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Movies every 7 year old should see
I should mention that there are many more movies which I think someone should have seen by the age of 7 (Like 'Toy Story' or 'The Lion King'), but which are not on here because they are rated for a different age bracket. So take this list with a grain of salt.
The age rating was found at Common Sense Media, but parental discretion is still advised.
List of animated superhero movies
Since the definition of a 'superhero movie' is a bit ambiguous (Does 'The Powerpuff Girls' movie qualify? - let me suggest 'no'), I'm sure I'll end up leaving someone's favorites out. Feel free to drop a comment one way or the other.
Sometimes there are a few movies that are supposed to be coming out (if nothing derails them in the pre-production process), but which IMDb does not have available for me to list out, so I'll write the titles up here. I know nothing about them beyond the titles. From DC Comics:
- None at this time
Movies every 11 year old should see
I should mention that there are many more movies which I think someone should have seen by the age of 11 (Like 'Star Wars' or 'The Lion King'), but which are not on here because they are rated for a different age bracket. This list is AT age 11, not BY age 11. So take this list with a grain of salt.
The ages rating were found by referring to Common Sense Media, but parental discretion is still advised.
List of movies concerning the History and Literature of the ancient world
To help find what you might be interested in here is a table of contents with topic and where that topic begins on this list (note that there is sometimes overlap): Creation - 1 Biblical Patriarchs - 7 Ancient Egypt - 20 Ancient Americas - 33 Greek Mythology - 41 Greek/Roman History (B.C.) - 55 Life of Christ - 69 Early Church - 81 Declining Roman Empire- 92 Russian/Slavic Folklore - 104 Far East Folklore/History - 110 African Folklore/History - 130
I tried to find as many documentaries/dramas/docu-dramas as I could find of the ancient world for both history and culture (myths and legends), but some areas are simply very sparsely covered (like Africa).
My criteria for a movie/show to be included were that: 1) It had to fall within the historical time-frame given, 2) It had to receive at least a star rating of 6.0 from IMDb (with a couple of exceptions), 3) It had to be at least be theoretically possible to FIND the movie somewhere, such as on Netflix or Amazon.
Although not every movie (or even most) here will be from a Christian perspective, that will be a major theme. I tried to find multiple age ratings for each category, but wasn't always successful. I have not watched most of the movies listed here, so cannot guarantee their quality or appropriateness.
*Parental Discretion Advised when selecting from this list*
I would welcome any suggestions, including additional movies, comments on the movies I have here already, and any other feedback. Please see my other lists for other Historical periods or for simply a list of 'movies everyone should see'.
Movies every 8 year old should see
I should mention that there are many more movies which I think someone should have seen by the age of 8 (Like 'Toy Story' or 'The Lion King'), but which are not on here because they are rated for a lower age bracket. So take this list with a grain of salt.
The age rating was determined with help from Common Sense Media, but parental discretion is still advised.
List of Superhero TV shows
I've organized this list to group the shows based on hero.
Huge (600+) List of Movies Everyone Should See
The movies are ordered based on how we will view them as a family, starting when our kid is at age 5 (or thereabouts), so the first movies are pre-school friendly and they go up in age/maturity until they are watching things like 'Saving Private Ryan'. Although the movie order may seem a bit random, I specifically tried to do it that way in order to mix up the genre/tone/style so that each movie could be seen on it's own merit rather than compared to something very similar. So, for example, I don't simply go through and list all the Disney animated movies in a block, but rather break them up with animated movies from other studios or even some live-action films in between. Or I made sure something like 'Babe' was not next to 'Charlotte's Web', since they have a fairly similar feel. So while I do apologize that this massive list may seem disorganized, please be aware that this is why it is the way it is.
Please note that I am approaching this as an educational opportunity (teaching about our popular culture, movie making history, and appreciation of film mediums) as much as an entertainment opportunity, so my choices reflect that. I do not have every (or even most) Oscar winning films - this is a list of movies that either 'everyone has seen', movies that greatly impacted our culture in some way, or are great examples of a genre/style/etc. This means that I have examples of genres that I'm not a huge fan of (like Westerns, stupid comedies, and Horror) simply to provide a well-rounded selection. This is not an exhaustive list, but it should provide a fairly good overview. I viewed many 'top ten' lists to try to get a sampling of almost everything. And, besides the movies actually listed, I mention quite a few more in the comments (especially sequels) for those interested. Almost everything here is highly rated (over 6 stars), but there are exceptions. I also include upcoming movies that may or may not stay on this list (depending on whether they turn out to be well done or not).
I frequently add discussion ideas for you to bring up with your kids (or project ideas for some of the younger ages) as I am also posting this list with the idea that it would be read by a parent planning to watch these movies with their child.
Many of the age ratings came from CommonSenseMedia. I stuck fairly close to their recommendations for the first several years, but then don't bother for the later ones (I didn't always agree with those age-ratings and feel more relaxed about what an older child sees anyway). If you are interested in films for supplementing history studies, see my other lists!
As always, parental discretion is advised!
Movies every 10 year old should see
I should mention that there are many more movies which I think someone should have seen by the age of 10 (Like 'Star Wars' or 'The Lion King'), but which are not on here because they are rated for a lower age bracket. So take this list with a grain of salt.
The ages rating were determined with the help of Common Sense Media, but parental discretion is still advised.
Movies every 9 year old should see
I should mention that there are many more movies which I think someone should have seen by the age of 9 (Like 'Star Wars' or 'The Lion King'), but which are not on here because they are rated for a different age bracket. (This is a list for AT age 9, not BY age 9). So take this list with a grain of salt.
