# Recommend a movie for family movie night **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [March 11, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725 "2021-03-11T18:01:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/1 "2021-03-11T18:01:45Z")
Since lockdown cancelled all our weekend plans, we’ve been doing family movie night on Friday and Saturday evenings. It’s been fun for the most part, but after nearly a year of such weekends, we’re running out of things to watch that everyone can agree on. It’s become a chore that takes nearly as long as the movie to find something to watch. The parameters: Mom & Dad (myself and my wife) - 80’s/90’s kids. Nerds. Lean toward scifi/fantasy. Kids (14,12, & 8) - Very reluctant to watch anything “old”. (i.e. pre 2010 or so) 8 year old likes action. 12 year old prefers comedy or realistic. 14 year old likes fantasy but open to other things. Have easy access to: Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Peacock. Anything not on one of those, could probably get via library. Stuff we’ve watched this year: All the MCU movies (most of them twice!). All the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies. All the Back to the Future movies. Hamilton. All the Toy Story movies, Soul, Onward, A bug’s Life, Over the Moon, Next Gen, The Parent Trap (Lindsay Lohan version), Freaky Friday (again, Lindsay Lohan version), Mr. Lemoncello’s Library (ugh), Mulan (animated & live action), Mulan 2, Jungle Book (“live action”), Beauty and the Beast (live action), Aladdin (live action & Animated), Return of Jafar, Aladdin & the King of Thieves. Tarzan, the Good Dinosaur. Narnia 1&2. Lord of the Rings 1&2 (the kids lost interest halfway through Two Towers. Can you believe it?!?) The Princess Bride. Home alone 1,2, and regrettably, 3. The Santa Clause. Pirates of the Caribbean 1. Addams Family (live action and animated), Addams Family Values. Trolls World Tour. The Mighty Ducks, Big. Maleficent 1&2 Muppet Treasure Island. Nightmare before Christmas. Stuff that’s been suggested by one family member or another and vetoed by at least one family member: Any other Muppet movies. Apollo 13, Harry Potter series, Rogue One (we’ve all seen every other Star Wars except Solo, which no one has bothered suggesting), Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, Any Tinkerbell movie, Any X-men movie. The Iron Giant. Meet the Robinsons. Wonder Woman, Aquaman. The Spy Next Door. Phew… ok, any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/2 "2021-03-11T18:10:55Z")
I don’t see _The Incredibles_ (or the sequel) in that list. Nor _Galaxy Quest_ or _Raiders of the Lost Ark_. I’m sure there are many other suitable recommendations but those jump right out at me. Also, it’s probably older and with less action than your list, but I’ve never met anyone who didn’t ultimately enjoy _Rear Window_ (the original Hitchcock version). _Wallace & Gromit_ (start with the 30 minute shorts, then the film) and _Chicken Run_, preferably after watching _The Great Escape_ (another old and ‘slow’ movie that virtually no one doesn’t like because it is great.) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/3 "2021-03-11T18:13:31Z")
It’s from 2007, so probably hopelessly old in the eyes of your children, but I thought [Stardust](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stardust_(2007_film)) kind of, sort of, captured the magic of The Princess Bride. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/4 "2021-03-11T18:21:02Z")
This hits some of your criteria (and isn’t terrible.) > **[My Spy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Spy)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > My Spy is a 2020 American spy comedy film directed by Peter Segal, written by Jon and Erich Hoeber, and starring Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Kristen Schaal, Parisa Fitz-Henley, and Ken Jeong. It follows a CIA agent who finds himself at the mercy of a precocious nine-year-old girl in a family that he and his tech support are surveilling while undercover. > My Spy was released theatrically on January 9, 2020 in Australia by STX Entertainment. On ... ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/5 "2021-03-11T18:22:16Z")
**Tremors**. I think it is available for rent (not free) on Amazon Prime. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/6 "2021-03-11T18:49:49Z")
_Ink_ (2009) - A mysterious creature, known as Ink, steals a child’s soul in hopes of using it as a bargaining chip to join the Incubi - the group of supernatural beings responsible for creating nightmares. Her father has to find a way to rescue her and bring her back to our world. — (This is a very visually-interesting movie.) _Ping Pong Playa_ (2007) - A kid dreams of playing professional basketball in order to escape his dead-end job, living in the suburbs, his bossy older brother and running his Mom’s ping pong classes. For a table tennis comedy double feature, pair this up with _Balls of Fury_, also from 2007. _Big Trouble in Little China_ (1986) - IMO you just can’t go wrong with ol’ Jack Burton. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/7 "2021-03-11T18:56:36Z")
