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I remember watching so many different movies when I was younger. Now that I have kids of my own, I want them to enjoy some of the movies I saw as a child. There are so many that I have found that I’d love them to see. I’ve even got some on the list that we have already seen, but wanted to put them down because I would have had them see them at some point if they hadn’t already. A lot of these bring back a lot of great memories for me as well. I thought it would be fun to have my daughters and I do some more family movie nights this year by showing them some of the movies I enjoyed as a child. I’m hoping that they’re going to enjoy a lot of these as well. This year we’re going to work on watching them all from the list and hope to accomplish seeing all of these movies this year. We’d at least like to watch one each week until summer break, then we’ll be able to watch more of these movies more often. We are even going to have some snacks to go along with the movies, so look out for some videos on my social media and possible blog posts about the movies we watched as well. Stay tuned!!
From Academy Award®-winning filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis comes Back to the Future—the original, ground-breaking adventure that sparked one of the most successful trilogies ever. When teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is blasted to 1955 in the DeLorean time machine created by the eccentric Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), he finds himself mixed up in a time-shattering chain reaction that could vaporize his future—and leave him trapped in the past. Powered by innovative special effects, unforgettable songs and non-stop action, Back to the Future is an unrivaled adventure that stands the test of time!
A man buys a Mogwai as a Christmas present for his son. The young boy is told to keep the pet away from water, out of the light and never to feed it after midnight. Inadvertently, the creature is dampened and almost instantly, produces half a dozen furry replicas of itself –which continue to multiply and turn the small town upside-down.
Relive the adventure and magic in one of the most beloved motion pictures of all-time, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, from Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg. Captivating audiences of all ages, this timeless story follows the unforgettable journey of a lost alien and the 10-year-old boy he befriends. Join Elliot (Henry Thomas), Gertie (Drew Barrymore) and Michael (Robert MacNaughton) as they come together to help E.T. find his way back home, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is “one of the great American films” (Leonard Maltin) that forever belongs in the hearts and minds of audiences everywhere.
When an entire town in upstate New York is closed down by an unexpected snowfall, a “snow day” begins when a group of elementary school kids, led by Natalie Brandston, try to ensure that the schools stay closed by stopping a mechanical snowplow driver by trying to hijack his plow truck. Meanwhile, Natalie’s big brother Hal is using this day to try to win the affections of Claire Bonner, the most popular girl in his high school, while Hal and Natalie’s father Tom, a TV meteorologist, faces off against a rival meteorologist for weather coverage of the day’s events.
Bastian is a young boy who lives a dreary life being tormented by school bullies. On one such occasion he escapes into a book shop where the old proprieter reveals an ancient story-book to him, which he is warned can be dangerous. Shortly after, he “borrows” the book and begins to read it in the school attic where he is drawn into the mythical land of Fantasia, which desperately needs a hero to save it from destruction.
Charlie B. Barkin (Burt Reynolds), a rascally German Shepherd with a shady past, breaks out of a New Orleans dog pound with the help of his faithful friend Itchy (Dom De Luise), a nervously hyperactive dachshund. He then makes tracks to reunite with his gambling casino partner Carface Malone (Vic Tayback), a shifty pitbull who has planned a dastardly, and potentially deadly, double cross. Suddenly, Charlie finds himself at the Pearly Gates, face to face with the Heavenly Whippet (Melba Moore). Charlie weasels his way back to earth and reunites with Itchy. He plots his revenge against Carface and, along the way, acquires help from a little girl named Anne-Marie (who can talk to animals). After a series of fiendish schemes, close scrapes and unexpected adventures, both Charlie and Anne Marie find their lives at stake. Only one can be saved and the outcome is in Charlie’s paws…
In a small woodsy Oregon town, a group of friends–sensitive Gordie (Wil Wheaton), tough guy Chris (River Phoenix), flamboyant Teddy (Corey Feldman), and scaredy-cat Vern (Jerry O’Connell)–are in search of a missing teenager’s body. Wanting to be heroes in each other’s and their hometown’s eyes, they set out on an unforgettable two-day trek that turns into an odyssey of self-discovery. They sneak smokes, tell tall tales, cuss ’cause it’s cool and band together when the going gets tough. When they encounter the town’s knife-wielding hoods who are also after the body, the boys discover a strength they never knew they had. Stand by Me is a rare and special film about friendship and the indelible experiences of growing up. Filled with humor and suspense, Stand by Me is based on the novella ‘The Body’ by Stephen King.
