Classic Family Films
It has been a difficult time for everybody. With a lot of people out of work, working from home and kids being home schooled, we’re spending more time than ever stuck indoors and looking for ways to keep ourselves entertained. Films can be the perfect way to spend a few hours and keep the whole family amused but it can be difficult picking a film to suit everyone. What adults want to watch may not be suitable for kids, what kids want to watch may not be tolerable for adults. Here is a few family classics that you might want to check out if you want to spend some time with the whole family, are looking for a nostalgia trip or can’t bear hearing ‘Let it go’ for the millionth time this year.
The Goonies (1985)
Written by Chris Columbus (screenplay) and Steven Spielberg (story) and directed by Richard Donner, this was always destined to be a classic. After finding an old treasure map, a group of kids who call themselves The Goonies go searching for legendary pirate ‘One-Eyed’ Willy’s hidden fortune in hopes of saving their town from developers who want to turn it into a golf course. This was the kind of treasure hunt every kid dreamed of, filled with danger, booby traps, tunnels, mysteries, friendships and adventure. And of course, no adventure is complete without some bad guys trying to mess things up as The Goonies try to evade capture from the evil crime family, the Fratelli’s.
The Mighty Ducks (1992)
Emilio Estevez is Gordon Bombay (yes Bombay duck, the joke was lost on me as a child), a self-centred lawyer who is sentenced to community service coaching a local youth ice hockey team, the worst in the division. As a kid Gordon was the star of his team but he gave up ice hockey after missing his attempt during a crucial shootout in the championship game. Still haunted by his failure Coach Bombay must turn the Ducks into a winning team as he faces off against his former team and his old coach, who still blames him for losing the championship. This film, along with the two sequels, was so popular in the 90’s that Disney actually founded an NHL team called The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, now known as the Anaheim Ducks.
Camp Nowhere (1994)
A little twist on the usual American summer camp movie. Morris ‘Mud’ Himmel and his friends are facing a summer of misery as their parents plan on sending them to boring summer camps. But they have an idea that may save their summer. With the help of former drama teacher Dennis Van Welker, played by the brilliantly eccentric Christopher Lloyd, they put their plan into action. A camp with no rules, no parents and no responsibilities. Could this plan actually work? A nosey cop, a persistent debt collector and the upcoming ‘Parents’ Day’ will really put it to the test.
3 Ninjas (1992)
Samuel, Jeffrey and Michael spend every summer training with their grandpa, Mori Tanaka who is highly skilled in the art of ninjutsu. Their father works as an FBI agent and unfortunately a case he is working on has made them a kidnapping target for crime boss Hugo Snyder. They must now use everything their grandfather thought them to evade capture and take down Snyder and his team of goons. Action packed and full of laughs, the sequels are also worth checking out.
The Princess Bride (1987)
“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” This is one of the most quoted lines in movie history and to this day there are some people who can’t pick up a sword, dagger or even a stick without repeating the famous phrase. A grandfather reads a story to his grandson that has been passed down through their family for generations. The young boy is reluctant to listen to the fairy-tale at first, as he prefers stories about sports and action, he certainly doesn’t want to hear about kissing. But he soon gets lost in a tale of pirates, swordfights, kidnapping, bandits and the quest for true love. This is the ultimate fairy-tale adventure that the whole family can enjoy.
Blank Cheque (1994)
Life can be tough for a kid, your older siblings bullying you and your parents won’t buy you the things you want because you need to learn the value of money. So, when the opportunity to change all this came along, Preston grabs it with both hands. After his bike is destroyed in an accident, he is handed a cheque which is mistakenly left blank. Using his computer skills, he fills it out to the value of 1 million dollars and heads to the bank to cash it. A case of mistaken identity see’s Preston walk away with the money and he proceeds to buy everything he has ever wanted. But actions have consequences and that cash belonged to Quigley, a criminal mastermind who wants it back.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Based on the children’s literary classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Gene Wilder plays the enigmatic Willy Wonka, the owner of the biggest and best chocolate factory in the world, who offers 5 lucky kids the opportunity to take a tour of his factory. This is a tale about how gluttony, sloth and greed will get you nowhere and those who have the least can often be the most generous, all set to one of the catchiest soundtracks in movie history.
The Karate Kid (1984)
A classic underdog story as Daniel Laruso takes on the bullies of the Cobra Kai dojo. Under the guidance of his mentor Mr Miyagi, who uses some unusual training techniques, Daniel learns more than just karate. Mr Miyagi teaches him about hard work, discipline and dedication as he prepares for the All-Valley Karate Tournament. A real 80’s classic and if any parents out there need their cars waxed or fences painted, I recommend showing this to their kids, they’ll be happy to do it as part of their “training.”
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