What movies should we be showing our kids? We want our children to experience beautiful, educational stories. And we want to share this experience alongside our children. This is a lovely thing. In our day, the primary medium for storytelling as a shared experience is film. We might not, as often as past generations, crowd around a campfire and listen to grandfather orate a grand tale, (though we certainly should); we might not read books aloud to each other as was common in days past, (although we could if we wish); we might not so often prioritize the medium of the stage, (and what a pleasure it would be if we did); but still we gather with our friends and family around the screen, and this too is a lovely thing. Yet we so often struggle to find something of value to put on that screen. In a world saturated with increasingly mediocre or often downright terrible films, where can we find movies that align with our values? Specifically, where can we discover Christian family movies that offer beautiful, educational narratives which support the Orthodox Christian values we seek to instill in our family?
What are ‘Christian Family Movies’?
What we are looking for is often referred to as a ‘family movie’, and I believe this term does well enough for our purposes. But I want to be clear what I do not mean by this term. A family movie is not a children’s movie. A children’s movie is a movie so mind-numbingly dull that an adult cannot bear to watch it. Such a movie affects our children’s souls just as candy affects their bodies—it does not nourish. If we cannot stand to watch these films, why should we expect our children to benefit from them?
Furthermore, I hear the term ‘family movie’ distinguished from the term ‘adult movie’. This is well and good if by ‘adult movie’ we mean a movie that would scandalize or traumatize a child (but not an adult). But if, by calling these films ‘adult’, we mean to suggest that family movies are not also for adults, we are mistaken. Simply because a family movie does not scandalize or traumatize a child does not necessitate that it be dull and uninteresting to an adult. No, a family movie is a movie which is appropriate and interesting for every person, no matter their age. When we gather around the screen with our families, every member of the family should be spiritually enriched by what they experience.
Where Can We Find the Right Movies?
How then can we discover movies which nourish and educate the souls of every member of the family? As a film enthusiast myself, I will offer you some of my personal recommendations. But more important than my recommendations are my criteria, by which you can cull the movies worth your time from the rest. It all comes down to how well you and your family can personally engage with the film. A movie is not something to be absent-mindedly thrown on the screen and semi-ignored for its two-hour duration. If you find yourself doing this, you should question yourself—or you should question the movie. If the film is genuinely good, you and your family should be able to engage with it in the following six ways.
Before we begin, I want to note that, although I consider my recommendations generally appropriate for most ages, I recognize the ever-present caveat that you have to know your own kids. Darth Vader might fascinate one child but traumatize another of the same age. Nobody’s recommendation can substitute for your own discretion as a parent.
CRITERION #1: MAKE IT A MOMENT
Gathering as a family to experience a work of beautiful art is no small thing. We should wholeheartedly dedicate the time such a gathering takes. Rather than spontaneously turning on the TV when the appetite hits, we should plan the moment in advance. If we are not intentional, our children will learn to watch a movie in the evening simply because there is nothing better to do.
We should instead get them excited throughout the day for the movie we are all going to watch together in the evening. A good film should easily garner this excitement and anticipation. If the movie cannot elicit excited anticipation throughout the day, that is a sign it might not be worth watching at all. An example of a movie that should be exceptionally easy to hype up all day long is The Lion King.
Consider other exceptionally thematic films like Star Wars (any of the original trilogy), Mary Poppins, and E.T. Movies like this are so colorful and captivating, your kids should want to come to the movie dressed like a lion or holding their favorite umbrella.
CRITERION #2: GIVE IT YOUR ATTENTION
Two to three hours is generally the maximum duration a human being can attend to a single narrative. If we took a time machine back to when Shakespeare first produced his plays in the Globe Theatre, or further back to when the Greek Tragedies and Comedies played in amphitheaters, we would discover this striking fact. Human beings have been sitting through two-to-three-hour-long shows since the beginning. Despite our generation’s chronic distractibility, we are no less human than everyone else.
If we put our phones down, stay seated, and keep our minds from wandering, a good film should grip us from start to finish. And if our kids see us doing this, they will give the story their attention too. If a movie does not grip us in this way, despite giving it our best effort, that too is a sign that it may not be worth watching. A movie that should require little effort to be ceaselessly enraptured by is Laputa: Castle in the Sky.
Other films I hope you find exceptionally easy to pay attention to are Prince of Egypt, The Incredibles, and Kubo and the Two Strings.
CRITERION #3: PROTECT THE MAGIC
We have the ability to destroy a beautiful experience with our words. A movie that might otherwise have captivated us can lose its charm if we too readily criticize it, joke about it, or question it out loud. I personally come from a no-talking-during-the-movie family, but I know every family is different. Nonetheless I recommend taking great care in how you speak during a film.
