I always believed that when I grew up, I was going to grow out of watching kid’s shows or movies because they were only for children’s entertainment without any real themes. But as I am turning 21 this year and long since moved away from my parents’ home to continue my education, I find myself searching for nostalgia outside of my daily activities. Every semester can become very overwhelming and it’s easy for me to forget to take care of myself and do the things that I love consistently. The fastest way I’ve been able to bring my brain back to square one is watching all my favorite childhood movies
By watching all my childhood favorites, I notice myself celebrating my inner childishness and realizing how lucky I was to be able to grow up in the 2000’s era. It was the era that technology was on the rise, but I still fully enjoyed many different things that the kids in the 90’s enjoyed by gaining plenty of joyful memories from outdoor playing. Now almost everything uses technology, and it continues to advance at a rapid pace that not even I can keep up with. Watching the world grow up alongside me has led me to appreciate more of the past than the future since one couldn’t be without another, just as I wouldn’t be the same person if I was obsessed with movies like “Lilo and Stitch” or the series like “Dora the Explorer”. When I’m rewatching my favorites, I feel nostalgic as if I had been brought back into my pink and green room watching movies with my princess tv. I enjoy these small moments more than anything now as I’m not able to wake up every morning without responsibilities or any care in the world.
The dictionary definition of nostalgia is “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.” This feeling we get when we are reminded of something from our past that positivity affected us is more powerful than it seems. You are not only able to reminisce on past influences and experiences, but your mind is brought into a better place than before. From experience, it brings my mind to a safe space where I’m able to reunite with my old authentic self that I probably have lost sight of. Sometimes just getting away from the daily overthinking and stress of work and school gives me the peace I need to get through tough weeks. But even as my mind is able to take it easy during a childhood movie, when I rewatch movies or tv shows from my childhood I also understand the deeper meanings of the story that I did not realize before.
As a child, you get hooked on movies through your favorite characters and songs/phrases said in the film without thinking about what the movie might actually be trying to tell you. But as an adult, you can actually analyze the thing you watched and be able to understand what the story’s theme is. For example in the movie “Finding Nemo”, as a kid you see Marlin trying to hide his kid Nemo from the dangers of the world but his worst nightmare comes true causing him to go on a whole adventure across the ocean. But what you realize is that Marlin lost almost everything to him, his wife, most of the children, all except Nemo who came out with a deformed fin. The lesson to me as an adult is that you shouldn’t hide your children from the dangers because they are going to experience them one way or another. Better yet, let your child explore and gain knowledge to better prepare themselves for the future. To me, it’s almost like you’re watching a completely different movie than before, even though you know what’s going to happen, you are watching it with a different perspective in an adult mindset.
Some of my favorite movies that I’ve watched as an adult that’s given me a way deeper meaning are “Wall-E”, “Sharkboy and Lavagirl”, “Up”, and “Pocahontas”. In addition to the old, don’t forget the new movies! Recent children’s movies like “Inside out”, “Encanto”, “Soul”, and “Coco” are great movies with even better themes that can still bring your mind to a peaceful nostalgia. Whether it is new or old, rewatching childhood movies is definitely something you should put on your agenda for the semester to watch with your partner, friends, family, or even by yourself.