 June 24, 2014 - 5:23am | I have two daughters, 8 & 12. They naturally love Disney princess movies, Barbie and Tinkerbell videos. They also get on kicks where they will watch the same move over and over. Disney movies arnt so bad by Barbie, Tinkerbell and Harry Potter are starting to wear on me. However, ever so often they encounter a classic movie and suddenly they have a new favorite. Like Jaws- they discovered Jaws and love this movie, they watch it every so many weeks. In fact we call it "You're going to need a bigger boat" not Jaws. I never know what movie it will be that they latch onto next. For instance I picked up Real STeal the robot Rocky movie with Hugh Jackman which they love but I happen to tell them that it was just Rocky with robots and that lead to the question "Who's Rocky?" and a drug store had a $5 copy of the DVD so now Rocky's been watched a half dozen times because the youngest didn't get how the two movies were the same story on the first viewing. Which has lead to interesting discussions with her about stories and movies. Latest movie is Top Gun picked up for a dollar at a yard sale just because I wanted to see it again. Suddenly there is a new favorite and she's calling it "Danger Zone" for the song. Now a comment from me about KHs means we'll have to play KHs with them cast as the fighter jocks. On the other hand I thought they'd love Indiana Jone's, bought the first movie and promoted it to them and they left the room bored. I cant predict what will catch and what wont with them but its fun to see it happen and while I find Tom Cruise a little annoying, having Top Gun played repeatedly is better than a Barbie video IMO. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 July 5, 2014 - 1:14pm | Very amused that your girls liked "Top Gun". I encourage you to run that fighter-pilot game! I started showing some movies to my sons this summer, too. The older one likes games and some war movies, "Top Gun" and "Enemy at the Gates" left a good impression. I'd like to run a WW2 game for his RPG group next month, but I am keeping "Kelly's Heroes" away from them until afterwards, otherwise I will have five 15-year-olds, all trying to play Oddball. My 12-year-old liked "Blazing Saddles" but quit halfway into "Young Frankenstein". They were both OK with the 1st "Indiana Jones", I don't remember if I showed them the later ones. |
July 5, 2014 - 6:01pm | I'll have to look for "Back to the Future" i doubt that some of the follow on movies will appeal to them as the stories get a little complicated. They Love Ghost Busters, both movies, and watch them over and over though not for a while now which has been a relief as i dont like the second movie. Have to wonder what they would do with Labrinth or the AD&D cartoon from back in the '80s- the one where the real world kids get transported into the D&D world and recieve a magic item apiece which also became their choice of class. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 July 6, 2014 - 1:40am | Watch Labyrinth only when you are sure they can stay awake for it. A couple of parts can be tedious if you're tired, but fun if you're wide awake. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
July 6, 2014 - 4:24am | Watch Labyrinth only when you are sure they can stay awake for it. A couple of parts can be tedious if you're tired, but fun if you're wide awake. I dont remember much about Labyrinth other than its a girl protagonist and that she's a little mean to her infant brother- A theme that I could used addressed in my house but that probably means that this would be a movie that does not catch with them since I want it to. I have found that movies, any movie with any sort of behavior good or bad, is a wonderful way to discuss behavior with the girls. By discussing the behavior of fictional characters and asking them what they think about that behavior is far easier for them then discussing their behavior. I especially like to steer the conversation to get them to comment on the bratty behavior being moddled on the screen which is surprisingly common in recent kids videos of the Barbie and Tinkerbell sort. If there is someone smoking on screen I flat out say "promise Daddy you'll never smoke". I have no data yet on whether the repetitive thing on smoking will ever work- it could backfire if one of them gets on a rebellious kick like I did with my mother however I refuse to promise or threaten my children with statements I'll never follow through on like my father did: "If you ever smoke I'll break all your fingers." What's the point of that? They have to know you wont so its an impotent threat. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 July 6, 2014 - 6:49am | Funny thing I just took my 9 and 7 year grandkids to see Labyrinth at an IMAX last week. (They do free screenings of DVDs during the summer) Although there are alot of muppets in it the theme of the movie is about becoming an adult and putting away childish things. Not really something for those under 13. Of course our devotion to a game designed for those around age 13 puts us in an unusual postion. Of course David Bowie's ultra tight pants were something that got commented on. Side note the "girl" in he movie is Oscar winning actress Jennifer Conley. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
July 6, 2014 - 2:54pm | Speaking of Muppets, how about "The Dark Crystal"? I remember it as kind of dark, but I think I liked it better than "Labyrinth". I can't believe I forgot to throw out there "The Princess Bride"! My sons only liked it a little the first time they saw it, but once they realized that my friends, my wife, and I were quoting it constantly, it got better. |
July 6, 2014 - 4:08pm | The Dark Crystal was hugely undervalued by critics, and yet it has become a cultural staple. It truly highlighted Jim Henson's genius. Labyrinth also brought his genius to the fore. He created a whole new genre of storytelling and art that others have immulated. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
