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Your Cinematic Legacy

An Afternoon Comment Diversion / Daniel Carlson

Comment Diversions | November 11, 2009 | Comments (85)

Last week’s afternoon comment diversion went really well, so I decided to continue the topic but take it in the other direction. (Again, I scanned the archives for diversions like this one and didn’t see any, but if I’m repeating anything, well, play along.)

One of my best friends is about to become a father. He and his wife are expecting their little screaming terror ball of a boy in early April, and on a recent road trip he and I took, he asked me what movies he should pass down to his kid. We named dozens of movies, and were attracted to the idea of being able to sit down your son when he’s a certain age and saying, “This is The Godfather. You’re welcome.” The question of what movies to hand down to the next generation is a great one, especially for people like Pajibans, and I figured it’d make a good comment diversion. It’s a different approach than the cinematic time machine; that one was looking for the movies you saw as a kid, no matter their quality. But this time out, I want to know what movies (or TV shows, thanks to DVD) you want to give your kids because they’re great. Whether it’s the movies that shaped you, or something from your childhood, or an enduring classic you think they deserve to see, it’s worth thinking about.

So: What’s your cinematic legacy?


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Comments

PIXAR. There. I said it before the rest of you could beat me to it. BAM!

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at November 11, 2009 2:04 PM

Rushmore, I think. If I ever have a kid (doubtful), I'll want him/her to experience it.

Posted by: Smokin at November 11, 2009 2:06 PM

Wizard of Oz, Princess Bride

Posted by: Anna von Beaverpuppet at November 11, 2009 2:08 PM

Showgirls

Posted by: Anna von Beaverpuppet at November 11, 2009 2:09 PM

I fucking hate old movies. HATE. Casablanca? Boring. Citizen Kane? Pfft. Gone With The Wind? Snooze.

I'd hand down: The Fifth Element, Event Horizon, Cube, Donnie Darko, The Fountain.

Posted by: Scully at November 11, 2009 2:12 PM

I'll second the Pixar love (except Cars, that shit was boring).

Posted by: Scully at November 11, 2009 2:13 PM

The films of David Cronenberg. As of this stage of my life, they are the only films I regularly watch and are the only ones I plan to keep.

I think his films, whether they are successful or not, should be explored by my children at some point in their lives. To me, they provide the sort of critical examinations of human existence that sustain me intellectually, emotionally and are a damn sight better than the majority of films out there.

That, or Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Posted by: Pausner at November 11, 2009 2:13 PM

Do the Right Thing so he knows how Spike Lee got his rep.

Airplane and Fear of a Black Hat so he knows what a good spoof looks like.

Porky's so he'll know there once was a time when teenage sex comedies actually delivered on the promise of T&A.

Shaft so he'll learn how to be a bad motha -- shut yo mouth.

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at November 11, 2009 2:14 PM

I fucking hate old movies. HATE.

Then so will your kid.

Posted by: Jay at November 11, 2009 2:16 PM

Since Princess Bride is already mentioned:

Kung Fu Hustle
Spirited Away
Shaun of the Dead

My daughter and I have watched these movies a billion times together and still enjoy them.

Posted by: Wednesday at November 11, 2009 2:17 PM

American Pie
So he'll know that 'there's nothing wrong' with him when he becomes a masturbating wank monkey.

Posted by: Lindsey with an 'e' at November 11, 2009 2:18 PM

Juno.


So I can tell my future little girl EXACTLY who NOT to be like.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at November 11, 2009 2:18 PM

Iron Giant

Although by the time the kid reaches an age (approx. 10) where he can appreciate the themes, he'd probably laugh at his folks for the movie's use of puny "drawing" animation, considering that at that point in film history, we'll have reached the 5-D age of kid's films where not only do you get 3-D "immersion" glasses and perfume spraying the smells of the movie, you also get the "thrill" of the director kicking your shins for watching some animated piece of crap where the globular title character makes fart jokes.

Posted by: Kayanne at November 11, 2009 2:21 PM

Already doing this.
Jaws, Indiana Jones, Alien/s, Firefly/Serenity, Evil Dead trilogy, Big Trouble in Little China, Predator, Die Hard, Close Encounters, The Thing.

Been planning to watch/re-watch "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" in its entirety with them. They are not ready for The Godfather, but soon hopefully. I've got the trilogy in Blu ray and it looks stunning.

