By Jessica Nguyen & Brian Pham
Many of us are still stuck in our homes in quarantine without much to do. With all of this spare time, let’s take a trip down memory lane! Here are some shows and movies you can rewatch to experience some childhood nostalgia.
“Avatar: The Last Airbender”
Set in a world based on Asiatic and Native cultures, the four nations, the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Air Nomads and the Fire Nation, lived together in harmony until the Fire Nation waged war on the other nations in hopes of dominating the world.
The only person who could stop the Fire Nation was the Avatar, master of all four of the elements, but he disappeared when the world needed him most. One hundred years later, two Water Tribe siblings, Katara and Sokka, find the Avatar, a 12-year-old boy named Aang, and together they embark on a journey to help Aang master the four elements to bring harmony and balance back to the world.
Even as a kids’ show, “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” tackles many adult themes and topics in a digestible manner, including genocide and corruption, that you may have not noticed when you were younger when it aired on Nickelodeon. Now, it is available on Netflix! Despite mature themes, it is still a comedic and heartwarming show. It has also been critically acclaimed for its world-building, character development and animation.
“Lemonade Mouth”
This coming-of-age movie follows the lives of five high school students: Olivia, Mo, Wen, Charlie and Stella, who were all sent to detention for separate reasons. Detention unites them, helps them to discover their musical talents, and they form their own band to compete in a music competition. The movie highlights their struggles as both a band and as individuals.
The movie deals with themes of self-expression, empowerment and friendship that will still resonate with you now. If you are looking for a movie to jam out to or feel inspired to stand up for what you believe in, watch “Lemonade Mouth” on Disney+.
“Teen Titans”
Teen Titans is based on the lives of five teenagers: Gotham crime fighter Robin, the half-robot Cyborg, the green shapeshifter Beast Boy, alien Starfire and dark magic user Raven as they fight against crime in Jump City. Facing a variety of villains, from thieves to demons to mutants to evil organizations and more, they grow as people and superheroes, still having time for fun antics in-between their adventures.
This show is one that people of all ages can enjoy and is definitely not limited to kids or superhero fans. It is both fun and serious at times, balancing comedic humor with darker themes. The series is currently available on Amazon Prime.
“Wizards of Waverly Place”
This show follows the adventures of the Russo family, which consists of three siblings, Alex, Justin and Max, their father, Jerry, and mother, Theresa.
They may appear to be an ordinary family, but behind closed doors, they are actually a family of wizards. The siblings must complete their wizard training in hopes of winning the wizard competition to become the Family Wizard. They experience some magical and ordinary problems along the way.
“Wizards of Waverly Place” was definitely a show that we all watched as kids. Regardless of how old you are now, this show is guaranteed to make you laugh with its light-heartedness but still teach you important lessons about family, friends and love. You can watch it on Disney+!
