Squeaky-clean, absolutely inoffensive movies for 10-12-year-old girls? - Page 5

[lolar2]

Originally Posted by Thalia the Muse

the transformation in the Nutcracker isn't witchcraft! It's A) the magic of Christmas or B) all a dream, depending on how much of a killjoy you are.

OK, I haven't seen that particular version. Most of the productions I've seen have the uncle do some kind of spell to cause the transformation, and the spell may or may not be part of a dream.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by journeymom

Edited to add, about the Black Beauty movie from a few years ago, we talked about it over on the sad-movies-thread. I was on the verge of tears through out the movie, and people are horrible to horses. But then, I might not have been traumatized by it when I was 12! That seems to be one of those themes you can handle 'before children' and not so much 'after children'.

The book was very upsetting to me at 12. If they showed the horribleness, the movie would've been upsetting too.

Anyone know if National Velvet would fit the criteria?

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

5 Children and It? It has magical stuff but not witchcraft.

That's a movie? ooooooooooo

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by mammastar2

Haven't seen it since I was a kid, but what about National Velvet?

It's a bit lame, but there's a new version of Ballet Shoes (based on the Noel Streatfeild novel). It's totally inoffensive, that I can think of, and it does focus on girls of around that age, which is a bonus.

I apparently had no new ideas.

We've been discussing The Nutcracker, but how about other ballets? Like, um....welll Swan Lake has magic, Pygmalion too. Drat. Nevermind.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

That's a movie? ooooooooooo

It's a really fun movie with Freddie Highmore.

If nothing else, we all are getting some good movie recs.

[Thalia the Muse]

Picky parents tend to give ballets a pass, for some reason. I guess because it's Culture. Also, Shakespeare -- presumably because they haven't read him!

[rockycrop]

This thread is bringing back some great memories!

I, too LOVED Wild Hearts Can't be Broken at that age. Doesn't a horse get hurt though?

Also loved musicals: Bye, Bye Birdie, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (although the mass kidnapping scene probably makes that one highly inappropriate).

Lately around here we have been watching my favorite Christmas movie Prancer. The only bad things I can think of are the girl's dad is kind of mean (makes for a great pay-off in the end though), you see a fairly graphic shot of a bullet wound in a reindeer's leg, and there is some religious elements (two girls have an argument about whether heaven is real and there is a scene of a church service), and a girl falls out of a tree....hmm, probably not appropriate! It's so magical though, I love it!

ETA: This also reminds of all the inappropriate movies we were shown in school. I remember watching A Christmas Story in 4th grade (had already seen it at home), the Twilight Zone movie with the scary thing on the wing of the plane in 7th grade (scarred for life), and I also just learned my parents took me with them to the theater to see Romancing the Stone when I was 3!!!

[Thalia the Muse]

I watch a lot of Bollywood movies with my daughter, but I can't think of one offhand that would be completely unobjectionable -- especially if, like the Plugged-In reviewers, they are offended by any presence of non-Christian religious beliefs. Plus, there is never any actual sex (very conservative cultural values) but you do see many, many belly buttons.

[Smokering]

Picky parents tend to give ballets a pass, for some reason. I guess because it's Culture. Also, Shakespeare -- presumably because they haven't read him!

So true! Yes, I suspect the Nutcracker would be OK. Kind of December-specific, but that's fine...

I think I have a list long enough for my article now; I'll let you all know the final tally so you can say "No wait, I just remembered that one has guns in it!" and make me start again.

[mum2boys]

I just had to make a note of the fact that I had never heard of plugged in before. Since I saw it mentioned here, I had to go check out some of the recent movies we had watched. According to these people, I may have damaged my kids for life. They found things that flew over my head, and I'm 35!

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by mum2boys

I just had to make a note of the fact that I had never heard of plugged in before. Since I saw it mentioned here, I had to go check out some of the recent movies we had watched. According to these people, I may have damaged my kids for life. They found things that flew over my head, and I'm 35!

I've actually never found them to be overly preachy. Sure, they find things some people might find offensive that I wouldn't even think of, but I don't think they're judgey about it. They've found positive elements in movies I couldn't find anything nice to say about.

[vbactivist]

What about "The Secret of Roan Innish"?

[Jenne]

I know you don't need any more suggestions but what about

Dr. Who movies?

Little Women?

Babysitters Club?

This is hard!

Jenne

[SparklingGemini]

Originally Posted by vbactivist

What about "The Secret of Roan Innish"?

