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INSIDE FRONT COVER ©2016 Common Sense Media. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information-storage-and- retrieval systems, without permission from Common Sense Media. Common Sense 650 Townsend Street, Suite 435 San Francisco, CA 94103 www.commonsense.org First Edition. Printed in U.S.A. ISBN 978-0-692-60552-3 Common Sense Media is the nation’s leading independent organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. We help families make smart media choices by offering the largest, most trusted library of independent age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites, and books. Our parent resources and advice help families understand and navigate the challenges and possibilities of raising children in the digital age. www.commonsensemedia.org Dear Friends, At Common Sense Media, we know every family and every kid is different — but all families need trustworthy information to make great media choices. Because media profoundly affects our kids’ social, emotional, and physical development, Common Sense Media rates media based on both age-appropriateness and quality. We rely on child-development criteria from some of the nation’s leading authorities to determine what content is appropriate for which ages. Common Sense Media’s unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren’t influenced by the creators or by our funders. We are very proud of our independence and our unique expertise. For each movie we review, Common Sense Media indicates the youngest appropriate age, based on its specific content and overall developmental guidelines. Our star rating assesses each movie’s overall quality. We also offer families sample discussion starters and offline activity ideas to help them think about and extend the messages and content of the media they consume. Enjoy! And thanks for your support! Jim Steyer Founder and CEO www.commonsensemedia.org BEST FAMILY MOVIES EVER 3 CONTENTS The Best Movies: A to Z 5 Movies by Topic 105 Action, Adventure, and Thrills 106 Holiday Favorites 116 Animal Tales 107 Laugh Out Louds 117 Classic Comedies 108 Love Stories 118 Classic Dramas 110 Sci-Fi and Fantasy 118 Classic Musicals 111 Sports Movies 120 Coming-of-Age Stories 112 Strong Girls 121 Fairy Tales 113 Superheroes 121 Foreign Films 114 Thoughtful Dramas 122 Friendship Tales 114 True Stories 123 High School Stories 115 Movies by Age 125 Little Kids: Age 3–6 126 Big Kids & Tweens: Age 7–12 130 Teens: Age 13+ 138 Common Sense Seal Honorees 143 www.commonsensemedia.org BEST FAMILY MOVIES EVER 4 THE BEST MOVIES: A TO Z Click on any title to learn more and find out where to watch 5 101 Dalmatians About a Boy Lovable cartoon classic Grant grows a heart in with cute dogs and a Hornby-book pic; teens+. mean villain. age 5+ age 14+ Cruella De Vil, one of the most Will wants to live a life of no memorable female villains in movie attachments, but a troubled 12-year-old history, kidnaps 101 Dalmatians so she boy ultimately insists on becoming the can make a fur coat. But Dalmatian closest thing to a friend Will has ever adults Pongo and Perdita, with the help known. A purely satisfying and of their animal friends, undertake a enjoyable film, with a superb daring rescue. The puppies are adorable, performance of great honesty, subtlety, and the movie is exciting, funny, and fun. and comic timing from Hugh Grant. Positive messages Positive messages Positive role models Sexy stuff Violence & scariness Language Director: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz Director: Clyde Geronimi Cast: Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette Cast: Betty Lou Gerson, Cate Bauer, Rod Taylor Running time: 102 minutes Running time: 79 minutes Release year: 2002 Release year: 1961 Genre: Drama Genre: Animation MPAA rating: PG-13 MPAA rating: G FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ... FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ... What roles do friendships and other What makes Cruella scary? What relationships play in our lives? Why is similarities do many movie villains share? it important to Will not to have any relationships? What does he learn in the end? www.commonsensemedia.org THE BEST MOVIES: A TO Z 6 The Adventures The Adventures of Milo and Otis of Robin Hood Lovable pet tale Errol Flynn stars about friendship in swashbuckling despite differences. family delight. age 5+ age 8+ Newborn Milo, a real scamp of a kitten, Errol Flynn stars as Lord Robin of meets timid puppy Otis, and it’s the Locksley, who’s enraged at the start of a hilarious friendship. Told with mistreatment of his people. What’s voice-overs by Dudley Moore, the story fascinating about this version is the shows the pair leaving home for the first distinctly 1930s American sensibility — time, undergoing tests of their courage it’s less a sweet and cartoonish fairy tale and friendship and returning home to than it is a thinly veiled attack on accept responsibility. capitalism and an absentee leader. Positive messages Positive messages Positive role models