The ages rating were found at Common Sense Media, but parental discretion is still advised.
Movies every 6 year old should see
Most of the age ratings were found at Common Sense Media, but parental discretion is still advised.
If you are interested in picture books, there's a nice list of the best ones at: http://literallyhomeschool.weebly.com/preschool-books.html
Reviews
Magnifica (2022)
Well done, worth watching but...
Well done, worth watching, but the ending is depressing! It's meant to be, as this is a short designed to draw attention to the fact that women are often killed by those they should be able to trust. So our heroine is killed in the end after proving herself competent (because she was competent). Still, it is a good short, the art is lovely and the music moreso.
This is based on a true story, and seeing the harp playing, I have to wonder how closely this mirrors real life (can a harpist play the harp backwards??!). Even so, it seems that the world lost a talented artist to nothing but envy. What a tragedy.
LEGO Disney Princess: The Castle Quest (2023)
Not as great as one might hope for
Obviously this movies is aimed at children, but that's really no excuse for poor storytelling. The story revolves around 5 classic female heroes (they aren't all princesses, but that's what Disney wants to label them as, so...) who must solve 'quests' to save the day. But the puzzles aren't solvable except through coincidences and illogic (such as Ariel having a key she keeps in her hair?!?). The princesses don't have the same character or personality as in the movies or otherwise don't follow their own rules (Snow White has an invincible mech armor?!?) This would be forgivable if the movie were funny, but it really isn't. There are a few jokes, but not terribly great ones. In the end the movie is just...okay. Acceptable for young kids, but only in the sense that this brain rot isn't inappropriate. If possible, find something better to do with your time.
Camino de agua para un pez (2016)
Cute short
Cute short animated feature. While clearly a fictional tale, it depicts a culture that people (especially American children) don't often see or think about. A town where water is precious and rare. Nonetheless, a small boy wants to provide for a small fish (who endures quite the adventure before reaching that safe final destination). There are no words (outside of a background song sung in Spanish celebrating water). A fantastic little film!
Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic (2017)
Interesting if you are a fan
There were some interesting behind-the-scenes moments in this, and for the strong Disney Fan, I'd recommend it! But it also had the strong feeling of an ad. Smack dab in the middle is a family raving about their time share. Watching this in 2020, right after tens of thousands of Disney employees were laid off and many of the holiday decorations would not be put up this year (Disneyland not even being open for the holiday season) made for a very bitter sweet viewing. Its possible that many of the features that this holiday decorating video promoted may never return (such as the ginger bread houses or the parades), so this does also feel like a bit of a time capsule too - the Disney that was and hopefully will be again.
Hamilton (2020)
A skeptic converted
Despite all the hype, I thought, "There's no way it's THAT good. It's probably offensive and edgy and that's why it's getting awards." But no, it really is so well done, that it draws a viewer in an makes you love it.
It's truly hard to understand how a show that centers a whole song and scene on a government cabinet meeting could honestly make anyone want to see it, but this pulls it off! It's funny, it's educational, it's songs are catchy (it's been a few days since I saw it and I'm still thinking of those songs!), it's high energy (those dancers are impressive!), and its exciting (even when you know how it ends you still want to watch how it gets there!).
My father was visiting for a few hours and I dragged him over to the computer to watch a few of the musical numbers just to persuade him that he needed to get a Disney+ subscription so he could watch the whole show at home! That's how impressed I was with it.
Room on the Broom (2012)
Great book adaptation
The Bad:
Honestly, there's not much to complain about here. It's a short movie - more like a TV episode than a feature film. Possibly the pace is too slow for some, and the danger might be too much for sensitive children (a dragon threatens to eat our nice witch!), but that's about it.
The Good:
Considering they adapted a very short book into nearly half an hour of movie, they did a fantastic job filling in the 'in between the words' with a visually interesting story that didn't feel like filler. Each character was fleshed out to have his/her own personality, making them all interesting and sympathetic. While I put the slow pace of this film in the 'bad' category, I will also address it here in the 'good' as well - the pacing is perfect for the pre-school/toddler ages! It doesn't flit between things too quickly to catch what is happening for developing brains. The visuals are excellent (it almost feels like stop-motion) and will hold up well as time goes on. The message of kindness, inclusiveness, and generosity is subtle and sweet.
The Mom View:
I would highly recommend this for all young children except for sensitive toddlers (due to the scary dragon)! It would probably be most popular for pre-schoolers. My little boy liked it, and I don't find it obnoxious (which is more than you can expect for a lot of shows for young children).
Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Musical (2000)
Almost as good as the TV show it is based on. But not quite.
My 2 year old LOVES Blue's Clues, and saw every episode while it was free on Amazon Prime over and over. I'd rate that show 10 stars. This movie, however, doesn't quite capture the show's level of excellence. Probably because it's trying to stretch the exact same elements from 25 minutes into an hour plus long movie and you can feel the middle dragging.
Okay, first the good. Almost all of the characters from the TV show (at the time this movie was made) are in this movie and it's fun to see so many of them together. As always, Steve, our sole live actor, does a fantastic job! As a unique twist, Steve gets a chance to find a clue (rather than the audience pointing them out to him).
The bad: The boring middle section. In the middle, Steve gets a music lesson and I think it's something like 15 minutes of lesson. My two year old got bored at this point EVERY TIME we watched this. He'd wander off. And it isn't the length of show because he'll watch episode after episode in a row if I let him. It's just that the music lesson isn't engaging, either visually or any other way. In the end, I've taken to skipping it for every showing. That's a large chunk of this movie that's "wasted".