Yeah. I thought about this too because I love it so but then when you think about it, its kind of disturbing. And of course, the whole Selkie thing would be mythological and in some circles consider Pagan beliefs and potentially magic.

Such a sweet movie though.

[SparklingGemini]

Originally Posted by Thalia the Muse

I watch a lot of Bollywood movies with my daughter, but I can't think of one offhand that would be completely unobjectionable --

Thread hijacking here but do you have any that you would suggest for ME. Not my DD, because she's only, and while I think she would enjoy the dancing, I'm not certain of the more mature themes.

But I sure would like to watch a few for fun...

[StoriesInTheSoil]

How about Cats?? That was on the slumber party rotation when I was a pre-teen. We loved dancing to it.

[tinybutterfly]

Originally Posted by SparklingGemini

Thread hijacking here but do you have any that you would suggest for ME. Not my DD, because she's only, and while I think she would enjoy the dancing, I'm not certain of the more mature themes.

But I sure would like to watch a few for fun...

Responding to a threadjack...

I saw Bride and Prejudice and Monsoon Wedding and really enjoyed both of those. I know I've seen a few more, but can't remember the titles.

[Thalia the Muse]

I actually watch a lot of them with my daughter, because I'm not that picky about moderate violence, Hinduism, or bellybuttons. Of course, they're very long and you have to have a kid who's willing to read subtitles. Here are some of my favorites to watch with a kid (she tends to like the fantasy themes the most):

Paheli -- a beautiful, lavish, and surprisingly feminist version of a Rajasthani fairytale, about a ghost (bhoot -- it doesn't translate exactly in English, more like a spirit) who falls in love with a neglected bride and takes her absent husband's place. When her husband returns, a dilemma is posed.

Seeta aur Geeta -- a Cinderella story in which the long-suffering heroine is saved, not by the prince, but by her own butt-kicking identical twin. Some fight scenes (very fakey, though, and no graphic violence) and a couple of drunk scenes.

Bhootnath -- a little boy movies into a "haunted mansion" with his mother (his dad is away working on a cruise ship) and is not all afraid of the resident ghost, who at first tries to scare him but then becomes his friend. He learns the ghost's sad backstory about being estranged from his family, and helps him resolve it and reunite the family. This one is really a terrific family movie -- I think it was intended for kids.

for grown-ups or older kids:

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam -- So so pretty! And great songs. A very lavish romance about a love triangle. There's really nothing inappropriate for kids, I just think it might bore most of them. this might be my favorite Bollywood movie.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai -- Another romance. The clothes in the whole first half of the movie, when our characters are wacky college students, are just horrible, and it's a little hyperactive -- but it succeeds because the leads, Kajol and Shahrukh, give truly wonderful performances and we end up deeply invested in their happiness. Actually, this one should be fine for children, I just haven't watched it with mine yet.

Company -- gritty, intelligent, well-made organized-crime drama. Not for the kiddies!

Sholay -- all-time classic, a "Curry Western" modeled on Sergio Leone with an all-star cast, great songs, and the biggest villain in Bollywood history.

Veer-Zaara -- Gorgeous romance about a love between a Pakistani girl and a Hindustani boy that ends in a great injustice, and how it is resolved decades later.

Jewel Thief - the last word in lavish '60s production design and hallucinatory dance numbers. Great stylish fun!

Asoka -- So sad, so beautiful. An historical epic about the midieval king who embraced Buddhism and promoted it in India, after a career of violence and conquest. Lots of battle scenes and intrigue, but a beautifully made movie with spectacular songs.

Om Shanti Om and Main Hoon Na -- two wonderful movies that both spoof and celebrate Bollywood conventions. Main Hoon Na is a wacked-out college comedy/action movie spoof, and Om Shanti Om is a reincarnation story about both the '60s and the '90s Hindi film industry -- they're both super fun. But it's better to have seen a few movies first, or you won't get a lot of the jokes! They're very referential to other movies and to movie cliches.

[Viola]

Originally Posted by MadiMamacita

i went through a shirley temple phase. i remember them being clean.. probably some smoking and drinking in the background though.

And racial stereotyping. I loved The Little Princess, though, that was always my favorite. They did a remake of it called A Little Princess.

[Penuche]

Definitely not Oklahoma. Judd shows Curly naked lady pics, Curly tries to talk Judd into suicide, Ado Annie sings about her inability to say no to sex (all that leads to it) and Laurie has a drug induced dream.