From director Don Bluth and creator David Kirschner, this critically acclaimed full-length animated triumph chronicles the wide-eyed adventures of a courageous little mouse named Fievel. Journeying by ship from Russia to turn-of-the-century America, Fievel is lost at sea during a ferocious storm. Washing ashore in New York Harbor, Fievel braves the perils and wonders of a strange new world in a thrilling quest to find his family. Featuring the voices of Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn and Christopher Plummer, it’s a rousing, heartwarming animated adventure for the entire family!
The magical inhabitants of a rainforest fight to save their home, which is threatened by logging and a polluting force of destruction called Hexxus.
Academy Award winner and Best Picture nominee, Babe is the inspirational story of a shy Yorkshire piglet who doesn’t quite know his place in the world. But when Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) wins him at the county fair, Babe discovers that he can be anything he wants to be – even an award-winning sheepdog! With the help of a delightful assortment of barnyard friends, the heroic little pig is headed for the challenge of his life in this endearing and fun-filled tale the whole family will love.
Three pets (Chance, a young dog unfamiliar with the world; Shadow, an aging, wise dog; and Sassy, a snobby cat) are left behind when their owners go on vacation. Unsure of what happened, they set out on a quest to find their owners. This journey across America is very dangerous and they risk never seeing their owners again. They travel across forested mountains and areas of wide-open countryside, while their owners search for them in the same areas.
A rich girl named Alyssa and an orphan named Amanda are two little girls who are identical, but complete strangers who accidentally meet one day. Together they form a plan to try getting Alyssa’s father, Roger, to prevent making the biggest mistake of his life: marrying an awful woman named Clarisse.
Having already missed his wedding to his beautiful sweetheart, Sara, twice, the happy, absent-minded professor, Dr. Phillip Brainard, is struggling to come up with a brilliant invention to save Medfield College from closure. However, as good things come to those who wait, the eccentric inventor stumbles upon an innovative but highly unstable formula for “Flubber”, a mysterious rubber-like hybrid elastomer that can lift objects, bouncing and stretching as if it had a mind of its own. Of course, this unique but untamed creation catches the attention of a ruthless rival who is bent on getting his hands on the extraordinary substance. But first, he will have to catch it. Can Dr. Brainard protect his invention?
Michael Cromwell is a successful albeit self-absorbed commodities broker who wants to marry his new girlfriend, Charlotte, but to do so he has to divorce his wife, Patricia, who has spent several years living among South American Indians. When he travels there to obtain the divorce papers, he discovers that he has a teenage son named Mimi-Siku who accompanies him back to America to learn the ways of the urban jungle.
veryone’s favorite kid from the comics is back. When his parents need to go out of town on business, he stays with the neighbors, George and Martha Wilson. He is driving Mr. Wilson crazy, but he is just trying to be helpful, even to the thief who has arrived in town.
Inspired by Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist”. A homeless kitten named Oliver, roams the streets of New York, where he is taken in by a gang of homeless mutts who survive by stealing from others. During one of these criminal acts, Oliver meets a wealthy young girl named Jenny Foxworth. This meeting will forever change his life.
The Adventures of Scamper the Penguin
About entertaining adventures of penguin Lolo, about the nature and fauna of Antarctica. The film is about inhabitants of Antarctica penguins, about their existence full of dangers, about adventures of penguin Lolo who being inquisitive since the birth, learns a lot of interesting about the world, the nature and the environment.
A young boy and a talented stray dog with an amazing basketball playing ability become instant friends. Rebounding from his father’s accidental death, 12-year-old Josh Framm moves with his family to the small town of Fernfield, Washington. The new kid in town, Josh has no friends and is too shy to try out for the school basketball team. Instead he prefers to practice alone on an abandoned court, he befriends a runaway golden retriever named Buddy. Josh is amazed when he realizes that Buddy loves basketball…that is playing basketball…and he is GOOD! Josh eventually makes the school team and Buddy is named the Team Mascot. Josh and Buddy become the stars of halftime. Buddy’s half-time talent draws media attention. Unfortunately, when Buddy’s mean former owner, Norm Snively, comes along with a scheme to cash in on the pup’s celebrity, it looks like they are going to be separated.