Overall, this isn't a bad movie. For a 2 year old, I'd say it is probably one of the best things out there, actually! But if you have to choose, I'd highly recommend buying the episodes over the movie.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
If not for the plot holes, this would have been pretty good
The Bad:
Since I've already warned of spoilers, let me give a summary of the pointless sub-plot involving Finn (defector Stormtrooper), Poe (hotshot Rebel pilot), Rose (new Rebel character). So the Rebels are in trouble due to the First Order having somehow figured out how to track a ship through hyperspace. No explanation for this is given, but the heroes do mysteriously know how to turn off the tracker for a short while (hand-wavy explanation, but I can suspend my disbelief). Poe is frustrated that the leadership won't tell him what's happening, so basically mutinies in order to carry out his own plan. This aspect feels realistic (in that the Rebellion tries so hard not to be a military that you can see a lack of discipline among the 'troops' could bite them in the butt), but it also feels off-putting in that Poe's arrogance is so strong (why does he feel he should get special treatment in being told what his officers are doing? Why doesn't that leadership do more to curb Poe once it's obvious he's going to use force to get his way?). So Poe sends Finn and Rose off to get a 'Master Code Breaker' (because only one person in the galaxy can break through the enemy shields - why isn't this flaw exploited in order to destroy the enemy ships?). Finn and Rose go to a Las Vegas style city (and the message about rich people being bad people is a bit heavy handed). Finn and Rose get someone to be their code breaker (because apparently there's actually more than one person who can exploit this flaw in the shields). This person is more concerned with his wallet than anything else and betrays them resulting in most of the rebels dying. And that's it. Poe's grand plan actually results in a whole bunch of people dying and doesn't result in any noticable character growth, plot development, or anything useful - it feels like busy work for a set of characters that needed something to do. If you cut this entire sub-plot out and instead simply had the escape pods making a desperate run for it (without the mysterious cloaking system that hides the Rebel ships from the enemy which we've never heard of before), it would have resulted in exactly the same thing with less inexplicable contrivances. This whole segment of the movie wasn't exactly a plot hole, but it certainly should have been completely cut out and it would have made the movie better.
Other plot holes involve the way the purple-haired Rebel commander sacrifices herself for the remainder of her companions. She simply put her ship into hyperspace while pointed at the enemy. It was a suicidal act, but it destroyed a whole fleet of Imperials. If that kind of destructive weapon was available to both sides at any time, why hasn't it been used before? Shoot, it doesn't even need suicide pilots, if you could remote drive a ship or something. Are we supposed to believe that no one had ever, in the history of Galactic warfare thought to do this before? It just feels like a convenient plot device written without much thought to the implications.
Again, not exactly a plot hole, but I kept feeling like the dog fight space battles were frankly disappointing - especially coming off of the incredible scenes from 'Rogue One'. In this movie, I kept wondering where the swarms of Tie Fighters were that each Star Destroyer ought to carry and deploy. Instead if felt like there were... a dozen? It just felt like smaller battles than seemed reasonable.
The Supreme Leader Snoke was a disappointment. A one-dimensional bad-guy who doesn't seem that scary (his body guards put up more of a fight) and doesn't demonstrate leadership or even much Force presence (except for a short 'torture' scene with Rey which you can ascribe to experience rather than power).
The Good:
The humor interjected actually worked for me. At least I laughed at the appropriate moments. It might have undermined the drama a couple of times, but I didn't find it a serious problem and rather liked the moments of light-hearted comedy in the midst of the angst.
Rey and Luke Skywalker's interactions were the best part of this movie. Granted, I don't love that Luke turns into a grumpy, bitter old man who pushed everyone away and abandoned the Force, but if I accept that ending, it's well done. The interactions between Rey and Ren were also engaging and kept you guessing on who was going to end up on what side.
Luke's climactic fight was interesting, amusing, and confusing all at once. It made me question whether he had even been alive anywhere in the movie (shades of 'Sixth Sense') or what. I mean, what exactly happened to him in the end? The ending for him was... not exactly satisfying, but I put it in the 'good' section because I thought his final battle was well done, his interaction with his sister was great, and the swelling music as he faded away practically brought tears to my eyes. It left me with questions, certainly, but I'm giving the benefit of the doubt that they'll be answered somehow.
And speaking of questions being answered, I've seen that some people don't care for the answer given to Rey's parentage, but I have to say that I appreciated that she was a nobody, descended from nobodies. It would have felt too contrived to have had her coincidentally related to the Skywalker/Solo family and I think that the Star Wars universe shouldn't need to feel that cramped. The galaxy is too big not to have heroes rise from nowhere. In any case, I liked that answer.
The acting was all very well done. The actor who plays Luke did a fantastic job! Leia, who I felt was pretty wooden in the "Force Awakens" did a much better job in this movie. Rey and Ren were played with fervor and conviction.
The CGI was fantastic. The 'crystal critters' were unbelievably cute. The fight scenes were intense, the futuristic vehicles were incredibly realistic. The music was phenomenal!
