I’ve probably watched hundreds of movies, but the ones from my youth hold a special place in my heart. It hasn’t been too long since my childhood ended. However, nostalgia can make anything seem like a distant memory. So, I decided to take a walk down memory lane and rewatch the movies I cherished as a child.
“Lemonade Mouth”
Rewatching “Lemonade Mouth” made me come to the conclusion that it will forever be my favorite Disney Channel Original Movie. Not only does it teach kids to question authority, but the featured music in the film is perfection. I can’t blame my younger self’s obsession with its soundtrack because I found myself jamming out to each song as the movie played. Surprisingly, I found that I didn’t cringe as much as expected. Truth be told, I only cringed once, which is rare for a movie on Disney Channel to make me do. Honestly, “Lemonade Mouth” certainly hits the same as an adult — maybe even more.
“High School Musical 3: Senior Year”
Like the majority of Generation Z, the “High School Musical” franchise ruled my childhood. In fact, I still remember dragging my dad to the last “High School Musical” movie premiere when I was 5 years old. It was certainly bittersweet rewatching this movie 13 years later freshly out of high school. It felt like I took a time machine back to my childhood. A small part of me wants to say that this movie was revolutionary, but I honestly think that’s my nostalgia talking. For the most part, “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” would probably be my least favorite in the trilogy. However, I still hold a lot of sentimental value to it.
“The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl”
Moving away from Disney Channel Original Movies, “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl” was a personal favorite during my youth. From the ages of 5 to 9, I probably watched it at least twice a year, which I find bizarre now. While rewatching other movies felt like a trip down memory lane, this one felt like a fever dream. For a 90-minute movie, there were lots of moments that had me thinking, “What just happened?” However, I can’t deny that this movie made me laugh several times — whether intentionally or not. While “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl” doesn’t hold up as an adult viewer, I did have quite an interesting time rewatching it.
“Spirited Away”
It wouldn’t be fair for me to binge-watch movies from my childhood if I didn’t include my favorite animation of all time, “Spirited Away.” I remember how this movie scared me the first time I watched it as a kid. I even refused to eat rice for a month because of the scene at the beginning where the main character’s parents turn into pigs. My fear of the movie soon turned into admiration as I watched it a few more times. During my teens, it even held a place in my top five favorite films. It’s been a good amount of time since I’ve rewatched “Spirited Away,” but I’m glad that I did it. No matter how old I get, this film never fails to enchant me with its beauty and storytelling.
I greatly enjoyed taking time out of my week to sit down and watch movies from my childhood. Rewatching movies isn’t as boring as one thinks. It’s interesting to see how your taste has evolved or stayed the same over the years. So if you’re ever feeling nostalgic or want to revisit the past, it’s not a bad idea to watch movies you used to cherish!