Suggestions please - good non-animated movies for kids

[blatzlight]

The Karate Kid Movies

Only 1 and 2 are worth watching. The first one is my favorite movie from my childhood and have had a copy of it since high school over a decade ago.

 

[JumpinMacFlash]

Just about any movie with the Muppets would be good. I used to watch The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper when I was younger. I liked them then because, well, they had the Muppets. But watching them when I was older, there are a lot of things kids just won't pick up on and they're absolutely hilarious.

[DatHoser]

On the muppet line, you can also watch the episodes on dvd. My wife got the one with Mark Hamill from her sister. Pigs in Space plus you get Mark gargling a song with a muppet in kilts. TLB, as a fellow SW aficionado, you would appreciate that one.

[Teatoe993]

Edward Scissorhands

Beetlejuice

Over The Top

Iron Eagle

Top Gun

Rambo

Terminator

Kindergarten Cop

Twins

Wildcats

Overboard

 

Road House

[FVBrewerFan]

Forogt one earlier, the entire Bond series. My son really got into those around that age. They do tend to be long and drag on at times. There is violence of course, depends how you feel about that. It's not gory or anything. And you have to put up with 007's wandering hands with the ladies here and there.

[BMuch]

The Goonies!

[Crewin06]

Edward Scissorhands

Beetlejuice

Over The Top

Iron Eagle

Top Gun

Rambo

Terminator

Kindergarten Cop

Twins

Wildcats

Overboard

 

Road House

Really??

 

I like all those movies as much as the next guy but Road House, Rambo, and Top Gun aren't really kids movies. BTW I bought Road House on DVD yesterday ($4 at wal-mart) it was the first time I have seen an unedited version and it was great. I never really watched the whole thing straight threw before. I don't think I would ever recomend it to a person under 15 and I don't think a parent would ever feel real comfortable watching it with their kids.

[Teatoe993]

Yeah, I should have put Road House in blue. But I grew up on the rest of those movies. Top Gun made me want to be a fighter pilot when I was a kid. I was 8 at the time and totally got into fighter planes and started building model planes and all that. I remember seeing Rambo III for the first time at a birthday party and it didn't make me wanna go and shoot up a bunch of middle easterners. I think a 10 year old should be able to figure out that it's just a movie and cool dudes like Rambo just don't exist in real life. Don't wanna overprotect the kid too much now. In today's society, I seriously doubt one would be able to create any cartoons like the ones we used to watch as a kid and have them showed on television. I mean think about it. Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, etc. A lot of it was totally glorified violence (frying pans over the head, running off a cliff only to have an anvil land on your head). I think it's fair to say we all turned out OK despite viewing these programs and movies. In fact I'd say that the children of today are in much worse shape due to the wussification of America where there are no winners or losers anymore and life is just one big group hug.

[Patrick425]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Even thought we have already seen many of the movies mentioned. There are some interesting new ones (there has not been many mentioned that I have not seen and did not already think of introducing my son to.) I'm putting together a nice little list from Miracle is still on the top of my list. Went to Blockbuster yesterday to get it, but it was checked out. "Because of Winn-Dixie" sounds pretty interesting as well.

 

Some of the movies suggested, I know my son would like, but I would have a hard time sitting through. For example, I really have no desire to see any of the Spider Man movies(I'm pretty sure my son has already seen 1 or 2 of those movies, I know he has the video game).

 

By the way TLB, my son watched the Star Wars movies in story order.

[tristarscoop]

I also was a big fan of Fraggle Rock and now have the seasons on DVD. Good stuff.

[TooLiveBrew]

By the way TLB, my son watched the Star Wars movies in story order.

 

Wow! I've had the debate (no kids yet for me) on 'IV-III'/'I-VI', but am always interested to hear some real-world feedback. Interesting... and that he saw them in that order & still prefers IV-VI. Makes me want to lean toward 'IV-III'. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Patrick425]

Just wanted to touch back on this subject. Some of the movies we rented because of this thread (like I stated, many of the ones mentioned...we already watched together):

 

The Princess Bride: I don't think my son could get past the title, so he had a bit of a closed mind about it. I think he enjoyed a little more than he would admit to. I found it semi-enjoyable too.

 

Miracle: We really liked this one.

 

Another movie I rented the other night that my son enjoyed was City Slickers. Although my wife and I forgot about some of the inappropriate parts (for a 10 year old) that were in it. Breaking Away was one that we watched on TV the other day as well. I did have to kind of explain the Cutters vs. rich college kids thing to him though.

 

If anyone else has any thoughts, I would appreciate it. I appreciated the suggestions. Although some of them were a bit more kid oriented than what I am looking for. I'm looking for movies that are not necessarily slanted towards kids, but that are "kid safe". I don't mind some violence or an occasional swear word, but I would like to stear away from too much sexual content. Keep in mind, one of his favorite movies is "The Blues Brothers" (that's about the edge of what I would allow him to watch. Some harsh swear words, but I've seen it enough to know were most of them are and I'm pretty quick with the remote). He really like "Rocky" , "Field of Dreams", "The Rookie", and "We are Marshall" too.

