8. The Parent Trap (1998)
(Image via Bustle)
This movie is iconic to me for many reasons. The language used in the dialogue is funny and charming even to adults (“Nail biting is a horrid habit!”), and the poker scene is a hilarious example of kids mimicking what they see adults doing in a lighthearted and very sweet way.
7. The Fox and the Hound (1981)
(Image via HelloGiggles)
Back in the beginning of Disney animation, animators were afraid to make films with the animals as protagonists because they feared they were unable to make them expressive enough to have the narrative depend on them, and this movie really shows how far Disney has come in that department. Besides that, there’s a lot going on thematically in this movie, and for me that’s what makes it so great. The most important thing is the complicated relationships with the villains. No one in this movie is entirely evil; we love Chief and Amos because we love Copper, and they’re his family, even though they target Tod, whom we love, too. And the ending (no spoilers) makes me cry every time.
6. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
(Image via New York Daily News)
This movie was so visually striking for the time and it will always hold a special place in my heart. It was my absolute favorite movie as a kid and I would watch it all the time, and even though the Tim Burton remake was out, this was always my favorite version for the sole reason that Willy Wonka is such a sweetheart in this movie and although there is some dark subtext, to me, he’s just a sweet man making a poor boy’s dreams come true.
5. The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
(Image via Pop Verse)
This is my absolute favorite movie to come out of the Disney Post-Renaissance Era. Disney was having a lot of flops at the time, and this was no exception, but it’s a movie that I always feel like I can revisit because of the star cast, the humor, and especially the incredible music (all composed by Sting!). Every character is so unique and beautifully developed. This was almost a very different movie; it was originally going to be a retelling of The Prince and the Pauper in which Pacha and Kuzco were the same age and Pacha fell in love with Kuzco’s fiancé, but instead it became a heart-felt, family oriented story with John Goodman in the role of Pacha and I’m so glad it did.
4. Spy Kids 3-D (2003)
(Image via Sky.com)
This is definitely the least-regarded of the original Spy Kids films, which is a mystery to me because it was always my favorite. This movie to me was a visual telling of so many fantasies I had as a video game loving little kid, and with a surprisingly star-studded and diverse cast I find it very hard not to love this movie and I wish other people felt the same way.
3. The Secret Garden (1993)
(Image via YouTube)
This sweet movie featuring the always lovely Maggie Smith is about isolation, loss, and disability, which are some pretty heavy themes for a kids movie, but are pulled off nonetheless. Besides that, the garden itself is beautiful and I always wanted one.
2. Up (2009)
(Image via Roger Ebert)
Up is and always will be one of the sweetest movies I’ve ever seen. The montage of Ellie and Carl’s love story never fails to make me cry. Not only that, this movie tells an often untold story of what it’s like to be a lonely, grouchy old man who just wants to be loved again. Add to that the score, which is probably the most beautiful I’ve ever heard, and Pixar’s stunning computer animation, it doesn’t get much better than this movie.
1. Matilda (1996)
(Image via Zimbio)
In my opinion, this is one of the best children’s films of all time. I mean, come on, it was directed by and starring Danny Devito! What’s not to love? But seriously, this movie has very powerful and controversial messages that kids don’t always get to hear. First of all, it never talks about Matilda’s appearance; we love her because she is independent and self-sufficient and brave and incredibly smart, not because she is pretty. Second, some of the adults in this movie are idiots and that is very true to life. Movies often make it seem like adults have it all figured out when in reality, most of them have no idea what they’re doing. And Matilda gets to pave her own way and choose the reality that she wants to live in instead of accepting her unfortunate circumstances, and that’s a moral I believe we could all stand to learn.
