Finding a good family movie to watch is like finding a crossover between Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Baby Looney Tunes or finding a “not so R-rated” mix between Barbie: The Swan Princess and a movie version of Game of Thrones. This sounds like a task that may take an eternity to get done. Family movies are often misunderstood as movies that are just kids’ movies like Shaun the Sheep. Family movies are movies that can be watched and enjoyed by the whole family. Since is a diverse term that includes adults, teenager, kids, and the elderly, it could be hard to find something that fits with everyone’s taste so that no one feels like getting up and walking out of the room.
There’s no doubt that it takes a lot to create a piece movie that is entertaining enough to be enjoyable by all age groups. And it is even harder to find these select movies. After all, everyone is set in their ways especially adults. Dad wants to watch his World War documentaries; mom wants to switch on a feel-good movie like Eat, Pray, Love after being badgered at work and home; an angry kid going through emo-phase wants to watch Cabin in the Woods and the other kids are crying and wanting everyone to step back and put on some cartoons. Family – you can’t live with it, and you can’t live without it.
Animated? Action? Rom Coms? Which Way to Go?
If this topic is not like ‘Sophie’s Choice’ then we do not what is. Genre plays a very important role when we sit down to pick a movie. Think of yourself, exactly how many times have you said or heard something like, “Hey, what do you wanna watch today? Some action? Thriller? Comedy, maybe? Romance? Or do you want to get something from the animated aisle?” – too many times, right? So how do we pick? What is the best genre for the whole family? The answer is – none. The answer is a mix of them all. For example, The Amazing Spiderman (animated). There are plenty of action scenes, a cute love angle, some deep run familial grudges, monsters being beaten down (literally, everyone likes that), and a supposedly happy ending.
Sometimes, family movies will have all the major elements, and sometimes they will have a select few. Some great examples of family movies are be Mrs. Doubtfire (a father going to great lengths to see his kids and making many laughable actions in the process), Jumanji (board game turned into reality – awesome!), Toy Story – 1, 2, 3 and 4 (let’s face it – we all cried when the toys held hands in the furnace), Home Alone, Edward Scissorhands, and Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone (no one can leave Harry Potter off the list). Oh, and if you are a fan of Japanese anime then you can not miss Studio Ghibli movies like Spirited Away – they are a pure delight in every sense of the word.
Trend or No Trend?
Some are followers, and others are not. Going with the trend or not is just a matter of choice since there is no hard and fast rule about it. Some people want to indulge in the classics simply because they like the old, vintage set up. Others are always waiting for the next best movies. No matter which group you belong to, the right thing to do is to get the best from both these worlds. There are some noteworthy hidden gems from the classics like Narnia series or the Lion King (yes, these are classics now – feeling old yet?) while there are a lot of more fantastic ones coming out like Hotel Transylvania and the Despicable Me series. Our advice – mix and match for pure delight.
What if I need Recommendations?
Well, most of us prefer to watch something which has been already watched, reviewed, and approved by not just one but by several people. The reason is simple – denying to waste time and efforts on something which may not even be worth it. Life would be simpler if we could get recommendations for everything. At least this is true for the movie section. The easiest way people have tried to get recommendations is by going online. There are several experts out there dedicated to the bigger cause of saving everyone’s time by recommending them good ones to watch and they turn out to be right as well. But are they right on spot every single time? Not really. You see, the supposed experts are just like any of us and they only recommend what they liked mixed with some popular box office reviews and the overall popularity of the movies. So, in a nutshell, there is hardly a personal touch to these suggestions.
Take It from a Friend or … Friendspire
So, if the idea is to get recommendations based on personal opinions catered to you then maybe asking a friend, family, colleague or anyone who knows you on a personal level should work, right? Yes, it would, but you cannot possibly call a friend every single time you want to watch a movie with your family – people are often busy. This is where Friendspire comes to your rescue. Friendspire is an app where you, your friends, family, and everyone else can leave reviews, ratings, and recommendations for others in your circle and use the same from others for self as well. Every movie from every genre – tried, tested, and recommended by the ones who know you the best – quite “friendspiring”, right? Any family movie night can now be made easier with Friendspire.
