The 1990s were an incredible decade for the silver screen, with many releases so impactful that we still talk about them today. Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released in 1991 and is still arguably one of the greatest action movies of all time. We also had other unforgettable movies, like The Matrix and Jurassic Park, which started successful franchises.
Kids in the 90s were also spoiled for choice. Toy Story changed the landscape of children’s movies forever, and Disney was a force to be reckoned with in the animated movie space, with classics such as The Lion King and Aladdin.
Fans of 90s movies often proclaim that films were simply different back then and have a timeless charm that few other eras can emulate. Those differences can also be felt in kids’ movies of the decade, and many tug at your heartstrings far harder than most modern offerings.
Movie directors in the 90s were not afraid to include sad, emotional scenes. In fact, many of those scenes become the most memorable parts of the movies as audiences reminisce about impactful moments they remember decades later. As times have changed, it can be tough to imagine how these scenes even made it into movies aimed at a younger audience.
Kids in the 90s were no strangers to somber, tear-jerking movies, but here’s a selection so powerful we still talk about them today. Some make the list for a specific moment, while others offer an emotional workout that lasts until the credits.
10
Pokémon: The First Movie (1998)
Pokémon fans in the 90s were thrilled that their favorite game and morning cartoon were getting a movie adaptation. What they didn’t expect was such a dark, high-stakes story in the otherwise whimsical Pokémon universe.
Pokémon: The First Movie tells an unexpectedly grim tale about Mewtwo, a genetically enhanced Pokémon with a disdain for humans. During the movie, Mewtwo battles another powerful Pokémon in a climactic clash. Ash, the protagonist from the show, is caught in the crossfire with dire consequences.
It’s a sad moment, but Pikachu’s reaction makes the scene hit much harder. The famous Pokémon tries in vain to shock Ash back to life as the creatures in the room start to cry. It’s a traumatic scene for fans of the show who expected a lighthearted adventure like the series.
9
Fly Away Home (1996)
Fly Away Home is an arguably underrated family movie starring Anna Paquin as Amy. She moves in with her father at his farm after her mother’s death, but the pair struggles to connect.
Amy finds a nest of goose eggs, with the parents nowhere to be seen. She takes care of them until they hatch and raises the goslings, who see Amy as their mom. Amy quickly bonds with the birds, but wild geese migrate for the winter, and she and her father must find a way to overcome that challenge.
Fly Away Home tells a remarkable story loosely based on real-life events. It’s also bittersweet, as Amy is working to teach the geese to fly and thrive, even if it means letting them go and saying goodbye.
8
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is a thrilling, but surprisingly heavy movie about three animals who believe they have been abandoned at a ranch. Shadow the golden retriever, Chance the bulldog, and Sassy the cat embark on a grand adventure across the Californian wilderness, looking for a way home.
The wilderness is a cruel place for the trio as they embark into unknown territory. The movie does a great job of showing how out of their depth these household pets are as they fight for survival.
There are several sad scenes in Homeward Bound, but even the premise is somber. The pets believe they have been dumped by their owners, unaware that the situation was meant to be temporary. Homeward Bound also hits audiences with a memorable fake-out when one of the pets’ lives hangs in the balance.
7
Balto (1995)
Balto is an animated movie loosely based on a true story. It stars Kevin Bacon as Balto, a wolf/dog hybrid. His mix is a problem for the townsfolk, who are wary of wild wolves in the area.
A disease sweeps across the village, prompting the settlement to seek aid from another nearby town. Despite his wolf genes, Balto is still a sled dog, and the movie follows his perilous journey across unforgiving, snowy terrain in search of help. The route is dangerous, made even more so by a rival sled dog called Steele.
Balto tells an emotional tale of rejection and self-worth, with genuinely sad moments. The movie also covers relatable themes for adults, with a gorgeous art style that still holds up.
6
Free Willy (1993)
Free Willy has more uplifting parts than many movies on this list. However, it also tells a sobering tale about killer whales in captivity, a harsh reality that is also relatable in the real world.
Jesse (Jason James Richter) is a foster child with a complicated home life. He meets Willy, an orca, while cleaning a water park as a punishment. The pair form a bond, and we learn that Willy has a miserable life at the amusement park, separated from his pod and performing tricks in shows.