Violence & scariness Director: Masanori Hata Director: Michael Curtiz, William Keighley Cast: Dudley Moore Cast: Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Errol Flynn, Running time: 76 minutes Olivia de Havilland Release year: 1989 Running time: 102 minutes Genre: Drama Release year: 1938 MPAA rating: G Genre: Action/Adventure MPAA rating: PG FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ... How do Milo and Otis prove their loyalty FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ... to one another? What lessons can we What does Robin Hood represent? learn from them? Why is the idea of resistance to corrupt authority important? Click on any title to learn more and find out where to watch 7 Akeelah and Aladdin the Bee A magic carpet ride of a Inspiring drama about movie from Disney. a champion speller; OK for tweens. age 6+ age 8+ Street urchin Aladdin woos Princess Resolute, self-protecting 11-year-old Jasmine by pretending to be a prince, Akeelah has a gift for spelling. This film with the help of an exuberant blue genie. traces her delicate, courageous growing But before the story ends happily ever up and her evolving relationships with after, Aladdin must tell Jasmine the an adult friend and her mom, but it’s her truth — and defeat evil royal advisor relationships with other kids that stand Jafar! A very entertaining Disney movie. out. Intelligent and charming. Positive messages Positive messages Violence & scariness Positive role models Director: John Musker, Ron Clements Director: Doug Atchison Cast: Linda Larkin, Robin Williams, Scott Weinger Cast: Angela Bassett, Keke Palmer, Running time: 90 minutes Laurence Fishburne Release year: 1992 Running time: 112 minutes Genre: Animation Release year: 2006 MPAA rating: G Genre: Drama MPAA rating: PG FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ... Can people be both good and bad? How FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ... do we learn from our mistakes? How does Akeelah’s success inspire others to feel part of a group, as her spelling becomes a community project? www.commonsensemedia.org THE BEST MOVIES: A TO Z 8 Alice in Almost Famous Wonderland Great, but lots of sex, Surreal animated Disney drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. classic with mild peril. age 4+ age 16+ Alice follows a white rabbit, fully In Cameron Crowe’s love letter to rock dressed and muttering about being late, music, teenager William gets a big break down a hole to Wonderland, whose when Lester Bang, editor of Creem, hires inhabitants are often rude, unfriendly, him to cover a Black Sabbath concert. That and even hostile. Disney’s classic leads to an assignment at Rolling Stone animated interpretation of Lewis that changes his life. A clear, affectionate Carroll’s tale is a great “starter” before eye for 1970s styles and attitudes. more mature versions. Positive messages Positive messages Sexy stuff Director: Clyde Geronimi Language Cast: Ed Wynn, Kathryn Beaumont, Drinking, drugs, & smoking Sterling Holloway Running time: 75 minutes Release year: 1951 Director: Cameron Crowe Genre: Animation Cast: Jason Lee, Kate Hudson, Patrick Fugit MPAA rating: G Running time: 122 minutes Release year: 2000 FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ... Genre: Drama Which of the movie’s wild characters is MPAA rating: R your favorite? Do you think they’re meant to represent anything in particular? FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ... How do you think real musicians and other celebrities handle sudden fame and fortune? How has media attention to stars changed since the movie’s time period? Click on any title to learn more and find out where to watch 9 Amadeus American Lavish, award-winning Graffiti film with mature themes. Coming-of-age classic still a must-see for teens. age 13+ age 13+ This multiple Oscar winner uses the The music! The clothes! The cars! real-life figures and the music of Unknown director George Lucas set a Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and standard for teen movies in 1962. Most lesser-known composer Antonio Salieri of the young actors are famous now— in an ornate, if lengthy, tale of envy, Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Richard talent, and wicked manipulation. Some Dreyfus, Suzanne Sommers, Mackenzie scholars may wince at the distorted Phillips — and the soundtrack is a virtual history — but the movie rocks. greatest-hits collection from the era. Positive messages Language Violence & scariness Drinking, drugs, & smoking Sexy stuff Director: George Lucas Language Cast: Cindy Williams,Harrison Ford, Drinking, drugs, & smoking Richard Dreyfuss Running time: 110 minutes Release year: 1973 Director: Milos Forman Genre: Comedy Cast: Elizabeth Berridge, F. Murray Abraham, MPAA rating: PG Tom Hulce Running time: 158 minutes Release year: 1984 FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ... Genre: Drama How does this film compare with MPAA rating: R contempory movies about high school kids? How is it different? The same? FAMILIES CAN TALK ABOUT ..