Best Picture

Oscars, schmoscars.
While the Academy may be getting ready to stay up late this Sunday, we’re pretty sure we’ll be sound asleep before the Best Picture gets announced. We’ll admit, the outfits are a big draw (and we will look for them all over the tabloids the next day). But our idea of ‘best picture’ is one we can watch together as a family snuggled up under a blanket while enjoying a big bowl of popcorn.

So in honour of the 80th Academy Awards®, we thought we’d hand out our own savvy awards to the films we think your family will enjoy (all tried and tested by everyone here at SavvyMom):

Best Comedy
Night at the Museum (PG), the story of an inept night watchman who discovers that all the exhibits in the Museum of Natural History come to life after the sun sets, is funny for young (we have some 3-year old fans in the group) and old. Faced with the likes of a frisky T.rex skeleton or the battling armies of Romans and cowboys, Larry must find a way to control the chaos and ultimately save all the historic characters, making him a hero.

Best Science Fiction
We know you know this one, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (PG), but you might have forgotten about its heartwarming story of friendship. Kids love the idea that life may exist beyond our solar system and the fact that the alien loves candy as much as they do. You will be amazed at what a long way special effects have come in the 25 years since E.T. was released—remember they were state of the art at the time! (Note that for kids easily scared there are a few potentially frightening scenes, particularly at the end of the film.)

Best Drama
Akeelah and the Bee (PG) is a heartwarming story of an intelligent 11-year-old girl who struggles with hiding her smarts so she doesn’t get labeled as a ‘brainiac’. But once she sets her heart of competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, against all odds, she becomes the hero every kid wants to cheer on, and cheer we did.

Best Animation
Wondering what the big deal is about Japanese anime? (All the cool kids are talking about it.) My Neighbour Totoro (G) is a delightful Japanese animated journey into the imagination for the whole family about two young sisters, Satsuke and Mei, who move to a house in the country to be closer to their hospitalized mother. Soon they discover that the nearby forest is inhabited by magical creatures called Totoros, and enjoy several magical adventures with them.