We grow up watching movies and TV shows, and in a way, they shape the people we become. As we grow, we adopt our sense of humour, our interests, and sometimes even our outfits from what we see on television.
In my generation (Gen Z), I’ve noticed that many of my peers grew up watching SpongeBob, iCarly, Camp Rock, or other shows that they continue to reference in their everyday lives.
Here are some movies that made an impact on my life:
I grew up in South Korea during elementary school, so I mostly watched Disney XD on my living room TV. Mr. Bean: The Animated Series was always there with me.
It was one of my core memories as a kid, and I continued watching more Mr. Bean films. Mr. Bean’s physical comedy translated into my life. In many situations, I use body language to make others laugh, just like he did with his audience. Watching Mr. Bean be himself taught me that it’s okay to be goofy sometimes, especially if the people around you are having a good time.
Pirates of the Caribbean is another movie series that made an impact on me. It was one of the first films that made me fall in love with orchestrated music for film. As a kid, it also made me want to be adventurous and brave. This year, I went to the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest in Concert in Toronto, and it brought back all that nostalgia. Music can be such a powerful force, as soon as you hear a tune, it can transport you back to your childhood or to different checkpoints in your life.
I’ve watched countless Disney films throughout my life, and it’s really hard to choose just one, but The Little Mermaid has to be one of them. I watched almost every Disney Princess film, but Ariel was my favourite. Maybe it was her red hair, or her mermaid tail, but it sparked my imagination as a kid. It wasn’t just about wanting to be a princess — the same way Pirates of the Caribbean sparked my love for orchestrated music, Disney sparked my love for karaoke. There are countless videos from my childhood where I’m singing Disney songs on my karaoke machine at home. To this day, Disney songs are my favourite tunes to sing.
Can you think of any movies or TV shows that made an impact on your childhood?