The Mom view:
I admit that I am a Star Wars fan, but didn't care for "The Force Awakens". I thought that that movie was a disappointment. So I entered this movie with lower expectations and perhaps that's why I liked it. Despite the flaws, I enjoyed most of it and (unlike the prequels), look forward to sharing this with my kids when they are old enough. Probably around age 11 or so. There's nothing too objectionable in this movie (intense fight scenes and implied death), so I wouldn't expect this to frighten younger children, but I don't think a younger child would enjoy it as much as an older one who 'gets' everything that is happening. Having said that, if my kids enjoy the original series, I might introduce them to things like the Clone Wars animated series, video games, and novels of the EU before we get to watching this trilogy since, while I find this continuation interesting, I don't yet love it. The tone of this movie is perhaps closer to 'Empire Strikes Back' than 'A New Hope' - a bit darker, more pessimistic, and doesn't feel hopeful. I'll still go see the next movie in theaters, and I recommend that people go watch this one, but I'll also say that people ought to have lower expectations and perhaps view this series as an alternate ending to our favorite Star Wars heroes rather than the definitive end (since I'm of the opinion that I prefer them to have lived happily ever after rather than ending in isolation, bitterness, and loss). But that's just me.
Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Disney tries Time Travel
The Bad:
Plot Holes! Oh, wow, there are plot holes big enough to dive a Time Machine through. Now I'm usually pretty forgiving of this, especially for plots centering around time travel, but when I notice the problems during my first viewing of a movie and they are bad enough to throw me out of the immersive experience, then those plot holes are serious indeed. I won't spoil the movie by giving details, but I will say that you will need to work hard at not thinking too deeply into how the whole time travel stuff works for this one. Another problem is the second act of this film really drags. Our hero spends an inordinate amount of time being introduced to the ridiculous family. And it feels like the writers were trying too hard to make the family eccentric and in the end they hit a weird and unlikeable note. Finally, if you are looking for a Disney Musical – this isn't it. No one sings. Of course, for some people, that's a good thing!
The Good:
The theme of 'family' was good. The foreshadowing was excellent and made me want to re-watch this (you certainly won't catch every detail on the first run through). The villain(s) were creative and fun. The resolution felt satisfying. The art design was pretty good throughout the movie too – there were very distinct looks to the future, the 'bad future', and the tiny glimpse of the past. While not an exceptionally beautiful film, it doesn't have distractingly poor CGI either.
The Mom View:
I liked this enough to buy it, although I wouldn't necessarily suggest that for most people. I think this would be good for about an 8 year old or so. There's a short potentially scary scene, but likely on the most sensitive kids would actually get scared. There's also nothing objectionable, but the themes and convoluted time travel might confuse a younger kid. Having said that, a younger child might be more forgiving of the plot holes and enjoy the silly second act more. In my personal opinion, this would be a fun movie to talk about afterwards to see what your kids think of time travel (how it would work, what they'd do if they had a time machine, etc.). Overall, I'd say this is fun and worth seeing more than once, but it won't ever turn into a classic.
The Fox and the Hound (1981)
Disney's star-crossed friends
The Bad:
So I've heard that the "hidden theme" of this movie was inter-racial friendship. If so, it was a VERY hidden theme as I don't think anyone would realize this without being told. Also, it has an extremely poor message of pro-segregation, if you were to analyze the film this way. However, since I don't think any small child is going to grasp that kind of message, I think it's worth ignoring that theme and taking this film more literally – evolving friendship and loss that happens to all of us over time. And since that theme is a good thing, so I'll address it more in the next paragraph. Moving on to other 'bad' things: the music in this is...folksy. Not a style with a huge following, and not one I care for. The animation is not particularly beautiful either. There is a bit of an anti-hunting message, but again, not strong enough to be a problem for those who disagree, I think. The love interest is very bland and there's no lead-up to the pair falling in love, but I don't think you can expect much from a pair of foxes!
The Good:
Coming back to the movie themes, I find the idea of childhood friends growing apart and ending up in different places (literally or metaphorically) is a realistic and important idea to explore in film and I think this movie does an okay job at that. Granted, there's an interlude of serious antagonism before the resolution, which hopefully won't be found in our children's relationships, but the bittersweet ending is one that I think can resonate with children who have moved or known grief. This is also one of the most realistic of Disney's animated films (talking animals not withstanding). There's no magic, no real villains (not even the dog's owner is really a bad man). Just two animals who are figuring out how the world works and what their place in it is. And, coming back to themes, there is the underlying sense that without outside interference, the animals would have stayed good friends. But that's life – no one lives in a bubble and things outside our control can impact us. The ending isn't a happy one, but it is a realistic and satisfying one.
The Mom View:
I feel like this is a forgotten Disney classic. Not one of their most famous films, and it probably deserves to be ranked somewhere in the lower middle range of their animated movies. But I still like it and feel it's worth ensuring my kids are familiar with. The friendship that defies the normal way of things is a cute, sweet part of the movie. The depth of misunderstanding (which is never adequately resolved, but is forgiven) can get overly intense and the bear can be down-right frightening for young children, so I'll have my kids see this when they are middle elementary age. Overall, not my favorite Disney animated movie and not one a child would miss if they never saw it, but it's not bad and worth renting. 6/10
Fun & Fancy Free (1947)
Only 1/3 of this film is worth seeing
The Bad:
This film is divided up into two animated segments, with live-action intermission, so it doesn't feel like a full-length feature. The first animated piece, staring Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. The second, an original story about a dancing bear, Bongo, that discovers the wilds of nature. The live animation pieces are down right awful. It is a birthday 'party' consisting of two children and an adult who is a ventriloquist. First, ventriloquism is not an act that translates well to a TV medium. Especially when you can see the human's mouth move. Second, these live-action scenes feel heavy-handed, not natural and certainly not funny or enjoyable. If you bought this video, you'd probably end up fast forwarding past these parts every viewing to get to the animation. Which brings me to the animated parts. The first one is decent (I'll get to that in a minute), but the second one, centering around Bongo is especially cringe- worthy. Over the course of the short, Bongo discovers a female bear, falls in love, and learns that the best way to show love to someone is to slap them. Wow. What a lesson. There's even a whole song dedicated to showing someone you love them "with a slap". Can I just take a moment to wonder what the script writer was thinking here?