When a bottle containing a plea for help from a little girl named Penny makes its way to the Rescue Aid Society, a mouse organization in the basement of the United Nations building dedicated to the rescue and well-being of anyone in need, it is up to the brave mouse Miss Bianca and her chosen partner, the shy janitor Bernard, to rescue the girl. Searching for clues at Penny’s home at Morningside Orphanage in New York City, the two mice discover that the girl has been kidnapped by the evil pawn shop owner Madame Medusa and her companion Mr. Snoops. On the back of Orville the albatross, Miss Bianca and Bernard travel to the terrifyingly gloomy Devil’s Bayou where they learn the shocking truth: the innocent young girl is being forced down into a dangerous, dark underground pirate’s cave where she must find the Devil’s Eye, the world’s largest diamond and Madame Medusa’s greatest obsession. Before returning safely home, Miss Bianca, Bernard, and Penny will have to combat Madame Medusa’s two ferocious pet alligators Brutus and Nero with the help of Ellie Mae and Evinrude the dragonfly, as well as survive the raging tides inside the horrible pirate’s cave.
In Victorian London, England, a little mouse girl’s toymaker father is abducted by a peglegged bat. She enlists the aid of Basil of Baker Street, the rodent world’s answer to Sherlock Holmes. The case expands as Basil uncovers the crime’s link to a plot against the Crown itself.
The Newton family live in their comfortable home, but there seems to something missing. This “hole” is filled by a small puppy, who walks into their home and their lives. Beethoven, as he is named, grows into a giant of a dog…a St Bernard. Dr. Herman Varnick, the local vet, has a secret and horrible sideline which requires lots of dogs for experiments. Beethoven is on his list.
Macaulay Culkin stars as Richie Rich, a boy billionaire who can buy anything he desires–except a normal childhood. But when Richie’s parents are kidnapped in a hostile takeover attempt on the family corporate empire, it’s up to Richie and his loyal valet to rescue his mom and dad … and the family fortune.
It’s the last day of school, and Max wants to catch the eye of Roxanne, one of the more attractive girls in school. But how can you be cool when your dad’s Goofy? Stage an impromptu concert at the final assembly, that’s how. Or at least it sounded good until Principal Mazur found out. Goofy finds out about his son’s antics (sort of), and decides a fishing trip, like his dad took him on, is the solution. Of course, he doesn’t know that Max finally lands a date with Roxanne for a party thrown by the class valedictorian. Through the movie, Goofy tries to bring Max out of his shell, while Max resents being taken away, and lying to Roxanne about the trip (he tells her he and his dad will be appearing on TV at the PowerLine concert in LA). Will Max sink or swim? Will Goofy goof up his son’s first shot at romance? Will Bigfoot step back? And what about those nuns?
This is the story of a young boy named Richard Tyler, who spouts statistics about the possibility of accidents. So much so, he is scared to do anything that might endanger him, like riding his bike, or climbing into his treehouse. While riding his bike home, Richard finds shelter from a storm inside a nearby library. Richard slips and is knocked unconscious while exploring a rotunda in the library. Upon awakening, he is led on a journey through conflicts and events that resemble fictional stories, keeping him from finding the exit from the library.
They’re charming and small and live behind the wall. They’re The Borrowers, tiny people whose big family adventure is filled with some of the most eye-popping effects ever seen on film. Based on the beloved classic novels by Mary Norton, and starring John Goodman, The Borrowers is a film treat to be enjoyed by people of all sizes!
They’re all here! Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Darla, Stymie, Porky, Petey the dog and all of the rascals star in this hilarious motion picture hit. The Little Rascals, directed by Penelope Spheeris (Wayne’s World, The Beverly Hillbillies), brings a whole new generation of rascals to today’s audiences. Recapturing the sense of innocent fun and unabashed pandemonium that has made the original series a classic and favorite for decades, their new adventures begin at an emergency meeting of the “He-Man Womun Haters Club.” Alfalfa has fallen in love with Darla, threatening the very existence of their “boys only” club. Further trouble ensues when their clubhouse is destroyed and their prized go-cart “The Blur” is stolen by the neighborhood bullies. How can they win the big race and its prize trophy? Adding to their woes is the new boy in town, Waldo, who’s refined, rich and also wooing Darla. Through mischief and mayhem, tricks and ingenuity, the rascals will learn the value of true friendship…and even an appreciation of girls!
Timid bank clerk, Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey). Unfortunately, he’s too gentle, and is unable to handle confrontations. After one of the worst days, he finds a mask which depicts Loki, the Norse god of mischief. When he puts it on, he becomes his inner, self: a cartoon wild man. After Ipkiss’s alter ego indirectly kills the friend of small time crime boss, Dorian Tyrel (Peter Greene),he wants the green-faced goon destroyed.