It's pretty fun watching kids watch the movies you know my heart. They REALLY loved Alien, that made me happy. And Jaws is one of their favorite movies and they like watching documentaries on sharks now. We watched a bunch of movies on Halloween and after Dawn of the Dead (the remake) my daughter fell to the floor because she was pissed it was over and waanted more. They dressed as zombies this year, too, so they spent the rest of the afternoon lurching around the house freaking us out.

On a side note my niece's favorite movie is the original "Halloween". She is 5. She dressed like Michael Myers for Halloween this year and it was both adorable and horrifying at the same time.

Posted by: TylerDFC at November 11, 2009 2:22 PM

Poltergeist, so they're as warped as I am.
Mystery Science Theater, so they're sarcastic.
The Quiet Man, because it means so much to their grandmom.
Beetlejuice, because I'd be sad if they didn't love it.
Anne of Green Gables, so they know what it feels like to fall in love with a literary character in book and movie form.
Mommie Dearest, so they appreciate how fucking awesome I am.

Posted by: Julie at November 11, 2009 2:23 PM

The easy answer is Iron Giant, but I plan on including a healthy dose of Mel Brooks and Monty Python.

Posted by: branded at November 11, 2009 2:24 PM

Reign of Fire.


When the dragons come, she'll be ready.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at November 11, 2009 2:25 PM

Star Wars Original Trilogy, the other ones don't exist. Lalalalala
Indian Jones Original Trilogy
LOTR
The Princess Bride
The Wizard of Oz
ET
The Labyrinth
The Never Ending Story
Willow
Superman 1 and 2
Tim Burton's Batman and the Batman animated serious (the Dark Knight for when they are older)
X-men 1 and 2
Buffy the Vampire Slayer tv series
MST3K
The Adventures of Robin Hood (both Disney and Errol Flynn)
All Pixar (except Cars cause I hate that fucking movie).
---------------------
For when they are teens
The Godfather 1 and 2
The Sopranos
Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead
Jaws
Fight Club
All Tarantino's Movies except Grindhouse
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest
China Town
Clockwork Orange
Terminator
The Grapes of Wrath
Cool Hand Luke
The Hustler
The Spaghetti Westerns
Aliens
City Lights

That's al I can think of for the moment, but I take this VERY seriously.

Posted by: Mebe at November 11, 2009 2:28 PM

Jurassic Park - saw it in the theater when I was 12. If there was ever a movie I could see for the first time all over again, it would be Jurassic Park. I was blown away. And I can't wait for the day my kids watch this and fully appreciate the awesomeness. I'm setting myself up for severe disappointment.

And as much as I love Pixar, I really want my kids to love the Disney Classics. Except Snow White - she blows.

Posted by: Kiko at November 11, 2009 2:29 PM

Damn, forgot Python!

Posted by: Mebe at November 11, 2009 2:31 PM

Kiko, ditto on the Disney fairytales and agreed on Snow White. I have boys so getting them to watch Little Mermaid was a chore but then they loved it so it worked out.

Posted by: Mebe at November 11, 2009 2:35 PM

oh, yes, and Goonies - because no child should live without love for the Goonies. Or walk this Earth without ever saying 'Sloth love Chunk.'

Posted by: Kiko at November 11, 2009 2:36 PM

I'll make my (theoretical) kids start watching The Land Before Time and The Brave Little Toaster as soon as they can focus their eyes. They'll also play with the original My Little Ponies and watch the animated series that I still have on VHS. If they happen to be boys then it's TMNT.

Once they're old enough to pass on cuss words to their classmates, it'll be The Big Leibowski and So I Married An Axe Murderer.

When they're old enough to not shit their pants in terror (because that's a messy business), Jaws and Jurassic Park.

Once they can appreciate black and white, The Thin Man will make its appearance.

That's all I've got for now.

Posted by: Bequafina at November 11, 2009 2:39 PM

I've been thinking of something similar with Halloween having just passed as to when to show kids horror movies.

Snow White - she blows

Yay!!!

Posted by: Fredo at November 11, 2009 2:40 PM

Dance movies, all the way. And stuff like The Jerk, Harold and Maude, Three Amigos . . . IMPORTANT things.

