Good Family Movies
Looking for good family movies? You’re not alone. It isn’t easy for kids and parents to agree, and as your children grow out of the infant stage you may be less inclined to play violent or “grownup” movies in their presence. How do you balance your desire for good movies with your desire to keep R-rated content from your children?
Best Family Movies
Picking the best family movies requires a little patience and some thinking about what kinds of movies you really love. Believe it or not, there are great movies (even some being made in today’s sex-and-violence laden culture) that you can watch with the whole family without sacrificing quality.
Good Family Comedy Movies
Depending on your definition of “family”, the family comedy genre is wide open. From fully G-rated affairs full of music and magic (think Bedknobs and Broomsticks or Mary Poppins) to slightly more ‘adult’ but still family friendly content like the dazzling animation and music of The Triplets of Belleville, you can find a family comedy movie to match both your taste in film and your family’s desire for clean viewing.
WALL-E (2008) — A Disney film about environmentalism that manages to be family friendly, funny, and moving all at the same time.
Back to the Future (1985) — They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Outside of a few dirty words, there’s little to fear in this imaginative time travel story.
Finding Nemo (2004) — You could file this movie under many categories — touching movies, family movies, etc — but I think of it mainly as a comedy.
Good Family Movie Musicals
You can’t go wrong with a movie musical — mostly filmed during an era in Hollywood where drug use, violence, and profanity were just not done, these movies are light on drama and heavy on entertainment.
The Sound of Music (1965) — Full of history, humor, suspense, and great songs, this is a classic movie musical that’s safe for the whole family.
Annie (1982) — Little girls who see Annie dream of growing up to play the role on Broadway. This is a hilarious (and even empowering) family movie.
Singin’ In the Rain (1952) — Gene Kelly is unbelievable in this light hearted Hollywood love story. Great songs will keep your family coming back.
Good Family Horror Movies
Though you may not think showing a “horror movie” to your family is a great idea, there’s plenty of good horror out there that leans toward the side of humor, some of it made especially with younger children in mind.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (2000) — Though not appropriate for all ages, Tim Burton’s animated horror-comedy is inventive and fun.
Beetlejuice (1987) — A little bit of not so family friendly content shouldn’t keep you from sharing this 80s classic with your kids.
Ghostbusters (1984) — An almost totally wholesome horror-comedy flick for kids and adults alike.
Good family movies are any movies that you find appropriate for your kids but still manages to entertain the rest of the family. Everyone has to compromise to pick a movie together, but Hollywood’s given us plenty of age-appropriate content across all genres. Watching a movie as a family doesn’t have to be an experience in sex education and embarrassment.