July 7, 2014 - 5:56am | The Dark Crystal was Henson Studios first big picture and unlike Labyrinth had no humans in it. It is much darker then Labyrinth and the message was a little more adult. Princess Bride is fun but like It's a Wonderful Life was a flop at theaters and really only hit it big on VCRs. My opinion is that Bride is more kid friendly than Crystal. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
July 7, 2014 - 7:58am | I disagree. I saw Dark Crystal when I was 9 years old and I loved it. Every kid I ever saw, no matter what the age, has loved the movie. (Except my nephew. He thought it was boring because of the long scenes with the Mystics.) It has adventure, sojourns and a dramatic final battle. Though, to be honest, I'm not sure what adult message you are referring to. When you analyze Labyrinth, it actually had underlying sexual themes and sexual tension. The Dark Crystal had none of that. The Dark Crystal did explore death, divisiveness, resolving conflicts, viewing strange, ugly and deformed people with respect and value, valuing differences, battling slavery, resisting corrupt rulerships, and fulfilling obligations, all of which children should learn. Those are life lessons for everyone, not adult messages. Labyrinth, on the other hand, was about actually maturing into adulthood and living vicariously through the youth of the next generation and not to be controlled by your ever-devloping desires, which is much more of an adult message than the above. However, it very much had an appeal to children of all ages for the presence of the various muppet characters, music, dancing and cute battles. Besides, kid's movies these days often tend to be a lot more adult and darker than Dark Crystal even approached. Harry Potter affected a lot of adult themes from its very first movie and was extremely dark, but it was for kids. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 July 14, 2014 - 6:58am | I have fond memories of these family movies : - Star Wars - E.T. - Never ending story - Ninja Turtle (the original) - Willow (A true classic) «Language is a virus from outer space» William S. Burroughs |
 July 14, 2014 - 12:11pm | I submit ... The Speed Racer Movie. I can not express enough how great this movie is.... I just can't wrap my head around why it failed at the box office. If you ever watched speed racer (the american version of course) this show was a perfect translation to the big screen. And if you can handle parentally the redhaired couger and the woman getting orgasmic while getting thier hair cut... how about Edward Scissorhands? I recently made my family watch The Last Star Fighter. Wow are the effects funny they are so bad.... but still love that movie. Should I meantion... my all time favorite movie of all time... Big Trouble in Little China? This one does tend to only be liked by boys I have to admit. ----------------------------------------------- |
July 14, 2014 - 1:06pm | I don't see why only boys would love Big Trouble. It's pretty clear the movie was about the weekend adventure of a lonely, pathetic, self-referencing ham named Big Jack Burton. His degredation of women was panned by the movie, not demeaning to female viewers. Though, granted, there was not a lot of depth to Kim Cattrall's Character. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 July 14, 2014 - 1:49pm | I think The Last Starfighter still holds up pretty well. As does the original Tron. Perhaps also try something like the original Clash of the Titans? Maybe also the Bakshi version of Lord of the Rings. And perhaps Dragonslayer too (although that's a bit more dark). Maybe throw in The Goonies and The Karate Kid for good measure  |
 July 14, 2014 - 3:11pm | Ladyhawk is great, timeless, and appeals to guys and gals. -iggy |
July 14, 2014 - 6:59pm | Dragonslayer isn't darker than Harry Potter, The Hunger Games or the Tolkien movies. In some respects it's lighter, though there is a brief second of female side nudity. Ladyhawk is brilliant. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
July 15, 2014 - 9:36am | LadyHawk is hands downs one of my favorites- Matthew Broderick's part was brilliant with the running commentary throughout the movie. I suspect that the movie would not have been as good without that character and his quasi-narrator commentary. Last Starfighter is a gas too. I remember it being one of the first movies that had gone in for CGI backgrounds in a big way- lots of green screen filming the backgrounds done with computer. I remember reading how challenging it was for them with the computer technology of the time. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
July 16, 2014 - 7:41am | Hawk the Slayer. |
July 16, 2014 - 9:15am | Should I suggest... since they might be too young.... ummm... forgive me for typing this... but girls love this movie... The Notebook Of course as girls they might have used thier girl powers to have found this movie already. Full Discolsure... I watched it in the theater with my wife and I liked it. Where do I turn in my Man Card for shredding? lol ----------------------------------------------- |
July 16, 2014 - 10:02am | Explorers is a great kids move. Making a spaceship out of a carnival ride car is fun. -iggy |
July 16, 2014 - 2:47pm | Battle Beyond The Stars. |
July 16, 2014 - 3:42pm | Was just reminded of this one: "Frog Dreaming" was an cool Aussie pic of an american boy living with a guardian down under after his parents die. It involved the mystery of a lake monster called a donkejin. Main character was played by Henry Thomas (Elliot in ET). I didn't see it when it came but rather latter when I was an adult but I still liked it despite it being a kids movie. I think I liked it so much since the mystery was very plausible. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
July 16, 2014 - 4:06pm | Battle Beyond The Stars.
