Good Kids Movies

While I’m not a big fan of good kids movies, I’m certain that a number of our readers are. That’s why I’ve bit the proverbial bullet and compiled this list of some of the best kids movies currently available on DVD and Blu-ray. Luckily, most of these films can also be enjoyed by adults, so the process wasn’t as painful as I initially expected. You’ll also be happy to know that Amazon sells kids movies like crazy, and following our links to them will even add a few bucks to my pocket (which will help keep this site in business).

• Babe (1995) – A heartwarming Australian film about a pig who wants to be a sheep dog. James Cromwell received an Oscar nomination for his role as the stoic Mr. Hoggett, and his career really took off afterwards. If you’ve ever heard the line, “That’ll do, Pig. That’ll do” and wondered where it came from…here’s your answer.
• The Wizard of Oz (1939) – A children’s classic enjoyed by several generations of tykes, The Wizard of Oz features Judy Garland as Dorothy, a young girl who finds herself transported from Kansas to the fantastical land of Oz. Pursued by the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy and her dog Toto must seek out the wise Wizard of Oz with a little help from a cowardly lion, a scarecrow, and a tin man. Plenty of colorful characters and musical numbers to delight viewers of all ages.
• Big (1988) – Tom Hanks plays a kid who makes a wish to be “big.” When he wakes up the next morning, he finds himself in the body of a 30-year-old man. Now he must act like an adult, which proves to be a little more taxing than he thought…especially when it comes to women. Hanks received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his spot-on impression of a kid trapped in a man’s body.
• The Bad News Bears (1976) – Following a lawsuit, a competitive Little League organization adds an extra team so that all the crappy players can feel the joy of getting destroyed on the baseball field. A grouchy alcoholic named Morris Buttermaker (Walter Matthau) is recruited to coach the team, and, to the surprise of everyone, they slowly begin to turn the season around. Watch for a young Jackie Earle Haley as a cigar-smoking Little Leaguer. A comic hit, it produced two sequels, a short-lived television series, and a 2005 remake starring Billy Bob Thornton.
• Back to the Future (1985) – Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is a high school student who finds himself thrown back in time to the year 1955, courtesy of the loopy Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a modified DeLorean. For you youngsters reading this, I might point out that DeLorean was a short-lived car company that went under in 1982. Back in the 50s, Marty must get his parents to fall in love, fend off the romantic advances of his own mother, and help his father (played by the karate-kicking Crispin Glover) to grow a little backbone, especially when it comes to local bully Biff Tannen.
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – A boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas) finds a little lost alien and takes him home. As he and his siblings try to hide the stranded extraterrestrial from his mother, they’re completely unaware that sinister government forces have taken notice of the recently-departed spacecraft. Skip the extended 2002 version if possible, as the government agents have their guns digitally replaced with walkie-talkies. Kids need to learn as soon as possible that government agents are always packing heat.
• The Santa Clause (1994) – Tim Allen plays a divorced father who accidentally causes the death of Santa Claus. After putting on the dead man’s suit, he’s informed that he now has to take over the job of delivering presents every Christmas. Two sequels would follow, but this is the best of the lot.
• The Black Stallion (1979) – Based on the novel by Walter Farley, this good children’s film revolves around a boy who befriends an Arabian stallion while shipwrecked on a deserted island. Once rescued, he enters himself and his new friend in a contest against the fastest racehorses in America. It’s got Mickey Rooney, so you know it’s gotta be good.
• Chicken Run (2000) – Played out like a WWII prison movie, this hilarious stop-motion animated film is from the same people who brought us the Wallace and Gromit movies. A chicken farm in England is run like a prison, and things go from bad to worse when the owners decide to convert from egg production to making chicken pies. It looks as though the local fowls are doomed, but the arrival of a heroic rooster named Rocky Rhodes may signal their salvation. Mel Gibson provides the voice for Rocky.
• Ghostbusters (1984) – Who ya gonna call? If you’ve got ghost problems, you’d be smart to call Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Dr. Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis). And let’s not forget about latecomer Winston Sedgemoor (Ernie Hudson). A comedy classic featuring a leggy Sigourney Weaver, a catchy theme song, and Bill Murray at his smartass best.

I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this list of good kids movies. If you want more recommendations on movie for kids, why not click on the following links:

• Good Kid Movies
• Good Rated G Movies
• 15 Creepiest Movie Kids
• Robot Movies for Kids Who Like Robot Movies

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