The Movies That Raised Me
My love for cinema and television has been immense ever since I was a child. They are my escapism, my great passion, and together with literature and fine art, they have broadened my view of the world. Growing up in a small town in Vietnam, I did not have access to the latest movies released each week. I remember that there was only one movie theater in the whole city when I was kid, and it was quite far from my home so I did not have a chance to visit often. I usually watched films on television or DVDs. I have always loved collecting DVDs, even in this streaming era because the feeling of holding a hard copy of your favorite movie is unbeatable for me. When I was about twelve years old, several brand new theaters were opened in town, and I spent almost every weekend at those places. I still do the same thing after moving to the US. The movie theater is my second home.
Films and series play a crucial part in shaping who I am today, both as an artist and a person. It is impossible to list all of my favorite works of cinema and television in one article, so below are some of the movies which I grew up very closely with throughout my childhood and early teenage years. I will discuss my favorite childhood TV shows and my journey with cinema starting from age fifteen in future pieces.
Studio Ghibli Films
Grave of the Fireflies (Isao Takahata, 1988) [Studio Ghibli, Shinchosha]
The first Studio Ghibli film I watched was Grave of the Fireflies (1988), directed by the great late Isao Takahata, and it completely broke my heart. In my opinion, this is one of the best works produced by the studio. Its emotional depth stunned me. The movie taught me about sibling love, a beautiful thing I could not experience as an only child. My Neighbor Totoro, also released in 1988, was (and still is) my comfort movie. It features many great themes, from nature appreciation, escapism, to family and conquering fears. I actually had not seen other Studio Ghibli films until I was in high school. I remember watching Princess Mononoke (1997) and Spirited Away (2001) for the first time and wishing I had seen them sooner! These movies introduced me to Hayao Mizayaki’s world and my life was forever changed.
Pixar Films
WALL-E (Andrew Stanton, 2008) [Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios]
Pixar movies show how incredible human imagination is and stories can come from every corner of life. They are a huge part of many people’s childhood, including mine: Toy Story (1995) and the amazing sequels released in 1999 and 2010; Monsters, Inc. (2001) - Mike Wazowski is my spirit animal!; Finding Nemo (2003); The Incredibles (2004); Ratatouille (2007); WALL-E (2008) - one of the best movies in cinema history, period; Up (2009); etc.
In addition to amazing achievements in animation, there are valuable life lessons we can learn from each Pixar film. For instance, WALL-E raises awareness of environmental issues and consumerism, Up reminds us to not get stuck in the past, Finding Nemo shows that letting go is a part of growing up, or Inside Out (2015) tells us to embrace all emotions. The common themes in most Pixar works are friendship and family love.
Disney Princess Films
Mulan (Barry Cook & Tony Bancroft, 1998) [Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Feature Animation]
Disney released their first princess feature in 1937, and they have become a big part of pop culture ever since. I grew up watching and loving the stories of Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and especially Mulan, the first Asian Disney princess. Mulan (1998) is special to me also because the movie was released in the same year I was born.
Enchanted (Kevin Lima, 2007) [Walt Disney Pictures, Josephson Entertainment, Right Coast Productions]
Moreover, I was obsessed with the 2007 film Enchanted. Amy Adams is a perfect choice for Giselle in this homage to the classic Disney princess movies. The hybrid live-action/animated film features an interesting premise, great original songs as well as captivating performances, and it blew my ten-year-old self away!
DreamWorks Films
Shrek (Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson, 2001) [DreamWorks Animation, PDI]
I have been a huge fan of the Shrek universe since I was a little kid. I am happy that they are bringing the franchise back (I saw the latest installment, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022) four times in the theater!). All their iconic franchises, such as How to Train Your Dragon (2010-present), Madagascar (2005-2022), and Kung Fu Panda (2008-present), are so rewatchable and entertaining. The last one has a special place in my heart as I grew up watching a myriad of fantasy wuxia movies/shows, and it was great to see the Hollywood, animated take of the genre.
Ice Age franchise
Ice Age (Chris Wedge, 2002) [Blue Sky Studios, 20th Century Fox Animation]
Watching a group of prehistoric animals going on their adventures was definitely a beautiful memory of my childhood, and Scrat, the squirrel who constantly puts his life in danger to get his acorns, is one of my favorite movie characters of all time. In 2021, I was heartbroken to learn about the closing of Blue Sky Studios, the home of Ice Age, Rio, and other animated films. Nevertheless, their works will always be archetypal to fans who grew up with them and future generations.
Henry Selick’s Stop-motion Animated Films
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (Henry Selick, 1993) [Touchstone Pictures, Skellington Productions]
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Coraline (2009) are cinematic masterpieces. I deeply admire stop-motion artists as their craft is highly complex and time-consuming. Selick’s works are visually beautiful and distinctive. They often put viewers in a strange and slightly creepy atmosphere to follow the characters’ journeys. I have not seen his 1996 film called James and the Giant Peach, which has been on my watchlist for a while, but I will definitely check it out soon.
