KrissiK Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Tonight we had family movie night and watched "ET". Not only is it a great movie, but I consider it one of those movies you need to see to be considered culturally literate (pop culture, at any rate). At least in my opinion. I'm trying to think of other movies for our family to watch that would be considered "must see" movies for American Kids! Definitely: Sound of Music (the original) Mary Poppins Chitty-Chitty- Bang- Bang Star Wars Trilogy A Christmas Story Princess Bride Any others to add? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Wizard of Oz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle My Bell Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 When I was a kid, I loved: Escape to Witch Mountain 1975 version Heidi (Shirley Temple) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Singin' in the Rain Wild America Mrs Doubtfire Space Balls A League of Their Own Meet Me in St Louis Indiana Jones Jurassic Park Star Trek Star Wars Harry Potter Field of Dreams ET(check for OP) Shirley Temple movies? Toy Story Finding Nemo Lion King? The Parent Trap ( both) Freaky Friday (both) Hair Spray The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E? I have a different list for older kids which includes Dirty Dancing, About a Boy, Elvis films +. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbyribs Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Labyrinth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 You've hit a lot of them. An attempt at familiarity with older TV shows should also take place. Often my approach to this is reactionary. Like having DD watch the original skit from I Love Lucy after seeing it parodied for the umpteenth time on a tween sitcom on Nick or Disney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatechip Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 The Apple Dumpling Gang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (original) Dark Crystal (maybe) Neverending story Goonies (maybe) Karate Kid (80's version) (maybe) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 The Apple Dumpling GangI thought so as well! Until I watched it as a young adult.I have a huge issue with this movie. The kidnappers are really creepy . The scene where the older woman is tied to a chair and threatened is pretty awful . I never felt comfortable with that one. Ymmv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Secondhand Lions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Return to Oz The Sandlot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Superman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Okay for all ages movies: Auntie Mame (Rosiland Russel version) Arsenic and Old Lace The Music Man Hello Dolly My Fair Lady The Secret of Nimh Annie Silent Movie Any Shirley Temple movie The Muppet Movie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfeusse Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 this is a great thread...I am glad it was started....but I have nothing new to add... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Ravin makes a really good point about TV shows. We don't have cable (just antenna) but we do get these weird bonus channels; some are news from around the world (love France 24), some are in foreign languages (Viet, Spanish, Russian, etc.), and some feature movies and old TV shows. We can watch Mr. Ed, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Gilligan's Island, Leave it to Beaver, Lucy, etc. I think there are a few shows that are part of our culture that might be fun to watch, but honestly, I believe these references are dying out a bit--pruning, I guess. I think Gilligan's Island and the Brady Bunch references might be around for quite a while, but some of the others, not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5of5 Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 This was going around Facebook and has a similar theme: http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/06/23/55-essential-movies-your-child-must-see-before-they-turn-13/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I was going to post that EW list as well. I thought it was well balanced. As they explain, it's not the "best" movies, it's the ones kids need for cultural references. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I would say the Miyazaki movies. Kiki's Delivery Service My neighbor Totoro Castle in the Sky Spirited away Howl's Moving Castle Ponyo From Up On Poppy Hill The Wind Rises Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 There are movies in Michael Gurian's book, Stories My Son Needs, with the reasons he feels they should be seen and at what age. He includes some that are violent/harsh because he thinks they contain ideas that should be talked about together. ETA: Oops, that title is "What Stories Does My Son Need?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistiDelaney Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Thanks, everyone! As a TV-free, homeschooling family, I have been trying to make sure that Caboose Boy is exposed to what he will need to know to keep up with the conversaion amongst his friends. I've never heard of many of these, but we will be checking them out of the library asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 All the Star Wars movies. There is an argument to be made, I suppose, that these are epics, though I know mu kids just consider them fun stories\adventures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Letsee.. A Nightmare on Elm Street Signs Deliverence Scarface The Exorcist Just kidding.... I was a sci fi fan and loved ET and especially Close Encounters of the Third kind, but these are definitely for at least 10 and older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 My kids recently found they loved Annie Problem Child Mary Poppins A League of Their Own Curly Sue Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure Shirley Temple movies (ok, they're meh about these but I love them) Ernest Goes to Camp and other Ernest movies And other great ones: Star Wars Lord of the Rings (I'm biased) Harry Potter :D Groundhog Day Mickey's Christmas Carol National Lampoon Christmas Vacation (iffy) Three Musketeers Witches (scary) Honey I Shrunk the Kids Parent Trap Mrs. Doubtfire Jurassic Park Wizard of Oz Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Matilda Goonies Legend Labyrinth Princess Bride How the Grinch Stole Christmas Elf Prancer Little Women Back to the Future My Girl (older kids?) Indiana Jones I did get them to watch some movies that perhaps should have waited. I'm kind of horrified I was allowed to watch them when I was younger, even! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Letsee.. A Nightmare on Elm Street Signs Deliverence Scarface The Exorcist Just kidding.... I was a sci fi fan and loved ET and especially Close Encounters of the Third kind, but these are definitely for at least 10 and older. :lol: Dh convinced me to let the kids over 9 watch Gremlins. They loved it. I was totally traumatized by that as a kid, but now that special effects are so much better it was more funny than scary to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 :lol: Dh convinced me to let the kids over 9 watch Gremlins. They loved it. I was totally traumatized by that as a kid, but now that special effects are so much better it was more funny than scary to them. I made my kids watch Gremlins. They thought it was funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 WHAT a great thread! We've been working our way through classic musicals (not my favorite genre, but the kids love them), but I haven't given too much thought to other types of movies. Thanks to all the contributors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Anne of Green Gables The Road to Avonlea Sandlot (when a little older) Cheaper by the Dozen (the original with Clifton Webb & Myrna Loy) The Waltons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 :lol: Dh convinced me to let the kids over 9 watch Gremlins. They loved it. I was totally traumatized by that as a kid, but now that special effects are so much better it was more funny than scary to them. :lol: We watched Ghostbusters last night, and we had the same problem. I knew they wouldn't find it scary, but the cheesiness of the effects added an extra element of hilarity. Then afterward, I was texting DH with awesome quotes. "Ray! If someone asks you if you're a god, you say YES!!!" "Oh no, it can't be!...Yep, it's the Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man." :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 What age? My recommendations would vary depending on age, and your tolerance for tougher themes and violence. For older kids, I'm very partial to October Sky, Apollo 13, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Hobbit, and for late high schoolers, Schindlers List, The Pianist, and Flyboys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Oh, and The King's Speech. We loved that one. But, we didn't mind the language because of the way it was being represented. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRG Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Stand By Me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Old Yeller is another classic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 The Sarah Plain and Tall series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Herbie, the Love Bug The Absent-Minded Professor Son of Flubber The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (Don Knotts) Bringing Up Baby (Katharine Hepburn) Oklahoma! Oliver The Sound of Music Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Old Yeller is another classic I don't encourage ugly cry movies ever since the infamous Meerkat Manor Hysteria incident. She can watch it if she wants but I wouldn't be, "here kids...watch this movie.." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatechip Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 I'm very partial to October Sky. . . YES!!! I LOVE October Sky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Maybe beetlejuice, some Adam's family? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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