Penelope Spheeris's family film The Little Rascals remains a touchstone of '90s family-friendly fare. Showing the immaturity and ineptitude of a group of girl-hating kiddos, the film manages to be hysterical while also making insightful points about gender attitudes and what it means to be a true friend.
The Little Rascals follows cow-licked Alfalfa who tries to win over his sweetheart Darla. Things hit a roadblock when Alfalfa's buddies, the He-Man Woman Haters Club, find out about the blossoming courtship and do everything they can to stop it. Plenty of other shenanigans go down during the film and fans of it would also enjoy these movies.
10 Heavyweights (1995) - Available To Stream On Disney+
At a camp for overweight boys, a deranged fitness fanatic buys Camp Hope from its kindly bankrupt owners and turns the place into a hell for the youngsters. The campers and their good-hearted counselors Pat and Tim make plans to stage a revolt against the cruel meathead in charge. This film served as many of the cast's early filmography, including actors Ben Stiller and Kenan Thompson as well as directors/writers Paul Feig and Judd Apatow.
One of Ben Stiller's funniest lines is uttered in this movie when he says, "Attention campers. Lunch has been canceled due to lack of hustle. Deal with it." A story that promotes inclusion and self-acceptance, Heavyweights is an underrated family-friendly gem that communicates a great message.
9 Little Giants (1994) - Available To Rent On YouTube
Little Giants is the story of two opposing brothers who coach little league football teams; one is an elite team and the other a group of ragtag misfits. Starring Rick Moranis and Ed O'Neill as the warring siblings, the film was cast perfectly. The audience believes in the tense dynamic between the two brothers.
One brother, played by Moranis, is bookish and timid while the other brother, played by O'Neill, is an aggressive and competitive jock. This underdog story is fondly remembered by '90s kids who played their VHS tape of Little Giants endlessly.
8 Life With Mikey (1993) - Available To Stream On Disney+
A has-been former child star takes a troubled youth under his wing and makes her the star of his fledgling talent agency in Life with Mikey. Micheal J. Fox is the titular Mikey, playing the lovable screw-up who forms a close friendship with his new client.
Fox charms the audience into rooting for this smart-aleck goofball despite the character's selfishness. Perhaps not one of Michael J. Fox's best movies, Life with Mikey is still a funny and endearing film that is perfect to watch for all ages.
7 Doctor Dolittle (1998) - Available To Stream On HBO Max
In this remake from the '90s, a talented doctor reestablishes his gift to talk to and understand animals after a car accident. With Dr. Dolittle's job promotion on the line, his newfound gift becomes more of a curse as he is called upon to help an ailing circus tiger.
Using the comedic talents of the hilarious Eddie Murphy as well as a slew of celebrity voiceovers like Chris Rock as Rodney the guinea pig, this animal-packed feature is heartwarming. Much like The Little Rascals of 1994, this Doctor Dolittle film is more fondly remembered by Millennials and Gen Z than its original, older counterpart on which it is based.
6 Troop Beverly Hills (1989) - Available To Rent From Google Play Movies
A posh housewife distracts herself from her impending divorce by becoming the den mother of her daughter's girl scout troop. The girls' troop then becomes threatened to be disbanded by a rival troop, causing the privileged scouts to put their wilderness skills to the test with the help of their city-dwelling den mother. For a film revolving around the richest of Los Angeles, it should come as no surprise that the costumes are a highlight, eye-catching, and, at times, at its '80s gaudiest.
With so many great quotes from den-mother Phyllis, the film has an incredibly clever script. Further, the implicit feminist message serves as a great point of guidance for the young target audience of Troop Beverly Hills. Surprisingly, not a hit upon its release, the movie has since been stamped as a cult classic.
5 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) - Available To Stream On Disney+
With practical special effects that often best anything made with CGI these days, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids remains a perennial favorite of those who love imaginative tales. The film revolves around a wacky inventor who creates a shrinking machine that his kids and the battling neighbor children inadvertently get miniaturized by.
Through intervening events, the children must navigate their way through the gigantic front yard and back to the shrink ray in the attic to get back to normal size.
4 Matilda (1996) - Available To Rent From Vudu
Based on the classic children's book, Matilda is the story of gifted child Matilda Wormwood who is underappreciated by her crude and rude family. On top of her dismal family life, Matilda, among her school chums, has to contend with bullying headmistress Agatha Trunchbull. However, these tormenting adults meet their match when Matilda discovers she has telekinetic powers and uses them to help her peers and goodnatured teacher, Ms. Honey.
The film portrays such challenges that children face in reality like domineering authority figures but dials up the ridiculousness of the villains. As a result, kids and adults can enjoy and even relate to the cartoonish portraits of the frustrating grown-ups of the film.
3 Richie Rich (1994) - Available To Stream On Hulu
Starring the most famous child star of the '90s, Macaulay Culkin is the eponymous Richie Rich in this movie adaptation of the Harvey Comics character. The plot revolves around uber-rich kid Richie Rich whose parents mysteriously disappear. Richie suspects a sneaky executive of the family company so he enlists a group of kids to help him solve the mystery while bonding with the scrappy peers.
The movie portrays Richie's life as many '90s kids' dream; a McDonald's in his mansion, a giant gumball machine, and all the toys in the world. However, the film does an exemplary job of proving that all those material possessions are not what makes Richie truly happy. Instead, it is Richie's family and, later, his friends that give him his greatest joy.
2 Good Burger (1997) - Available To Stream On Netflix
After a corporate burger chain sets up across the street, doofy Ed and cunning Dexter conjure up a winning secret sauce to save their Good Burger workplace from being overtaken by competing Mondo Burger. But, the secret sauce ends up getting in the wrong hands, causing all sorts of wacky precipitating events.
The movie is adapted from a popular skit on the '90s iteration of the Nickelodeon sketch show All That. From its colorful visuals and offbeat tone, Good Burger remains a silly comedy that viewers of all ages can enjoy.
1 The Sandlot (1993) - Available To Stream On Disney+
When gawky boy Smalls moves to a new town in the summer of 1962 he becomes a teammate and friend of a rowdy baseball team. Famous for the line "You're killing me, Smalls!" The Sandlot is an enduring classic about friendship and innocent adolescence.
Portraying the uninhibited obnoxiousness as well as the naivete of young boys, the film veers from gross-out humor to tender moments of support the friends show each other. This careful balance keeps the film from becoming one-note, helping The Sandlot to remain relevant for the next generation of viewers.
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