Social Distancing Movies: Week 6
Tangled: If you think you’ve got cabin fever, think again – at least you haven’t been locked up for your entire life. This classic fairy tale of Rapunzel, the young girl imprisoned in a tower by a wicked witch is given a couple of new plot angles by the Disney storytellers. The result is a fun, touching, exciting story with messages of courage, self-sacrifice, and love. As an added bonus, Rapunzel might give your youngsters ideas of things they can do while they are cooped up inside.(PG, Grade: B+)
Penguins: Educational movies that are also entertaining are a win/win for kids, especially when you’re trying to home school them. You can let them watch Disneynature’s Penguins with a clear conscience – the kids will learn a lot. And you might just want to watch right along with them – there are plenty of laugh out loud moments in this nature movie. (G, Grade: A)
A United Kingdom: This little known movie about the even less well known country of Botswana is an excellent choice for family viewing, combining educational value with strong messages of duty, love, loyalty, courage, perseverance, and overcoming adversity. It tells the story of Seretse Khama, heir to the throne of Bechuanaland, whose marriage to a white Englishwoman set off an unimaginable train of events. Highly recommended for teens and their parents. (PG-13, A-)
The Song of Names: It can be hard to find movies about the Holocaust that can be watched by sensitive teens or anyone else who gets nightmares easily. The Song of Names takes a different approach than usual. Instead of going into the gas chambers, this movie examines the toll of the Holocaust on the survivors. This is a profoundly moving film and we recommend it for teens and adults. (PG-13, Grade: A-)
Wonder Woman: If you want simple escape – and who doesn’t – get out the popcorn and fire up Wonder Woman. This great take on the classic female superhero is fast-moving, exciting and contains great messages about compassion, courage, sacrifice, and justice. Suitable for tweens and teens. (PG-13, Grade: B+)
The Karate Kid: Who doesn’t like an underdog sports movie? Especially when it involves protecting oneself against a bunch of bullies? The Karate Kid is the classic 80s production we all remember and it’s just as appealing to the next generation. (PG, Grade: B)
p>Toy Story 4: This is one of the best family films of 2019, with something for everyone. Lots of laughs for the younger crowd, existential questions for older viewers, and poignant messages about adapting to change for everyone. We think it just might be the best of all the Toy Story movies – but we agree to respect different opinions on that. (G, Grade: A)
Wondering where to find these movies? Most of the DVDs can be ordered online but if you want to stream them, we recommend using justwatch.com to find out where they are streaming in your jurisdiction.