1. The Little Rascals

The He-Man Womun Haters Club spoke to my cootie-fearing being during those single digit years. This one always stood out for being consistently hilarious and having some of the most memorable characters.

2. The Sandlot

I never played baseball as a kid. But even so, The Sandlot reached childhood-defining status. The misadventures of the team were a crazy spectacle. I’ll always remember the flash-forward at the end of the movie.

3. Home Alone 3

This was the only Home Alone that we owned on VHS—and I ended up seeing this one before the previous two. Nevertheless, seeing a kid outdo adults with Rube Goldberesque engineering never gets old.

4. Free Willy

I remember shaking a fist at the TV screen, verbally threatening the bad men being mean to the whales. It’s a legendary movie, regardless of your age when you watch it.

5. Spy Kids

This was the bomb diggity. Everything in the movie, from the spy tech and outrageous creatures to the underlying comedy tickled my fancy as a kid. Another easily rewatchable one that stands out from childhood.

Runner-ups include: The Wizard of Oz, The Mighty Ducks, and Space Jam. 

See also: 5 animated movies that defined my childhood