Wandering Through the Shelves’ caveat at the end made this a tricky one. There are so many G-rated animated films taht I adore. I really had to dig deep for liv action family movies for me to endorse, especially since I already used up Babe in Live Action Fairy Tale Adaptations.
Home Alone (1990)- It makes it easier when the movie for kids came out when I was a kid. All I needed to do when rewatching it for the first time in twenty years was remember what it was like to be a ten year-old ewatching this for the first time. When I was a kid, I watched it for the sadistic finale. As an adult, I love Catherine O’Hara’s quest to get home to her son and got a kick out of how resourceful Kevin becomes. The casting is perfect from Pesci and Stern to Hope Davis as a French ticket agent.
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)– If my calculations are correct, this may be the last time that the once great Jim Carrey was actually fun to watch. His homicidal master of disguise dominated the previews but the three kids- an inventor, a reader, and a biter- are the real stars. When all the adults are either despicable or clueless, these three take care of each other without ever having to set traps. Although not nearly as dark and unfortunate as Jude Law’s narrator keeps warning us (the parents die in every movie, bud. This isn’t that unusual), SOUE has a wicked sense of humour and genuinely touching moments.
Hugo (2011)- Does this really count as a kids movie? One of Scorsese’s better post-Goodfellas films, Hugo is pure magic for any age. The scenes in the train station- where people get on and off trains and work in various shops-were especially spectacular in IMAX 3D and scorsese’s love of movies has never been more apparent. Not sure I can picture Hugo as the next Spiderman though.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
Only ever saw one of these – Home Alone, obviously. Still watch it fairly regularly, too (every other Christmas, I imagine) and find myself appreciating different aspects of it also.
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This movie was actually my introduction to Joe Pesci (I was like ten when it came out). It’s hilarious watching him do slapstick now that I know him from Raging Bull.
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All three of these are great choices! Recently rewatched Hugo and liked it more than I did initially…such a breathtakingly beautiful film!
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Thanks Andrew. I’m glad you gave Hugo a second chance. It was one of my favourites that year.
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I haven’t watched A Series of Unfortunate Events for the longest time. I really enjoyed the books and it kind of sucks that it didn’t have a movie sequel.
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I know! Especially since everything gets a sequel nowadays. I think it’s a little under-rated though.
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I’ve never been much of a fan of the Home Alone films though I do love Catherine O’Hara in them, really in anything. I just watched Hugo for the first time this week, it was beautiful to the eye though so CGI heavy, but an excellent pick for the theme. I haven’t seen Lemony Snicket yet it never struck me as a movie for adults but I’ll have to check it out now.
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She’s great and her reunion with her son at the end of Home Alone is one of my favourite scenes. She actually appears twice on my list this week since she actually appears in Lemony Snicket as well. So there you go, another reason to check it out.
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I like that a series of unfortunste events movie to much! makes me wonder what kind of ending a series of movies would have.
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I haven’t read the books but I get the sense that they decided to pack like three books into one movie with this one. A nice change actually from Hunger Games or Harry Potter trying to milk two movies out of one book.
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I never saw Hugo but I like the other two. A Series of Unfortunate Events is kind of underrated. It’s a shame the kids in the books never age, that could’ve been a good franchise otherwise.
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I definately don’t think it got as much love as it should’ve. It would’ve loved to see more of these characters but in some ways it’s refreshing in this genre to quit while you’re ahead.
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My kids would watch Home Alone every day of the year. And multiple times a day if I let them. But they also really like Matilda and Jumanji, both of which are worth watching. And, as always, Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder is so sincerely and kindly evil in that.
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Oh I remember Matilda. I remember thinking it was very good at the time. Whatever happened to Mara Wilson?
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I have had fun watching Carrey since ’04, but not often. I do find Lemony Snickets underrated. Hugo is excellent. I actually liked it more than my kids. A lot more. They found it boring. And I that one guy who ia old enough, but has never watched all of Home Alone. No, I don’t know what is wrong with me.
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2004 was a big year for Jim- Eternal Sunshine and Unfortunate Events- both of which I love. I can’t remember anything he did working for me after that. Unless I’m forgetting something.
I know, that’s the thing about Hugo. I’m not sure if it’s FOR kids so much as FEATURING them. I used the PG rating as an excuse to count it this week.
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I had to make sure my son didn’t watch home alone! I didn’t want him getting any ideas. We say it after he was a little older and both enjoyed it.
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That was probably a good idea. I wonder how many kids actually tried to booby trap their home after that movie thinking no one would get seriously hurt.
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I’m sure more than a few!
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Good choices! I really liked Hugo. I thought it did a great job of evoking the sense of awe and wonder inspired by the first motion pictures.
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