Action, adventure, and romance all in family-friendly films? You bet. The titles on this list are parent, tween and teen tested and approved for great viewing.
Finding time to sit down as a family gets increasingly difficult as children get older. Finding common interests is even more difficult. Solve both these dilemmas by planning a movie night where you can watch classic and newer titles that entertain adults as well as tweens and teens.
Lennon NYC
Music fans, get ready for some interesting history when you watch Lennon NYC. John Lennon would have celebrated his 70th birthday in 2020.
This documentary from A&E Home Entertainment tells Lennon’s story after his Beatles career. The DVD was produced with support from Yoko Ono, and it offers never seen before clips of home movies and outtakes from concerts.
It’s a love story between Lennon and Ono as well as Lennon and music. Watching the DVD, it’s easy to see how the power of his music reaches people of all ages throughout the generations.
It’s a great companion film for those who own Rock Band 3 since the game highlights John Lennon’s song Imagine.
Pride and Prejudice
Clean romance comes to the screen in Pride and Prejudice, the family-friendly Jane Austen tale. Treat yourself visually to approximately 300 minutes of the BBC adaptation of the famous novel.
Although the film is broken up into segments for easy viewing, you’ll probably find it a challenge to leave the characters before the story is finished.
The cast is perfectly chosen – each talented actor fitting their role as if they were born to it. Colin Firth in particular shines as the perfect Mr. Darcy.
The Blu-ray version tells the tale differently from other adaptations, keeping Elizabeth Bennet full of spunk. It was a hit in our household with tween/teen boys and their female friends as well as for my husband and myself.
Glee Gift Set
If you have a tween or teen, you’ve probably heard about the all-popular television show Glee. The first season took the world by storm as a group of misfit students banded together and made music and dance cool.
The show deals with some mature issues, so it’s perfect for parents and tweens/teens to watch together.
The episodes on the DVDs in the Gleek Gift Pack from 20th Century Fox are great springboards for conversation. You can also watch on Netflix.
Another bonus is the fun fact that the show mixes tunes parents know from the past with current hits, so everyone is happy. The gift set includes the entire first season (1073 minutes of viewing time) as well as a journal for budding creators.
Back to the Future
Get your imagination revving at you watch the Back to the Future trilogy from Universal on Blu-ray and DVD.
The trilogy box set celebrates the 25th anniversary of the movies that took the nation by storm. This set is filled with many hours of features, such as interviews with actors, archival featurettes, and audio commentaries. It comes with Blu-ray, DVD, and digital copies of the films.
While you are watching the Blu-ray discs, U-Control offers you the option of seeing the original storyboard, learning trivia and facts, and seeing how scenes connect throughout the trilogy.
The films are perfect for family viewing since they are filled with action and romance. The only thing parents should be warned about is excessive bad language.
The Sound of Music on Blu-ray
The Sound of Music (45th Anniversary Edition) from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment takes a classic story and makes it even better.
The Blu-ray edition has interactive features that brought in your knowledge of the film in a family behind it.
Learn some of the true histories of the von Trapp family as well as other trivia about the actors and filming as you view the film while using the Trivia Track setting. Look at storyboards, film locations, and cameras with the Behind-the-Scenes Images feature turned on.
You can even sing along with the On-Screen Lyrics feature or take interactive quizzes while the film is playing if you choose the “Trivia Track and Location” option.
Why not up the ante and have a movie night or virtual viewing party? Send a movie inspired or pampering gift box to everyone you want at movie night (whether virtual or a family one in your own home).
Chow down on your sweet treats and enjoy the movies!
What are your favourite films to watch with your teens and tweens on family movie night?