California, 1984. Having left Newark’s cold winters behind him, shy Daniel LaRusso moves with his widowed mother to the Reseda neighbourhood in sunny Los Angeles. But Daniel must find his feet. Of course, fitting in is easier said than done. And as if new beginnings weren’t challenging enough, a vicious gang of local karate bullies have set their sights on making life miserable for the young newcomer, in and out of school. With no one to turn to for advice, Daniel has a pivotal encounter with Mr Miyagi, the building’s inscrutable caretaker and unexpected master martial arts mentor. As the grizzled Karate expert takes Daniel under his wing, the teacher and student embark on a life-changing journey of friendship and self-discovery. However, does the inexperienced LaRusso and Mr Miyagi’s compassionate Okinawan defence style stand a chance against Cobra Kai Dojo’s brutal Johnny Lawrence, the two-time winner of the All Valley Under-18 Golden Trophy?
From director Brad Silberling and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment comes a live-action fun house ride filled with laughter, excitement and ghostly surprises. “Ghost therapist” Dr. James Harvey (Bill Pullman) and his daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) arrive at drafty, old Whipstaff Manor. Its greedy owner, Carrigan Crittendon (Cathy Moriarty), has hired Dr. Harvey to exorcise the house’s apparitions: a friendly but lonely young ghost named Casper, who’s just looking for a friend, and his outrageous uncles Stretch, Stinkie and Fatso (The Ghostly Trio). With hilarious antics and dazzling special effects from many of the creators of Who Framed Rogger Rabbit and Jurassic Park, Casper is a mile-a-minute adventure comedy for the whole family.
After the members of a team of scientists (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray) lose their cushy positions at a university in New York City, they decide to become “ghostbusters” to wage a high-tech battle with the supernatural for money. They stumble upon a gateway to another dimension, a doorway that will release evil upon the city. The Ghostbusters must now save New York from complete destruction.
Disney presents the smash hit comedy that families and critics everywhere went bananas over! Deep in the heart of the African jungle, a baby named George, the sole survivor of a plane crash, is raised by gorillas. George grows up to be a buff and lovable klutz (ENCINO MAN’S Brendan Fraser) who has a rain forest full of animal friends — like Tookie, his big-beaked messenger, Ape, a talking gorilla who’s smarter than your average rocket scientist, and Shep, a gray-haired peanut-loving pooch of an elephant! When poachers mess with George’s pals, the King Of Swing swings into action. But before you can say, “Watch out for that tree,” George comes face-to-bark with a few vine-covered obstacles! You’ll go wild for this “wonderfully wacky comedy” that People Magazine calls “impossible to resist!”|The elephant, Shep, is played by Tai, a 28-year-old veteran of such films as RUDYARD KIPLING’S THE JUNGLE BOOK and OPERATION DUMBO DROP. Tai was made up each day by a cosmetics artist who would cover the animal in gray and brown tones to keep her colors consistent.|While San Francisco and Hawaii provided outdoor locations, parts of the jungle were also built indoors, using the former Hughes Aircraft hangar in Playa del Rey, California, the same place Howard Hughes built his Spruce Goose.|Tai’s doglike movements were added by Dream Quest Images through computer-generated enhancements. Ape and the other gorillas were the result of teaming live actors with a sophisticated radio telemetry system devised by the Jim Henson Creature Shop.|Inspired by the wit, style, and humor of Jay Ward, who produced the animated TV series for four years, the film’s producers retained the series’ catchy and now classic theme song.
They were five students with nothing in common, faced with spending a Saturday detention together in their high school library. At 7 a.m., they had nothing to say, but by 4 p.m. they had bared their souls to each other and become good friends. John Hughes, creator of the critically acclaimed Sixteen Candles, wrote, directed and produced this hilarious and often touching comedy starring Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy. To the outside world they were simply the Jock, the Brain, the Criminal, the Princess and the Kook, but to each other, they would always be The Breakfast Club.
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in the unforgettable action-comedy Kindergarten Cop from director Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters, Twins). Detective John Kimble (Schwarzenegger) is a veteran of the mean streets of Los Angeles, ready and able to tackle anything. In order to trap an elusive criminal, he is forced to face his most challenging assignment yet: going undercover as a kindergarten teacher. Now facing 23 screaming kids, he has to keep them under control without blowing his top and his cover. Once he gains the respect of his class, as well as the affections of a beautiful teacher, Detective Kimble must prepare for a final confrontation with his prey.