Animated Barbie Films
Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper (William Lau, 2004) [Mainframe Entertainment, Mattel Entertainment]
Before the 2023 live-action hit starring Margot Robbie, there was a series of computer-animated Barbie movies. I still have all the DVDs of the films released from 2001 to 2008. I have rewatched all of them so many times, and my top favorites are Barbie of Swan Lake (2003), Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper (2004), and Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses (2006). The 2004 film, directed by award-winning director William Lau, received good reviews from critics and is often listed among the best Barbie animated movies. I remember I used to sing to the songs featured in the film all the time as a kid, and I really enjoy Martin Short’s performance as the villain.
Disney Teen Movies
High School Musical 2 (Kenny Ortega, 2007) [Salty Pictures, First Street Films]
High School Musical film series (2006-2011), Camp Rock (2008), Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009), Lemonade Mouth (2011)?!? I knew the lyrics to every song in these movies. I owned the CDs to all the soundtracks. My bedroom walls were filled with Disney stars’ posters. Needless to say, I had great memories growing up with these films!
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (John Laing, 2006) [Rubicon Films, Regan/Jon Productions]
If you still remember works like Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006), Jump In! (2007) or The Cheetah Girls trilogy (2003-2008), you deserve the #1 fan badge of Disney teen movies! Wendy Wu, played by Brenda Song, was a big deal for an eight-year-old me as I did not often see a lead Asian actress in a Hollywood film.
Home Alone franchise
Home Alone (Chris Columbus, 1990) [Hughes Entertainment]
I cannot count how many times I have watched the first three installments of Home Alone. I put on these movies all year long, not just on Christmas. Since the release of the first movie in 1990, the franchise has captured millions of people’s hearts around the world. The films are delightful with heart-warming endings, perfect for family members to watch together on the holidays.
Harry Potter franchise
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Alfonso Cuarón, 2004) [Warner Bros. Pictures, Heyday Films, 1492 Pictures]
The first two installments, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) were directed by Chris Columbus, who also directed the first two Home Alone movies. Mexican Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón directed the third film, Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), BAFTA-winning filmmaker Mike Newell directed the following one, and the last four films were directed by David Yates. The Harry Potter movies are very stable throughout the years in terms of both quality and popularity. I was a huge HP nerd growing up, and I am still collecting wands, spellbooks, and merchandise from the franchise. I am a (good) Slytherin, which house are you in?
Steven Spielberg’s Films & John Williams’ Scores
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982) [Universal Pictures]
Jaws (1975), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jurassic Park (1993), and many other Spielberg’s classics raised me up. Steven Spielberg inspired me to imagine, to create, and to live in the moment. He is among the best storytellers of all time, and his legendary filmography continues to inspire future generations. Spielberg’s long-time collaborator, the phenomenal composer John Williams, is also an important figure in my childhood. He did the music for a myriad of iconic works of cinema, including most of Spielberg’s movies, Star Wars franchise, Superman (1978) as well as Harry Potter and Home Alone films mentioned above. I got to see him perform live with the LA Phil a few months ago, and it was one of the most magical experiences of my life.
Tom Hanks’ Films
Big (Penny Marshall, 1988) [Gracie Films]
My most-watched Hollywood actor growing up is definitely Tom Hanks. He starred in many family-friendly movies which have become classics over the years, such as Splash (1984), Big (1988), Turner & Hooch (1989), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), You’ve Got Mail (1998), and Toy Story franchise. His immaculate performances in Forrest Gump (1994) and Cast Away (2000) blew me away and inspired me to pursue acting. I have a huge love for Forrest Gump. The movie taught me a lot of things, from life lessons to different stages of American history.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Director: Ang Lee [Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia, Good Machine International, Edko Films, Zoom Hunt Productions, China Film Co-production Corp., Asia Union Film & Entertainment]
This is the first Ang Lee’s film I have ever seen. Lee’s phenomenal direction, Peter Pau’s Oscar-winning cinematography, and the amazing performances from Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi - all of my favorite actors in one film! The beautifully choreographed action sequences and magnificent filming locations also add to the greatness of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Growing up in Asia, I used to watch wuxia series every night on TV, so it was great to see a fine movie of the genre receiving such wide acclaim from critics and audiences around the world.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Director: Gabriele Muccino [Columbia Pictures, Relativity Media, Overbrook Entertainment, Escape Artists]
I adore this heart-warming movie about perseverance, hard work, belief in oneself, and family love. The Pursuit of Happyness is based on the true story of Chris Gardner, an American businessman and motivational speaker. Garner stated that the “Y” in “Happyness” represented “You” and what made you happy (Medium, 2020). This film means a lot to me as a person as well as an artist. The performances are exquisite, especially of the Smiths.
3 Idiots (2009)
Director: Rajkumar Hirani [Vinod Chopra Films]
3 Idiots, a Hindi-language film written, edited and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, is definitely up there in my top 10. The movie discusses family, friendship, kindness, and the attitude toward education in Asia. I do not want to give away too much of the film in case you have not seen it, but it is a must-watch, especially if you enjoy coming-of-age dramedy. The musical numbers are incredibly well done, too. “All Izz Well” is my go-to song whenever I need some positivity.
Conclusion
These cinematic works brought me joy, lessons, and inspirations. They allowed me to escape to another world for a while and to expand my imagination. My love for movies led me to pursue acting and filmmaking. What are your favorite childhood movies? In which ways do they inspire you? Did you also grow up with the ones mentioned above?