As the name implies, Free Willy is a story about Jesse attempting to reunite his new friend with his family. However, the cold corporate marine park is less than willing to part with one of its prized attractions. Free Willy tells an impactful story, painting a picture of zoo animals that feels uncomfortably real. It has joyous moments, but the film stays with you as the themes and locations are so familiar.
5
The Iron Giant (1999)
The Iron Giant is a 1999 animated movie loosely based on the children’s novel The Iron Man. Both tell a story about a young boy, Hogarth, who finds a giant robot. However, the movie is far more focused on Hogarth’s bond with the Iron Giant in a world that will never accept such a strange creature.
The movie is set during the Cold War era, and while Hogarth’s friendship with the Iron Giant is wondrous at first, it quickly becomes clear that the military will do everything in its power to separate the pair.
The situation hits particularly hard, as the Iron Giant is friendly, gentle, and almost childlike. He doesn’t try to fight. Instead, he despairs when he realizes people see him as a monster without understanding why. The Iron Giant tells a powerful story full of poignant life lessons that hit so much harder as an adult.
4
Shiloh (1996)
The 90s saw the release of many animal-themed movies. One of the saddest is Shiloh, a movie about a beagle, where it’s implied that his owner is abusive.
Judd Travers (Scott Wilson) is Shiloh’s owner, and we see him discipline his dog multiple times throughout the film. Marty (Blake Heron), a young boy, encounters Shiloh, who follows him home on several occasions. The pair quickly bond, and Marty makes a deal with Judd to work for him for ownership of the dog.
Marty works himself to the bone for Shiloh, and Judd makes sure to put the young boy through the wringer, with relentless manual labor. The movie takes a despairing turn when the deal is almost complete, and Judd becomes reluctant to play along.
3
My Girl (1991)
My Girl is an emotionally heavy movie starring Anna Chlumsky as Vada. She has an unusual perspective on death, as she lives in a funeral home with her father. Vada doesn’t have many friends and struggles to connect with adults, although that changes when she meets a young boy called Thomas (Macaulay Culkin).
Thomas is socially awkward, but befriends Vada, and the pair form a close relationship. The issue is that Thomas is sick and has allergies that put his life at risk. Vada also struggles with her father’s relationship with Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis), one of his employees.
My Girl has many moving parts and several emotional, sustained gut-punches I won’t spoil here. The movie hits particularly hard as many of the scenarios are relatable, even for an adult audience.
2
Babe: Pig In The City (1998)
The original Babe is an unforgettable movie about a young pig learning his place in the world and a farmer who notices his unique talents. The sequel takes characters we love from the first film and forces them into a much darker scenario.
Babe: Pig in the City shows the Hoggett family facing financial turmoil. Mrs. Hoggett plans to use Babe’s gift to earn money, but the pair are separated, lost in a bustling city. The theme is grim enough, but Babe also encounters strays and lost pets, and the movie makes sure we see the ugly reality of life on the streets.
Babe: Pig in the City doesn’t have one single sad scene. It has many parts that could be traumatic for kids and animal lovers alike, and it offers audiences a bleaker, more desperate tale than the original.
1
The Lion King (1994)
Our final entry on the list may not be too surprising, but The Lion King contains arguably one of the most devastating scenes in Disney’s entire library. It isn’t just sad; it’s prolonged and even makes the audience feel angry.
Mufasa’s death in The Lion King is sustained and cruel. We see him rescue Simba from a stampede and almost escape with his life before Scar betrays him, hurling him into the rushing animals below.
Nothing about the scene is shortened. We see Simba pleading with his father’s motionless body, and it’s gut-wrenching considering the scenes before.
That alone would be enough to earn the movie a spot on the list, but Scar’s behavior makes the scene sting so much more. He seems to revel in Simba’s misery, placing the blame on a young cub unwise to the world.
The scene cements Scar as a legendary Disney villain. While The Lion King may be a lighthearted, joyful film for most of its 88-minute runtime, Mufasa’s death is a standout moment in 90s kids movies that can bring audiences of all ages to tears, even during a rewatch.