The Good:
The saving grace of this film is the first animated segment. Mickey and pals go on a semi-epic quest, and it's honestly fun and humorous, and enjoyable. If I were rating just this part of this video, I'd give it a solid 7 or 8 stars.
The Mom View:
Two-thirds of this movie is not worth watching, but I really like the Mickey and the Beanstalk part. That makes this a tough one for me. For just that one animated segment, I'd say this is appropriate for pre-schoolers and up and that it's certainly a recommended show. However, since that cartoon comes attached to the rest, I can't recommend anything more than a rental (or perhaps YouTube). That's what I'm planning with my kids – try to stream it somewhere and skip everything that's not Mickey and the Beanstalk.
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
A bit of a disappointment
The Bad:
The prince is fairly revolting, in my opinion. He starts out feeling like a lazy, womanizing, cheat who is looking for a ticket to an easy life. He does acquire a few redeeming qualities as the film progresses, but I ended up feeling like our lovely heroine falls in love with a loser. This movie loses a whole star just for him. My second issue with this movie is the voodoo. Some parents might not have an issue with this – and I don't have a problem with most magic depicted in kid's movies, so I'm not sure why this bothers me so much. Maybe because some people actually practice this as a real art rather than a fantasy type of magic? Maybe because it felt like a nightmare-inducing pact with evil? In any case, it came across as far too creepy & dark for my tastes.
The Good:
The visuals are genuinely lovely. It's a very pretty movie. And it's fantastic to have an African American heroine princess. Yay diversity! I felt that this movie was respectful of a minority group. Our heroine is full of excellent character traits – she's resourceful, hard-working, a good friend, optimistic, and more. The music is a bit jazzy, a bit southern gospel, and not bad at all (although not some of Disney's best).
The Mom view:
Not one of my favorite Disney films, which was so disappointing since I was excited to see Disney return to traditional fairy-tales – and with a non-white princess, no less! But, between the less than stellar prince, the creepy voodoo, and the forgettable story-line, this isn't going to be one I purchase for my kids. I'll have my kids watch this at some point (probably late elementary age), but only as a rental. Overall, this gets a grade of 'not horrible, but not great'.
Jungle Beat (2003)
Not bad, not great
The Bad: The humor in these (very short) episodes is very hit-or- miss. The direction of the episode (or the conclusions) can be predictable (for an adult). Some episodes are pretty intense (the threat of danger for the animal in the episode can be high). Zero level of educational value.
The Good: The cartoonish animation holds up fine. Although you can't expect realistic fur or movement, it isn't so blocky as to be distracting. The music is fine and conveys the emotions well. There is no speech (even with the humans), which works well.
Mom View: Pre-school friendly episodes. My son didn't mind watching these, but he didn't love them either. Some episodes got smiles and others he seemed to find disturbing due to the distress of the episode's animal. Overall I'd recommend this to kids of all ages (who aren't especially sensitive), but don't think it's worth buying or going out of the way to find.
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Not my favorite Disney Animated movie, but not bad
The Bad:
There's very little in terms of cohesive story in this movie. The "plot" seems to simply be a series of strange short stories loosely connected. And the stories themselves are random bits of confusing nonsense. For people who enjoy abstract art, this may be enjoyable, but I don't particularly care for it. It also doesn't exactly stick close to the original book. Finally, I'd say the songs are mostly (with a few exceptions) forgettable.
The Good:
This is definitely a creative work. Probably as close to a dream-made-cartoon as you can get. The film is crammed full of memorable characters – from the Cheshire Cat, to the Queen of Hearts, to the White Rabbit. This movie also has the potential to invoke a lot of different emotions – sadness at the fate of the oysters; admiration and disgust at the flowers; frustration with the various direction-givers...
The Mom view:
This isn't a "feel good" movie. It's not a sad movie, but you don't come away feeling like anyone learned anything, that anything was resolved, or that any new relationships formed. It was more like a bunch of animated shorts strung together with a repeating protagonist. I appreciate it as being original and very unique, and one that might find favor with kids who have a huge imagination. But it is kind of intense at times and definitely not for kids who need a concrete story-line. So I wouldn't go out of my way to have my kids see this while they are very young, but rather wait until perhaps later elementary level and view it as more a piece of art than a fun adventure. Not my favorite Disney animated movie, but not horrible either.
A Christmas Carol (2009)
You can do better
The Bad:
For some reason, I just didn't like this movie. It's hard to pin down why, since there are so many version of this tale out there and I enjoy almost all of them – why not this one? Perhaps it's the animation? The motion capture technique used should have made the animation more realistic, but really, really didn't. Perhaps it is the fact that I never end up caring for Scrooge, but also didn't like how callously he's treated. Perhaps it's the fact that Jim Carrey (an actor I don't particularly care for) seems to be every single character. Several scenes, especially "chase scenes" drag considerably as well.
The Good:
As with any re-telling of this famous tale, there's a fantastic moral wrapped up inside. This movie is also more authentic to the book than most, which was written as a Christmas Ghost Story, not a sweet, touching family story. I like that some of the dialogue is "Old Fashioned" - taken directly from the book.
