I’m continuing my countdown of the 50 movies of the decade today with numbers 31 to 50. I’m sure that a couple of my choices will cause some disagreements among the people that come across this list, but it is my list and I love them all.
Today’s list features two musicals, the two greatest directorial debuts of the decade, and my favorite documentary of the decade, which also happens to be one of the bravest movies of said time period.
So, enjoy part two!
What makes a good family movie? Is it wacky talking animals doing silly stuff? Is it a melodrama tackling issues that affect young people? Fun? Silliness? The answer is all of the above.
For me a family movie is not something aimed at kids that will only entertain them with childish humor, excessive pop culture references, and bright colors. For me, a family movie is something for everyone, something that will hold the attention of the kids, as well as the parents who pay to take them to the movie. This has to be accomplished with a combination of fun, comedy, well-written characters, and themes that every single person can relate, or at least feel for what the characters are going through.
Sadly, movies that fit this criteria are rare. These day, most live action family films are badly-written and too childish. Every time I watch something like The Pacifier or The Game Plan I can’t help but cringe. Yet, since they entertain their kids, parents eat them up, therefore they give Hollywood the chance to make more. But everyone that attends those movies deserve better.
Even then, there were a few of them that did fit the criteria. They weren’t a lot, but they were very good. Ten of those few are in this list.
Here are my picks for the best live action family movies of the decade:
A Journey Through Cinematic Heaven and Hell 