You know how there are multiple social media accounts and Buzzfeed articles that are targeted specifically towards 90s kids? Yeah, well those don't really work for us.
Chloe and I were born in 1996 and 1997 respectively (a year and 18 days apart to be precise), which puts us on that border of not really being classed as '90s kids', instead we grew up predominately in the 00s but still had more than our fair share of Mary-Kate and Ashley.
Take this quiz for example, I can tick off multiple things that I enjoyed from both the 90s and the 00s but my result was "you're definitely a '00s kid, though you might have a few '90s traits about you as well. You probably owned an iPod Nano, and if you were lucky might have ridden around on Heelys as a kid."
Do you see the problem?
We've put together a list of iconic movies for people like us, movies that kids today wouldn't look twice at but ones that shaped our childhoods and can never be beaten by what true 00s kids are subjected to now.
1. A Cinderella Story
A Cinderella Story features Hilary Duff as Sam, a high-schooler who doesn't get along with her Step-Mum or her Step-Sisters, and meets the man of her dreams, Austin (Chad Michael-Murray), online. It could've been a 00's version of Catfish, couldn't it?
Despite the theme of Cinderella, I still don't find this movie overly cliché. Is that just me? Hilary Duff was my idol growing up, and actually wasn't a bad choice since she's still very much the same personality-wise.
This was the first PG movie I ever owned, I distinctly remember begging my Mum to buy it for me, returning home ready to watch it and my Dad flat-out refusing until he had seen it and decided if it was appropriate. Just as well he approved, because I didn't realise how big a role it would play in my life. Even now, I'll put it on when I'm having a bad day and I'll still cry during that scene when Sam collapses on her bed in tears.
I am still absolutely devoted to this movie and my kids will be forced to watch it.
2. Wild Child
Chloe and I watched this last week, funnily enough! Although with old DVDs comes disc damage, meaning we missed out on some of our favourite scenes.
Wild Child stars Emma Roberts as stereotypical rich-girl Poppy, who is forced to leave Malibu behind and attend boarding school in England.
We witness her desperate attempts to get sent home again, all while trying her hardest not to get attached to her new found friends and of course, the principal's Son, Freddie Kingsley (introducing Alex Pettyfer as one of my biggest childhood crushes) who is strictly off-limits.
One of the best aspects of this movie is probably the costumes, I would spend hours daydreaming about what they wore and attempting to look just as good at school discos. No, it never went according to plan.
I think Poppy was my first real evidence of character development, and sometimes I'll watch it just for the moments when she realises what's important to her. In other words, this movie is guaranteed to make you cry, although for the most part it will be tears of laughter.
3. Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
I think most girls my age would agree that this movie is the ultimate coming of age movie for our generation.
Georgia Groome plays, wait for it...Georgia Nicholson; a 14 year old girl who has the same insecurities and worries that every other 14 year old girl has, making her one of the most relatable characters of our childhoods.
Our beloved Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Robbie, who much like the actor, earned himself a permanent place in the hearts of thousands of British girls, mine included.
The dynamic between each of the characters perfectly reflects real life and I found myself grinning and cringing at every word, thinking about how much I recognised myself in the young girls on screen. They are unlikely role models, but I guess showed us how not to act, especially around boys.
The key to the success of this movie is that there's no sugarcoating, instead it provides girls everywhere with a refreshing take on friendship, first loves and growing up.
4. Mean Girls
This movie needs no introduction; Mean Girls is the teen movie of the 00's.
Lindsay Lohan had already captured the hearts of so many of us, and so watching her battle The Plastics was a huge reward for those who had grown up along with her. We were able to see her in a movie that probably wasn't really suitable for anyone under 16 but it definitely didn't put an obstacle in its' success.
Thanks to a genius script, you probably won't find a girl who can't quote at least a quarter of the movie. I mean honestly, I think I can remember pretty much every single line and admit it, we all find excuses to unleash our inner Regina George (the quotes, at least) in every day conversations.
