Ben Squires
Movies

Top 10 movies to watch with the whole family

There’s nothing quite like that feeling of making popcorn, settling in on the couch with the family and enjoying a film that delights young and old alike. Here is our list of 10 of the best family movies. Did you favourite make the list?

1. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Rated: G

Year: 1968

Cast: Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Heather Ripley, Adrian Hall

It’s the film about a car that everyone knows. A single dad invents a car that can not only fly but float too. When the family test-drives the new wheels, they take a detour into a tyrannical kingdom, where all the children are locked up. What happens next is a beep, hoot and screech of fun with the family.

2. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Rated: PG

Year: 1982

Cast: Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore

Info: This is a film that will be forever a favourite, which is why you have to watch this one with the family. An extra-terrestrial comes down to Earth and wanders into a child’s backyard. Wide-eyed and alien looking, he surveys the surreal landscape of forests, suburban sprawl, Halloween parades, television, and scientific labs.

3. Freaky Friday

Rated: PG

Year: 2003

Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan

Info: If you want a comedy that’s appropriate for everyone, look no further. Therapist mum and rocker daughter are locked in a battle of bodies. After opening fortune cookies, they are transformed into each other. You could only imagine swapping bodies with your own mother or daughter. This one is definitely great for a chuckle or two.

4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone; Chamber of Secrets; The Prisoner of Azkaban

Rated: PG

Years: 2001, 2003, 2004

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Info: This magical tale of wizards, friendship, school and drama is a fantastic show for the whole family. Author J.K. Rowling's beloved tales of an orphan coming into his own powers is a magical respite in an ordinary, drab, Muggle-filled world. The great thing about this is that after watching the film, you can encourage everyone to pick up the books and read them before the next sequels of the films.

5. The Sound of Music

Rated: G

Year: 1965

Cast: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer

Info: A film that all families should watch together. Cheeky children, glorious scenery, and a family fun song that can be sung over and over again after watching the movie once (trust me, this one is hard to get out of your head). Andrews is the aspiring nun-turned-nanny who finds herself on the doorstep of an intimidating widower and his seven children.

6. Spy Kids

Rated: PG

Year: 2001

Cast: Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino

Info: Action packed, family packed, fun packed. This film places kids in the heart of the action. When Carmen and Juni Cortez discover their parents are spies, they take up the family business with a vengeance. Their latest mission: to rescue their parents from Floop, the power-hungry host of a kids' show, and his horde of little people, the Thumb-Thumbs and you’ll all be taken on a fun adventure when you watch this flick.

7. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

Rated: G

Year: 1971

Cast: Gene Wilder, Peter Ostrum, Jack Albertson, Julie Dawn Cole

Info: Who doesn’t love orange balls of people and a world filled with chocolate rivers and all things edible. Willy Wonka says: "Invention, my dear friends, is 93 per cent perspiration, six per cent electricity, four per cent evaporation, and two per cent butterscotch ripple." Whatever the secret ingredients, the results of this film are delicious. There are a few special golden tickets to be won for a few lucky characters, follow them on their journey, but remember to bring your own snacks.

8. Whale Rider

Rated: PG-13

Year: 2003

Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton

Info: A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfil a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognise. This one is great for a diverse teaching of tribal culture and breaking down barriers of gender stereotypes.

9. Ella Enchanted

Rated: PG

Year: 2004

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes

Info: Everyone enjoys a good fairy tale. This charming story is about Ella of Frell, a young maiden who suffers from the curse of obedience. Ella struggles to free herself from her predicament by searching for her thoughtless godmother until she finds the courage to rescue herself. Yes, some gifts can be returned! There’s a powerful message to be learnt for all of us from a simple fairy-tale film such as this.

10. The Wizard of Oz

Rated: G

Year: 1939

Cast: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley

Info: Don’t forget to put your red shoes on for this film! A true favourite in the movie world, filled with lions and tigers, a tin man and a wicked wizard of course. Sweet Dorothy flies into town on a tornado, and meets up with a trio of unlikely travel companions for an adventure.  Their quests to find a way home, intelligence, courage, and a heart are great things to encourage the grandchildren to prioritise. Make sure everyone keeps their hands and legs inside the yellow brick road.

Related links:

Top 10 classic horror movies of all-time

10 of the best movies to watch with the grandkids

5 reasons why Sean Connery is our favourite Bond

Tags:
family, movies, Children, Films, entertainment