Check out the Miyazaki animation canon: Spirited Away Howl’s Moving Castle Princess Mononoke ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/8 "2021-03-11T18:57:13Z")
_Galaxy Ques_t seems perfect. Fun for all ages. > **[Galaxy Quest (1999) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0177789/)** > > Galaxy Quest: Directed by Dean Parisot. With Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub. The alumni cast of a space opera television series have to play their roles as the real thing when an alien race needs their help. However, they... ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/9 "2021-03-11T19:01:52Z")
In terms of superhero fun parodies that are family friendly, I’d suggest Megamind (2010) and Sky High (2005) even if it is a bit older. The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) is pretty timeless, as well as tons for fun for all ages. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) was good, but haven’t seen the sequel. I feel Labryinth (1986) doesn’t suffer from it’s age, but since the don’t want Muppet movies, probably a pass for them. Shrek 1 & 2 would probably be a good mix for the kids as well. Treasure Planet (2002) was probably an objectively bad movie, but I have a fond spot for it along with most pirate movies. I’ve heard good things about the Despicable Me movies, but haven’t seen any of them, same for Spiderman Into the Spiderverse. ---
**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:** [March 11, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/10 "2021-03-11T19:07:32Z")
[Explorers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explorers_(film)) – available via Amazon Prime. It’s from 1985 but the three mains were about 15 so the older kids might be interested in watching boys roughly their own age contacting aliens. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/11 "2021-03-11T19:16:08Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > _Big Trouble in Little China_ (1986) - IMO you just can’t go wrong with ol’ Jack Burton. “Like I told my last wife, I says, ‘Honey, I never drive any faster than I can see. Besides, it’s all in the reflexes.’” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/12 "2021-03-11T19:23:40Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > _Big Trouble in Little China_ (1986) - IMO you just can’t go wrong with ol’ Jack Burton. Yes! Excellent choice! I chose this for a group movie watching event back in 1995 and a few of my friends were going “oh boy, does that movie look dumb…” but soon enough they were converts. Love the over-the-top action and sassy sarcasm. Kids and adults love it. > > Miyazaki > > Another inspired choice…if you are not familiar with Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki in particular, then you are in for a treat. Better than Disney in almost every way. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/13 "2021-03-11T19:25:35Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) is pretty timeless, as well as tons for fun for all ages. Oh my god yes. Also The Goofy Movie, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). When my kids were young, they loved Duel and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. ---
**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:** [March 11, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/14 "2021-03-11T19:35:49Z")
[Hancock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock_(film)) (2008) – available via Netflix. [Secondhand Lions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondhand_Lions) (2003) - available via Amazon Prime. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/15 "2021-03-11T19:43:15Z")
Okay, first off, whoever vetoed Iron Giant doesn’t know what the hell they’re talking about. Override that shit. It’s amazing. Second, a fairly normal recommendation: _Coraline_ seems to fit pretty squarely into the other stuff you’ve got on your list. It’s based on a Neil Gaiman novel, made by some of the same people as _Nightmare Before Christmas_, and is really good. Third, an out-of-left-field recommendation, that totally breaks your rule about old stuff but otherwise might be good: [_The Court Jester_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzmnSyqv37A), from 1955. The video is probably the most famous scene. It’s profoundly silly stuff, full of great wordplay and physical comedy and adventure and romance and magic and . One of the best comedies ever made. (As endorsements: my kids fussed at me when I chose this one for movie night, but both the 8yo and the 11yo ended up giggling their way through it). ---
