Growing up in the 90s, family time typically meant watching movies together. My bio-dad enjoyed the adrenaline rush of sneaking into movies I definitely shouldn’t have seen, so I was watching flicks like Bedazzled when I was far too young to understand the jokes. My mother preferred to consume entertainment in the comfort of our home, so we would either rent tapes from Blockbuster or catch whatever movies were playing on repeat on one of those paid movie channels.
From Disney films with my siblings and anime with my cousin, to binging whatever old VHS tapes I could find in my grandmother’s cabinet, movies have played a large role in my upbringing. My tastes have certainly changed as I have grown and seen more of the world, but my favorites have remained largely the same. Read on to see my list, starting with #10.
Who knows? Maybe you’ll recognize some of them!
The following list may contain stills or summaries of scenes or plots that could include spoilers. Read at your own discretion.
10. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Here’s the obligatory “this movie came out the same year I was born” statement, haha. One of my earliest memories is of watching this at a sleepover consisting of my sisters and a childhood friend. From the hauntingly beautiful music to the quirky, creepy characters, I wanted to lose myself in Halloweentown. It’s a delightful film that instills the desire to find one’s purpose in life, be it temporary or everlasting, and I was no exception. Living with three older siblings in a household where individuality was stifled, I often felt lost and couldn’t express my thoughts or emotions well. Losing myself in this movie was the perfect escape.
9. Child’s Play (1988)
What do The Nightmare Before Christmas and the original Child’s Play movie have in common? Both films star Chris Sarandon! While I fell in love with his voice in my #10 pick, he certainly frustrated me with his indifference toward the concerns of a single mother. This movie reinforced two things for me: my fear of dolls, and my distrust of law enforcement officers. I’ve mostly overcome the former, but the latter? Nah.
This movie genuinely scared the ever-loving piss out of me as a kid–more specifically the Spanish dub. When you grow up in households where Spanish is one of the primary languages spoken, there’s always one TV that’s almost consistently tuned into those channels. It certainly gives this entire franchise a special place in my heart, much like my #8 pick.
8. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Yup, here’s another horror movie I definitely shouldn’t have seen as a child, let alone watched in Spanish.
What’s there not to like about this movie? Robert Englund portrays a depraved, revenge-driven madman with ease, Johnny Depp is a heartthrob and a walking green flag, and the film keeps you guessing. Will the evil dream man succeed? Will the heroine be victorious?
One of the things I love most about this film–something that didn’t really hit me until I was older–was how the movie starts with one protagonist, Tina Gray, who is being stalked by Freddy Krueger. The movie focuses on her above all else until her untimely murder by the dream fiend, after which the focus shifts to her best friend Nancy. This blew my mind–it’s one thing for a movie to offer up a sacrificial lamb in the beginning, a fake protagonist for the sake of drawing first blood. However, this went far beyond that. You were invested in Tina’s life and safety, only to have her killed off in a brutal fashion after 17 minutes. This leads to death after death of the rest of their friend group until Final Girl Nancy manages to thwart Freddy. In spite of the subpar ending, this movie is an all-time fave.
7. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Jim Carrey was a favorite in my household growing up. We had many of his movies on VHS, and my siblings and I still repeat his notable quotes to this day. Around the winter holidays, our favorite movie to watch is How The Grinch Stole Christmas–and while every iteration is good in its own right and has something to offer, the live action version that stars Jim Carrey as the titular character has won over the hearts and minds of many Americans. A wonderful tale about how Christmas (and any gift-giving holiday, really) isn’t about the amount or cost of the presents you receive, but about the time spent with loved ones. It certainly teaches a better message than Rudolph: The Red-Nosed Reindeer, which instills the false narrative that non-conformity is only forgiven if you are useful.
I’m sure people will hate my take on Rudolph. Feel free to go off in the comments.
6. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
If it wasn’t for the fact that I grew up in a very urban setting, there’s no doubt that I would have become a horse girl. We probably would have been kicked out of our third story apartment if we showed up with a large stallion, though, so that was out of the question. Of all the “kid finds self through owning a horse” movies I watched growing up, the one that stuck out the most to me was Spirit.
