# Movie Night recommendations (8 year old girl) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 24, 2014, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857 "2014-04-24T11:59:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RachelChristine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RachelChristine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RachelChristine)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/1 "2014-04-24T11:59:21Z")
So it’s time again for family movie night this weekend. My daughter is 8 and my husband and I, well, are NOT kids! We are really running out of ideas for movies that won’t bore us to death. We’ve done Flight of the Navigator, Cloak and Dagger, Goonies, E.T., Hugo, Journey to Center of the Earth (and the Mysterious Island), Gnomeo and Juliet, and all the Pixars (and probably tons else that I’m forgetting – last time it was that one with Bindi Irwin). We have both Netflix Streaming and Amazon Prime, and are more than willing to pay to rent something. Of course we have done Star Wars and Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. What else might an 8 year old girl like that her adult parents can also enjoy? ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/2 "2014-04-24T14:15:17Z")
It’s a few years old now but I really enjoyed the movie “ **Holes** ”. It stars a young Shia LeBouef and I don’t want to spoiler anything, but I was in my early 30’s when I saw it and would totally recommend it for a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/3 "2014-04-24T14:42:05Z")
Ghostbusters or Ghostbusters 2. Ghostbusters 2 was deliberately made to be more child friendly because of the cartoon out at the time. The first one was OK for my kids when they saw it but there is some raunchy dialog – whether you want your kid hearing that or not is your decision obviously. Ghostbusters 2 has a bad rap for being a terrible movie that I think is undeserved. It’s clearly not as good as the first, it’s not quite as sharp or funny, but the characters are all great together and Bill Murray is hilarious in just about anything he does. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/4 "2014-04-24T15:16:54Z")
If 8 year old girls like princesses, pirates, fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, and miracles, she might like “The Princess Bride”. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/5 "2014-04-24T15:21:44Z")
The Incredibles, Nausicaa (Warriors of the Wind), Laputa (Castle in the Sky). Neverending Story. Labyrinth. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/6 "2014-04-24T15:22:02Z")
“The Princess Bride” mentioned above reminded me of [A Little Princess](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113670/?ref_=nv_sr_2), IMHO one of the all-time great live-action family films. And you could pair it with [Despicable Me](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1323594/?ref_=nv_sr_1), if you wanted a boarding school theme night. Both of these will appeal as much to adults as children. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/7 "2014-04-24T15:24:40Z")
Stardust Knight’s Tale. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/8 "2014-04-24T15:27:46Z")
Another vote for _The Princess Bride_. And if you liked _Cloak and Dagger_, then _The Last Action Hero_ is a possibility. There’s also the first three \*Superman \*movies, and maybe even _Supergirl_. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/9 "2014-04-24T15:32:44Z")
A somewhat obscure older movie but I recommend _[7 Faces of Dr Lao](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057812/)_. A couple of other older classics would be _[Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/?ref_=nv_sr_1)_ (much better than the remake) and _[Yellow Submarine](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063823/?ref_=nv_sr_2)_. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/10 "2014-04-24T15:34:10Z")
**Paranorman** ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/11 "2014-04-24T15:42:24Z")
Matilda ---
**Author:** ![RachelChristine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RachelChristine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RachelChristine)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/12 "2014-04-24T15:44:26Z")
Thank you guys so much! I knew I’d forgotten things we have seen (and some we even own – duh The Princess Bride is a big favorite), but there are lots of ideas on here that I’ve never heard of or forgot existed. Hopefully some will be available streaming and we will be able to agree on something. Keep the ideas coming though – we will have more movie nights in the future! ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/13 "2014-04-24T16:16:54Z")
[The Odd Life of Timothy Green](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1462769/) – it’s a newer movie and I don’t know if Netflix has it, but for sure it’s available on DVD. It’s sweet and pretty and has enough going on to keep even an adult interested. I’ll second _Matilda_ and add _Nanny McPhee_ and _The Secret Garden_. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/14 "2014-04-24T17:19:03Z")
Bend It Like Beckham. A Little Princess. Free Willy. Whale Rider. Akeelah and the Bee. The Black Stallion. StG ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/15 "2014-04-24T18:00:54Z")
I was about 8 when I first saw “The Court Jester”. Lots of silly fun and some great female characters, too. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/16 "2014-04-24T18:13:23Z")
Anything from the [Ice Age](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Age_%28franchise%29) series should be appropriate for her and tolerable for the adults. Pretty much anything Disney. Maybe kick it old school with some [The Love Bug](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Love_Bug). There are a series of live-action movies featuring a VW Beetle with a personality. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/17 "2014-04-24T18:19:56Z")
If you want an educational movie you could try that one movie about the Nixon scandal. Man I can’t remember the name… I loved it when I was like…14… Oh yes! I remember Deep Throat. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/18 "2014-04-24T19:25:36Z")
Hidalgo. ---
**Author:** ![SalGal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/db5fbb/32.png) [@SalGal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SalGal)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/19 "2014-04-24T20:19:40Z")
Mentioned in another thread here, _Sky High_ . . . simple good vs. bad storyline for the kiddo, fun inside jokes for mom & dad. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/20 "2014-04-24T20:25:19Z")
**Anne of Green Gables**! I thought it was maybe targeted a little older but the Common Sense Media site has recommendations for it for 7-9 so the movie and the sequels should be fine. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857.md?page=2)