January: Toy Story (1995) – Kids will love the thought of
their beloved toys coming to life when their backs are turned. This theme shows
up in other movies (Pinnochio, The Christmas Toy, and (kind of) Wreck-It Ralph
all come to mind), but Toy Story does it very well. Kids might resonate with
Woody, a cowboy who feels a bit displaced by a new toy, Buzz Lightyear. They’ll
cringe when a neighborhood bully takes out his frustrations on other toys. And
hey, watching this together right after Christmas could probably spawn some new
imaginative play with toys they’ve forgotten about.
February: The Princess Bride (1987) – Is there a better
Valentine’s Day movie than this one? Girls will love Buttercup (I’ve been a
groomsman in two different weddings where the bride wore a Buttercup dress!)
Boys might groan with Fred Savage at it being “a kissing movie,” but they’ll
appreciate the swordplay. And honestly, Vizzini (“Inconceivable!”) and Fezzik
(“Anybody want a peanut?”) might be even cooler than the leading characters.
Just make sure your little ones can handle the Fire Swamp, the Rodents of
Unusual Size and the Pit of Despair. 
March: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) – Why not inspire
some Spring-Break outdoor play by watching kids get shrunk to sub-ant size!
Your backyard might take on a whole new mystique after watching this film
together.
April: The Sandlot (1993) – Celebrate Baseball’s opening day
with this story of childhood in the 1960’s. Kids will relate to teasing but
might be inspired by Benny, who sticks up for the bullied Smalls. After
watching this movie, why not head outside for your own neighborhood game of
pick-up baseball.
May: The Lion King (1994) – Simba overcomes a lot of losses
in this film, but kids will probably most remember Timon and Pumbaa’s catchy
song, “Hakuna Matata.” The Lion King is a classic, with beautifully animated
scenery, plenty of laughs, and memorable songs. It’s worth another look!
June: Superman: The
Movie (1978) – With all the new superhero movies coming out, your kids might
enjoy seeing the original. Superman
travels through space and time to save the world from Lex Luthor (and his
humorously inept henchman, Otis.)
July: 1776 (1972) – Celebrate the Fourth of July with a
musical look at America’s founding. Bonus points: William Daniels stars as John
Adams, so if you want to introduce your kids to Boy Meets World (where he’s Mr.
Feeny) or Knight Rider (where he’s the voice of the car), this might be your
way in. Catchy, happy, and comfortable songs make this one a joy to watch –
although it’s a bit long, so it might be best to spread it over two viewings.
August: The Truman Show (1998) – Jim Carrey’s character has
lived his whole life on television, but doesn’t realize it. Reality TV has
become way more common in the 15 years since this film was released, but kids
will still get it. After watching it, why not imagine a show about your family!
Your kid can be the director!
September: Star Wars (1977) – I mean the original one. New
Star Wars movies are (still) going to be coming out, but why not let your kid
relive the movies that you fell in love with.
The benefit to Episode IV: No CGI, and no Jar-Jar. Get ready for
light-saber fights.
October: The Never-Ending Story (1984) – Why not have a Good
Luck Dragon, or a Bastian, or an Atreyu or a Childlike Empress this Halloween?
This German-American film suggests that your imagination isn’t necessarily all
that imaginary. Bastian saves an imaginary world by investing himself in it.
Atreyu believes in himself to overcome fearful circumstances. The Childlike
Empress – well, she basically just carries everyone’s expectations on her
shoulders. And the theme song is some pretty catchy 80’s synth.
November: Men in Black (1997) – Maybe this one should have
been the Halloween choice. I mean – black suits, ties, and shades, and you’re
set to go. Your kids might like this sci-fi, extraterrestrial-filled comedy.
Or, maybe they’d prefer ET. Your call.
December: A Christmas Story (1983) – You’ll put your eye out
with that thing! A Christmas Story might be right up there with The Princess
Bride in terms of memorable moments. Why not relive this one together. But
maybe wait until after you’ve already finished your gift shopping. Otherwise
you might end up having to buy a BB gun, too.
Those were my twelve picks --- What movies would be on your list?
Like this list? You might also enjoy
I have not seen a few of these, but all the ones that you listed that I have seen are excellent choices!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachel! Which ones haven't you seen yet :)?
DeleteAddison - sometimes we agree. Sometimes we disagree, but on this post, you have the full agreement of all of us in this house! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I had a lot of fun coming up with these :)
DeleteAll great choices! We love the Princess Bride. A family favorite!
ReplyDelete"Fezzik, are there rocks ahead?"
Delete"If there are, we'll all be dead."
"No more rhyming, and I mean it."
"Anybody want a peanut?"
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ReplyDelete