Posted by: myysharona (formerly Sharon) at November 11, 2009 2:41 PM

Oh, as for movies to pass down:


Clash of the Titans
Flash Gordon
Clue

Posted by: Fredo at November 11, 2009 2:43 PM

It was hard explaining what was wrong with Sloth's face, they asked and it turned into a "teaching moment" about not judging a book by it's cover. Me being the giant wuss that I am, got a tad choked up about it.

Back to the Future hasn't happened yet cause I keep forgetting to buy that box set.

Posted by: Mebe at November 11, 2009 2:43 PM

James Bond, to be shown in the following order:
Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Connery then Daniel Craig.

Posted by: Michael at November 11, 2009 2:47 PM

No George Lazenby?

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at November 11, 2009 2:50 PM

myysharona, you just reminded me to get the Jerk on dvd. Just bought it, thanks.

Also I will be showing them Heathers and Pump Up the Volume when they realize that high school is one of the rings of hell.

We are also doing this with music and books, I honestly feel that it is our job as parents to pass on the awesome. If we don't then they will be lost watching shit like Keeping up with the Kardashians instead of Mad Men and god damn who knew that the majority of Gen Xers would raise such stupid fucking children. WTH

Posted by: Mebe at November 11, 2009 2:57 PM

I'm not procreating. I like trying to convince adults of what's good instead. Impressionable minds are for wimps.

Posted by: DarthCorleone at November 11, 2009 2:58 PM

I'll do this a little at a time - so far it's been The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz (both hits) and E. T. (frightened the middle one), Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Upcoming will be Singin' in the Rain, To Kill a Mockingbird, Paper Moon, West Side Story, Rocky Horror...it will go on and on.

Posted by: Cindy at November 11, 2009 3:00 PM

I'll go ahead and say Tommy Boy and Dumb and Dumber because they've given me so much joy in my life and with my friends(my potential children's uncles). Also I concur with only letting my kids see the original Holy Trilogy of Star Wars and not acknowledge the new bastardized trilogy...

Stuff that was handed down to me were things like Heartbreak Ridge, Full Metal Jacket, and other classic Vietnam movies. Things like Goodfellas and The Warriors are also family films that get quoted at family gatherings, so I look for that to be continued. I mean I have to have my kids be able to keep up with their grandparents...

Things like Cohen Brothers movies (especially Lebowski) and Kevin Smith movies will be for high school(unless I break down early and sneak it past their mother).

Posted by: Max at November 11, 2009 3:03 PM

My children, if I ever have them, will be raised on a steady diet of horror and smart comedies.

Posted by: s. pisaster at November 11, 2009 3:05 PM

Thank You for Smoking

Because if you argue correctly, you're never wrong. Granted, I won't show them this till they're grown and out of the house so I don't have to put up with their shit if they get too smart for their own good.

Posted by: veesee at November 11, 2009 3:07 PM

Well, I've already begun but:

Python, all of it.
Dawn of The Dead
The Aliens Quadrilogy
Goodfellas
The Fifth Element
Star Trek
Pixar (we own them all)
Crank & Crank 2 (they need to see how it's supposed to be done)
The Godfather
Oldboy
Predator
Star Wars
Casino
Ghostbusters
etc.etc.etc.

Posted by: admin at November 11, 2009 3:08 PM

The Wonder Years. Childhood doesn't change, just the clothes and the hairstyles.

Posted by: scorzi at November 11, 2009 3:31 PM

Love all The Fifth Element love!

I'll start with:
MOVIES:
Hoosiers
Rudy
Field of Dreams
The Coen Brothers' Catalog
The Dark Knight
Dawn of the Dead (original version)
It's a Wonderful Life
Amelie
Team America - World Police
Dr. Strangelove
Serenity
The Fifth Element
2001
Fight Club
Wall-E

TV:
Rome
The Wire
BSG
Firefly
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Cheers
Seinfeld
South Park
The Simpsons (Seasons 3-9)
2004 Red Sox World Series DVD Collection (you bet your fucking ass I own that shit)
Quantum Leap

Posted by: Kballs at November 11, 2009 3:35 PM

"The Fifth Element"

Not that I don't love the movie but my FIERCE LOVE OF MUSIC started with the Plavalaguna concert scene. From the opera Lucia di Lammermoor, I had tears in my eyes.

Also, love IS the whole point.

Then, once they're old enough, "Children of Men" and "Empire of The Sun".

