I second The Secret Garden & A Little Princess (the recent ones, especially but the old ones aren’t bad).
Bridge to Terabithia
Speed Racer
The old Universal Monster films (Bride of Frankenstein most of all)
The Elephant Man
The listing of Year of the Comet reminds me of a fun, cheesy & I think pretty clean flick Night of the Comet.
Lots of my favorites have already been mentioned.
How about Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood?
And that most classic of Westerns: Stagecoach. (The John Wayne original; I think there was a remake.) A bit of violence, but the Cavalry arrives on time!
How about some romance? Philadelphia Story (with Katherine Hepburn having to decide between Cary Grant & Jimmy Stewart. Back when “adult” meant “with grownup dialog.” More in that vein (grownup, not so romantic): The Women & All About Eve.
Sullivan’s Travels would make a great double feature with O Brother Where Art Thou.
Oh, and The Secret of Roan Inish–for the Irish in you. (Even if you don’t really have any.)
I wholeheartedly recommend (although maybe not for everyone):
Mr. mangorium’s Wonder Emporium (Family film, but any film that has a character titled 'Mr. Mangorium, Wonder Afficionado and Avid Shoe-wearer is worth watching)
Pan’s Labyrinth (Spanish, but oh so beautiful, and a very strong story).
Panic Room (Very little actual violence, lot’s of suspense. Amazing how much of it you can fit into just one room)
I also must agree with the recommendations for Big Fish and O Brother Where Art Thou
Given the nature of the humor in these films, I don’t think I’d consider them to be quite family-friendly.
I’m actually in this movie as a featured extra (I was, what, 12?) Two more and I can get a SAG card!
No love for Enchanted? It does have about five minutes of animation at the beginning, but it’s absolutely hilarious and cute and sweet and even my dad liked it. My dad!
I’d just like to add my votes for
Holes
The Sandlot
The Little Vampire. Best movie ever.
Another favorite movie…The Legend of 1900. I know it sort of has a sad ending, but it’s not like they throw a bag of puppies in front of a speeding train. This movie is Tim Roth’s greatest film to date.
The Man with One Red Shoe: Tom Hanks in a case of mistaken identity.
The Money Pit: Mr. Hanks and Ms. Long (re)build their dream house.
Cloak & Dagger: Henry Thomas as a boy with a very active imagination who gets caught up in international intrigue.
Seconded. Or try “Chicken Run”.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the movie, but it had graphic violence that I had to close my eyes for. It’s not fun for the whole family.
Hidalgo
Santa Clause
E.T.
Auntie Mame
Come to think of it, you’re right. Forgot about the whole Nazi thing. Easy to overlook because of all the sensory overload of the fantasy scenes.
Groundhog Day
Just about everyone has already seen it, but one of the just plain most entertaining movies ever made is Back to the Future.
What about Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon?
The Fellowship of the Ring?
Forrest Gump?
The Burton/Nicholson/Keaton Batman?
Stand By Me?
Bernard and the Genie, starring Lenny Henry as the Genie and Rowan Atkinson as the Evil Boss. I had to order it from Amazon. Super movie.
Various Studio Ghibli movies, but I’d like to mention one that I don’t see mentioned too often: The Cat Returns. Sweet, very funny - good movie all round.
One of the great family/horse movies, National Velvet.
Well since I’m an Alan Arkin fan, I should mention the original The In-Laws. I never saw the remake ( I generally don’t watch remakes) but the original is still funny as all get out 30 years later. Rated PG.
Also My Favorite Year. No cursing, no nudity, a couple of innuendos that would have been acceptable as normal conversation even if it were the early 50s that the movie is set in. Plus, Peter O’Toole!
“Anne of Green Gables”
I’ve never been a fan of period pieces, but I love this series.