 

I also found a good site for parents and moves: www.kidsinmind.com

 

I also found a site that edit's movies, but it looks you have to buy the movie. Might be interested if there was a movie rental site like that.

[Katuluu]

The Burbs isn't any scarier than Ghostbusters or even Harry Potter. My son has a pretty mature sense of humor for his age.

I'm pretty sure cannibalism is a bit more difficult to explain to a child and more frightening. But maybe that is just me.

[brucrustu]

RAD

 

I bet my brother and I made our Mom rent this enough times that she could have bought it at least twice.

[Patrick425]

Katuluu[/b]]

Patrick425[/b]]The Burbs isn't any scarier than Ghostbusters or even Harry Potter. My son has a pretty mature sense of humor for his age.

I'm pretty sure cannibalism is a bit more difficult to explain to a child and more frightening. But maybe that is just me.

 

Cannibalism?...The Burbs?....I guess the movie was over my head..didn't really get cannibalism out of it. It was some creepy new neighbors who were killing people, but I didn't get cannibalism out of it. As dark as that sounds. It was a comedic take on life in the Suburbs with what I thought were some pretty funny performances (if you can stomach Cory Feldman). It was rated PG.

[Teatoe993]

Mr. Mom

[chuckiehacks]

Our house has been on a big "Cat in the Hat" kick lately.

 

Mike Myers + Alec Baldwin + Live Action = fun for kids with plenty of subtle grown-up humor.

[TooLiveBrew]

On the muppet line, you can also watch the episodes on dvd. My wife got the one with Mark Hamill from her sister. Pigs in Space plus you get Mark gargling a song with a muppet in kilts. TLB, as a fellow SW aficionado, you would appreciate that one.

 

Oh man, I finally watched this episode. It was cringe-worthy bad at many points. Great to watch, though!

[Katuluu]

Cannibalism?...The Burbs?....I guess the movie was over my head..didn't really get cannibalism out of it. It was some creepy new neighbors who were killing people, but I didn't get cannibalism out of it. As dark as that sounds. It was a comedic take on life in the Suburbs with what I thought were some pretty funny performances (if you can stomach Cory Feldman). It was rated PG.

The movie infers that the Klopeks were eating people, and it was at least one of the scenarios tossed around by Art. Even the story about the ice cream man who murdered his family is potentially disturbing as well for kids. It's definately not a movie I'd let my nephews watch until they were probably in their teens. As much because they won't get most of the humor and it is a pretty scary film. Gremlins, Gremlins 2 and Small Soldiers are probably better Joe Dante films for him to watch before he watches The 'burbs.

 

Anyways, I know you asked for non-animated films but this one looks pretty cool and will be out later this year.

[RyDogg66]

If it hast been mentioned yet, Stand By Me is one of my favorites.

[Pedro]

I've got a 10-year old girl, and we run into the same problem; finding movies we can all watch together. We've gone through many of the movies listed previously. I'm going to add two possibilities that we've added to our family viewing:

 

1) Classic Hollywood movies from the golden age (30s-40s) and a later. Now, I don't know how some of these titles will translate to a boy, but here is a few titles our daughter has watched an enjoyed: Adventures of Robin Hood, Bringing Up Baby, High Society, Sea Hawk, The Philadelphia Story, Gone With The Wind, Casablanca, His Girl Friday, Hello Dolly, To Catch a Thief, Some Like it Hot, Sabrina and The Great Escape. She's also gotten a kick out of some silent era stuff (Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd).

 

It's not a steady stream of these type of movies, but we sprinkle them in or she decided she wants to watch with us if we happen to be watching an old movie. She's left part way through many of them.

 

2) While they are not movies, but both our kids (10 and 6) enjoy some of the old shorts (Three Stooges, Little Rascals) and old TV shows (Get Smart, I Love Lucy).

 

Now you may not like old movies, so this may be useless info, but thought I'd throw it out there.

[RyDogg66]

Oh I remember a few more.

 

Adventures in Babysitting (I remember falling in love with Elisabeth Shue in that movie)

Swiss Family Robinson (I would watch that one by myself even)

[Patrick425]

RyDogg66[/b]]If it hast been mentioned yet, Stand By Me is one of my favorites.

 

I really like this movie as well. However, I made the mistake of renting it a couple of years ago. I had not seen the movie for a while Shortly into the movie, I had to turn it off. The language was way to strong for my son. Then, I looked at the box and saw it was rated R. I would have never have thought that before we started watching it.

Katuluu. It's amazing how two people can have a totally different take on the subject matter of a movie. It's almost like your describing a different movie. I thought it was mostly a light hearted PG rated comedy that is perfectly safe for any kids 10 and over (or even 9).

 

On another note. Warning..this is a little bit of a spoiler. However, we went to go see "Marley and me" this weekend expecting (from the trailers) that it would be a feel good family comedy. Ended up doing more crying than laughing. I did think it was a good movie though...just a bit unexpected.