Best Picture: Part II

We’re not the Academy and we don’t have any gold statuettes to give out, but when it comes to family movies, we know what to look for in a ‘Best Picture’.
Since watching a movie is a great way to spend time together (add snuggly blankets and a big bowl of popcorn), and films can expose children to culture, historic events and situations they might not experience otherwise, so we have a host of faves. And since (we hate to tell you) winter isn’t quite over yet, it’s a great time to plan a family movie night or two.

So without further ado (drum roll, please), we present our second SavvyMom tried-and-tested list of favourite family movies:

Adventure

• Babe (G) – A story about how you can be anything you want to be if you try, Babe is a gallant farm pig who wants to become a sheep dog (to ‘save his bacon’ so to speak) and gets the help of his many friends from the farm to achieve his dream.
• Nim’s Island (G) – Nim is a young girl who lives on a remote tropical island (who hasn’t imagined that?) with her scientist father and must muster the help of her favourite author and an imaginary adventurer to help save her father from a storm.

Comedy

• Cheaper by the Dozen (PG) – The large and happy Baker family go through some changes when their parents change jobs, and at the end of the day realize that family comes first. Kids love imagining what it would be like to have 12 siblings and Hilary Duff fans will be happy to see their idol in the role of Lorraine Baker.
• Hotel for Dogs (G) – Great for any animal lover, the film chronicles the adventures of two children who take in stray dogs in a vacant hotel.
• Mrs. Doubtfire (G) – When an out-of-work actor finds himself suddenly divorced, he disguises himself as an old Scottish nanny to be closer to his kids. Lots of laughs ensue, but so do messages about the challenges of divorce and the importance of family. (For more caregiver comedy, with a great message about caring for those you love, try Nanny McPhee.)

Documentary

• Earth (G) – Following the migration path of four animal families with breathtaking footage, Earth highlights the fragility of our world and the dramatic balance between life and death in nature, and serves as a good starting point for discussions about protecting the environment.