Top Ten Family Movies

Family movies are all about families. All kinds of things happen in families. Think about family drama, such as siblings not getting along or father and daughter having issues. Think about a family member becoming ill. Perhaps the family travels somewhere together, and they get into arguments on the way. Whatever the case, with families there is always something interesting going on, and this may be why there are so many movies made about families. Here are my top ten choices for family movies.

1. The Family Man (2000). Nicholas Cage was all caught up in his successful but lonely life in New York City. Then, he runs into fate. He gets to see what his life would have been like if he had stayed with his longtime girlfriend. He would have had this great family. This movie reminds me of Scrooge, who gets to see what his life would have been like if he had done things differently. Once Nicholas Cage gets to see his family, the family is then taken away from him. He does everything he can to get it back, or at least to get his girl back so he can start that family that now he realizes is so important to him. This is a great family movie because it shows you the importance of family.

2. Mr. Mom (1983). This has to be one of the greatest family movies of all time. Think about Michael Keaton trying to be a stay at home dad. That's funny enough in itself. Watch as the antics develop, while he tries to cook meals and clean clothes and do everything else that his wife had been doing. Unfortunately, he's not as good at it as her. But maybe he just needs a chance! Teri Garr costars in this movie about role reversal in the family. It gave me an idea, so hey, anyone out there want to be my Mr. Mom?

3. The Pacifier (2005). Vin Diesel never thought he would be a babysitter. I'll bet when he was growing up and developing all of those muscles and that cool image, he never said to himself, "Hey, I want to watch a family of kids and change diapers as often as possible." Well, it's funny how he transforms into one of the best babysitters ever. The movie is a hilarious family movie.

4. Steel Magnolias (1989). Steel Magnolias has an all star cast of women actresses, including Julia Robert, Dolly Parton, Sally Fields and Shirley MacLaine. It's about a family who goes through the illness of their daughter. In the movie, it's the women who stick together and have the strength to be there for each other through the hard times. This is a heartfelt family movie.

5. On Golden Pond (1981). An actual family is part of this movie, starring Jane Fonda and Henry Fonda. The movie is about a mother who gets remarried, and takes her son to stay with his grandparents for the summer while she gets to know her new husband. The son really gets to know and come to enjoy his grandparents, although at first he didn't warm up to the idea of being stuck with them for the summer. It's also about resolution of issues, as Jane and Henry Fonda's characters as father and daughter, didn't really get along or like each other for many years.

6. Little Miss Sunshine (2006). This is a comical movie about a family traveling together so that the daughter can get into a beauty pageant. Imagine what happens when families travel together, and you can definitely foresee how funny this movie will be.

7. Dirty Dancing (1987). Okay, maybe you can't at first glimpse understand why this is a family movie instead of a teenage coming of age movie, or a sensual and passionate movie. Well, it's about a whole family who travels together to vacation in the Catskills for the summer. The family goes through issues, such as favortism of one daughter and trust issues between father and daughter. Can the family survive these issues, or will they be torn apart? This is much more than a movie about sensual dancing and losing one's virginity.

8. The Miracle Worker (1962). I put this movie on the list of great family movies because the family has to deal with the serious illness and complications of the daughter. This movie is about Helen Keller, and how she loses many of her senses when she gets scarlet fever. The family has to figure out how to help her survive, and they enlist the help of a teacher, Patty Duke.

9. Legends of the Fall (1994). Even if a family gets into huge arguments and one brother steals another brother's girl, they are still a family. Watch this movie and see a woman who is with all three of the brothers at some point in time. Originally, Julia Ormond falls in love with the first brother, but he dies in the war. Next, she is with Brad Pitt, and it is clear this is who she really loves. Too bad he has issues within himself and has to go off on his own for many years, returning to find she has married the third brother. So what will happen in the end?

10. Swiss Family Robinson (1960). This is a great way to end the top ten list, with a movie that really focuses on family values and family survival. The family sets out on a trip across the sea, and are shipwrecked. They have to survive and try to get back home.

What are your favorite family movies?