I am looking for a really good list of wholesome movies for our family. We have quite a few movies, but we would like to find some new ones to add to our library!
Okay, totally old fashioned but I love Sound of Music and anything with Kenny Rogers and/or Dolly Parton! I am so cheesy! Kenny did one sometime in the 80s called Six Pack and he's a race car driver who picks up a bunch of homeless sibling who all just happen to be really good at repairing cars...love it!
Ponyo! We love this movie.
Other favs
The Aristocats
Bolt
The Incredibles
Monsters Inc
Madagascar
The Princess Bride
Never Ending Story
UP
The Sandlot is a favorite here.
we have recently starting watching/renting older disney movies. not the cartoons but the movies shot in the 50's 60's and early 70's here are a few to check out. they are a riot and even my very jaded 15 year old likes them lol
tonight we watched the apple dumpling gang
candleshoe
the parent trap (original with haley mills)
treasure island
that darn cat (again the original with haley mills)
freaky friday
apple dumpling gang rides again
escape to witch mountain (original not the newer one)
the incredible mr limpet
20,000 leagues under the sea
the horse in the grey flannel suit
herby the love bug (original)
the shaggy dog
swiss family robinson
old yeller
the ugly dachsund
bed knobs and broomsticks
pete's dragon
the journey of natty gan
milo and otis
black beauty
white fang
incredible journey (1 and 2)
these are just a few but we love them. my sons also loved the older musicals that were in black and white with gene kelly, fred astair, ginger rogers etc. oh and laurel and hardy good luck
We love over the hedge, the princess bride, Goonies, baby geniuses, and the labyrinth.
Family movies: old ones. I bought the Apple Dumpling Gang and The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again and my kids first thought they were lame. Once they saw them they thought they were great. Don Knotts and Tim Conway. Also the original Escape to Witch Mountain (not the one with The Rock). If you can, join the Disney movie club and you can get these at a great price or even google Diney Movies from 1960/70. OR join Netflix and check them out before committing to buying them. This is a great way to introduce your kids to the older family movies before all this million dollar sepcial effects were necessary.
if you can get hold of them, Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre series.
At one point, there was a list of fantasy movies on the internet...it had The Last Unicorn, Labarynth, etc on it. I found it useful. It had a lot of kid-friendly movies like The Dark Crystal (muppets) on it. It would be an excellent place to start. Here are some others:
Neverending Story 2 and 3
Golden Compass
Earlier Harry Potter movies
Legend
Narnia Chronicles
Dragonslayer
Shirley Temple movies
Stardust
The Last Mimzy
Eragon
Ever After
Red Sonja (depending on the ages of the children...some violence/blood)
Nims Island (Think that is the title with Jody Foster)
Of course all disney movies...I am sure there is a list online somewhere
I have others...just bought my dd Elmo in Grouchland for Christmas. :-)
We love Everyone's Hero. It is animated film produced by Christopher Reeves and his wife. Main point "You gotta keep on swinging"
Also, it'd be almost impossible to find, but I loved Follow Me Boys. It stars a very young Kurt Russell.
We love all the Pixar movies - they are beautiful to watch and all have a good story for grown-ups and little ones. I cry almost every time I watch one of theirs. I'm not sure how old your kids are and some of the Pixar movies have some "intense" moments in them. I like them because they have themes that are about real life - feeling different, losing someone you love, etc., but some might be a little scary for little ones.
Wallace and Gromit was mentioned. The creators also have a series called "Shawn the Sheep" which is very cute and also entertaining for adults. It was a British TV show so there are maybe three ten-minute episodes on each show.
We like old musicals too - when my son was two I got "Singin' in the Rain" out from the library and he watched the whole thing! It moves along at a pretty fast pace and was just dancing along the whole time.
Meet the Robinsons is really good. Great story and message, not hard to watch as an adult and enjoyable for many ages.
It is a;so one of the few that my daughter could actually watch by herself(4 1/2 yo). I usually have to fastforward through the scary parts on most other movies. I don't understand why disney insists on having such dark moments or songs with the villans.
Finding Nemo, the old Beethovin movies, Toy Stories.
Up is good as well, though a bit scary in a prt. However the rest of the story and the visuals outway that.
Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea also good depending on the age and interests oif your children.
Indian in the Cupboard
Ratatouille
Ponyo
Totoro
Because of Winn Dixie
Up (of course)
and definitely the recently released How to Train Your Dragon!
Singing in the rain!
If you have Netflix- the Dean Martin/ Jerry Lewis specials were a hit with my kids- they crack up at them- good clean fun.
Lost in space episodes are great too.
UP by Disney is very cute.
Old Yeller.
Princess Bride- I duno- If this is the movie I remember it is, it would not be appropriate for young children! A funny movie for us adults for sure, but please preview this before letting kids watch it.
Golden Compass had some dark stuff in it- I dont like movies that glorify and celebrate the occult and this one, any harry potter, does that. In fact a lot of movies that Kat mentioned have occult /new age themes.
There are plenty of PG movies that have innapropriate stuff for small kids. Some parents are more lenient or have different requirements than others. Previewing can help.
VeggieTales :) They have 2 feature-length movies--Jonah and The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything.
Also, all Disney movies are good.
Not sure of the age/gender of your children, here are a few thoughts...
The Parent Trap (one of my favorites - the original made in the 1960's)
Free Willy
Homeward Bound (1&2)
E.T.
Cadette Kelly (good for tween girls)
Sounder
The Wizzard of Oz
Jungle 2 Jungle (boarder line of the wholesome)
If you like musicals
The Sound of Music
Oliver
My girls enjoyed the old tv series
Little House on the Praire
The Waltons
Of course there are all the Disney Classics, which I'm sure you already have.
Featuer Films for Families has all family friendly movies.
Check out Feature Films for Families at Familytv.com
The Never Ending Story. You may want to watch it first, for some kids it may be a little scary at times, but I loved it from the time I can remember.
Not sure the ages of your children? but mine absolutely loved the Wallace and Gromit (claymation) movies (The Wrong Trousers was the first one, I think - there are 3 or 4 in total). When they got a little older, Mathilda was a big hit (based on the Roald Dahl book). In fact, any movie based on a RD book was entertaining - James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are 2 that also come to mind. Just have to add also (even though you've probably already seen them) the Toy Story series...believe it or not, my 15-year old son saw #3 when it came out and cried!
Because of Winn Dixie... That is a favorite for everyone in our house!
