# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/41 "2014-04-25T22:35:17Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > The Journey of Natty Gann. Darn, I was hoping to be first with this one. I remember passionately loving this movie. > [@Moonlitherial](#): > > Black Stallion > > … > > The Secret Garden. I love “The Black Stallion,” and I think it’s gorgeous, but I know a lot of people find it extremely slow. “The Secret Garden” from the 90s is one of the most beautifully filmed movies I’ve ever seen. Let’s see: The Wallace and Gromit shorts and feature are brilliant. Also “Chicken Run.” “The Emperor’s New Groove” is one of my favorite underrated animated movies. “How to Train Your Dragon,” is fun. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” is great (the sequel not as good). I remember liking “Newsies,” though I honestly don’t remember it. “Spy Kids.” “Rango” is really weird, but I liked it a lot. Very surreal. Some other early live-action Disney might work. “The Shaggy Dog/DA,” “The Cat From Outer Space,” (actually, I was trying to remember “That Darn Cat”), “The Ugly Dachshund,” etc. Very silly, but they can be enjoyable. I remember loving “The Apple Dumpling Gang,” “No Deposit, No Return,” and “Escape to Witch Mountain” as a kid. The first two might still be fine, but boy is the last one awful. I was obsessed by the character of the Scarlet Pimpernel when I was about the OP’s daughter’s age. There are at least three movies, though all of them talk about the guillotine which did give me nightmares. She might be old enough to be amused by something like “Bringing Up Baby,” too. Or the Marx Brothers, or Charlie Chaplin. It greatly depends on the kid! ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2014, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/42 "2014-04-25T23:21:19Z")
The Dark Crystal (& anything Muppets for that matter) ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/43 "2014-04-26T00:12:01Z")
Soul Surfer New Year’s Eve Princess Diaries Uptown Girls We Bought a Zoo Dr Doolittle ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/44 "2014-04-26T00:13:48Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > A somewhat obscure older movie but I recommend _[7 Faces of Dr Lao](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057812/)_ I would never have thought of this one, but yes! I saw it on TV when I was a kid and loved it ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/45 "2014-04-26T00:14:13Z")
Second Hand Lions, The Sandlot ---
**Author:** ![expectopatronum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/expectopatronum/32/173_2.png) [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/46 "2014-04-26T02:17:58Z")
another vote for Neverending Story (don’t bother with the sequels). also, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a good one. ---
**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 26, 2014, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/47 "2014-04-26T12:15:25Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > The Dark Crystal (& anything Muppets for that matter) MirrorMask? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Donegal\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Donegal\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donegal_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/48 "2014-04-26T12:53:38Z")
One that I haven’t seen mentioned yet is **Inkheart** One of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/49 "2014-04-26T13:20:21Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > 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”. This is a hugely enjoyable film for both kids and adults. Plus you get a load of quotable lines to use in future! ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/50 "2014-04-26T17:23:37Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Jumanji? I just watched Jumanji on Netflix streaming last night with my 8 and 11 year old boys. They really enjoyed it. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/51 "2014-04-27T04:53:17Z")
[Fly Away Home](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116329/?ref_=nv_sr_1) - young girl takes some geese under her wing. [Flipped](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0817177/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) - a middle-school coming-of-age story [A Far Off Place](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106868/?ref_=nv_sr_1) - an adventure/survival story with two young leads [The Wilderness Family / Mountain Family Robinson](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072610/?ref_=nv_sr_1) movies, and [Across The Great Divide](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075629/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) - adventures in the great outdoors ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/52 "2014-04-27T05:01:26Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > [Fly Away Home](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116329/?ref_=nv_sr_1) - young girl takes some geese under her wing. Based on [real life events](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Lishman), by the way. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/53 "2014-04-27T06:39:06Z")
Another vote for Stardust. Such an amazing movie. I forced my macho husband to watch it with me and even he admitted it was pretty good. If you’re into sappy animal movies, Homeward Bound is one that always gets me. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Coraline (a little scary though, maybe not the best for sensitive kids) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/54 "2014-04-27T08:10:11Z")
Animated: The Book of Kells Kung Fu Panda Bolt Live action Fantasy: The Narnia movies Willow City of Ember The Spiderwick Chronicles The Adventures of Baron Munchausen ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/55 "2014-04-27T13:08:32Z")
Buster Keaton, Harold LLoyd et al, the side benefit of which might be that she wouldn’t automatically dismiss old flicks just because they’re b&w and silent, thereby opening up a whole alternate universe of movies. Oh, and also King Kong (the original). ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/56 "2014-04-27T15:00:48Z")
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events Short Circuit My Fair Lady > [@RachelChristine](#): > > 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. You may want to try [The Hobbit](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077687/?ref_=nv_sr_4). A better adaption then the Peter Jackson films. (the poster art for that is nothing like the film animation) > [@randwill](#): > > All the Miyazaki movies! > > For her age, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Arrietty and Ponyo are MUSTS. > > Extra bonus, you’ll love them too. I don’t think Lupin the III, “Princess Mononoke” or “Nausicaä Valley of the Wind” are good choices for a young girl, unless maybe they really love humungous bugs taking over the world. And be careful not to to lump in another Studio Ghibli film “Grave of the Fireflies” with with the likes of Totoro or “Spirited Away.” Although “Grave” in the title should be enough of a hint. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/57 "2014-04-27T17:26:04Z")
Ooh, I’m loving these suggestions and adding them to my own pile. In the meantime, here’s my “[Family Movie Night](http://www.pinterest.com/christinelynnem/family-movie-night/)” Pinterest page. Obviously lots of stuff already mentioned here, but a few others too. I think Galaxy Quest is a fun family movie - the kids won’t get all the jokes, but it’s still fun. For what it’s worth, I also have an [Introduction to Horror](http://www.pinterest.com/christinelynnem/introduction-to-horror/)page (yes, it’s actually important to me for my kids to like dark fantasy and horror!). But my kid is 10, and medium-to-strong on resistance to terror. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/58 "2014-04-27T17:28:24Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > The Dark Crystal (& anything Muppets for that matter) No no no! I saw that as an adult and it gave me nightmares. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tara57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Tara57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tara57)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/59 "2014-04-27T17:57:58Z")
Dolphin Tale The Incredible Journey I’ll add my vote for all those old-school live action Disney movies. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857/60 "2014-04-27T20:10:07Z")
**Howl’s Moving Castle** **The Mark of Zorro** (the one from the 1940’s starring Tyrone Power is better than the modern-day versions, and it’s no more violent than **The Princess Bride** ) How about musicals? **Singing in the Rain** and **The Bandwagon** are ones I think you all might enjoy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-night-recommendations-8-year-old-girl/686857.md?page=4)