Listmania- Top 20 Movies for Kids
By Glinda
Even though I in no way consider myself to be a film expert, I am going to bravely go ahead and open myself up to criticism by listing the best movies for kids 14 and under. And before everybody gets all huffy, these are in no particular order.
1. To Kill a Mockingbird
2. The Iron Giant
3. E.T. The Extraterrestrial
4. Holes
5. Monsters Inc.
6. Spirited Away
7. The Sandlot
8. The Princess Bride
9. The Lion King
10. Star Wars (IV, V, VI) (yes I am cheating by including them as one.)
11. The Harry Potter Series
12. Babe
13. The Nightmare Before Christmas
14. The NeverEnding Story
15. Goonies
16. Stand By Me
17. Finding Nemo
18. Raiders of the Lost Ark
19. The Sound of Music
20. Toy Story
What did I miss? What shouldn’t be on here?
Fire away in the comments section.
October 14th, 2007 at 5:56 am
Ahem: National Velvet starring a young Elizabeth Taylor, and Bugsy Malone, starring a young Scott Baio. Also, what about It’s a Wonderful Life?
October 14th, 2007 at 8:21 am
isn’t it sad that I haven’t seen many of these – including those of “my” generation??? I suck as a 30-some3thing year old if I haven’t seen ‘ET”, right?
October 14th, 2007 at 9:02 am
I agree with your list and have added these. I will give you a pass on “The Sound of Music” which I believe has no reason to be on this list. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE musicals, there is just something about putting boys in big bows that makes be want to thumb Julie Andrews in the throat.
The Adventures of Robin Hood (Michael Curtiz/William Keighley, 1938, USA)
Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985, USA)
Beauty and the Beast (Gary Trousdale/Kirk Wise, 1991, USA)
Edward Scissorhands (Tim Burton, 1990, USA)
Finding Nemo (Andrew Stanton/Lee Unkrich, 2003, USA)
It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946, USA)
Jason and the Argonauts (Don Chaffey, 1963, UK/USA)
The Kid (Charles Chaplin, 1921, USA)
King Kong (Merian C.Cooper/Ernest B.Schoedsack, 1933, USA)
Oliver Twist (David Lean, 1948, UK)
The Outsiders (Francis Ford Coppola, 1983, USA)
Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977, USA)
The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939, USA)
The incredibles (brad Bird, 2004, USA)
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl, 1971, USA)
Adieu, Adieu…to you and you and you…
de de de de de de de de … de de de de de deeeeeeee
October 14th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Definitely agree with Charlie on The Wizard of Oz. Also I’d suggest Narnia (the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). Both give kids the chance to be the hero in their own fantastic world. Good v. evil, but not in too dark or violent a fashion!
October 14th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
The Wizard of Oz was the first one I noticed to be missing. I would also add Annie to the list.
October 14th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
I have to throw in “Yellow Submarine” because both my kids looooooove that movie and could watch it over and over and over.
Also, “Babe” is one of the best kid movies EVAH, as is “The Incredibles.”
October 14th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
“Mary Poppins”. My parents actually met on a blind date to see this movie when it came out (1963), so it’s kind of a “family movie” for us anyway, but my sister and I did love it when we were growing up, watching it when it was on TV (about once a year) and when it was re-released (in 1976 or 77) (remember those days before DVDs and videotapes, when you had to catch a movie when it was available or – you missed it?). Even today, it looks charming, perhaps because the special effects were part of the story and not “showing off”. Well, not too much. (The penguins!!!)
I have to second “The Sound of Music”. Loved it then, loved it now. We had the soundtracks to both albums (twice the Julie Andrews goodness!), and even today my sister and I can sing pretty much any bit from either movie you’d care to hear (or not hear . . .).
October 14th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
I liked The Corpse Bride much better than the Nightmare Before Christmas. Otherwise, those are all all great titles.
My husband loathes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (both Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp versions). He finds them really creepy and disturbing, especially the tunnel scene with Gene Wilder. My kids love them though.
I’d like to add some great Christmas movies: The Polar Express (see it in 3D at the IMAX), Miracle on 34th street, A Christmas Story, Elf, and The Santa Clause.
I love the Sound of Music, but I would put The King and I ahead of it.
October 14th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
My list would include The Wizard of Oz and The Muppet Movie.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Toy Story II is even better than Toy Story.
