What’s Your Favorite Family Movie?

As much as I love Chattanooga, winters here are wet, bleak, and dreary so staying inside and watching movies is a favorite January

Beautiful but bleak.

activity. Originally, this post was going to be a review of recent family movies. A friend said, “Frozen may be the best Disney movie ever,” and I thought a quick look at some recent movies that parents and children might enjoy together could be useful for Chattanooga area families. Then, I realized it has been years since I’ve watched a family movie so I’m not really in a position to write any current reviews.

But there are some timeless classics that everyone — children, parents, single people, couples — should see. For me, The Princess Bride tops the list. It has everything from villains to heroes, and Andre the Giant is in it. There is also a valuable vocabulary lesson!

Another for slightly older children is Holes. If you are a family that reads together, you may want to read the book first, but the movie is great too.

If anyone in your family has missed The Sandlot, get to a Redbox, or pull it up on Netflix or OnDemand as soon as possible. Cancel your weekend plans. Make some popcorn and laugh together. It will make you yearn for neighborhood baseball games and childhood friendships.

Once I started thinking about my favorite family movies, I wondered what films hold a special place for others, and put the question

Grab a bowl of popcorn and enjoy a cozy movie night!

on Facebook. The Neverending Story was mentioned several times, as was The Black Stallion and The Fox and the Hound. The Wizard of Oz, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wreck It Ralph, and The Nightmare Before Christmas all came up as well. One classic film fan even brought up the 1933 version of Alice in Wonderland  with Gary Cooper.

There are plenty more family movies that parents enjoy as much as (sometimes more than) their children do. Tell us your favorites in the comments!

About the Author: Dava Stewart is a resident of Signal Mountain, freelance writer, mom to two adults, avid reader, and a fan of kids’ movies. You can contact her at dava@smilingtreewriting.com.