Everyone loves sharing a movie with the family. Unless it’s the wrong movie, a lousy movie selection can ruin the night. So how do you choose the best family movies? How are you supposed to pick a film that satisfies the whole room—your wife, kids of various ages, and you? Can such a feat even be done? Probably not, but let’s try.
It’s important to be mindful of what your kids watch.
Obviously, Braveheart is the greatest movie of all time. That’s just a scientific fact. But all the blood and violence gave my 4-year-old daughter nightmares for weeks. I tried to talk to her about the importance of how freedom is earned, but she simply couldn’t get past all the gore.
Then there’s Psalm 101:3, which states, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” That totally eliminates the entire Fast and the Furious franchise. After making 46 of these, you would think one of them would have to be good, even if by accident. I mean, just from a statistical point of view, one should have turned out great. But no, all worthless.
All kidding aside, I’m a little hesitant to give you a “Best Family Movies of all Time” list. As dads, we should be mindful and have a high standard of what we allow our kids to watch. They can’t unsee stuff. But without a doubt, that standard is going to vary among households. I was a student pastor for nearly 20 years, and it was impossible to pick a movie that at least one parent didn’t see as problematic. One mom didn’t even think Child’s Play was suitable for children. Honestly, it has the word “child” in the title.
How to find the best family movies.
Use Pluggedin.com for new stuff. For whatever reason, children’s movies can’t simply be about a good story these days. There has to be some more profound message. An article on a popular news site stated Toy Story 3 was actually about the holocaust. While that is ridiculous, plenty of entertainment outlets have an agenda, and their messaging may not align with your beliefs.
Stick to the classics—the Wizard of Oz, E.T, The Princess Bride. There are several movies you kids have likely never even heard of, and the nostalgia is enough to keep your interest as an adult. Plus, it’s fun to see how well (or not so well) a movie holds up over time.
Only Christian movies. If you want to stick to purely Christian flics, the options have gotten a lot better over the last several years. The production value is way up. If this is your preference, you might want to check into Pure Flix; it’s like a Christian Netflix.
Consider your family first. Who cares what everyone else is watching or what they say is good. Watch what your family likes. My family loves High School Musical. I hate it. But, as is so often the case in fatherhood, your job is to put the family first. So butter up some popcorn, grab a blanket (if you have girls or a wife because they’re going to be cold no matter what), and settle in for a bit of cinema. It can be an excellent choice for family time.
