90s Kids Movies: 16 Classics That Every Millennial Can Quote

Creepy, kooky and oddly relatable, this TV-to-movie reboot had a gothic family dealing with lost relatives and buried treasure. Older kids appreciated the dark humor, while everyone loved the loyal bond between siblings Wednesday and Pugsley.

Gordon Bombay, a slick lawyer doing community service, ends up coaching a ragtag youth hockey team. The real transformation? From self-centered adult to father figure.

This one hit home for kids with big dreams and no ice rink.

Based on the true story of Jamaica's bobsled team, this feel-good movie followed unlikely athletes chasing Olympic dreams.

It blended slapstick and heart, teaching kids that failure isn’t the opposite of success; it’s part of the ride.

When troubled boy Jesse frees a captive orca named Willy, the two form a bond that melts hearts. The story turned animal rights into a kids' concern and even prompted calls for the release of the real-life whale, Keiko.

A lonely girl finds a hidden garden and, with her new friends, brings it back to life. Moody, mysterious and healing, this film offered a quiet kind of adventure that spoke to kids who felt a little out of place.

Two dogs and a cat traverse mountains and wilderness to find their family. Chance, Shadow and Sassy were more than pets. They were main characters with full personalities.

Whether you were a young girl or young boy in the 90s, this was probably one of your favorite movies on VHS, providing an early lesson in loyalty and courage.

Before you knew what "hakuna matata" meant, you were humming it. Disney movies don't get more iconic than this animated tale of Pride Rock.

Simba, a young lion cub, flees home after his father Mufasa dies, only to return years later to claim his place in the circle of life. Big themes like grief, responsibility and redemption are wrapped in a musical adventure starring wild animals.

Tim Allen becomes Santa by accident on Christmas Eve. As the reluctant new St. Nick, he navigates fatherhood, magic and weight gain in a film that made kids wonder what would happen if their own dad turned into Santa overnight.

The first fully computer-animated feature film changed what kids expected from cartoons. Woody, Buzz and the rest of Andy’s toys showed us what happens when we leave the room—and what friendship really means.

It launched Pixar’s reign and made “To infinity and beyond” part of the 90s kid vocabulary.

Based on Roald Dahl's book, this movie gave us Matilda Wormwood, a telekinetic genius with neglectful, hilarious parents.

Her journey to outsmart the terrifying Miss Trunchbull and find a loving family—with the help of her kindergarten teacher, Miss Honey—struck a chord with kids who knew life wasn't always fair.

Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny team up to win a basketball game against aliens. It was the ultimate collision of cartoon physics and 90s celebrity, inspiring many a child to grab a ball and dream big.

A golden retriever joins a youth basketball team. That's the premise, and it's all you need. For kids who loved sports and dogs, it was a slam dunk, emphasizing that talent can come from unexpected places.

Part Tarzan spoof, part slapstick comedy, this movie starred Brendan Fraser as a vine-swinging hero who tries to adjust to modern life after moving from the jungle to the big city.

The plot? Bonkers. The humor? Perfectly pitched for kids.

This Pixar hit put insects in the spotlight. Flik, an ant inventor, gathers a band of misfit bugs to defend his colony from greedy grasshoppers.

Underneath the bug jokes were life lessons in courage, innovation and the power of the underdog.

Twins Annie and Hallie, separated at birth and raised by divorced parents, accidentally meet at summer camp and scheme to reunite their family.

Lindsay Lohan’s double role made this remake a beloved classic that showed kids how clever teamwork could beat grown-ups at their own game.

A boy befriends a towering robot who'd rather make friends than fight wars. Set during the Cold War, it tackled heavy ideas like fear, sacrifice and humanity, all through the eyes of a child and his best friend from space.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.