As a kid, watching movies is usually only a source of entertainment. You’re just glad to be with your parents in a movie theater munching on some popcorn. You’re not wondering what that joke one of the characters said really meant under the surface or why there’s certain conflicts throughout the movie. As you get older, you have different experiences that teach you why some things are the way they are. This makes watching a movie you found on Netflix that you saw as a kid hit differently. There are two different perspectives watching the same movie. One is a six- year-old viewing the movie with rose colored glasses and with a brain that doesn’t quite understand how the world works yet. The other is a sixteen year old watching with her prescription glasses and the emotional intelligence of a wrinkly old woman. Both watching with a sense of wonder and thrill. It’s just that one version of you is better at looking out for the emotional state of the characters and the message behind the movie. For example, I remember watching my favorite Christmas movie, Home Alone, when I was a little kid. I wasn’t too focused on the plot, rather I was more into the cozy and cheerful vibes from the movie. Yes, I did understand the plot and was on the edge of my seat throughout the movie, but that wasn’t the main thing I was interested in. Recently, I’ve rewatched the movie out of nostalgia. Looking back on the movie, I’ve come to the realization that Kevin’s mother was terrible. It didn’t really click to me how outrageous it is to forget your kid before going on a trip miles from home. As a kid, I thought Kevin simply had his wish come true, to make his family disappear. I didn’t really understand what a hazard it must’ve been to have an 8 year old kid home alone. It truly was a hazard, considering the house got broken into. Kevin’s parents were just lucky enough he was a clever kid and didn’t end up seriously hurt. This isn’t the only movie that feels like this. There are so many more that hit just as hard. It’s like an aha moment. When something didn’t click as a kid, it definitely clicked now. In a way, it’s like connecting with that younger version of yourself. It feels nice remembering the silly thoughts you used to have watching something you didn’t understand. That’s the best part about rewatching old movies. Movies stay the same, but we don’t. That’s the beauty of growing up and becoming your own person.