Just like in any decade, some movies from the 1990s are suitable for only adult viewers, but others are wholesome enough that anybody can watch them regardless of their age. The best wholesome ’90s movies available on Netflix have a lot to offer to adults and children alike.
5 The Witches (1990)
Just like a lot of movies, The Witches also got a more modern version. It happened in 2020 and Anne Hathaway played the leading evil witch. However, the 1990 version is just as good, if not better. Based on Roald Dahl’s book, the movie centers on a young boy Luke who goes to live with his grandmother after his parents’ death and discovers that a group of witches plans to turn all children in England into mice!
The movie has both tension-filled and humorous moments, effortlessly switching between the two. Younger viewers might find the witches scary, but The Witches is still wholesome enough and has a happy ending, so even children can watch it without any harm. Anjelica Huston gives an unforgettable performance as the leading witch and the fact that she had to spend eight hours in the make-up chair to transform into her role worked out well since she looks genuinely scary at times!
4 The Addams Family (1991)
The Addams Family usually isn’t the first movie people think of when somebody says ‘a wholesome movie’. And that’s despite the fact that even though the movie has a dark sense of humor, it still ultimately comes across as a feel-good story about the importance of a family… regardless of the fact of how strange the family might look or act. In the movie, the Addams family gets an unexpected visitor who claims to be the long-lost brother of Gomez Addams. But is he telling the truth?
The movie is not only surprising at times and often funny, but it offers excellent performances from both established (such as Anjelica Huston who portrays yet another memorable character only a year after The Witches) and upcoming actors (Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams). The movie got a sequel in 1993 that has a similarly high quality, but some fans consider the first part also the best one.
3 Free Willy (1993)
Friendship can have many forms. And it doesn’t just happen between people but also between people and animals. In this case, the twelve-year-old boy Jesse befriends a whale called Willy and decides to save his friend from being killed. Of course, that won’t be an easy task, but the good news is that in a family movie, things usually end well.
Free Willy shows that sometimes all it takes to overcome life’s challenges is one person (or in this case a whale) the hero can rely on. It represents a nice surprise since movies about friendly animals most often focus on dogs and cats. Free Willy got three sequels, but their reception wasn’t as good. An interesting fact is that the premiere of the movie drew attention to saving whales, and people donated over 20 million dollars for this cause!
2 Jumanji (1995)
The Jumanji franchise recently got two updated sequels but the original movie from 1995 remains the best part of the series, and also one of the best movies about board games. Jumanji is scary at times, but it also gives its heroes a lot of hope that things will work out in the end, as long as they work together and overcome their fears. The movie has the power to make the audience laugh as well as fear for the characters who face many challenges.
Robin Williams gives an excellent performance in the leading role, but the movie has a strong cast overall, starring names such as Bonnie Hunt or Kirsten Dunst in one of her first major movie roles. An interesting piece of trivia is that Kirsten Dunst wasn’t the only future Marvel actress interested in the role of Judy. Scarlett Johansson also auditioned for it! These days, Jumanji is considered one of the classics, and the story, as well as the special effects, have aged well.
1 Matilda (1996)
There are plenty of movies centered on young boys but in the 1990s, when young girls wanted to watch someone like them in movies, they didn’t have that many options to choose from. Matilda, based on Roald Dahl’s work, is one of them. Matilda is a brilliant child with not so brilliant parents who aren’t paying much attention to their daughter. She also happens to have unique powers and puts them to good use in her school.
Matilda comes across as a likable character, especially if the viewers ever felt the same way she did. She causes mischief, yes, but that’s normal as a kid and many people around her deserve a bit of mischievous behavior. The movie is funny at times and has an excellent cast. A fun fact is that Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman who played Matilda’s parents are together in real life as well. Danny DeVito also directed the movie, proving he was just as good a director as he’s an actor. Matilda is a feel-good piece that both adults and children can enjoy.
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