Posted by: Hayden Tompkins at November 11, 2009 3:35 PM

I've already started. My daughter loves The Princess Bride; my son loves The Last Dragon.

Posted by: ed newman at November 11, 2009 3:36 PM

AND:
Indiana Jones Trilogy
The Godfather I & II
Stand By Me

Posted by: Kballs at November 11, 2009 3:38 PM

I'm disappointed in all of you...not one Hitchcock among the lot. Notorious, The Birds, North By Northwest, Rope!?

Posted by: illstrtr at November 11, 2009 3:44 PM

Princess Bride--because it was the first movie that I saw that made me sit up and take notice of movies;

Pixar--because duh;

The Breakfast Club--when they get to be a whiny teenager filled with angst, I will sit them down like my mom did;

Tesis and Abre los ojos--when they're old enough, because it inspired me to study film theory, and because I ultimately wrote my own Master's thesis on the position of the female subject in Alejandro Amenabar's first three films;

Pretty in Pink--because the fashion is totally tight, plus it features Spader the Impregnator;

Overboard--when they're home sick from school

Posted by: Baby Friday at November 11, 2009 3:46 PM

Your kids will end up watching whatever they want. But I recently had the pleasure of handing down "Babe" to my 7 year old. She loved that movie!

Oh, and Pixar. "Her" copies of Toy Story, Bugs Life, Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, etc. are MY copies, bought before she was born or while she was still little more than an infant.

Posted by: Armando at November 11, 2009 3:51 PM

Anything and everything involving the Marx Brothers.
Firefly (yeah, TylerDFC and Kballs!).
Doctor Who (My children will think David Tennant is their second father).
Breaking Away.

Oh, man. I really wish David Tennant was the father of my children.

Posted by: esme at November 11, 2009 3:54 PM

I've passed down all the great 80s teen flicks, even if great means "so bad it's great." My 15 year old Little Snuggiepants loves ALL of those.

I've passed down the great mafioso movies, because we LOVE them in this house. Godfather, Scarface (there's nothing like a four year old saying "SAY HELLO TO MAH LEETLE FRIEN!" although I promise she hadn't seen it at that point!), Goodfellas, etc.

I've passed down Kill Bill, but alas, she doesn't care for it. Sigh.

I'm working on (successfully it seems) a love of the old and great films of the past. She turned her nose up at them for a while there but is slowly coming to appreciate them more and more. We're huge old movie buffs in this house.

There's more, but it's more of a hodge-podge: Elf. Certain British comedies (ok almost all of them). Her dad has tried desperately to get her into British murder mysteries to no avail. He has been successful in turning her into a big sci-fi nerdling. She's a cute 15 year old blonde cheerleader who is obsessed with Stargate SG-1. NOT STARGATE ATLANTIS! I don't watch it but apparently Stargate Atlantis is the epitome of suck.

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at November 11, 2009 3:57 PM

I'm going to do exactly what my dad did to me. I'm going to sit them down, turn on Monty Python and the Holy Grail and not let them get up until it's over.

Posted by: Kiddo at November 11, 2009 3:59 PM

Oh Hayden Tompkins I love you. We're quite literally on our THIRD DVD of The Fifth Element. Our third. We wore out the first one (I didn't think you could do that, but you can!) and then decided to get it in Blu-Ray, so now we have it both ways. Ridic. But we love it. And love IS the point.

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at November 11, 2009 3:59 PM

Kiddo Hee. I did that with all the Monty Python movies. "GET BACK IN HERE, THIS IS IMPORTANT. Ok see, they're swimning around as fish. Wondering what the point of life is. KEEP WATCHING DAMMIT."

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at November 11, 2009 3:59 PM

Son/Daughter, there was a time where movies weren't all made with computers in bright colors and enjoyed with a pair of 3D glasses. Really, I swear. What do I have to gain from lying to you?

One of my favorites of these is much, much older than I am. It's a film called Frankenstein. The opening of the film contains a warning that it might be too scary for you, but you'll see soon enough that the man is just trying to convince you the rest of the film is scarier than it is. When we're done with the film, I'll start reading the novel to you bit by bit, every night before you go to sleep. Then when we're done with the book, you can help me build all the props for Halloween this year. We'll base it all off your ideas about Frankenstein. Anything you want, we can do.

Are you ready? Let me dust off the old DVD player and tube TV and we'll begin.

