Good Family Movies

Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 12:33 pm

Good family movies allow you and your loved ones to gather round the television and enjoy some quality time together. From your old granny to those precocious little whippersnappers, family films feature something for everyone. And just in case you’ve run out of ideas, I’ve put together this handy list of good family movies to watch. Enjoy, and be sure to give your granny a hug.

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Beethoven (1992) – The misadventures of a family trying to raise a St. Bernard named Beethoven. Starring Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Stanley Tucci, and David Duchovny. Five sequels would follow.

My Fair Lady (1964) – Adapted from the stage musical, this tale of a lowly flower girl (Audrey Hepburn) passed off as a duchess has been entertaining families for over 40 years. It won eight Oscars, so why not see what all the fuss is about?

Finding Neverland (2004) – Johnny Depp stars as playwright J.M. Barrie, the man responsible for the delightful play Peter Pan. The film focuses on his friendship with a widow and her four young sons, which would provide much of the inspiration for his timeless tale of boys who don’t want to grow up. Also starring Kate Winslet, Dustin Hoffman, Radha Mitchell, and Julie Christie.

Where the Wild Things Are (2009) – No list of good family movies would be complete without this modern classic from director Spike Jonze. Combining CGI effects, live action, costumed actors, and animatronics, this charming family film deals with a lonely boy named Max and his adventures with a fantastical group of oversized monsters. You most likely read the book as a child, so go check out the film as an adult.

Monsters, Inc. (2001) – Featuring the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, and Steve Buscemi, this family film is set in a world populated entirely by monsters. To provide power to their cities, members of the power utility company known as Monsters, Inc. enter our world and cause children to scream in terror. But what happens when one of these children follows the company’s top frightener back to his world? The fourth feature-length film from the geniuses at Pixar.

I Remember Mama (1948) – A close-knit family of Norwegian immigrants try to survive and prosper in San Francisco in the early years of the 20th century. If you want to know how easy we’ve got it in modern-day America, just watch what these resilient folks had to go through.

The Kid (1921) – Charlie Chaplin stars as his famous character, The Little Tramp. Finding a baby abandoned in an alley, the Tramp raises the boy and teaches him to pull scams in order to survive. But when the child welfare people come around, the happy duo are in danger of being torn apart. A silent film, The Kid was the first comedy to combine elements of both comedy and drama.

Coraline (2009) – Based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, Coraline is the animated tale of a young girl who find a secret passageway leading to a bizarre alternate world. Drawing critical comparisons with Alice and Wonderland, Coraline is voiced by Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Keith David, and Ian McShane.

Back to the Future (1985) – Featuring Michael J. Fox at the peak of his boyish charm, Back to the Future sees Marty McFly (Fox) accidentally travel back through time. Winding up in 1955, he must get his parents together and help his future father learn to stand up for himself against bully Biff Tannen. Two sequels followed, but the first is still the best.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) – If you’re a fan of good family movies, you don’t want to miss this Judy Garland classic. Sweet little Dorothy winds up in the land of Oz and has a wild adventure with a cowardly lion, a tin man, and a dancing scarecrow. Meanwhile, she’s pursued by a wicked witch and her army of flying monkeys. One of the great movies for kids of all ages.

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While this list of good family movies isn’t exhaustive, it should be good enough to carry you through a few months. Check back with OGM from time to time, as we’ll no doubt be discussing more family films in the future. In the meantime, here are a few more articles you (and your granny) might be interested in.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 at 12:33 pm and is filed under Good Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

8 Responses to “Good Family Movies”

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December 10, 2009

Essay Writers

I totally loved the Beethoven series. It made me laugh, cry and long for my family, who was at the time far away. Great list!

December 18, 2009

Cho Chang

omg i love you date me will you?!

December 18, 2009

Shane

Date you, I will.

June 10, 2010

Jenny Weeds

Where the Wild Things Are is definitely the best movie on this list!! Thanks for the compilation (:

February 14, 2011

rosita

good list but not the best list iive seen

February 14, 2011

Shane

That’s a shame. I was sure hoping for a trophy or something.

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