Childhood Movies

Is it in children's nature to fixate on something and never tire of it? Is this just good marketing and sales? What is it about a purple dinosaur or a little clown fish that enables a corporation to see dollar signs?

I'm almost 25 and I have a dozen movies that I would watch daily if time allowed. But they are movies for adults. I think I'd go nuts if I had to watch the same children's movie every day. How did my parents stand it? Each time we were home sick from school, our mom would rush out to the video store to re-rent the same titles.

What compelled us to watch these movies over and over? And why didn't my mom just buy them to save herself the trip?!

Here are a few that we watched as if they were our religion:

Troop Beverly Hills: This became a favorite when I was actually in Girl Scouts but I watched it with friends and with my mom long after I quit. Looking back, the movie had a really great message.

Favorite Quotes: “She permed me!”

Princess Bride: I’ve seen this so many times that I can’t pinpoint when I first saw it or even accurately ballpark how old I might have been. What’s important, though, is that somehow we decided to watch it and, cliché as it may be, it’s still one of my favorite movies. When I first started dating Mike, we were delighted to discover that we could recite whole scenes to each other. We don’t have a song that “our song” but if we have an “our movie” and the Princess Bride is it.

Favorite Quotes: Almost the entire movie is quote-worthy but our favorites are the typical favorites: “You killed my father, prepare to die” and “Inconceivable!”

Adventures in Babysitting: Before Elizabeth Shue was an Oscar-nominated hooker, she was the toughest babysitter in the world. Also led to one of my family’s favorite songs: Then He Kissed Me by The Crystals, which plays during the opening credits.

Quote my family still repeats to each other: “How fast do your parents go?” “50. 60?” “We’ll go 80!”

Police Academy 5: My brother and I were introduced to this movie by the only male babysitter we ever had. We instantly loved both the babysitter and the movie.

Favorite Quote: We didn’t really have one, but we loved the guy who did sound affects with his voice and the teeny female cop with the squeaky voice who always yelled.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Did the cartoon TV series pre-date the movie? I can't recall, but we lived and breathed Turtles as kids. The TV show after school, the movie on loop, our turtle costumes, turtle birthday cakes and turtle pajamas and t-shirts. Now that I'm an adult, turtles make less sense than Power Rangers (which I know nothing about, but at least they're people... right?) but what a great marketing idea!

Favorite Quote: "Ninja kick the damn rabbit!"

Naked Gun 2 1/2: Who doesn't love 70's humor? This is one of those movies, like Ace Ventura, that I watched at a young enough age that many of the jokes went right over my head. Years later, the jokes took on new meaning. Everyone can relate to this, which is why I never understand why parents freak out about sexual jokes... kids don't get them! Their minds are not being corrupted!

Favorite Quotes:
Commissioner: Do you realize that because of you this city is being overrun by baboons? Lt. Frank Drebin: Well, isn't that the fault of the voters?