Unfortunately Mean Girls 2 was horrendous and nobody should have to endure the pain of watching it, but we're all desperately hoping that the rumours are true and we'll one day be treated to a real sequel with the original cast!
This movie, on the other hand, is etched into our brains.
5. She's The Man
If you've seen this movie, chances are you'll remember that iconic flip phone scene starring Channing Tatum. Oh, and remember the phrase "I'm allergic to the sun" which constantly pops up on social media? That probably originated from the mouth of Sebastian/Viola, played by Amanda Bynes, not from Twilight.
Let's face it, Viola is the queen of sassy comments, in fact if I had to pinpoint a time in my life when I started becoming more sassy and sarcastic, this movie is probably the cause. Oops.
One of the key aspects of this movie is the way Viola/Sebastian challenges sexism. I mean, the plot of the movie is based on her struggle as a female football player, and the whole reason she becomes Sebastian is so that she can keep playing football with the guys after her girls team gets cut. Along with the witty comments and the humour, the movie highlights to the younger generation that sexism is a big issue.
6. The Parent Trap
Lindsay Lohan is back with my personal favourite movie of hers, and it's one in which she has a twin who she doesn't know about. It took me years to realise that Lindsay Lohan doesn't actually have a twin and it was just down to some clever post-production...
As a result of the mischief they got up to, I grew up desperately wanting to go to Summer camp which I actually did multiple times, if you count Cubs and Scouts! What I really wanted was to be reunited with a twin I didn't know existed, but that never happened and I was very disappointed.
I think the first time I'd ever hated a character was when we were introduced to Meredith, and I loved watching her suffer; especially at the hands of two young girls who were so much smaller and younger than her.
Natasha Richardson and Dennis Quaid play their roles of Nick and Elizabeth well, so well that those big goofy smiles melted my heart and the young version of me was adamant that they belonged together, and despite the over the top acting from everyone else, you can't help but fall in love with the movie, the characters, and the plot.
I may be biased since I've always loved it, but I strongly believe that 'The Parent Trap' can be enjoyed my adults too.
7. The Lizzie McGuire Movie
Hilary Duff ruled my childhood, as did the character of Lizzie McGuire. The movie, in my opinion, was better than the series and I loved watching her and her friends explore Rome on a school trip (I still haven't had the chance to do so myself, but one day I will ride a Vespa and be offered a giant wheel of cheese).
I was one of those people who memorised the lyrics to 'What Dreams Are Made Of'. I felt like it was my job to memorise the lyrics to every Hilary Duff song, in actual fact, as though it would be useful to me in the future. So far, it has been a wasted talent.
Watching it now, I can see why my Dad hated it when I made him watch it with me repeatedly; it's not exactly subtle with the clichés. Nevertheless, I adored it and Lizzie McGuire was one of my idols.
8. Every Single Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Movie
Did you really think I could narrow down such a wide range of Olsen Twin movies to just one? Not happening.
I had every single one thanks to my wonderful Nan buying them all as boxsets for my younger cousin and I and we would spend two weeks every Summer binge-watching them. Two each night before bed with a hot chocolate was our ritual.
So many of us grew up with Mary-Kate and Ashley as our idols, and it can be argued that they taught a lot of young girls all the things we needed to know. On top of the 14 movies, they also have multiple TV series to keep us all occupied. They're cliché, yes, but ridiculously relatable.
9. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
I discovered this movie years after it was released, but it's one of my favourites. It showcases friendship in the best forms but also shows us how to overcome conflict.
Tibby, Lena, Carmen and Bridget were all fashion icons in their own right, each with vastly different personalities and interests but they were exactly the kind of friends I longed for, and not to mention the fact that they still remained in touch despite being in different parts of the country/world. Remind me again why friends lose touch so easily these days?
