Keep things censored with these movies perfect to watch with your family
When it comes to a family movie marathon, the selection of the right movie can get tricky. It’s hard as it is to come on the same page between partners; if you add kids to the equation, the filters increase exponentially. You want to enjoy the movie but also need it to be PG-13. You want the kids to feel good after watching the movie, but also gain some life lessons.
If you’re having a hard time picking a flick for family movie day, we’ve got your back.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
When Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse released in 2018, everyone unanimously agreed that it’s the best Spider-Man movie out there. It follows the adventures of Miles Morales as he gets bit by a spider & gains superpowers. In this endearing animation, he finds himself meeting & befriending other versions of Spider-Man in different universes.
What follows is an epic battle for saving the multiverse. With the different versions of Spider-Man voiced by the likes of Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Chris Pine, among others, the movie is a true delight and a thorough entertainer to watch with the fam.
Matilda
If you like acquainting your kids with the classics, Matilda should be up there on the top of the list. Following the life of Matilda Wormwood, a curious little girl who is bullied at school & mistreated at home, the eponymous movie based on Roald Dahl’s book is a heartwarming tale with a tinge of magic.
Matilda discovers her psychokinetic powers & puts her magic to good use — to help her deal with the bullies in her life. The characters in the story are the best part — from Agatha Trunchbull, a tyrannical principal, to Miss Jennifer Honey, the kind teacher who supports Matilda and gives her self-confidence a boost when she needed it the most.
Spirited Away
No list would be complete without the mention of a Hayao Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli film. If you want to watch an animated movie that deals with a kid’s adventure — be warned that this is more suited to a teen (or at least a kid 10+ years of age) to be fully relished.
In Spirited Away, a young girl finds herself in the spirit world & has to find her way back into the human world. As you can guess this isn’t easy for her, and among the many challenges she faces is watching her parents turn into pigs.
Jumanji
If you want to add more to your list of classics, you can’t go wrong with placing Jumanji on it. This 1995 fantasy adventure movie still has a lot to keep you hooked. It follows a simple plot: two kids stumble upon a magical board game and get transported into the world of the game, where they meet an entrapped man & try to bring him back with them.
Up
Want to have a lengthy sob session with your family? Watch Up, the Pixar movie that can make any grown person sob inconsolably. Up follows the adventures of Carl, a widower who feels bereft in the absence of the love of his life. To fill the void, he decides to go to his wife’s dream destination.
A key piece of information: Carl was a balloon salesman, so his idea of travel is driven by balloons, quite literally.
Soul
Another Pixar movie, Soul is the best way to teach your kids how they can figure out what they want to do in their life, how they should define what they chase, and why it’s okay if dreams change.
Soul follows Joe, a middle school music teacher who lands an opportunity to be a jazz pianist. Just when his dream was about to materialize, he dies in an accident. If that isn’t tragic enough, we watch him go through multiple attempts at trying to change what’s already happened — he cannot find peace and remains stuck in the in-between. A life lesson & then some.
