One positive thing to happen during this pandemic is that we are now watching movies all the time, totally guilt-free. Friday night movie night? HA! How about Monday afternoon movie marathon?? Well, we still have distance learning to worry about, so maybe we aren’t going that crazy, but we are definitely watching movies most weeknights.
The only issue is, my kids want to watch all those newly developed tween movies on Netflix, which are kinda like the quality equivalent of Hallmark movies for adults. Animated movies may have come a long way since we were kids, but live action movies for kids are pretty terrible. They were much better when I was a kid in the 80s and 90s. I keep trying to explain this to Mazzy and Harlow and they JUST DON’T GET IT. They act like I’m my mom trying to convince me to watch a black and white movie.
Then I try to show them something that I remember being funny when I was a kid (like the Lily Tomlin Bette Midler vehicle, Big Business) and it is EQUALLY TERRIBLE. Oops. And then they don’t want to trust me again!
So. I think it’s important to have a good list at the ready for when these “what movie are we going to watch” discussions arise. Otherwise you are going to be watching Descendants III for the 4000th time.
I have had a few recent successes. The Princess Bride went over HUGE. The best part was that Mazzy and Harlow would always shout out an issue they were having with the movie right before Fred Savage would interrupt the story to say exactly the same thing.
Karate Kid is another great example. My kids fought me tooth and nail over watching that one and I gave them no choice. Not only did they love it, we ended up watching the modern version with Jaden Smith the next night. It wasn’t as good as the original ( obviously), but better than watching the Olsen Twins in It Takes Two for the third time.
If your kids are old enough that they are beginning to appreciate movies with real people over movies with cartoon princesses and dancing trolls, here is a list of the best live action family movies from the 80s and 90s. I included age recommendations from Common Sense Media, because every family has different rules with what they think is appropriate for their kids. For instance, we tried watching Back to the Future and my girls did not understand what was happening to Marty’s mom in that car. Oops. Forgot about that scene.
80s Live Action Movies (in recommended age order)
1) Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 6+
2) E.T. (1982)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 7+
3) PeeWee’s Big Adventure (1985)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 7+
4) Harry and the Hendersons (1987)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 7+
5) Willow (1988)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon ($14.99)
Recommended age: 8+ (a few battle scenes)
6) The Princess Bride (1987)
Where to watch: Amazon (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 8+
7) Labyrinth (1986)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 8+
8) The Neverending Story (1984)
Where to watch: iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 8+
9,10,11) Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI (1977, 1980, 1983)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes ($14.99)
Recommended age: 8+
12) Back to the Future (1985)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 10+ (some violence, bullying, cursing)
13) Flight of the Navigator (1986)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon (rent for $2.99), or iTunes ($9.99)
Recommended age: 10+ (some cursing)
14) The Goonies (1985)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 10+ (lots of swearing, some scares)
15) Batteries Not Included (1987)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 10+ (profanity, nudity, and violence)
16) Short Circuit (1986)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes ($7.99)
Recommended age: 10+
17) Ghostbusters (1984)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 11+
18) The Great Outdoors (1988)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 11+
19) The Karate Kid (1984)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 11+
20) War Games (1983)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 11+
21) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Where to watch: Netflix (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 12+ (language, iffy behavior)
22) Troop Beverly Hills (1989)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 12+
23) Splash (1984)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 12+ (sex and some cursing)
24) Money Pit (1896)
Where to Watch: Netflix (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 12+ (sex, language and mature themes)
25) Big (1988)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 13+ (some very mature material)
26) Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 13+ (lots of profanity, peril, innuendos)
27) Top Gun (1986)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 13+ (some intense violent and sensual scenes)
28) Uncle Buck (1989)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 13+
29) Beetlejuice (1988)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 13+ ( some violence and language)
30) Stand By Me (1986)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 14+
90s Live Action Movies
31) The Parent Trap (1999)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 6+
32) Free Willy (1993)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 6+
33) Annie (1999)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 6+
34) Homeward Bound (1993)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 6+
35) Babe (1995)
Where to watch: HBO (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 6+
36) Angels in the Outfield (1994)
Where to watch: Hulu (free)
Recommended age: 7+
37) Space Jam (1996)
Where to watch: Netflix (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 7+
38) Indian in the Cupboard (1995)
Where to watch: Hulu and HBO (free), Amazon (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 7+
39) A Little Princess (1995)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 7+ (some scary moments)
40) The Sandlot (1993)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 8+ (some language)
41) Casper (1995)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 8+
42) The Borrowers (1998)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 8+
43) Cool Runnings (1993)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 8+
44) The Secret Garden (1993)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 8+
45) Matilda (1996)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 9+ (intense, sometimes scary)
46) The Baby Sitters Club (1995)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 9+
47) Harriet the Spy (1997)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 9+ (some bullying, name-calling)
48) Newsies (1992)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 9+
49) Flubber (1994)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 9+
50) Hook (1991)
Where to watch: Netflix (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 10+ (some violence, profanity)
51) Hocus Pocus (1993)
Where to watch: Disney + (free), Amazon and iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 10+
52) Sister Act (1992)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 10+ (some violence, cursing)
53) Jumanji (1995)
Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 10+
54) Home Alone (1990)
Where to watch: Netflix (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 10+
55) The Mighty Ducks (1992)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 11+ (some iffy humor, language)
56) Camp Nowhere (1994)
Where to watch: Disney+ (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 11+ (bullying, iffy behavior)
57) What About Bob? (1991)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 12+
58) Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Where to watch: Hulu (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $3.99)
Recommended age: 12+ (deals with divorce)
59) Clue (2000)
Where to watch: Crackle (free), Amazon or iTunes (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 12+ (some innuendo, violence)
60) Now and Then (1995)
Where to watch: Amazon (rent for $2.99)
Recommended age: 12+
If you think I left anything out, please share your recommendations in the comments!
Perfect timing as we are trying to debate what to watch this weekend!!
Some movies my family has loved are:
A League of Their Own
Rudy
Hoosiers
One of my personal favorites is The Labrynth. We also just watched Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Father of the Bride. Three Amigos was a big hit too.
Thanks for the recommendations! I’d add A League if Their Own. It was a hit with my girls.
You have some of my favorites in there like NeverEnding Story and Big! I can’t wait to see the ones I missed and we have been doing a family movie night during this safer at home so I appreciate the suggestions!