Just like a lot of people have over quarantine, I spent some time redecorating my room and catching up on some old movies and tv shows. Cleaning up my drawers and other miscellaneous pieces left from middle and high school naturally made me feel nostalgic. Read on to find out the top movies I watched during quarantine that made me feel like a kid again.
The Parent Trap (1998) ★★★★☆
I felt just as connected to this movie during quarantine as I did throughout my childhood. The movie stars Lindsay Lohan who plays twin sisters who were separated as babies and reunite almost 12 years later at a summer camp. They come up with a plan when they leave camp, that they’ll switch places to meet the other parent they didn’t have the chance to meet yet. So, one twin goes home to their dad in California while the other meets their mother in London. This plan feels full-proof to them because they’ll get to spend a few weeks with the parent that didn’t raise them and then the parents eventually have to switch them back – all in the hopes the parents rekindle their relationship.
I felt close to this movie when I was younger because I realized the movie was released in my birth year and the twins’ birthdays were in October just like mine. This resonated with me as the twins, Hallie and Annie were around the same age as me in the movie as I was when I first watched the movie. In a more grown point-of-view, I see that this movie’s really easy to follow along and has a great soundtrack with hits like “L-O-V-E” by Nat Cole King and “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. This movie’s available on Disney+ and it’s great to watch for a casual night in with friends, family or by yourself so you can bask in your nostalgia.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2007) ★★★★★
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” made a big impact on my childhood and I could only catch a few episodes On-Demand or late at night on Nicktoons, until it finally arrived at Netflix in May 2020. I felt a mix of emotions when trying to watch the show all over again. Most importantly, I was worried I wouldn’t feel the same way I did when I was a kid. I remember it being funny and lighthearted, yet dramatic and action-packed to provide a balance of moods and emotions for the audience. And yes, it lived up to my expectations.
The cartoon show seemed better and more intricate for me and I quickly realized I felt close to a show like this due to the various Asian elements they use. As an Indian-American, I don’t see a lot of representation among myself and for other Asians. The show included characters, elements and other factors that are heavily inspired by Asian cultures. For example, the four bending disciplines are based on different types of Chinese martial arts. Even the spirituality that is a part of the Avatar’s being is inspired from beliefs of Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism. The four nations have different blends of cultures; the Southern and Northern water tribes were inspired by the arctic lifestyle and clothing of natives from Oceania, Native Americans, Mongolia, Japan and India. The Earth Kingdom, the largest of the four, is also the most diverse. While the capital resembles China and its Great Wall, the neighboring towns resemble places like India, Japan and Korea. The Fire Nation is heavily influenced by Thai and Chinese cultures, especially in architecture and military armor. Air Nomads are based on Tibetan and Buddhist cultures, as they have a main focus on meditation, their temples resemble Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. All of these elements work well together and have had a big impact on children from our generation.
Return to Halloweentown (2006) ★★☆☆☆
This is one of those movies that I loved as a kid because I got to add another movie to my list of “Favorite Halloween Movies”. Halloweentown 1-3 were alright, yet this movie was downright disappointing. When rewatching this movie, I realized how sorry I felt to even be a teenager. Marnie, the main character, used to be this eager, young witch, but in this movie, she has these same characteristics yet is annoying. She’s 18 and is going to Witch University in Halloweentown. Her character was more powerful during the first 3 movies and you can clearly see Marnie’s power as a young witch.
Although she does prove her strength in her craft in this fourth movie, she doesn’t show the same lighthearted humor and this was disappointing for fans of the movies. Their biggest downfall was replacing the main actress, Kimberly J. Brown, with Sara Paxton for this last movie, which proved to be right as the audience and critics gave the movie lower ratings due to poor delivery of the story. Now – is it worth watching? Maybe once, but when watching Halloween movies during October, I would recommend skipping this one and just watching the first 3.
Now, Relax During Your Quarantine
Two weeks in quarantine can be rough, but keeping up with a few hobbies and your favorite shows and movies is the best way to keep yourself occupied! Although there wasn’t much that I disliked about these 2 recommendations, I highly recommend checking them out so you can solidify your own viewpoints. This is a pretty short list, but can occupy anyone during their quarantine lockdown. Grab some popcorn, some tea and stay healthy and safe!