They sexy warrior woman is still sexy... but we cringed watching it with my 9 year old... also the fact he was going to be held by the andriod maker guy to breed with his daughter was something we are glad we did not have to explain but probably would have be ok to explain i guess. ----------------------------------------------- |
July 16, 2014 - 4:55pm | Star Chaser and the Legend of Orin. I love the swamp cyborg scenes. -iggy |
February 4, 2015 - 4:26am | So my daughters are 8 & 13 and combined they have attended dance school for 16 years. It was so obvious that the youngest wanted so very badly to dance that the school did somehting they had not done in 30 years- start a class for 2 year olds. Channel surfing I came across Flash Dance at the 2/3 point. Knowing the big finish was coming I told the youngest she'd want to watch this since it was a dance movie. When it was over her response was that is was apparently a boring Daddy movie because it was all people talking to each other. This is Fatherhood: things you think will interest your kids dont and was does surprises you (wonder how that will work out with boyfriends?). Two avid dancers: love Jaws, Top Gun, and Forest Gump but hate Flash Dance. BTW: I think Forest Gump must be a timeless character, the kids love him and the youngest loves to quote him- "Momma says...." When we visited Universal Studios at Christmas the Bubba Gump Shirmp Co is the first resturant on the City Walk before you get into the theme park and the kids started shouting in the car when the saw the 40 foot sign for it. Naturally we had to eat there and it was a high point for the kids because "shrimp is the fruit of the sea" I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 February 6, 2015 - 6:56pm | Dragonslayer isn't darker than Harry Potter, The Hunger Games or the Tolkien movies. In some respects it's lighter, though there is a brief second of female side nudity. But we get mooned by Peter McNicol! Aaaagh! My eyes! I have no kids, but have introduced a nephew to Disney's 20,000 League Under the Sea. He liked it, trying to get him to watch something other than zombie shows. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
February 6, 2015 - 8:10pm | Dragonslayer isn't darker than Harry Potter, The Hunger Games or the Tolkien movies. In some respects it's lighter, though there is a brief second of female side nudity. But we get mooned by Peter McNicol! Aaaagh! My eyes! I have no kids, but have introduced a nephew to Disney's 20,000 League Under the Sea. He liked it, trying to get him to watch something other than zombie shows. LOL You sould have seen my then 8 yr old neice telling my father about Nightmare on Elm St. Dad is not into horror and kept telling her he didn't want to hear anymore and she kept saying, "But that's not the worst part..." it was funny as hell until you realized that my sister didn't care what her kids watched on cable. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
February 9, 2015 - 2:39am | Well we could get into a huge discussion of what is dark and shocking to current age kids compared to previous generations. But really pop in some black and white 40s, 50s, and 60s horror movies and then you can get an idea of just what reception Nightmare on Elm Street and SAW might have had back in those days. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
February 9, 2015 - 6:58pm | Well, I did allow him to watch the anime Highschool of the Dead, which in reality is more fan service than horror. At least it doesn't start out like fan service, but I warned him. Maybe something more like Gundam next. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
February 10, 2015 - 2:44am | Umm you did realize Highschool of the Dead has more in common with softcore porn than horror? Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
February 11, 2015 - 4:58am | Very aware of it, it's why I was so hesitant about it. But everyone says he's already seen stuff like the Dawn of the Dead remake. And at least Hulu blurrs out some scenes which is where he watched it. Until I later find they found it on youtube, uncut. How without an account that blocks people under 18 I don't know. Which is why I'm trying to get him into anime more like Gundam, Macross or Outlaw Star. And Outlaw Star would be a good one as the ship itself could easily fit into a SF game setting, admitted it would be a pretty adavnced ship.  In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
