Movie Night: Must-See Family Classics

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These days it seems like movies are either full of so much action and special effects that they don’t have
time to relate a story, they contain subject matter that is largely inappropriate for younger audiences, or
they work so hard to shove morals down your throat that you leave feeling like you just swallowed a bar
of soap. What happened to all the great family movies?! Well, luckily, they’re still around, and many
have found a new life thanks to re-release on Blu-ray. So here are a few classics you’ll definitely want to
share with the kids.

1. Toy Story (1995). Can you believe it’s been almost twenty years since this feature-length
animated movie put Pixar on our radar? The tale of toys that come to life when humans aren’t
around is sure to delight kids of all ages, but even with their first offering Pixar showed that they
knew how to spin a timeless story that could reach the hearts of kids and adults alike. So enjoy
the first adventure (in a series of three) that introduced Woody, Buzz, and the whole toy box to
an adoring public.

2. E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982). I’m not afraid to admit that I cry every time I see this movie
usually multiple times throughout). But that hasn’t stopped me from watching it over and over.
Although you’ve probably seen it before, there’s nothing like watching it with your kids for the

first time, seeing their amazement at the alien who can bring dead flowers back to life, cobble
together a homing beacon from toys, and levitate BMX bikes. The movie changes you just like
E.T. changed Elliott and everyone else in the film: for the better.

3. The NeverEnding Story (1984). A lot of kids will relate to the main character of this film, who
suffers from bullying and dreams of escaping to a fantasy world where magic abounds and
anything can happen. Incredibly, the special effects hold up pretty well, despite the fact that
this movie was made nearly 30 years ago. And it’s a great way to convince kids that reading can
be fun.

4. Mary Poppins (1964). Like most great kids movies, this one takes viewers into a world of
fantasy. The titular nanny arrives by way of umbrella and proceeds to take her wards on a series
of adventures, teaching them valuable lessons along the way and restoring their relationship
with their often-absent parents.

5. The Princess Bride (1987). Best. Movie. Ever. Have you noticed that this movie seems to
have a rabidly devoted fan-base of viewers who have seen it dozens of times and quote it
ad nauseum? There’s definitely something special about this film. It has a classic love story
premise: boy meets girl, boy goes out to seek his fortune, thus losing girl, boy finds girl and
rescues her from unfortunate rebound relationship resulting from his initial departure. But this
fairy tale about finding and losing (and finding) true love is both sweet and comical, with plenty
of wacky characters that kids are sure to love just as much as adults (a rhyming giant, a lisping
kidnapper, and a six-figured man? All we need now is a holocaust cloak!). Small kids may find
some of the scenes a bit scary (like those featuring the life-sucking “machine”), but the rating is
PG so it should be safe for the majority of children.