The Mom View:
If I were to pick a version of this story to have my kids watch, it wouldn't be this one. For the youngest, I'd pick the animated Mickey version. Slightly older, and I'd go with Muppets. Older still and I'd pick either the 1999 version starring Patrick Stewart or the 1951 version. So while this isn't horrible, it's kind of mediocre, forgettable, and not worth the effort of finding when there are better versions out there. My overall opinion? Meh.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Possibly the best live-action Spider-man yet!
The Good: Okay, let me start by saying that my husband rated this as "The cheese is strong with this one". And he's not wrong. It's got its fair share of campiness. Since our hero is 15-ish, he's in high school and you get the typical high school dilemmas (like whether the cute girl will notice our nerdy hero if he uses his alternate identity to smooth the way). High school drama is not my typical movie preference, but it really works well for Peter Parker. It gives him a level of innocence he wears well.
This ties into the way Iron Man is inserted into this movie. I found Tony Stark's inclusion to be a good addition, overall, although for someone who isn't familiar with anything Iron Man related, it might be confusing. That might be an issue in several years as parents have kids watch superhero movies out of order, but right now, I don't find a problem with that. So I liked how adding Iron Man (and the Avengers as a whole) to this reality made several details work better than they might otherwise. It played to several different gags, plus gave Spider-man a sort-of mentor figure for him to try to impress or disappoint or just converse with over the course of the film. However, I will admit that I didn't care for Tony Stark's character here all that much. He isn't the star and comes across as a absent, neglectful parent. I mean, it stays true to his character, I think, but I still didn't like him.
The villain in this story is probably the best villain in all of Super-hero movies to date and earns this movie an extra star just by itself. Finally a bad guy who isn't just a card-board cut-out "evil dude" trying to take over the world (or otherwise be evil for the sake of evil). The bad guy has a story arch that shows a realistic motivation and a descent into evilness that feels genuine. The actor who played him did a great job!
The Bad: Probably the one character I didn't care for was Ned, Peter's best friend. He's not from the comics, and was probably created so Spider-man had someone to talk to, but I didn't care for how he constantly pushed Peter to do things he didn't want to. While not intentionally written that way, he came across to me as almost bullying with the level of peer pressure he exerted.
Mom View: Overall, I really enjoyed this. If the writers had held back on the language a bit more, I'd have been even happier. As it is, it's probably appropriate for about an 11 year old and up.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Best word to describe it is: Fun!
I just came from seeing this movie and it was great popcorn fare. Very quippy and packed as full of as much humorous banter as possible. Not every gag works, but overall it is a lot of fun.
Okay, first, the best part of this film is certainly the humor. Almost every scene and every interaction is filled with witty quips and gags. The scenes with Thor and Loki are fantastic! I didn't enter this movie being a huge fan of Loki, but I ended the movie feeling that if someone made a movie with just those two characters talking, it'd be hilarious. The actor who played Loki did a great job emoting - his expressions often said more than his words! The character of Loki, while self-serving in nearly every action, didn't end up being unlike-able, which made Thor's attachment to him in the previous movies much more relatable.
Other characters were also well played. Hela, the main villain, was deliciously evil - no redeeming qualities to make her realistic, but, hey she's a comic book bad guy; you can't expect much. She brings death to pretty much everyone around her (typical Marvel violence - lots of mayhem and flamboyant action scene, but very little gore) and is established fairly clearly in the beginning of the film as extremely powerful, so the threat to our hero feels real. The actress seems to be having fun with her character too, which is always nice.
While on the subject of villains, Hela's sidekick was also well acted. He doesn't have many lines, but his expressions said a lot. His ending was predictable, but I liked seeing his journey to that point.
Other characters? Well, let's talk about Thor. As noted already, he's much funnier than in previous movies - and this works for him well! It didn't detract from his character, which sometimes happens when someone is made the butt of a joke too often, but rather you felt that his personality is deeper and he becomes more likable. His powers sort of shift a bit. It was in the trailers, so no surprise that his magic hammer is destroyed, so his personal growth is found in discovering that much of his power didn't come from a prop (except the ability to fly).
The Hulk shows up in this movie and I will admit to not loving this character. His personality as the Hulk has grown (he's not monosyllabic any more), but I didn't end up liking who he has grown into being. Oh well. Bruce Banner also makes an appearance and I found him both less engaging than in the Avengers, and perhaps under-used (for such as smart guy, he doesn't seem to have any use for his brains this film). Thor's interactions with both the Hulk and Banner were kind of cringe-worthy as you get the feeling (which Banner points out), that Thor just wants to use him/them.
Let's see, the Game Master, Jeff Goldblum, is wonderfully played - you just want to throw rotten tomatoes at that guy! He's so... slimy. The Valkyrie is less mystical and more... alcoholic, than expected, but it's nice to see a strong female who isn't down graded to Love Interest or Damsel in Distress.
The biggest weakness, by far, of this film is when it tries to steer away from humor or adrenaline. Sober, somber, or deep moments, squashed in by the jokes, don't work well. Odin has a moment with both his sons which should have been moving, but just felt out of touch with the rest of the movie.
The visuals were a spectacle. Lots and lots of CGI. Personally, I enjoyed this, but some others might disagree. The music wasn't bad, but nothing to write home about. The cameos of characters from other Marvel films were fun (especially Dr. Strange).
Overall, I enjoyed this film and while I don't rate it as the best movie in the Marvel Universe, it's one I'll buy and watch again. For someone going into it looking for some fun action filled comedy, I'd expect that person to be pleased with the results. I'd highly recommend this film!
