As a child, one of my all time favorite movies had to be "Free Willy" (past Harry Potter and all that jazz). I loved animals, and I had aninsane crush on Jesse. Now that I'm older and sitting on my couch in my tiny little apartment watching "Free Willy," I have fallen in love with it all over again.

1. Jesse is still cute as a button

Like I said above, Jesse was one of my first television/cinema crushes. He was so cute and sweet even though he had a bad-boy side with his vandalizing the marine center. Now that I am older, I really see his cute and gentle nature, especially towards Willy.

2. Willy has his favorite, and of course, it's Jesse. They understand & appreciate each other.

Both don't want to be at the marine center. Willy was captured when he was past the prime age to train for shows, and Jesse was part of the vandal ring that came and spray painted the aquarium tank where Willy lived. They understood one another on more than just a "we're in the same boat" kind of thing; Willy and Jesse understood that they both had different purposes to fulfill, and they worked together even when no one wanted to give either of them a chance.

3. Michael Jackson is literally the greatest person to have sung the closing song for the movie

I am a decent Michael Jackson fan. I know many of his songs and sing along whenever they come on the radio, or I seek them out. I knew as a child the voice that sang the ending song sounded familiar, and it wasn't until I was a bit older (like 9) that I realized it was good old MJ. It's a shame he is deceased now, but this song at the end made me only obsess about him more. Powerful lyrics coupled with the beat of the music- just perfect. They couldn't have used a better song or had a better artist perform it.

4. Ray (the trainer) and Randall were the first people to treat Jesse like an adult in the marine center instead of a vandal.

While Jesse did, in fact, vandalize the marine center (along with his friends), and his punishment was to help clean the spray paint off. He later got a job working there with the orca Willy. The trainer Ray and Randall were the first people who didn't treat Jesse with anything other than respect and trust. His adoptive parents were a bit skeptical in the beginning, but they also came around too. Jesse's parole officer/legal representative was also unsure if Jesse would even be able to be a good kid/adult. The people at the marine center treated him as if they would anyone else hired to work there, which definitely means a lot, considering Jesse needed people in his corner.

5. Jesse's adoptive/foster parents were so understanding and compassionate towards him- even if Jesse hated them during some parts of the movie.

Taking in a kid who was close to having a criminal record, with that kind of temper, must not have been very easy for them to do. But Jesse's adoptive/foster parents did it to the best of their abilities to make sure he had what he needed when he needed it. They showed compassion and understanding during what must have been a really hard time in Jesse's life.

6. The message behind Free Willy is important and shouldn't be ignored

I knew you were waiting for me to say something about this- the overall message of Free Willy wasn't just to entertain audiences, it was to show them the detrimental effects of what happens to a whale and its pod when one of their own becomes separated. Orca whales are group animals and need to be with their families just like we do. It also shows that some organizations are just out to make money off the animals, and they really don't care if they live or die.

I am not talking about SeaWorld right now- please don't assume that I am. You know what they say when you assume...

7. Some animals cannot be released into the wild

It is also important to note that while some animals are brought into captivity unnecessarily (like Willy), some animals that are in captivity have been born there, or were/are too sick to be released into the wild. The other option is that they have been so domesticated to value human interaction that they could potentially be killed out in the wild when released. There could be more than one reason an animal is in captivity, and it is our job to respect the people caring for these animals. They know what they are doing most of the time (but clearly not in the case of the marine center during this particular movie)

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8. Educating the public is important, especially about large mammals like Orcas

Education is everything. Without showing the public what these animals look like and how they behave, it allows us to become attached and have feelings for these creatures. To put more of a human connection and allow people to become knowledgeable of the particular species. For example, orcas live in pods, much like dolphins They have feelings and can live for 30 to 40 years in the wild. They are mammals so they can't stay underwater forever and can be known to eat seals. These are just some of many different factoids about orcas that I have learned over the years which makes me have more feelings toward these magnificent creatures.

9. It's totally fine to support Seaworld, even when people don't believe a place like that should be supported.

I'll just say one word and move on: "Blackfish." This documentary paints the theme park/conservation/rehabilitation center to be a horrible death wish for marine and aquatic life. When in reality, Seaworld isn't a terrible place. They are leading for conservation, leading for marine and aquatic rehabilitation and release into the wild, and they keep the animals that are too injured or sick to return to the wild safe before even attempting a release. Watching Free Willy reminded me that Seaworld isn't the same place like the park where Willy was confined. They even put him in a dolphin tank when he needs something larger to accommodate his large size. That isn't Seaworld at all. In fact, it's perfectly fine to support theme parks with animals like Seaworld if you so choose (and to not support them if you feel the opposite).

10. Conservation is crucial to animal survival and welfare.

I really don't have to flesh this one out, do I? We all know that conserving wildlife and nature is the best thing we can do for us and for future generations. Watching Free Willy as an adult just confirmed that for me. Thanks 1993, for making the greatest movie on the planet. It still makes me tear up today.