It presented a new perspective my young mind had not yet considered: the perspective of a horse, especially one that had only ever known freedom. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron makes you stop and think about how cruel it is to take an animal from its natural environment and keep it for yourself. This film also touches on the horrendous treatment indigenous tribes experienced at the hands of the U.S. Army, all in the name of “manifesting destiny”. It only makes sense from a plot standpoint that a young indigenous man would see himself in the wild stallion and form a bond that transcends the screen.
5. Lisa Frankenstein (2024)
You’ve probably noticed that the first five movies on my list are all favorites that have carried over from my childhood. Not this one! I’m in love with the return of 80s aesthetic in newer films, and I’ve been a fan of Robin Williams’ daughter, Zelda, since she contributed her voice to The Legend of Korra. Keeping those two points in mind, you can imagine how stoked I was when I learned that Zelda Williams was not only directing a film, but that she was directing a film written by Diablo Cody. This duo made a masterpiece, and her name is Lisa Frankenstein.
Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse’s acting chops are on full display. They rock their individual roles while complementing each other. This film has it all: tragedy, a party scene, an evil stepmother, a supportive sister, zombies, and a murderous power couple. It’s full of laughs and sweet, tender moments that made me shift my list around and bump Repo! The Genetic Opera down to #11.
Diablo Cody also revealed that she was inspired to write this movie after watching Jennifer’s Body, and that she considers the two films to be set in the same universe. Guess I’ll have to check out Jennifer’s Body now and make my own comparison!
4. Spirited Away (2001)
This is a great film and favorite for many anime fans, especially those who frequently watched Cartoon Network in the early to mid 2000s. For those who (somehow) haven’t seen it, it’s about a young girl who is en route to her new home with her parents. The small family gets lost on their way and find themselves in what appears to be an abandoned theme park–but after the girl’s parents consume sinful amounts of food at an unattended stall, it is revealed that they stumbled upon a refuge for spirits. Little protag Chihiro has to work in a bathhouse that caters to ghostly clientele while she and Haku, the mysterious boy who helps her, try to find a way to save her parents.
With pretty backgrounds specific to Studio Ghibli’s style, this film is as visually pleasing as it is heartfelt. Like many of Director Miyazaki’s movies, Spirited Away‘s ending is open-ended and deliberately ambiguous, leaving the viewer with bittersweet nostalgia. In my opinion, this is the perfect introduction to anime for those looking to dip their toes in the medium.
3. The Birdcage (1996)
This. This is the movie that my mother, grandmother, sisters and I watch whenever we get together. It’s literally become a tradition for us to put this on as our gatherings and holiday parties lead into the night. Once the kids have had baths and are in bed, its time for us to claim spots around the living room and put on The Birdcage!
This film boasts a star-studded cast, with talent like Nathan Lane, Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Christine Baranski, and Hank Azaria playing a cast of quirky characters that add to this movie’s surreal chaos. Williams and Lane play Armand Goldman, the owner of a drag club, and his long-time partner Albert, the star performer. Their son Val (played by Dan Futterman) visits from college to inform his outgoing parents that he has proposed to Barbara (Calista Flockhart), the daughter of a conservative senator who is known for his opposition to homosexuality. As the bigoted Keeleys are making the trip down to Miami to meet the Goldmans (while evading a political scandal), Armand has to decide between granting his son’s wish to pretend to be a heterosexual ambassador, or to stay true to himself.
This movie is hilarious and raunchy, with feel-good gems hidden amidst the comedy. Williams and Lane hit this one out of the park, portraying a couple that’s been together for over twenty years with ease. I’m not sure if they both had a hand in the script, or if they were allowed to riff off of one another, but this flick is a masterpiece. Surprisingly, my favorite scene of the entire movie isn’t even a funny one: it’s a heart to heart between the middle-aged couple as they share a quiet moment. This ends up being a gentle reprieve from the ensuing chaos of the rest of the film. I can’t find the full scene on YouTube, only a half-clip, so do yourself a favor and add The Birdcage to your watchlist. You won’t regret it.
2. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
I rewatch this movie about once a year. Typical of a Studio Ghibli flick helmed by Miyazaki, it boasts stunning visuals and gentle music paired with quiet scenes that lull you into a relaxed atmosphere, all of which contrast the harrowing plot. For those of you unaware, Sophie is an insecure milliner who becomes intrigued by the allegedly nefarious wizard Howl following a seemingly chance encounter (depending on which theory you subscribe to) in which he rescues her. Her interest leads her to cross paths with an evil witch, who places a curse on her that she is forbidden to speak about. Logical as always, Sophie decides to seek the witch out, only to unwittingly sign up to work for Howl in his magical moving castle.
Emily Mortimer, Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, and Josh Hutcherson lend their voices to this tale, bringing the novel by Dianne Wynne Jones to life for English-speaking audiences. It includes everything I love most in a movie: vibrant backgrounds, a female protagonist who becomes strong in her own right, a hot magical boyfriend, and an adorable found family dynamic. Throw in some unexpected twists, mild time travel, and true love’s kiss, Howl’s Moving Castle is one of the most popular animated films to come from this studio. I enjoyed it so much that I even bought the novel its based off of and its sequels; if you’re interested in a review on those books, let me know in the comments.
1. Whisper of the Heart (1995)
Here it is: my number one favorite movie of all time. After the list I’ve laid out for you, you’re probably wondering why this would be at the top. I’m not going to lie, it is the most underwhelming film after all of the horror, fantasy, and comedy I was gushing over. The truth is that I watch Whisper of the Heart whenever I find myself in need of creative motivation–and if you’ve never seen it, I’ll give you a brief rundown that should explain why.
This movie centers around Shizuku, a middle school girl with her head in the clouds. As an avid reader, she notices that the books she checks out from both the school and local library have the same name on the check out cards: the elusive Seiji Amasawa, whom she becomes enamored with as her imagination runs wild. In spite of this distraction, she manages to write lyrics for her friends to sing at their graduation later that year, reinforcing her status as an intelligent writer among her peers. When it comes to light that Seiji Amasawa is the same boy who picked on her multiple times over the break–and whom she shares a tender moment with in an antique shop–Shizuku has to reconcile her imagination with reality as the latter crashes down around her. As the dominoes fall into place, Shizuku decides she wants to become a writer, and sets out to complete a novel in an effort to prove to herself that she is worthy of Seiji’s attention.
This movie is perfect for 90s kids seeking that nostalgia kick. It’s set in Tokyo, with most of the film taking place in reality (save for a few dreamlike sequences depicting scenes from Shizuku’s novel). Whisper of the Heart features a love triangle between friends, an opposites attract-style romance between a realist and a dreamer, a sense of wonder, and cats!
What’s even more fascinating is that I’ve been a fan of Lofi Girl for years (wayyy before they changed their name from ChilledCow), so I can recall when the “lofi study girl” was actually just a clip of Shizuku!
I could go on and on about this movie that many deem too uneventful compared to others in Studio Ghibli’s roster, but let me just share this final point: my favorite scene.
After spending the evening at the antique shop owned by Seiji’s grandfather, Seiji walks Shizuku home under the starry sky, their main source of light coming from street lamps and passing cars. Shizuku compliments Seiji’s violin playing, which the boy downplays, admitting that his real intention is to travel to Italy and undergo training to become a violin maker. This leads to Shizuku confessing that she herself does not know what she wants out of her future, claiming that all she does is waste time. Seiji points out that while he knows what he wants to do, he may never get the chance to do it if his parents continue to disapprove of his chosen path–and even if he did manage to give it a shot, he might fail.
“I’ll just have to do my best and find out.”
– Seiji in Whisper of the Heart
Whisper of the Heart is a nice, slow-paced film that showcases an individual’s desire to stray from the path to chase their dreams. When I’ve hit a creative wall or I’m feeling down, I put this movie on and remind myself of why I write. The path I’m on may not be easy, but it is my path to walk.
Those are my Top 10 favorite movies of all time! Thanks for checking out this weird “Ranked” style list I’ve thrown together haphazardly. Are any of the films I listed in your Top 10? If so, or if you want to discuss any of my points further, leave a like and a comment! I respond within a day.
Happy reading–or, in this case, happy streaming.
Sisters of the Shadows 
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