)
If you didn’t know any better, you’d think A Kid In King Arthur’s Court was a sequel to Rookie of the Year since both star Thomas Ian Nicholas as a baseball player in the early-to-mid ‘90s. Though nowhere as good as his 1993 sports comedy, the young actor’s 1995 fantasy film is way funnier than critics would make you think.
We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story (1994)
It seems like there were so many dinosaur movies in theaters in the years following the massive success of Jurassic Park. One that is often overlooked is We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story. Released in 1994, this animated adventure is more fun than it has any right to be, especially considering it’s not really that great.
Jack Frost (1998)
I’ll admit, Jack Frost is a terrible movie that is the stuff of which nightmares are made. However, there’s something so campy and earnest about this 1998 family comedy following a boy who connects with a snowman containing his dead dad’s soul. It’s one of those weird Michael Keaton movies after he stopped playing Batman but before his big resurgence, and I’m here for it.
Good Burger (1997)
My mom took my brothers and me to see Good Burger the summer it came out, and I guess we had two completely different experiences. The three of us loved this All That movie starring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell, but my mom was not about it. Like, at all. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that my mom was right, but I just can’t get this up.
Flipper (1996)
Flipper has a scene where Paul London’s character opens a coconut with his two fingers, and that’s about the best thing that happens in this 1996 movie. This movie is a total dud, but that scene gets me so amped up whenever this is on.
Leave It To Beaver (1998)
When I first saw the Leave It to Beaver trailer as a kid, I thought Christopher McDonald was going to be the villain since I basically only knew him from Happy Gilmore. Though I was disappointed to see him as the less-evil Ward Cleaver in this 1997 adaptation of the classic TV show, I’ve never been disappointed by this movie, despite it being an obvious cash-grab.
Small Soldiers (1998)
My godfather bought me a copy of Small Soldiers when I had my tonsils removed in the fifth grade, and I couldn’t get enough of this movie. Though it’s not as great as the 1991 action thriller Toy Soldiers, this kid-friendly action flick is nowhere near as bad as some make it out to be.