And please don’t leave out the Henry household’s very favorite, A Bug’s Life! It features Randy Newman’s best film score as well as Kevin Spacey’s best voice work.
October 15th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I love “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” but I saw it again this summer in a theater and thought that perhaps it was a little violent for anyone under 14. There were a lot of families there with young children and I suspected the parents had forgotten how bloody the movie really is. I say this as someone who had nightmares from seeing “Oliver” at the age of five, but I don’t think that today’s kids should be more immune to violence than I was.
October 15th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
I can’t believe no one said Aladdin! Great movie and is one that both kids and adults find hysterical (hello, Robin Williams as the genie??).
Also – what about the Muppet movies? Muppets take Manhattan cracks me up to no end.
October 15th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
I have always loved watching:
Gidget (it’s the, “Absolute ULTIMATE!!”) and quite frankly so is most of the Sandra Dee ouvre,
Gigi,
Lili,
My Fair Lady,
The Secret Garden,
The Little Princess,
Cinderella (Disney’s 1951 version),
Summer Magic,
The Parent Trap (Hayley Mills more so than Lindsey),
Pollyanna,
Madeline,
Mathilda,
Miracle on 34th Street (to continue the Christmas theme),
Little Women (all the versions I have seen),
Pride and Prejudice (the Lawrence Olivier/ Greer Garson version),
Singing in the Rain,
The Trouble with Angels (it was fun to watch as a kid, and now knowing that Rosalind Russell, who portrayed the Mother Superior also played Mama Rose while the REAL Gypsy Rose Lee is also in this film)
There were movies I just kept watching for the clothes and shoes, but those are for another list.
All of these I wathced as a child and still love. That being said, I cannot disagree with any of the other films mentioned on your list either.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
I loved loved loved All Dogs Go to Heaven as a kid. It’s still one of my favorite movies, though I don’t know whether I’d call it the best of anything. I just found it to be extremely moving and influential in my life as a kid.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
A Bug’s Life
National Velvet
Boy’s Town
A Christmas Story
Yellow Submarine
Toy Story Two
Is To Kill A Mockingbird too intense??
October 15th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
Does anybody remember Watership Down? I was devastated by that movie as a kid, but I don’t remember if it was actually good (like Old Yeller) or not. Also, my 7 year-old’s favourite movie right now is The Court Jester with Danny Kaye, which was also one of mine as a kid. That, and anything with Fred Astaire or the Marx Brothers.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Mulan (Disney)! It’s such a wonderful movie, and has a great heroine!
Laputa (Castle in the Sky) is another wonderful Miyazaki film. I believe in exposing kids to subtitles as early as possible.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Babe (talking pig movie with a heart), Babe II Pig in the City and Jungle Book.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
The Parent Trap (original version with Hayley Mills, Brian Keith, Maureen O’Hara–no comparison!)
The Black STallion
October 15th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Films that are a must-see for kids:
My Neighbor Totoro
The Black Stallion
Those are some of the most magical films ever made, bar none.
October 15th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
I second The Muppet Movie, but I’m shocked that no one’s mentioned The Black Stallion. Even today when I watch it, I lose myself totally in it, become so wrapped in its world that I forget where I am and what’s going on around me. The soundtrack is brilliant, the cinematography is breathtaking, but nothing compares to the outtakes that play over the end credits – just scenes of the horse that plays The Black and the boy that plays Alec playing with each other on the beach. They move me to tears just thinking about them. Remember when life was like that? When you trusted so completely in something so much bigger and stronger than you, trusted it to be gentle, and that trust allowed you to live so fully in this life that you could experience a joy so complete it almost hurt?
I guess I just had a good childhood.
October 15th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
My kids loved A Christmas Story and The Goonies; Youngest Daughter, a passionate animal lover, deeply loved Homeward Bound; Middle Daughter (otherwise a young woman of taste and discrimination) has a soft spot for Condorman, which is unwatchable. I think the Miyazaki animated features (Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, etc) are worthy of consideration. But if I were going to add a few to an already-excellent list, it would have to be The Parent Trap and Home Alone.
I have to give props to a favorite video series, though it wouldn’t qualify as a movie. Disney at one time had a series of videos called DTV, in which music videos were created with pastiches of old Disney cartoon clips attached to pop music of various eras, such as “Stormy Weather” and “Purple People Eater.” I would so buy the whole series on DVD–if it were released.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
The Red Balloon, a beautiful French film, will keep the wee ones rapt.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
West Side Story for the most incredible dancing.
