Sunday, June 12, 2011

Children's Movies

Last week, I was going through the movies at work and marking them as one of the AFI Top 100 movies. Two were children's movies. I got to thinking that there should be a list of Top 100 Children's movies. There is but I don't agree with it. A significant portion are from the original list.

So I thought about what I consider a great kids' movie. My criteria were simple. The movie had to entertain, engage and linger. It had to stand the test of time. Was I still thinking about those characters/story/plot for months or years afterward? Would my niece, who is ten years old, be as thrilled/entertained/entranced as I? I've only been able to run the last test by a few of them but one surprised me by not making her cut. ET bored her to tears. ET! While a singing Sean Connery amuses me no end, she found the effects on Darby O'Gill and the little people to be too clunky.

My brief list includes, in no particular order,

The Railway Children
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Shrek
Napoleon and Samantha
Mary Poppins
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Babe
Beetlejuice
Chicken Run
Gremlins
Nightmare before Christmas
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Lilo and Stitch
Monster's Inc.
How to train your dragon
Cars
Swiss Family Robinson
The Princess Bride
Finding Nemo
Bridge to Terabithia
Herbie the Lovebug (the original)
The one and only Genuine original family band
The Parent Trap(Hayley Mills)

There are some great classics in that list, and others to see in the trailers. I feel like spending the afternoon with some old celluloid friends. Which movies would you add to this list?

7 comments:

  1. I have to throw in a mention of Nanny McPhee.

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  2. Pollyana

    A Bug's Life

    The Sound of Music

    Madagascar

    Summer Magic (Hayley Mills)

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  3. I love many of the things you listed. I can't think of anything right now. If I only had a bwain. Dang cold.

    Oh, Free Willy.

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  4. Chicken Run!!!
    But I don't want to be a pie! I don't like gravy.

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  5. The Iron Giant

    Treasure Planet

    Titan A.E.

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  6. I haven't seen most of these, having been a non-movie-goer for most of my life. I would add, though, the Lion King and Toy Story.

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  7. Anonymous8:53 PM

    Night at the Museum, the Goonies, Robin Hood (walt disney), Annie, and how about all the Harry Potters!

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