An orphaned brontosaurus named Littlefoot sets off in search of the legendary Great Valley. A land of lush vegetation where the dinosaurs can thrive and live in peace. Along the way he meets four other young dinosaurs, each one a different species, and they encounter several obstacles and the evil predator Sharptooth as they learn to work together in order to survive.
It is Christmas time and the McCallister family is preparing for a vacation in Paris, France. But the youngest in the family, Kevin (Macaulay Culkin), got into a scuffle with his older brother Buzz (Devin Ratray) and was sent to his room, which is on the third floor of his house. Then, the next morning, while the rest of the family was in a rush to make it to the airport on time, they completely forgot about Kevin, who now has the house all to himself. Being home alone was fun for Kevin, having a pizza all to himself, jumping on his parents’ bed, and making a mess. Then, Kevin discovers about two burglars, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), about to rob his house on Christmas Eve. Kevin acts quickly by wiring his own house with makeshift booby traps to stop the burglars and to bring them to justice.
1994’s The Flintstones brought the modern Stone Age family – immortalized in the longest-running animated series in prime-time history – to the live-action big screen. After an aptitude test mix-up, Fred Flintstone (John Goodman) trades his job as Slate & Company Bronto-crane operator for a vice presidency. But there’s trouble brewing in Bedrock: an evil executive (Kyle MacLachlan) and his sinister secretary (Halle Berry) are now plotting to use Fred as the fall guy in an embezzlement scheme!Rick Moranis (Barney Rubble), Rosie O’Donnell (Betty Rubble), Elizabeth Perkins (Wilma Flintstone) and Elizabeth Taylor co-star in a Steven Spielrock production filled with classic sight gags, dino-sized production values and sensational special effects.
From the Newbery Award-winning book comes this inspirational story of a boy’s love for a dog. Shiloh, an adorable beagle, runs away from his abusive owner and is found by a young boy named Marty. Marty knows that Shiloh belongs to someone else, but is determined to save him from more mistreatment. Against the wishes of the dog’s owner and his own father, Marty risks everything to make the dog his own. A story of determination and triumph. “Two thumbs up” from Siskel and Ebert. Co-starring Golden Globe-winner Michael Moriarty (TV’s “Law & Order,” “Pale Rider”). Followed by the sequel “Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season.”
The Toro cheerleading squad has spirit, spunk, sass and a killer routine that’s sure to land them the national championship trophy for the sixth year in a row. But for newly-elected team captain, Torrance (Kirsten Dunst), the Toro’s road to cheer glory stumbles when she discovers their perfectly choreographed routines were stolen from a hot hip-hop squad across town. Now the squad must scramble to find a new routine to compete in this year’s competition.
Are there any movies you think I should add to this list?
What a great list of kid-friendly movies! I can’t believe I’ve never seen ET! It’s time I did!
You really should! It’s a wonderful movie.
I loved so many of these movies growing up. I actually have movie nights with my kids so we have seen many of these and I’m proud to say my kids love them too. My Girl might have traumatized them. I’m still apologizing for that.
I’m so glad to hear that. I love when we can show our kids the movies we loved and grew up with.
Such a good list of movies. My favorites are ET and My Girl.
I really love those ones too.
I have seen a bunch of these with my kids. It is fun to watch old movies! I love a good 80’s movie. I remember watching Labyrinth on my 13th bday. I want to watch Goonies since we went to one of the filming locations in Oregon where the Haystack rocks are.
Right! It’s so great being able to share these movies with our kids.
I share the same sentiment of wanting to introduce my kids to the movies that shaped my childhood. Your list is fantastic, and I’ve already noted down a few that I’ll be adding to our family movie nights!
I’m so glad to hear that. There are so many great movies I’ve seen as a kid.
I absolutely loved the sandlot! Angels in the outfield sounds like an amazing watch as well!
I love both of those. Such classic ones.
Oh my goodness, SO many great movies on this list! It Takes Two (and all Mary-Kate and Ashley movies) were such a huge part of my childhood! 🙂
Mine too! I loved watching all their movies.
Movies like “The Goonies,” “The Sandlot,” and “A Christmas Story” are timeless classics that capture the spirit of childhood.
Yes, they sure are. Those are my favorites too.
I watched a bunch of these movies growing up as a child. I’ll have to pull some of these out and watch them with my son. Mrs Doubtfire, Honey I Shrink the Kids, and a few others are a must see. My brother and I used to watch honey I shrink the kids a ton.
I love them all so much. My daughters and I are having fun seeing them together.