Family movie recommendations, modern edition
October 30, 2021 7:07 AM Subscribe
Can I get some delightful family movie suggestions? Mom and Dad and thirteen-year-old. Halloween themed is nice but not at all required.
Looking for some modern equivalents of movies I enjoyed in 1983. I don't want to subject my kid to my nostalgia and also I know I'm boring.
Would like movies to be funny, smart-ish, not gory, not a thousand fart jokes.
No animals dying. None of us can handle it.
Preferably comedies but I'm open.
Old movies that genuinely stand up to the scrutiny of a thirteen-year-old in 2021 are okay if you feel sure! I'm a complete ignoramus so would really appreciate recommendations you feel strongly about.
Looking for some modern equivalents of movies I enjoyed in 1983. I don't want to subject my kid to my nostalgia and also I know I'm boring.
Would like movies to be funny, smart-ish, not gory, not a thousand fart jokes.
No animals dying. None of us can handle it.
Preferably comedies but I'm open.
Old movies that genuinely stand up to the scrutiny of a thirteen-year-old in 2021 are okay if you feel sure! I'm a complete ignoramus so would really appreciate recommendations you feel strongly about.
Mitchels vs The Machines on Netflix, is delightful with a vibe similar to older family movies, I found
posted by walkinginsunshine at 7:59 AM on October 30, 2021 [17 favorites]
posted by walkinginsunshine at 7:59 AM on October 30, 2021 [17 favorites]
I think a 13-year-old would really enjoy The Nightmare Before Christmas. I think parents would also find it worthwhile. From the Wikipedia description:
a 1993 American stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy comedy holiday film directed by Henry Selick (in his feature directorial debut) and produced and conceived by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of "Halloween Town" who stumbles upon "Christmas Town" and becomes obsessed with celebrating the holiday. Danny Elfman wrote the songs and score, and provided the singing voice of Jack.
posted by SomethinsWrong at 8:09 AM on October 30, 2021 [3 favorites]
a 1993 American stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy comedy holiday film directed by Henry Selick (in his feature directorial debut) and produced and conceived by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of "Halloween Town" who stumbles upon "Christmas Town" and becomes obsessed with celebrating the holiday. Danny Elfman wrote the songs and score, and provided the singing voice of Jack.
posted by SomethinsWrong at 8:09 AM on October 30, 2021 [3 favorites]
Not sure if you saw this thread from a few days ago, but there may be some crossover there.
posted by jeremias at 8:30 AM on October 30, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by jeremias at 8:30 AM on October 30, 2021 [3 favorites]
I enjoyed The House with a Clock in Its Walls; probably helps to have a high tolerance for Jack Black (I do).
posted by Bron at 8:53 AM on October 30, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by Bron at 8:53 AM on October 30, 2021 [4 favorites]
Monster Squad. The film is pretty brilliant in a lot of ways, as a tribute to but not a parody of the old Universal Studios monster pics. Their Dracula is a nice combination of Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee. Their Wolfman not only recalls Lon Chaney, Jr, but also Michael Landon's "teenage werewolf." The Creature from the Black Lagoon and the Mummy are really well done, much better than the originals. And good old Frankenstein's Monster is the hapless friend-to-all-children of Boris Karloff. The members of the Squad are basically the Goonies. Good fun.
posted by SPrintF at 9:00 AM on October 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by SPrintF at 9:00 AM on October 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
Assuming the Halloween thread above has you covered there, these non-Halloween movies are fun and age appropriate: Enola Holmes; Troop Zero (though I think it does have a fart joke); Faces Places (documentary but funny)
Also here's some non-Ghibli anime films I enjoyed, all rated 9+ to 13+ on Common Sense Media: A Letter to Momo; Puella Magi Madoka Magica--Beginnings; Puella Magi Madoka Magica--Eternal; The Boy and the Beast (although IIRC there's conflict against someone with a whale-shaped astral form)
posted by Wobbuffet at 9:11 AM on October 30, 2021
Also here's some non-Ghibli anime films I enjoyed, all rated 9+ to 13+ on Common Sense Media: A Letter to Momo; Puella Magi Madoka Magica--Beginnings; Puella Magi Madoka Magica--Eternal; The Boy and the Beast (although IIRC there's conflict against someone with a whale-shaped astral form)
posted by Wobbuffet at 9:11 AM on October 30, 2021
I just watched Munsters, Go Home (1966), which is a blast is you like corny, timeless humor. The DVD I found at a flea market had a really nice, crisp transfer. The film is in technicolor.
posted by jabah at 9:12 AM on October 30, 2021
posted by jabah at 9:12 AM on October 30, 2021
My husband and I recently watched ParaNorman on Netflix, stop-motion animation from the people who made Coraline, about a boy who can see and speak to dead people. It was funny and very sweet.
posted by ceejaytee at 10:42 AM on October 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by ceejaytee at 10:42 AM on October 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
Sorry, I can't think of anything that fits the criteria, but 'Beetlejuice' (1998) mostly stands the test of time.