And that is how Robert modified his parent's own cinema studies program from his youth to actually work with the child, not make them shit their pants in the first three minutes and have nightmares for years. Approximate age of hypothetical child: 4. That little blessing will be the toughest kid on the schoolyard and be capable of stringing together a coherent sentence.

Posted by: Robert at November 11, 2009 4:00 PM

I'm not sure how to address the Batman franchise. The Burton movies probably have to come first. The first one is definitely good enough and the second one is ok. But I'm not sure if you would have to show the 3rd and 4th movies in order to set up the Nolan movies. Would not seeing those lessen the awesomeness of the Nolan movies? Or are they that good that you don't need to feel that sense of disillusionment being blown away while you watch them after having seen the 3rd and 4th?

Posted by: Dave at November 11, 2009 4:07 PM

Julie already mentioned two musts....

Beetlejuice, I have that on VHS and have had it since it came out. One of my favorites

and

Anne of Green Gables....My dad and I spent an entire weekend watching the whole series on PBS when I was 16. Just one of those times I wouldn't trade anything in the world for!

Few others when they would be age appropriate....

Dogma
Shaun of the Dead
Fight Club
Seven
Spaced
Flight of the Conchords
and Glee!!!!

Posted by: Jax at November 11, 2009 4:09 PM

Logans Run, Planet of the Apes ( original ), Barbarella, Batman/Star Trek ( original tv shows ), Star Wars ( 'natch ), Blazing Saddles/Young Frankenstein, and Murder by Death/Clue.

Posted by: rabbi at November 11, 2009 4:15 PM

well, as deistbrawler and i will never have children, i suspect that if we did (by in vitro, natch), we would set them down for a weekend marathon:

rocky horror picture show
no country for old men
the 1st saw
the reflecting skin
rec
caligula
mysterious skin
silent hill
happiness
nightbreed
hedwig and the angry inch
kids
night of the living dead
showgirls (for when avb is babysitting)
pan's labyrinth

Posted by: gp at November 11, 2009 4:17 PM

Off the top of my head: The Sandlot and Amelie.

Posted by: michaelceratops at November 11, 2009 4:31 PM

Been doing it for years. Both of the lads loved the The Magnificent Seven, followed by The Seven Samurai and Yojimbo at the appropriate age. Mebe hit many of the others. The Marx Brothers, of course, but they didn't take to The Thin Man series which are among my favorites--potting the Christmas ornaments with a BB gun...

Posted by: brm at November 11, 2009 4:32 PM

Sound of Music and Mary Poppins, for sure! Follow that up with a select number of James Bond films, Star Wars (original trilogy only!) and a smattering of Audrey Hepburn films (so far, I'm thinking Breakfast at Tiffany's and How to Steal a Million). Plus, The Godfather and the Bourne movies.

Posted by: bonnie at November 11, 2009 4:46 PM

HA HA BSlim you beat me to it...hate that stupid fuc*ing overrated dumb movie and that stupid Page girl in it too.

My picks-
Star Wars (3-5)
Indiana Jones (all)
Wizard of Oz
Sleeping Beauty
A Christmas Story
Hoosiers
Rear Window
Singing in the Rain
Night of the Hunter
King Kong (original)
The Jerk
Lawrence of Arabia
Terminator (1 and 2)
Alien and Aliens
Nightmare on Elm Street 1
Dark Crystal- although s/he will watch this alone as it still scares the crap out of me

Posted by: Be Adequite! at November 11, 2009 4:59 PM

Raiders, Aliens, The Godfather, Casablanca, T2, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Sound of Music and Monty Python, because Monty Python teaches you everything you ever need to know in life; a witch weighs the same as a duck, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition and strange women lying in lakes distributing swords is not a basis for a system of goverment.

Posted by: sheepeyes at November 11, 2009 5:11 PM

If I ever have kids, the Kubrick collection.

The troughs and crests, it's in there like Ragu.

Posted by: Recondite at November 11, 2009 5:36 PM

Light a candle, and watch Almost Famous...

Posted by: aidan at November 11, 2009 5:38 PM

Everyting I was going to say has been mentioned, so I'll just add Freaks and Geeks.

