The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking (1988)

What makes The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking such a treat is its wholehearted commitment to childhood imagination—the kind where a creaky old house can feel enchanted, rules are optional, and every ordinary day is one good idea away from becoming an adventure. Tami Erin’s Pippi is a burst of fearless, mischievous energy, and the film leans into a playful, storybook vibe filled with sight gags, scrappy stunts, and warmhearted wish-fulfillment as she befriends Tommy and Annika and turns the town’s grown-up seriousness upside down. It’s not a sleek modern fantasy, and older viewers may find it pleasantly oddball and a little rough around the edges, but if you’re in the mood for something cheerful, whimsical, and sincerely family-friendly, it delivers that rare comfort-movie feeling where magic is less about spells and more about attitude. Watch it when you want to remember how liberating it felt to believe you could do anything—especially if “anything” involves a horse, a monkey, and a grin that never asks permission.

This movie is clearly trying to deliver a bright, kid-friendly whirlwind of Pippi’s anarchic imagination—goofy stunts, cartoonish villains, and “rules are boring” wish fulfillment. The problem is the execution can feel loud and relentlessly cutesy, with a sticky-sweet tone and broad slapstick that starts to grate if you’re not already on its wavelength. If you’re expecting the charm and wit of the classic Pippi stories or a smart family adventure that plays to adults too, this one may feel thin, repetitive, and a bit dumbed down. That said, younger kids who like nonstop silliness, colorful set pieces, and an unstoppable heroine might still have a perfectly fine time.