Three Favorite Tom Cruise Movies for Older Teens and Families

Whether his press antics leave you swooning or bewildered, it's difficult to deny that Tom Cruise is one of the great actors of his generation. With his new movie, Knight and Day, premiering in the Summer of 2010, the Cruise-related media machine has begun to spin its wheels. Here are a few breathtaking, relatively family-friendly movies starring the wonderful, transfixing Tom Cruise.

Legend

Also starring Mia Sara as Lily and Tim Curry as the Dark Lord, Legend is a classic fantasy movie in which Cruise, who plays a forest dweller named Jack, must wrest his true love, Lily, from dark forces who have kidnapped her. As he saves Lily, Jack must also save the Unicorns wandering the forest, as well as the world. Cruise is extremely young in this movie, but it's very cute, and there are lots of fairies, potions, and fun stuff to keep older kids entertained. The Dark Lord character is way creepy and there's some scary imagery in this movie, so I wouldn't bring really young kids or kids who don't like seeing magic.

Mission Impossible I and II

Rousing, exciting and a raucous time, the Mission Impossible franchise specializes in making Cruise look like a real smooth operator. In the Mission Impossible movies, Cruise plays Ethan Hunt, a spy who pretty much totally rules. There is some violence with the action, and a lot of explosions but nothing that should upset any normal kid aged 8 or up. This movie franchise has thus far been rated PG-13.

Far and Away

Written by Ron Howard and also starring Cruise's former wife, Nicole Kidman, Far and Away is a romantic tale of two recent immigrants to the United States who are trying to make their living together in a harsh reality. Far and Away gets a little grisly at times and is not good for sensitive kids, but if you have a teen girl, she will likely be left swooning by the sheer romance in Far and Away. This movie is rated PG-13.

Tom Cruise is everywhere, and if kids want to see more of his work after viewing the PG-13 feature Knight and Day, they have a lot to choose from in the vast catalog of entertainment that has featured the vibrant Tom Cruise. When watching these family movies, make sure adults are around to answer any questions younger kids might have about the content found in PG-13 movies.