Posted by: Daniel Hall at November 11, 2009 6:18 PM

I've already started my nephew on all of the great, weird movies from my childhood; Ghostbusters 1 & 2, Beetlejuice, Little Shop of Horrors, The Neverending Story 1 & 2, Monster Squad and his dad showed him Army of Darkness in my honor. I'd like to introduce him to Ray Harryhausen, and more Jim Henson stuff like the Dark Crystal.

He'll watch anything that's animated, so he's already well versed in Pixar and the Iron Giant, I'm waited for the right time to start him on some Studio Ghibli movies.

Posted by: Christina at November 11, 2009 6:43 PM

This almost makes me change my mind about not having kids. Almost.
I absolutely agree with everything that's been posted. So, I'd make my kids sit down with these lists and start watching.

What I wish I could pass on would be the theater experiences from our childhoods. Unfortunately, with the advent of home theater systems,movies on demand, cell phones, etc., it will probably not be around for our kids to appreciate.

My first experience with a drive in theater was for a double feature of Raiders and Dragonslayer. Blew me the fuck away. Not too many of these around now.

Nosferatu. In a classic movie theater with a live band. Scary and beautiful.

Posted by: GV Black at November 11, 2009 6:55 PM

My boys are 10 & 9, so they already get: Die Hard, Ghostbusters, Eight Men Out, Hoosiers, Iron Man, Back to the Future, all Star Wars and Patton.

Movies to get to: Goodfellas, Godfather I & II, Full Metal Jacket, Saving Private Ryan, Pulp Fiction, Clerks, Dogma, Glory, The Confederate States of America, JFK, Kill Bill I & II, Porky's, 16 Candles, Breakfast Club, Real Genius and Primary Colors.

TV: The Office, Family Guy, MASH.

Posted by: richmac at November 11, 2009 7:17 PM

Dumb and Dumber

Clueless

The Sandlot

Ghostbusters

Almost Famous

Princess Bride

Trading Places

Disney's Robin Hood

Love Actually

Posted by: bubblegumshoe at November 11, 2009 7:52 PM

The two movies that convinced me old movies were great: It Happened One Night (Clark Gable, hello!) and Charade (Cary Grant! and Audrey Hepburn! In one movie!).

As for television: "Northern Exposure" shows quirky done well, and "Daria" hardens you up to live a life full of sarcastic coping mechanisms.

Posted by: kelsy at November 11, 2009 7:56 PM

Well over the years I have passed on a lot of movies to my son (he's now 17 and the list goes both ways) but when he was about 5 or 6, after years of Disney and Pixar and probably a lot of other stuff I don't remember, I turned him onto Charlie Chaplin. Modern Times? He adored it. City Lights? He cried. And laughed.Gold Rush? Made for a lot of fun at the dinner table for weeks and weeks.

Posted by: brite at November 11, 2009 8:02 PM

Every child needs to learn the joy of the Marx Brothers (Duck Soup, A Night at the Opera) and at least one version of Pride and Prejudice.

When my kids are in high school they will all be made to watch Ferris Bueller and Mean Girls

Posted by: Empress of All the Russias at November 11, 2009 10:03 PM

I'd show my kids the same movies my parents showed me!
- Rebecca (hitchcock)
- Soylent Green
- Day of the Triffids
- The Land Before Time & the Never Ending Story
- Goonies
- The Little Mermaid
- The Blob
- Alien/Aliens

Posted by: Shmecky at November 11, 2009 10:28 PM

Say Anything
BRICK
Rebel Without A Cause
Field of Dreams

To name a few.

Posted by: grace b at November 11, 2009 11:02 PM

My 6-year-old boy LOVES the Errol Flynn Robin Hood and all Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movies (we've seen 4 - Top Hat is his favorite). Singin' in the Rain was also a hit. Also The Princess Bride. We're 3/4 of the way through Lawrence of Arabia, which he is enthralled by (as well he should be). I think Raiders of the Lost Ark will be next, though he seems to be sensitive to peril. He totally freaked out while watching Up in the theater to the point where we had to take him outside. He just couldn't handle Kevin being captured -- he was hysterical.

Posted by: majorsteel at November 11, 2009 11:03 PM

All of the choices are so good! I took my kids to see spirited away when it first came out at a arts theatre in Baltimore...it was a moment I'll remember forever...I remember tearing up during the movie at the thought that I had been able to find this gem and surprise them with it.

One I haven't seen listed, for when they're teens: Schindler's List...because they need to know.

