Five forgotten family films for a rainy day

Five forgotten family films for a rainy day

6th March 2019 Off By Kamron Kent

A wet and miserable weekend looks to be on the horizon, so what will you watch?

Let’s take a step away from the traditional and standard family movies that you would normally go for. Here are five movies that will have you riding that nostalgia train back to the pre and post 21st century, and will have you digging out those old VHS tapes:

Brother Bear (2003)

Released back in 2003, it follows the life of the Kenai, an Inuit. The plot of the story sees him changed into a bear by the spirits after he kills one in an avenging act for the death of his brother.

However, searching for a way to turn back to his former self, he stumbles across a bear cub, Koda, who offers him a different perspective. Despite its mixed reception from critics (Rotten Tomatoes – 37%), this film is ideal for family viewing, as it’s not only entertaining for adults and children alike, it also passes on a great message.

A major plus for the film is the music, composed by none other than the legendary Phil Collins, and includes the classic On My Way.

Credit: GIPHY

Dinosaur (2000)

This new millennial Disney animation movie serves a more educational purpose to it’s younger viewers, showcasing the extinction event of the dinosaurs – or at least, the start of it.

It follows Aladar, an iguanodon, who as an egg, is transported across the landscape before landing in the middle of a forest. Raised by prehistoric lemurs, the herbivore helps them get to safety when a meteor strikes early on in the film.

The film has some twists and turns throughout, all-the-while keeping the tension turned up, not least when two carnivorous carnotauruses track down the surviving dinosaurs (including Aladar) across the landscape as they move to safety.

This film is fantastic from start to finish, though again received a fairly mixed reception from movie critics: 65% on Rotten Tomatoes and 56% on Metacritic.

The Iron Giant (1999)

One of the best films on this list and, for once, the movie critics agree (Rotten Tomatoes – 96% and Metacritic – 86%). Starring Vin Diesel, the Fast and Furious family man, as the  titular Iron Giant.

After crash-landing on Earth and being hunted down by the FBI, the confused giant befriends a young nine year old boy, Hogarth.  The pair look to find a way to save him from the United States Government.

If you’re prone to crying during movies, bring some tissues for the unexpected ending. This timeless classic is a fantastic watch for any day of the week, not bad for a film that’s turning 20 this year.

Credit: GIPHY

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)

This is a weird one, I’m not going to lie.

It’s not your standard animation, as the horse whom the story is based around, Spirit, does not speak in the film, though it is narrated from his point of view.

The plot of the movie shows the life of Spirit from birth, as he roams across the American frontier that becomes known as The Old West. When he is separated from his herd, he comes across a human who attempts to ‘break’ him – a term used to tame a wild horse: comically, this fails.

With pretty much everything going for it, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a perfect choice for any family looking for a great film.

Credit: GIPHY

Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)

A film that seemed to have been buried and forgotten about, this timeless classic (although the late 80s special effects are much to be desired) is fantastic for families.

With its wacky humour and hooking storyline, it will have all eyes glued to the screen from start to finish. It’s a shock to the system to realise that it was released 30 years ago!

The plot of the movie sees children sneak into Wayne Szalinski’s lab after smashing a baseball through the window. When they receive the ball, they are shrunk down to the size of insects by an experimental shrinking machine. When Szalinski throws out the machine – and the kids – the journey back to the house for them is long and perilous.

Receiving a good reception from the movie critics (Rotten Tomatoes, 75%), how can you go wrong with this great family film?

Credit: GIPHY