A Movie List for Embracing Childlikeness

Family enjoying a movie night

The idea of striving to live boldly like a child is something that’s really driven my outlook on life in the past year. Say yes to that spontaneous trip. Get down and play in the mud - you can shower later. Have dance parties for no other reason than to have a dance party. 

One way I try to live in this spirit of childlikeness is movie nights with my friends and my family. And I’m a sucker for a good animated flick - sure, Jack Black in Kung Fu Panda isn’t going to win any Oscars, but something about the simple humor in these movies brings out my inner child. And so, in the spirit of embracing a little bit of childlikeness in random places in our daily life (and because even Netflix shows can only last so long as quarantine continues to go on) I’m going to share some of my absolute favorite “kid” movies. Some are things you maybe haven’t thought about since you were 10, or since your kids were 10. And while there’s nothing wrong with a Stranger Things marathon or an Avengers re-watch, sometimes it feeds the soul to take a step back and enjoy the simplicity of childlike joy.

Without further ado, and in no particular order whatsoever, here’s a list of assorted animated and/or fun (and family friendly!) movies that I’ve shamelessly watched more than a few times. 

How to Train Your Dragon (pretty much all three of them): Classic. Absolutely one of my favorite movie series of all time. What’s not to like? A world where people ride on honest-to-goodness DRAGONS sure stokes my imagination. Plenty of laughs,action, and creativity. As a music guy, I can also tell you that the score is top-notch. There’s a lot of good to be found in these movies...a definite must watch (or re-watch).

Kung Fu Panda: As mentioned above, Jack Black probably won’t ever win awards for acting finesse, but the man knows how to make you laugh. Nothing is more relatable than a main character who would rather eat than take on unexpected challenges. Watching Po bumble around basically the entire movie makes his eventual success that much more enjoyable at the end of the day. 

The Penguins of Madagascar Movie: This movie is my sleeper pick...not as many people have seen this one (admittedly, my sample size for that claim is pretty small). Anyways, this movie is a 007-style spinoff of my personal favorite characters from the Madagascar movies is a delightfully fun watch that gives these side characters more of a starring role.

Despicable Me: Ok sure, they do kind of degrade in quality as the series goes on. BUT, the way I see it, they only got green-lit for sequels because they were good, right? Right. When my college engineering professor quotes a kid’s movie to prove a point - that vectors have MAGNITUDE and DIRECTION - then that movie has to have some deeper cultural relevance, right? Right. Top-notch, heart-warming, belly-laugh-inducing movie. 

Holes: While not an animated movie, in my not-so-professional opinion, it belongs on this list. If you’re a parent reading this list, maybe the idea of Camp Greenlake doesn’t sound too bad if your kids have been around the house since mid-March…

Bedknobs and Broomsticks: A 70’s Disney movie that approximately five people in my life outside of my immediate family have even heard of, but was a distinct part of my own childhood. It’s Mary Poppins-esque with blended live action and animation, magical nannies, and some kids thriving in mischief. I happen to like this movie even more, and 11/10 recommend it if you’ve never seen it before. 

I’ll briefly interrupt this list to give you my Not Recommendations. Some ideas just didn’t need to leave their brainstorming sessions (looking at you, Emoji Movie). Other movies in this category include The Angry Birds Movie and definitely its sequel, the second half of the Ice Age movies (they don’t know when to stop), and Kronk’s New Groove. You don’t need me to tell you that the Emperor’s New Groove is one of the best movies ever made, but the follow up effort hurt my heart. What they did to Kronk was just painful to watch. Anyways, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let’s get back to the list.

Bolt: Another staple of my own childhood; I have no clue whether or not it’s something that still gets watched today. Either way, I don’t think there was a single movie as a kid where I was more emotionally invested and attached to a character and a storyline...I mean, a superhero that’s also a DOG? I’m sold. Definitely hits you right in the feels. 

Monsters vs Aliens: Another older movie from my time growing up, but hey, I turned out ok, so the movies I watched must’ve been ok. Pretty random assortment of characters, but each of them brings me laughs in their own way, and it’s a fun story and all-around solid movie if you or your kiddos are into sci-fi, and (as the title suggests,) monsters and/or aliens. 

This is in no way a comprehensive list of all the good movies out there. Disney+ alone probably has week of top notch content to get you through this unusual summer. I hope that by sharing this list of some mainstream and some more classic movies I grew up on, you and your family can find some peace and joy in gathering together to revel in the sheer goodness something as simple as a funny movie can bring out in each of us.

Written by the Holy Rukus