Tinker Bell (2008)
Not bad, but not as great as you might hope
The Bad:
Our title character has almost zero points in common with her character from Peter Pan, nor does Peter Pan seem to exist in this universe (we certainly never see him in any of the Tinker Bell series films). The plot is not terribly clever (and I don't feel that just because this is a film aimed at young kids that you need to be overly formulaic) and most of the fairies – who look so interesting – get very little screen time. Tinker Bell's "talent" feels like lazy writing rather than something clever (and, although this doesn't affect the rating on this movie, the rest of the series seems to mostly ignore this idea for Tinker Bell).
The Good:
Tinker Bell seems to have had a personality make-over (probably because she is actually so unlikable in Peter Pan). Now she has more emotions besides jealousy and anger. And she can speak! There's also a "village" beyond living with the lost boys – with more fairies! This is certainly the best part – all those other fairies have the potential to be so interesting! You want to get to know them and see their 'talents'. Tinker Bell's talent, is not a stereotyped "girl's skill", which is nice since this movie is heavily marketed towards little girls. The look of the film is nice. Although there has been much better CGI since this was made, it is still bright and colorful.
The Mom view:
There is nothing objectionable about the film and while predictable for an adult, a young child might not see the end coming and enjoy Tinker Bell's discovery along with her. The moral of the story – finding what you are good at and being happy in that – is not bad, but it might also be seen as "don't try things you aren't skilled at", which isn't as good of a lesson to absorb. I'd be willing to let my preschool/toddler kids see this – including the boys – but it's not the most interesting or well done movie out there for young kids. Uunless you have a child who absolutely loves fairies (NOT one who loves Peter Pan), this is pretty skip-able.
Chicken Little (2005)
Ugh
The Bad:
Although I'd rank The Black Cauldron lower (for such dark, scary scenes), this one ranks way down there at the absolute bottom of Disney's barrel. However, rather than scary, this one gets its poor ranking due to sheer petty meanness of the characters. It seems like everyone is cruel to Chicken Little – including his dad! They mock him or sneer at him and as a parent I just felt sick every time this child's dad acted as if he were ashamed of his son. I realize the story creators were probably trying to convey the idea that Chicken Little is simply misunderstood and he and his dad have communication issues, nothing more, but it didn't come across that way to me. The rest of the town felt like a bunch of cruel yet gullible sheep. I mean everyone jeers at Chicken Little, then cheers as he preforms well for them, then jeers, then cheers. Except for the boy's few fellow outcasts who stick with him, everyone else follows the crowd in regards to what they think of our hero and it comes across with a message of "have perfect performance and you will get love and positive attention". Not a great message. The comedy also fell flat for me, failing to generate any laughs.
The Good:
The animation was okay. Not great, but I didn't find it horrible. The idea behind what the "falling sky" really was is actually pretty cute and clever. Yeah, not much else strikes me as all that good.
The Mom view:
I hate movies (or books) where the main character is treated with unjustified cruelty by others – especially when it is for an extended time. I don't think that this movie models good behavior or healthy relationships. I don't want my kids to see bullying (especially by adults) as acceptable behavior, even if there is eventual 'justice' (and may I just say that the female getting her mind 'adjusted' in the end is more horrific than anything she ever did!). I won't let my kids see this movie – Yuck!
Pinocchio (1940)
Not a fan of this Disney Feature
The Bad: Some people consider this one of Disney's best movies – I am not one of them. The 'hero' is extremely unlikeable. The situations Pinocchio ends up in are borderline terrifying (both for a child, and for an adult who can think through the deeper implications of kidnapping/slavery). Those who are evil in the movie don't end up punished, they simply seem to get away with it. Most of the songs are not enjoyable. The drinking and smoking don't bother me, personally, although they are shown in a very positive light at first ("Look kids, on Pleasure Island, you can do whatever you want, and that means you can finally get that cigar and whiskey you've always been craving!").
The Good:
I believe this is supposed to be viewed as a morality tale – like Aesop's Fables – and as such this movie defies several "normal" Disney conventions. For example, it appears that bad behavior (such as telling lies or being selfish) is the true villain. And, like any morality tale, it is meant as a lesson. Granted, the moral of the story is a good one (dealing with bravery, truthfulness, and selflessness along with the idea of not trusting strangers) although it comes across as very heavy-handed. The song "When you wish upon a star" is extremely lovely and timeless.
The Mom view:
I can admire this movie's unique story, but I don't find it in any way appropriate for young children. As a parent, I find Geppetto, to be the most sympathetic character and one who should be the true hero of the story, despite his lack of screen-time. And his struggles with his child might be a good allegory for all parents who have kids who make devastatingly bad choices. For older kids, this might be a creative way for a parent to discuss some relevant issues such as peer pressure.
Melody Time (1948)
Old Disney is not for everyone
The Bad:
This is a compilation of shorts, not a cohesive story. Some of the shorts are fun, but some are pretty bad. The short "Blame it on the Samba" - in which Donald dances around while a live-action woman sings and plays instruments – made me try to fast-forward through the never-ending scene. I strongly disliked that one. Although someone who is a fan of that style of music might find it more palatable. "Pecos Bill" contains Indian stereotypes which are outdated and potentially offensive, along with a depiction of the hero smoking.
The Good:
I really loved the "Johnny Appleseed" segment. It's loosely based on a true story (hey, history education!), plus had an unexpectedly positive view of Christianity (in something like two lines). The "Little Toot" segment was also pretty cute. The handful of other segments were fairly forgettable in my opinion, but not unwatchable.