Posted by: RobinPA at November 11, 2009 11:27 PM

SPACE JAM

Posted by: montanaman at November 12, 2009 1:29 AM

Because no one else wrote it, and I am quite fond of his work, my son or daughter should know that I will always stop down for any David Lynch creation with one exception: I will never recommend The Elephant Man. Because I saw it too young and it fucked my shit up. For life.

Posted by: gunnertec at November 12, 2009 8:50 AM

ooh I love this question! My list is going to be long, but as soon as they can read, I'm going to have to start my kids off with the old original anime of Swan Lake in japanese with subtitles. Other than that:
Blackbeard's Ghost with Peter Ustinov
The Sound of Music
The Little Mermaid
Labyrinth
Mary Poppins
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Around the World in 80 Days
Disney's Robin Hood
X-Men TAS
Spider-man TAS
Justice League
Kenshin
Bionic 6
Asterix and Cleopatra
Curse of the Wererabbit
Remington Steele
Mind Your Language
Charade
American History X
The Outsiders
To Kill a Mockingbird
Star Wars original trilogy
Indiana Jones trilogy
Spaced
The Princess Bride
Gone With the Wind
Pan's Labyrinth
My Neighbor Totoro
Spirited Away
Curse of the Wererabbit
The Matrix
The Thin Man Series
Aladdin
The Lion King
Clueless
The Neverending Story
Clue
Avatar series
Superman
Much Ado About Nothing
Emma

There is tons more too I'm sure...you should do a thread like this for books too, I've been planning that for years...

Posted by: Kishmish at November 12, 2009 2:35 PM

ooh and how could I forget! SESAME STREET! I dunno when these kids will ever have time to watch anything current with all the old tv I want to show them someday:P

Posted by: kishmish at November 12, 2009 2:42 PM

Bring it On! (NONE OF THE SEQUELS!!!)
Big Lebowski.
Kill Bill 1 & 2
Firefly and Serenity
Alien 1 and 2
Terminator 1 and 2
Aladdin
Jackie Brown
Battlestar Galactica series
Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Plus some other movies/series that I can't think of right now focusing heavily on female empowerment my daughter will have a huge amount of confidence and be able to stand up for herself and hopefully kick some guys ass because I'm thinking of enrolling her in some form of martial arts when she is four :)
(I'm gay so the gender is pretty much decided)

Posted by: Simon at November 12, 2009 3:46 PM

There are others, but the main ones are Clue, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and IT. The former because yes, it is just that awesome, and the latter two because if I actually do lose my mind and reproduce, I feel that it is necessary for my child to be mentally scarred by Tim Curry in some way.

Posted by: Liz at November 12, 2009 4:28 PM

Watership Down

Posted by: Rachael at November 12, 2009 5:11 PM

Goodfellas
Firefly
Serenity
Aliens
Arsenic and Old Lace
Pulp Fiction
The original Star Wars movies
Star Trek original movies and TNG movies and show
Schindler's List
The Killing Fields
The Godfather I and II
Pulp Fiction
Resevoir Dogs
The entire John Hughes catalog
Animal House
Monty Python
Buffy and Angel
BSG
Dawn of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead
Wall-e
The Incredibles
Batman (Tim Burton)
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight
Superman I and II
The Silence of the Lambs
Terminator I and II
Psycho
The Birds
Zombieland

I know as soon as I post this I'll think of a few dozen more. These should be good for their formative years though.

Posted by: wandereraz at November 12, 2009 6:37 PM

Avatar was a great movie, I just watched it a few day ago. I don't usually go to the theather because I get nervious around a lot people but I think I'll give this one a shot because people are saying that it's even better on the big screen, I think it might be in 3D. You can watch it at my new website.

Posted by: Aron Shukert at February 13, 2010 9:31 PM

Avatar was a great movie, I just watched it a few day ago. I don't usually go to the theather because I get nervious around a lot people but I think I'll give this one a shot because people are saying that it's even better on the big screen, I think it might be in 3D. You can watch it at my new website.

Posted by: Oretha Godshall at February 13, 2010 9:34 PM

You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with your blog.

Posted by: Jules Holl at February 18, 2010 5:05 PM

This was a really great post to read! I really enjoyed it. Maybe when I get a chance to return I'll read some more.

Posted by: Sergio Ellard at March 6, 2010 9:51 PM





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