When it’s time to for a movie night, what better way to spend time with your daughters than watching your favorite cult classic movies. Here’s 14 of my favorite films!
by Kimberly Pangaro | Kimberly is a proud mom of four daughters, devoted wife, and the owner of Atomic Mommy – a media company dedicated to empowering parents. When she’s not running her company or momming all day, she’s writing about family life. She’s been featured in Parents magazine and Voyage Savannah magazine. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter @atomic_mommy.
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The recently released film, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, had my daughters obsessed with the idea of heading to the theaters to watch it. In fact, they were so hung up on watching this movie that I had to buy tickets for their friends, too.
After we saw the movie, which we absolutely loved by the way, I remembered how dedicated I was to watching movies, too. Of course, this made me become a tad bit emotional. My girls are growing up so fast and I have yet to introduce them to all of the amazing films I got to see as a kid. And it hit me- a movie marathon night was in order, so I put together a list of cult classics to watch with my kiddos. When our two day event finished, we were all closer, shared tales of our lives, and just laughed a ton.
Now, I want to share the movies we watched, and hopefully, you’ll be inspired to set up your very own movie marathon with your kids. Here’s my list of the 14 cult classic movies we all enjoyed together.
But before you head down to the list, here’s a look at the new Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer.
Age Disclaimer: Do your due diligence on each movie I’ve listed below to see if they are age appropriate for your children. What I may believe is appropriate for my children, may not be what you deem appropriate for your children.
Some of the movies listed were huge hits while others, well, they ended up as cult classics because they didn’t have great results when first released. But to many of us movie-nerds, we just couldn’t get enough of them ! So, here are my top 14!
#1 Angels in the Outfield
I remember this movie coming out two days before my birthday, and it was such a huge deal for me that I begged my parents to buy me the VHS. The angels in the outfield were funny, looked somewhat realistic in terms of wings, and the story line was quite sentimental. It taught me to always be hopeful for good things. And I really wanted to share that feeling with my kids. It’s honestly a great film and my kids actually enjoyed this one!
#2 Drop Dead Fred
Possibly the most underrated feminist film of all time, Drop Dead Fred did for the 90’s girls what Disney’s Frozen did for the girls of today! Drop Dead Fred taught all little girls that no matter what’s wrong in your life, you could always count on your friends. Drop Dead Fred taught girls every where that if you wanted a better life for yourself, you had to face your fears, and kick them to the curb! It’s light-hearted, teaches courage and strength in the face of adversity, and above all, really funny! If you haven’t seen this cult classic or showed your kids, I think it’s time to get your Drop Dead Fred membership cards ready because this is one film worth watching as a family!
#3 Mortal Kombat
Every 90’s gamer’s dream came true with this movie! And while Sonya wasn’t my favorite character, she is still an important character to girls around the world. The 90’s was the dawn of the feminist fighter icon for my generation and in this movie, Sonya Blade didn’t have special powers. She was just a kick-butt female who could really fight! Which is why this movie is a great add to this list to show your daughters.
#4 The Fifth Element
What else can I say, I’m a mom whose a sucker for films where women save the world! Why? Because when I was growing up, only men were allowed to save the world. So, as a mom of four daughters, I want them to see that they have a lot to offer the world other than looking pretty. Kicking butt in space is just a fun way to show them and this movie does exactly that!
#5 My Cousin Vinny
This is one of the funniest films I’ve ever seen with Joe Pesci! It’s not the typical “girl power” movie, but it does have a few good lessons that our kids can learn. One in particular, our outer appearance can and does affect another person’s ability to take you seriously. While it’s not what we want our daughters to deal with in life, it is definitely a lesson worth teaching. First impressions are everything, so why not put our best foot forward.
#6 Whip It
Babe Ruthless made women and girls everywhere secretly desire to become a roller derby badass in this cult classic! Even to this day, I can’t walk into a sports store and not wonder, “what if” as I pass by the roller skates. There was action, brutal hits, and some darn good competition between the women in this film. This movie teaches girls to chase their dreams, be bold and brave, and to have a little honest chat time with their mamas about how they’re really feeling.
#7 Little Monsters
While everyone was watching Fred Savage in this film, I was busy watching his female friend killing it with her creative ways to showcase the growth cycle of a plant’s life. She was smart, ingenious, and had style. She was everything I am today. Of course, I wanted my daughters to see that, too.
#8 Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead
I know we all had babysitters back in the day and at some point, we may have even wished the worst on them. So, that’s why this movie was a must-watch with my teen girls. My 15 year old is so much like how I was back in the day, so I was extremely excited to show her this movie. As soon as she saw how much went into managing a house in this movie, she was like, “Nope!” and I just died of laughter.
#9 Bio-Dome
Now, this movie is just a fun party movie for the laughs. If there’s a lesson in there, I have yet to find it. I have tried making a filter out of cigarettes and it never worked, LOL! But, this always gets huge laughs out of every one of my daughters. Even my 4 year old giggles.
#10 Napoleon Dynamite
I know what you’re thinking, another party movie. But, it’s not. There is a lesson here and that is to own your individuality no matter what. In this movie’s own unique way, it shows how being different can be fun. And in case you didn’t know, I wrote a children’ picture book about that very idea.
#11 Problem Child 2
This movie made it on the list because of the little blonde girl, Trixie! She gives Junior (the red-headed boy) a run for his money in this film, as the dominant problem child. She shows every little girl on the planet that they can be the bosses of their own lives and they don’t need to listen to anyone. Naturally, I wanted my daughters to see this movie.
#12 9 to 5
Possibly one of the most important feminist icon films of all time, this movie truly featured the indifference and harassment that women faced in the workplace at one time. While things haven’t changed 100%, they’re no longer the same either. And I am an avid believer in showing my girls where we came from and the struggles we’ve endured as women, in order for them to understand the path they need to forge for themselves and other women in the future, as they move forward. That’s why this film is such an important one to watch. Even my little one enjoyed the hog tying of the boss! She said, “he deserved it!” and I was so proud of her!
#13 Double Jeopardy
Talk about a film that raises the issues that women face every day in relationships. This movie portrays a woman who loses everything she’s ever cared about and then comes back to fight for her kid and ends up getting revenge! Needless to say, this was important for me to share with my girls so they can see a woman fight back after being screwed over by a guy. Sorry, guys!
#14 Stick It
Every kid goes through some emotional turmoil at some point. We’ve all had to endure something. Some of us dyed our hair black and others got tongue piercings. I was the defiant teen who got the lower back tat better known in my day as the skank tat, LOL! While, I can’t go back to tell myself how to cope with life better, I can certainly guide my daughters. And movies are a great way to do it. With this one, it shows girls that life can be hard, but that doesn’t mean that giving up on themselves is the answer. Instead, this fun and high octane movie shows kids that sports can be a great alternative to dealing with life’s issues. A lesson I wish I could go back and tell my sixteen year old self!
The Takeaway
There are so many great cult classic movies out there to choose from, which is what made making this list so darn difficult. But I managed to compile my top favorites so you can watch them with your kiddos. Enjoy your family movie night!