“When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet all the way, from your first cigarette to your last dying day.”
October 15th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Labyrinth! Directed by Jim Henson (1986) with David Bowie (mmmmm) and Jennifer Connelly. A movie I’ll never forget.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
“My Neighbor Totoro” (Tonori no Totoro) (Like Spirited Away, from Miyazaki)
“Seven Samurai” (for older kids with actual attention spans – mine loved it starting at 12 or so)
“Black Stallion”
“Babe”
“Fly Away Home” (and the inspiring documentary “C’mon Geese!” if you can find it)
Star Wars ep 6 is too scary for many kids under 10
October 16th, 2007 at 4:54 am
I’d add the PJ Hogan version of “Peter Pan” which is true to the stage play and a whimsical watch.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:29 am
I just love how everyone is so passionate about their choices. Movies can be powerful stuff.
And, that is a problem with making a “Top 20” list, there are bound to be great movies that just didn’t quite make the cut.
Thanks, everyone, for your wonderful responses.
October 16th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
The Yearling, and Born Free. (But make sure you have kleenex on hand for both.)
October 16th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
I’m sorry, but “To Kill a Mockingbird” is not an age-appropriate film for children. Any film that deals with rape should not be included on this list. My school district didn’t even allow students to read the book until high school.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Little Henry votes for Mulan and for Kiki’s Delivery Service.
October 16th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Anything by the Marx Brothers- physical comedy and wise-ass dialog.
I loved Babe, but Babe II had me in the hallway in tears, it was very disturbing.
October 16th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
It’s been about 30 years since I’ve seen it, but I remember loving/being completely disturbed by Riki Tiki Tavi as a child.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Definitely Annie is a top favorite… Back To the Future…
October 16th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Newsies! TOTALLY Newsies. And The Last Unicorn.
October 17th, 2007 at 2:07 am
Is Newsies the one that’s a musical?
October 17th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Anything Miyazaki, for sure.
October 17th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
The Muppet Movie, The Wizard of Oz, Willy Wonka (or Charlie) and the Chocolate Factory, A Christmas Story, the Narnia movies, all the old musicals (Mary Poppins, Sound of Music etc), the Marxs brothers, and The Rescuers are all (to me anyway) obvious omissions. I don’t think Raiders is to hard core. Depends on the kids and if they can handle scary stuff.
And by ET I assume you mean the ORIGINAL version and not that stupid anniversary edition with the guns all replaced with walk talkies. B/c kids are too smart to not realize that agents don’t point walk talkies at people and b/c hello the point is that ET was nice and the gov’t was evil and going to do experiments on him. Guns for sure get that point accross a little better then walkie talkies.
And to Kill a Mockingbird is not inappropriate for kids under 14. Yes the movie discusses rape but it’s not about rape. It’s about treating all people with respect. If you asked me what the book/movie were about rape would be way at the end of the list. I read that book 3 times before I hit 6th grade. I (who was in regular old boring english) had to explain the book to the ENTIRE advanced placement class, who were all seniors, in my school b/c none of them had ever read it nor did they understand it. Trying to protect kids by censoring what they read just dumbs everything down and is counter productive.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
My kids love these:
Shane
Hidden Fortress (subtitled, so they have to be old enough to read it)
Howl’s Moving Castle (ditto)
All of the Wallace & Grommit animations from Aardman
Fantasia
Believe it or not – Lawrence Olivier’s Henry V. (Sometimes if they don’t know that something is supposed to be difficult, they don’t realize that it is).
October 20th, 2007 at 12:28 am
i’m coming kinda late to this, but meet the robinsons is faaaaaantastic. actually the best (recent) animated movie i’ve ever seen. it’s hilarious.
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:54 am
what is thi i’m 13 and to kill a mocking bird is great but everyone is different so choose whats best for your kid and don’t forget the princess diaries, fox and the hound and aristocrats,underdog the original rogers and hammerstiens cinderella and the clean version of feris buller all of the movies you all said i seen most of them in my child hood but others i’ll rent thanks for the info. and if your kid can take it pschyco [dont know if i spelled that right] by alfred hitchcock Holla!!!