The Mom view:
Created after Fantasia, it feels like it is a much lesser cousin – or even simply a grouping of completely unrelated shorts rather than a harmonious concert experience. Since the music can be so varied (and not contemporary), I find this could be educational for a child. Exposure to music style that a parent doesn't regularly listen to can be a very good thing. Also, the American folk hero aspect of this compilation was nice. If I could snip out the segments I liked and discard the irritating ones, this would make for an okay movie for my kids, but the "Samba" segment simply kills this for me. I'll get Fantasia instead.
Home on the Range (2004)
Towards the bottom of Disney's animation barrel
The Bad:
I decided to rank the Disney animated movies (for my own amusement) and when I first ranked this movie, it was at the very bottom of the pile. What makes this one so bad? Honestly, what doesn't! The voices are annoying. The music is grating. The story is predictable. The comedy falls flat. The villain is one-dimensional. It feels like the Disney company was giving up on hand-drawn animation, so wasn't spending the time and money to make this film good, but rather said "Hey, let's slap something together and see if we can make some cash on the cheap!". If this were one of the cheaply made sequels, it might be considered alright (never good), but we expect so much more from a Disney theatrical film. This is just bad, bad, bad.
The Good:
Ummm... Hmmmmm.... Honestly, I can't think of a single positive thing to say about this one. I guess it doesn't contain much objectionable for young kids? It's got a PG-rating, but probably ought to have a G-rating. That's d***ing with faint praise.
The Mom View:
Okay, I started this review by saying that this movie began at the bottom of my list. Then I realized that this wouldn't be horrible to let my young kids watch. Unlike, say, Chicken Little, this isn't filled with disgusting levels of animosity or parental apathy towards our main characters. My kids would probably be shallowly entertained by this movie. But it would feel like a TV babysitter, not quality film. This also isn't something I could handle as background noise due to the cringe-worthy songs and voice acting. I can find much better movies out there and wouldn't waste my time (or my kid's time) with this one. So it isn't something I actively hate so much as it's something that's "just" badly made.
Winnie the Pooh (2011)
Good, but not great
Let me preface this by saying that I didn't grow up with Pooh and friends. Before I had kids, I had watched the original "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" perhaps twice. Then I had kids and wanted a 'gentle' movie for toddlers. Remembering the "Many Adventures" movie, I bought it and was fairly impressed. More importantly, my two year old LOVED it. So I looked and lo and behold, there are more Pooh movies! This was the highest rated of the bunch, so this is what I bought.
And it's not a bad sequel. Pooh (and friends) are generally light- hearted and likable. The conflicts are few and not terribly intense. The (toys? animals?) feel comfortably in-character and their reasoning seems hilariously realistic recreations of how a young child might think. The humor in this film is hit or miss for me as a parent, but there were several points where I genuinely did laugh aloud. The animation is clear and feels similar enough to the original to make it comfortable. Pretty much every familiar character gets some screen time, which is nice and made it feel balanced. Finally, Pooh Bear ends up making a heroic choice that actually feels like he made a sacrifice for a friend and that made for a very satisfactory ending.
If I hadn't been watching the original "Many Adventures" film (over and over and over), I might have rated this sequel higher, but comparatively, I think this one is weaker.
Except the re-done opening song ("Deep in the Hundred Acre wood..."), which is a fine rendition, the songs have a much more rapid beat - probably because they are from a more modern genre - and it doesn't lend itself well to the slower pace of the rest of the film (or at least, the slower pace I feel like it should have had). There is a song with Tigger and Eeyore that was honestly pretty bad (both the music and the concept didn't work for me, although the way Eeyore spoke to Tigger later was very sweet). Almost none of the characters sound like their original actors (Pooh himself is probably the best). Christopher Robin's character design is very different from the original and I didn't like it as much (although this may just be a case of 'different is different' rather than it being bad).
Sadly, even after seeing it several times over the past few weeks, my two-year old isn't as enamored with it as I'd hoped. Overall, I'd say it is a pretty decent movie in Disney's catalog. Better than many, but not top tier where the original rests.
Life in the Undergrowth (2005)
Tiny yet incredible
Each episode is equally amazing! This mini-series if packed with spectacular images of insects (and arachnids, worms and other tiny animals). The camera gets such detailed, close-up views of these creatures that it feels fascinating rather than gross or creepy. The enthusiasm of the narrator (the ever excellent Attenborough) helps grant the viewer an appreciation of this minuscule world that you might not otherwise have.
If you like animal documentaries like 'Planet Earth', I think you'd find this a great addition to the typical set of mammals and reptiles. It's unusual in focus, but brilliantly done. Lovely and educational.
Charlotte's Web (1973)
Fun adaption of the classic book!
An adaption of the book of the same title, this animation musical has a lot to recommend it... and a few things to detract from its enjoyment. The songs are varied and catchy, the animation is acceptable - not exactly what I'd call beautiful, but not clunky and cheap either.
The characters are what make or break the story and while Wilber, our star pig, starts out as a bit whiny (not without due cause, however!), he grows up over the course of the movie. And growing up is probably the best way to describe the theme of this film. Several characters grow up in different ways, including minor/background characters. It is an excellent look at the passage of time and how it affects different creatures/people - hopefully for the better, but not always.
There are several silly, humorous moments and overall the story is a romp, but the serious points can hit hard. In my personal opinion, it's a fun movie, but not 10 stars - there are definite points where it feels like a musical number is simply filler to make the movie longer and a few places that make me scratch my head at a plot point. But overall, a kid would probably love this and there's really not much objectionable about it.
I'd rate this movie as acceptable for ages 6 and up, but there are a few scary themes - especially death - which may bring children to tears or prompt questions. The emotions in the end are probably bitter- sweet rather than purely upbeat, so I'd advice parental discretion.