Not a movie (but based on one) but 'What We Do in the Shadows' tv show is delightful.
posted by porpoise at 10:50 AM on October 30, 2021
Not a movie (but based on one) but 'What We Do in the Shadows' tv show is delightful.
posted by porpoise at 10:50 AM on October 30, 2021
(The vampire TV show "What We Do in the Shadows" is indeed great for adult viewers — it's funny and emotionally complex in the awkward-mockumentary style — but the gore, casual killing, sexual situations & language is probably too much for young teens.)
posted by lisa g at 12:05 PM on October 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by lisa g at 12:05 PM on October 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
Watched and loved Pixar’s Coco last night. Beautifully animated, intricate storyline, great music, relevant for Halloween.
Other movie suggestions: Onward, Pieces of April (Thanksgiving themed), Jingle Jangle (Christmas themed), Little Miss Sunshine, Juno. All of these fit the bill for family-friendly and delightful.
posted by danceswithlight at 12:24 PM on October 30, 2021
Other movie suggestions: Onward, Pieces of April (Thanksgiving themed), Jingle Jangle (Christmas themed), Little Miss Sunshine, Juno. All of these fit the bill for family-friendly and delightful.
posted by danceswithlight at 12:24 PM on October 30, 2021
We have been watching tons of family movies (tween + young teen) since start of pandemic. We are ok with rated R and cursing but avoid violence. This are all the funny, delightful, and/or smartish ones. I hope this list will be helpful:
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Hustle
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Rat Race
Spellbound
Be Kind Rewind
The Great Race
Pitch Perfect (all of them)
Gullivers Travels (w Jack Black)
Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Peanut Butter Falcon
Little Miss Sunshine
Elf
13 Going on 30
The Prom
Zoolander
East Side Sushi
Dumplin
What's Up Doc
Rudy
Ping Pong Playa
Hoosiers
Akeelah and the Bee
The Martian
Blades of Glory
Eurovision Song Contest
Italian Job (original)
Memail me if you'd like more, I'm taking up too much space!
posted by rabidsegue at 1:37 PM on October 30, 2021
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Hustle
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Rat Race
Spellbound
Be Kind Rewind
The Great Race
Pitch Perfect (all of them)
Gullivers Travels (w Jack Black)
Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Peanut Butter Falcon
Little Miss Sunshine
Elf
13 Going on 30
The Prom
Zoolander
East Side Sushi
Dumplin
What's Up Doc
Rudy
Ping Pong Playa
Hoosiers
Akeelah and the Bee
The Martian
Blades of Glory
Eurovision Song Contest
Italian Job (original)
Memail me if you'd like more, I'm taking up too much space!
posted by rabidsegue at 1:37 PM on October 30, 2021
Napoleon Dynamite went over well recently in my similar household.
posted by eelgrassman at 5:18 PM on October 30, 2021
posted by eelgrassman at 5:18 PM on October 30, 2021
Nightmare Before Christmas seems like an obvious candidate. It is Halloween themed despite the Christmas in the name, and it is goofy scary not actually scary.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 6:40 PM on October 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 6:40 PM on October 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
Blinded by the Light was a hit with our family (two teenagers). We also liked Mitchells vs the Machines.
posted by Cuke at 7:24 PM on October 30, 2021
posted by Cuke at 7:24 PM on October 30, 2021
The Man Who would be King - Sean Connery and Michael Caine star in the Rudyard Kipling story.
Death Becomes Her - Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn. kinda gory in a slapstick way?
Breaking Away
Holes
The Milagro Beanfield War
Man on Wire
Secret of Roan Inish
Brother from another Planet
The Iron Giant
any animated Miyazaki movie - Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, Nausicaa
posted by TDIpod at 10:35 PM on October 30, 2021
Death Becomes Her - Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn. kinda gory in a slapstick way?
Breaking Away
Holes
The Milagro Beanfield War
Man on Wire
Secret of Roan Inish
Brother from another Planet
The Iron Giant
any animated Miyazaki movie - Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, Nausicaa
posted by TDIpod at 10:35 PM on October 30, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by restless_nomad at 7:38 AM on October 30, 2021 [2 favorites]