**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:** [March 11, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/16 "2021-03-11T19:47:42Z")
Clint Eastwood’s “[Philo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Which_Way_but_Loose) [Beddoe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Any_Which_Way_You_Can)” movies – available via Amazon Prime. “Right turn, Clyde.” ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/17 "2021-03-11T19:48:36Z")
We have a family movie night every Sunday, and NATIONAL TREASURE was a popular one recently. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/18 "2021-03-11T19:49:52Z")
Box Trolls and Paddington are both worth watching. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/19 "2021-03-11T19:51:01Z")
Thanks for the suggestions, all. Now let me shoot most of them down with kid logic. 😉 > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I don’t see _The Incredibles_ (or the sequel) in that list. Nor _Galaxy Quest_ or _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ . I’m sure there are many other suitable recommendations but those jump right out at me. Both Incredibles have been seen and enjoyed, just not in the past year of movie nights. (See also Frozen 1&2, Tangled, Wall-E, Up, Wreck-it-Ralph 1&2, Moana for more Disney/Pixar in that category) _Galaxy Quest_ I love, but doesn’t it rely on a background steeped in Star Trek to really work? Sadly, none of our kids have taken to Trek yet. _Raiders_ I’ve considered, but I worry about the flesh-melting at the end provoking nightmares. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I’ve never met anyone who didn’t ultimately enjoy _Rear Window_ (the original Hitchcock version). Have you ever met an 8 year old who watched it? 🙂 > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > _Wallace & Gromit_ (start with the 30 minute shorts, then the film) and _Chicken Run_ , preferably after watching _The Great Escape_ (another old and ‘slow’ movie that virtually no one doesn’t like because it is great.) We got as far as the trailer for _Chicken Run_. It was vetoed by the picky kids for being too old-fashioned looking. (Drives me nuts, but so be it…) I don’t think any claymation is going to fly. Never heard of _Stardust_ or _My Spy_. Will look into them. _Tremors_ is definitely too scary, I think. _Ink_ looks a TERRIFYING. (Delightfully so, and I will check it out on my own or with wifey, but not with the kids). _Ping Pong Playa_ is a possibility. (Though after Mighty Ducks kinda bombed I don’t know if they’ll want another sports underdog comedy) _Big Trouble in Little China_ seems like a hard sell… I don’t actually remember enough about it to know if it would be good for the kiddos or not. On the Miyazaki front, I forgot to mention Kiki’s Delivery Service, which we did watch one Movie Night. They’ve also seen Totoro. I remember Spritied Away being kinda scary (have I mentioned these kids scare kind of easily?) Maybe Howl’s Moving Castle or Princess Mononoke. I don’t remember either very well. Are they scary? _Megamind_ is a good suggestion. I liked that one when I saw it on a plane. Will look into _Sky High_. We did watch Emperor’s New Groove one Movie Night. Kids didn’t love it. I’d be interested in _Jumanji_. Do we go with the 2017 one or the original first? I’d love to get them to watch _Labyrinth_, but they’ve vehemently said no to _Dark Crystal_, so I doubt it. (Same for _Neverending Story_, which isn’t Henson, but I think would get lumped in. There’s still hope for one of the kids, but the other 2 are very anti-muppet for some reason.) _Shrek_’s been vetoed too. (They’ve seen most of the first one at camp and didn’t like it.) I’ve been pushing for _Treasure Planet_ as well, but haven’t gotten much enthusiasm from them for it. I think they’ve seen all the _Despicable Me_’s, and we saw Spiderverse in the Theater and loved it. (The Tobey Maguire Spiderman movies have gotten vetoes too, BTW) _Explorers_ is a maybe. Is it scary? Seems on the order of _ET_, which terrified the little one. (I swear, we were made of sterner stuff in the 80s. Either that or the parents didn’t care if a movie traumatized us. I lived in fear of ET living under my bed too, but I dealt with it…) Willy Wonka is another one that was deemed too scary. (The eldest watched it, and has warned the others). Goofy Movie… really? It’s good? maybe. Duel seems out for scaryiness, and Mad, Mad, Mad World I’m sure would be vetoed for “oldness.” Hancock I’ve wanted to see, but I think it’s probably too adult for the kids. Secondhand Lions seems worth a look… ---
**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:** [March 11, 2021, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725/20 "2021-03-11T19:56:39Z")
> [@gonzoron](#): > > _Explorers_ is a maybe. Is it scary? Seems on the order of _ET_ , which terrified the little one. The main two aliens are totally played for laughs but there are a couple of scenes which could be troublesome – one with a very large security device with multiple legs which turns out to be comic relief and Robert Picardo as the “space pirate” towards the end. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-movie-for-family-movie-night/937725.md?page=2)