Thread: The 55 Essential Movies Kids Must Experience

(Before They Turn 13)
By EW staff on Jun 23, 2014 at 2:39PM

There are people out there who have never seen The Princess Bride. They walk among us, holding down jobs, contributing to society, and generally living happy, semi-fulfilled lives. But whisper a perfectly-timed “mawage” in their direction during a wedding, and the resulting blank stare or awkward chuckle will expose an inconceivable pop-cultural blind spot. Someone failed them when they were growing up.

In many ways it’s too late for them, but we can still save the next generation. The 55 Essential Movies Kids Must Experience (Before They Turn 13) is a starting point. This isn’t a list of the 55 “best” kids movies, nor a compendium of hidden gems. Rather, it’s a survival-guide syllabus of films that we all need to know to be able to speak the same pop-cultural language, listed in order by when they might be best introduced. It starts with a film that is a perfect introduction to the cinematic universe and ends with one that is an ideal capper before graduating into the world of PG-13 and R movies—and the age when kids begin to make their own theater decisions.

These are the cinematic building blocks for future film connoisseurs, movie-literate enthusiasts who can gracefully segue from a George Bailey impression into a spirited debate over whether Han Solo shot first. The important stuff.

1. The Muppet Movie (1979)
G, 95 mins., directed by James Frawley
Starring the Muppets, Charles Durning

The Muppets are a perfect place to start a child’s pop-cultural education, and it’s crucial to baptize them with the original Jim Henson production before diving into the two most recent sequels. From the moment Kermit sings “The Rainbow Connection” from a log in his swamp—a song you’ll never grow weary of hearing your youngster sing over and over again—to the cross-country Hollywood adventure where he first meets his Muppet friends and eludes a ruthless fast-food schemer (Durning), The Muppet Movie is a kind of brilliant gateway-drug to all the wonderful things that movies can be. It’s hilarious, clever, sweet, musical, and full of love and friendship, and the only one happier than your child watching the Muppets for the first time will be you watching them laugh and smile at all the right moments. Kids will love it when they’re 4 years old, and love it even more—or at least in a different, deeper way—when they’re 12. —Jeff Labrecque




2. Toy Story (1995)
G, 81 mins., directed by John Lasseter
Starring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen

Hook ‘em on Toy Story now so they can feel appropriately gut-punched when you give them Toy Story 3 in 15 years. Kidding! (Kinda.) But seriously, folks: When your child watches Pixar’s very first feature for the very first time, there’s a good chance they’ll be shocked to find that the TV’s been reading their mind. (Expect lots of very amusing attempts to “catch” toys coming to life after the kid has left his or her room.) And even as it inspires children’s imaginations to run wild, Toy Story also introduces kids to important entertainment tropes like mismatched odd couples (Buzz and Woody, voiced to perfection by Allen and Hanks), wisecracking leading men (Woody again), cultural references (that will go sailing over their heads), catchphrases (“To infinity, and beyond!”), and (delightfully done) product placement. It’s also fast-paced and jam-packed enough to reward repeat viewing—a good thing, considering how often they’ll want to watch it. Bonus: It’s never too early to fall in love with Randy Newman. —Hillary Busis



3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
Unrated, 26 mins., directed by Chuck Jones
Starring the voice of Boris Karloff

Children will encounter grinches of all sorts in their lifetimes—in other movies, at school, at work, you!—so it’s imperative they know the original green killjoy whose shoes were too tight. (They might even eventually stumble across Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and make a literary connection.) Based on Dr. Seuss’ classic Whoville-set story, it’s one of the most beloved Christmas TV specials, and Boris Karloff’s delicious narration will permanently imprint the short-film’s best lines on the childhood subconscious. You don’t necessarily need to outright ban the 2000 version with Jim Carrey, but introducing that mediocre live-action adaptation first is grounds for coal in your stocking. —JL




4. Babe (1995)
G, 89 mins., directed by Chris Noonan
Starring James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski, and the voice of Christine Cavanaugh

Babe contains a great moral lesson hidden under the distractions of adorable talking farm animals: stay true to yourself and stick up for others who are doing the same thing. It teaches kids that families can come in all shapes, sizes, and breeds, and that the little guy—in this case, a runt pig who wants to herd sheep—doesn’t always finish last. But Babe isn’t essential just because of its Kindergarten 101 life lessons; it’s a watershed emotional viewing experience due to the ripping apart of animal families, and a building-block movie for pop-cultural references that will last a lifetime. “Christmas means carnage!” is an anti-holiday call to arms, while “That’ll do, pig” forever warms hearts young and old. —Jake Perlman



5. Mary Poppins (1964)
G, 139 mins., directed by Robert Stevenson
Starring Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson

Though the backstory of why Mary Poppins exists on the big screen is more fraught than even the purported biopic can bear, the truth is, what ended up on screen became something else. It’s a classic charmer that belongs to the generations, and it’s practically perfect in every way—from its sing-along qualities (you know you need your children to latch on to a non-Frozen song at some point) to the relatability of being a kid just trying to get the attention of too-busy parents. Julie Andrews will inevitably play a major role in your child’s first decade of life, and they may even be intrigued by this whole “fly a kite” concept by the end. —Lindsey Bahr

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