Suggest

We celebrate the self-awareness, empathy, and wisdom of women in midlife.

5 Movies That Every ‘90s Kid Watched on VHS

CultureCelebs
By Craig Garrett
April 27, 2026 | 6:30 a.m. CDT
5-movies-that-every-90s-kid-watched-on-vhs
Image via Javier Zayas Photography/Getty Images

Elder millennials and younger Gen Xers remember the closing days of the 20th century with a mixture of fondness and the distinct smell of plastic from their preferred ’90s home video format… the VHS tape.

Videos by Suggest

There were certain movies that every ’90s kid inevitably saw multiple times. Whether it was your social studies teacher, who seemed a little too eager to roll out the TV/VCR cart, a trip to your grandparents’ house and their museum of VHS hits, or your parents forcing their “classic” tastes on you, every ’90s kid was well-acquainted with the VHS tape.

Here’s a sampling of what the final analog generation was watching as the 20th century came to a close and before streaming ruled with an iron fist.

‘The NeverEnding Story’ (1984)

Of course, some of the most-watched VHS tapes of the ’90s were actually smash hits from the ’80s. Back to the Future, The Karate Kid, The Last Dragon, and the Indiana Jones franchise were all mandatory ’80s viewing for any ’90s kid worth their salt. Still, one film from the ’80s was guaranteed to make an appearance in almost any kid’s VCR, regardless of who they were…

Though it hit theaters in 1984, The NeverEnding Story was a rite of passage for many ’90s kids. Why? Because every generation of children deserves to be collectively traumatized by the death of Artax, Atreyu’s noble steed, in the Swamp of Sadness. Watching Artax give in to overwhelming despair as Atreyu screams at him to “fight against the sadness” is a core memory for an entire demographic and arguably one of cinema’s most devastating childhood moments.

The story’s entire premise—a real kid reading a fantasy story only to realize the world he’s reading about hinges on his own belief and imagination—is a soul-shattering allegory for consuming pop culture in general. Fun for the whole family…

‘Home Alone’ (1990)

Kicking off our 1990s VHS journey is the 1990 classic, Home Alone. This tale of an 8-year-old singlehandedly defending his home from burglars wasn’t just a massive box office hit—it became a holiday staple. It was the must-have VHS tape that families wore out every December.

Plus, Home Alone gave us the ultimate life hack for scaring off unwanted visitors: weaponizing your VHS collection. Kevin famously used audio from an old gangster flick to convince a would-be intruder that a maniac with a Tommy gun was inside. “Keep the change, ya filthy animal!” became the battle cry of a generation.

Honestly, some of us are probably still fighting the urge to fire up the old VCR instead of streaming it, purely for the nostalgia and the strangely satisfying sound of a tape being eaten.

‘Free Willy’

Yeah, it’s basically E.T. for animal lovers. A troubled boy, Jesse, befriends a captive orca named Willy, and an iconic friendship is born. This film didn’t just tug on our heartstrings; it made animal rights a playground topic and led to calls for the release of the real-life whale, Keiko.

Of course, the 90s were the golden era for animal-led adventures before soulless CGI took over. You had Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993), where two dogs and a cat—Chance, Shadow, and Sassy—were fully-fledged main characters trekking through the wilderness to find their family. Then there was Air Bud (1997), a golden retriever who joins a youth basketball team. Essentially grown in a lab for kids who loved sports and dogs… and sure to be in their VHS collection.

‘The Sandlot’ (1993)

Speaking of kids who love sports, here’s a ’90s VHS favorite that became an instant baseball classic. The Sandlot is a nostalgia-infused, coming-of-age movie that inspired a generation of kids to pick up a bat and mitt. Plus, it gave us one of the most quotable lines of all time: “You’re killing me, Smalls!”

The film also features perhaps the most distilled version of America’s favorite pastime and summer, mashed up.

Pure cinema.

The Quintessential Movie All ’90s Kids Watched on VHS…

By the 1990s, baseball had become more of a nostalgia-fueled sport (as seen in The Sandlot). But basketball? That was the main event. Michael Jordan and the NBA had captured the imagination of ’90s kids everywhere. Between his on-court heroics, his iconic Air Jordans, and that unforgettable Gatorade commercial, every ’90s kid wanted to be “Like Mike.”

So, a movie starring Jordan was pretty much inevitable. But did anyone have “teaming up with the Looney Tunes for his big-screen debut” on their bingo card?

Well, that was 1996’s Space Jam.

Plus, it had an unbeatable soundtrack and a who’s who of ’90s basketball stars. Seeing an animated Bugs Bunny share the screen with a real-life Michael Jordan cemented both as pop culture icons for decades to come.

These movies weren’t just entertainment; they were the blocky, plastic cartridges that shaped a generation. So next time you’re scrolling endlessly through a streaming service, remember the simple joy of popping in a VHS tape

And don’t forget to “Be kind, rewind.”