20 movies from the 90's and the 2000's that made our childhoods unforgettably magical and deserve more recognition

Giuliana Tiscioni • Writer

Sep 15, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

Rewatching old movies is one of my favourite pastimes in the world, and when nostalgia hits, I go back to some of these to feel like a little girl all over again.

Movies are a fundamental part of our lives. It's not just an art form; it's part of who we are. Our favourite movies speak to us, they transmit emotion, transport us to a different time and place, and most importantly, they make us happy.

When I was little, I loved watching movies. I saw all the old Disney films, the forgotten ones, of which my friends had hardly ever heard. Think, The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood (yes, the animal version), The Rescuers, The Great Mouse Detective, and so on. Yes, all from Disney's dark ages. In my opinion, those are the best. They have the most heart in them, and the animation is something that no longer exists.

After that, I became a fan of finding little hidden jewels: movies that were hardly ever mentioned, but that were absolutely amazing. My favourite was The Swan Princess. Many thought back then that it was a Disney movie, but no, sir, it never was. The style is similar, of course, but that's because some of Disney's animators went and worked on this movie. It was successful in the nineties; it even won an award, and two other movies were made, but now it seems to lie forgotten at the bottom of a trunk. Children are not seeing it, and I hardly ever hear someone talking about it, when it's one of the most beautifully made movies I've ever seen. Maybe it's just nostalgia taking over, but it doesn't matter.

Another amazing movie that I discovered later in life was Quest for Camelot. As a fan of the Arthurian legend, I have seen almost every movie or show based on it. But this one had gone right over my head. The songs were sung by Celine Dion, for heaven's sake! How did it never become more popular? Was it a big deal, and had I just been living under a rock? Either way, I found it, I watched it, and I loved it. Added to the list of movies that deserve more recognition.

Like those two, there are many. Some are more popular, and most of us have seen them at some point, while others remain buried deeper in the past. That's why I bring you this list, with movies from the 90s and the 2000s that were absolutely magical, and that we need to talk about more often.