The one thing that holds them together is a pair of jeans which they pass along to one another over the Summer, and these jeans are the foundation of a beautiful story of love and friendship and I'm thankful that they brought these characters to life and gave me something to strive for.
Side note: I have no idea how they found one pair of jeans that fit all four of them perfectly because I can't find one pair that fits just me..
10. Aquamarine
I'm sure I could type the word 'mermaid' and you'd all be hooked, but that wouldn't do the movie justice.
The mermaid in question, Aquamarine, has to prove to her Father that true love exists so that she doesn't have to go through with an arranged marriage, but she doesn't expect to find lifelong friends in Hayley and Claire in the process. Watching her find her feet (literally and metaphorically) is highly entertaining, and although mermaids are fantasy creatures, this character felt real.
Aquamarine is another one of my all-time favourites, and I especially loved that none of the interactions between characters seemed forced at all. It was all genuine and refreshing, with another uplifting example of pure friendship.
11. 10 Things I Hate About You
Meet the Stratford sisters, whose Father won't allow Bianca to date until Kat does. Only problem? Kat hates everyone.
If there was ever a movie that sparked a female interest in bad boys, surely this is the one. I mean, you have the goody two shoes, the dorky kid who is desperately trying to get a girl's attention, the girl who refuses to take anyone's shit and the infamous guy who made us all go weak at the knees.
This is a movie that I definitely define as a 90's classic, despite it being released in 1999. Most people my age have seen this and loved it, being able to quote Kat's poem and recognising Heath Ledger's serenade as one of the best scenes.
12. Clueless
If you haven't seen Clueless you're seriously missing out. You must've at least heard of it, Cher Horowitz is everywhere. Also, young Paul Rudd is adorable in this movie (not that he isn't adorable now, does the guy even age?!)
I'm not sure that there is a storyline as such, it's more about Cher, a rich girl at the top of her school's social ladder, trying to find herself and help others in order to improve herself. As a viewer, I was glued to the screen and feeling a huge sense of pride each time she made a realisation.
Yes, she seems very superficial at first but as the movie progresses, she opens herself up and we see her charm and her wit and how at heart she's still just a high-school kid trying to work her way up in the world and impress her Father.
Oh and of course, there's her wardrobe which is the inspiration behind most of the 90's trends we see being brought back into stores in the present day. If you were wondering, Iggy Azalea does not do Cher justice.
13. John Tucker Must Die
I watched this around the time I began watching One Tree Hill for no reason other than the fact that it features Sophia Bush, who is still one my idols.
After three high-school girls from different cliques discover that they're dating the same guy (Jesse Metcalfe *insert heart-eyed emoji here*), they hatch a plan to get revenge and destroy his reputation, including setting him up to fall for new girl Kate who is in on the whole thing. Ah, girl power at it's peak.
This is the perfect example of how to do an older teen movie. There is so much that appeals to an older demographic with adult humour and sex appeal, and just like Mean Girls it's a more grown-up movie for those of us who don't necessarily want cheese and clichés; even my parents enjoyed it.
14. The Princess Diaries
Mia is all of us, we are all Mia. She is living the dream of thousands of little girls; she's an actual princess but at heart she is the clumsiest teenage girl on the planet.
She has no idea how to be a princess, she's awkward, unpopular and despises public speaking so really there could not be a worse fit for royalty. She's so bad at it, in fact, that she has to attend princess lessons with her Grandmother, aka the Queen.
I'm still waiting for my own Grandmother to turn around and tell me I'm heir to a throne.
Despite her failures at living up to everybody's expectations, Mia is charming and the whole movie warms your heart because she's so relatable and finds the whole 'surprise you're heir to the throne of Genovia' thing as exiting and confusing as the rest of us would.
Did I mention there's a sequel?
So there you have it, some of the best movies from mine and Chloe's childhood! Obviously we missed some out, but I think that we were very fortunate in the sense that we had so many classics to choose from.
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