With a carelessly worded criticism, we can spoil the wonder of a good story for ourselves and for our children. What if we allow a child to ask incessant questions rather than give his attention to the film? He will not learn the joy of being confused and enlightened by masterful storytelling. If we crack jokes at inopportune moments, we risk damaging the dramatic effects which are so fragile and dependent on exact timing and full attention. If you cannot help but talk over a movie—be it out of boredom, criticism, confusion, or even a desire to make others laugh—you should ask yourself whether the movie has any magic worth protecting in the first place. A movie which is easy to be entranced by and difficult to be cynical about is The Sound of Music.
Other movies which should endear our affections are The Princess Bride, WALL-E, and Disney’s Robin Hood (1973).
CRITERION #4: FEAST YOUR SENSES
Film is a compilation of several mediums of art at once. In addition to being a narrative to educate the soul, a movie is a spectacle for the eyes and music to the ears. A good film is full of captivating images, poetic dialogue, moving music and satisfying sounds. As Christians, part of the value we should be seeking in movies is the aesthetic beauty of God’s creation. A good movie should make you want to rewind to see that beautiful shot again. It should make you want to hear that bit of the score one more time. Sate your eyes and ears with the beauty of a good film.
If the movie you are watching presents nothing of intrigue to your senses, it had better be the best narrative you have ever experienced. Otherwise, take your senses’ boredom as a warning that the film is not worth your attention. For a film that will fill you with beautiful sights and sounds, I recommend Disney Pixar’s Ratatouille.
Consider also My Neighbor Totoro and Hugo.
CRITERION #5: STAY FOR THE CREDITS
In our age of hurry-up-and-go, we switch from one event to another without intermission. I see it every time I am in a movie theater. Even people who thoroughly enjoy the film cannot seem to get out of the theater fast enough. The moment they see the words Directed By, they say “The movie is over, why would I stay put?” The movie may be over, but that does not mean it is time to move to the next part of your day. It is not just to be practical that filmmakers place the credits at the end of the movie. They do this because the credit sequence provides you with four or five minutes to silently reflect. The story is over, but your experience of the story is not.
We should allow these stories to simmer in our hearts for a few moments. We must not prematurely snuff out the flame by rising from our seats, beginning unrelated conversations, and attending to the rest of our day. If you cannot, with your best effort, let at least ten seconds pass from the moment the credits start to when you stand up, the movie must not have touched your soul. A movie that should touch your soul in this way is Finding Nemo.
Other movies that should have the same effect are The Iron Giant, Fiddler on the Roof, and any of the films from the How To Train Your Dragon Trilogy.
CRITERION #6: SHARE YOUR REFLECTIONS
We do not experience these films alone; we share these experiences with the whole family. When the film has finished sharing its beauty with us, we should turn to share our hearts with each other. Even if you are a no-talking-during-the-movie family, you should talk after the movie. Every member of the family should be able to voice something they found beautiful, or sad, or otherwise memorable. Perhaps these reflections will even prompt beautiful conversations which last late into the night. At least, they give everyone the opportunity to affirm to one another that, ‘yes, I loved it too’.
It is no good if, once the screen is off, nobody in your family feels like voicing something they remember. Even if the movie felt enjoyable in the moment, this is a sign that your souls were not deeply affected. For a movie that is sure to leave you with something to talk about, consider Christopher Robin.
Consider also Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (1991), Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Pinnochio (the 1940 version or Guillermo del Toro’s stop motion masterpiece from 2022).
BONUS CRITERION: WATCH IT AGAIN
If it was worth watching, it is almost certainly worth watching again. There are exceptions to this rule, but I find it to be generally true. When it comes time for another family movie night, it is not always necessary to seek something new. Truly beautiful stories present us with new experiences no matter how many times we watch them. Watch Miyasaki’s films; watch the classic animated films from Disney and Dreamworks; watch any Pixar film from 1995-2010. These films have become the gold standard of family movies for a reason.
A CLOSING THOUGHT
There is also a great deal out there to be watched besides movies. For example, you can watch stage plays and musicals. Streaming services exist for Broadway productions and Shakespeare plays. You can watch concerts. Show your children a symphony orchestra, or a ballet, or a jazz concert. I especially highly recommend Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts—a great way to introduce your children (and yourself!) to classical music. Watch Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood; watch Bob Ross paint; watch documentaries about how machines work, or how farmers grow our food. With thoughtful intentionality, our screens can become a rich source of nourishment for our souls, and the souls of our children.
