What DVDs do you recommend?

[desertmarigold]

Help! I need movie ideas!

We are a TV free family - my dds have only seen two movies "Winged Migration" and "March of the Emperor" (that penguin documentary). Now that my oldest is 3.5, I am feeling this unending pressure from the grandparents to show her Disney movies. Although I have told them endlessly my problems with Disney, they just don't "get it". Despite my arguments, my mother insists on giving my dds the "princess" clothes, toys, barrettes. (These inevitably find their way to the trash).

However, I realize there is so much I can do to "shelter" my girls. So, I am thinking that instead of letting my parents set the movie agenda - perhaps I should. When they go to the grandparents, I will send along a movie that I consider appropriate. Something non-commercial, non-cartoon, that isn't gender skewed (no princess in need of rescuing), and appropriate for a 3.5 year-old. I also prefer not to watch movies that are also books - why not just read the book (eg. Charlotte's Web). What are your suggestions for this picky mamma?

So far, I've thought of:
The red balloon (will grandparents think its "boring"?)
Mary Poppins (Disney, I know, but not so bad?)
Annie (but she gets rescued by a rich "daddy"...)
Whale Rider (love it, but is it appropriate for a 3.5yo?)

That's it!
Thanks!

[boatbaby]

Too bad you have this issue with the grandparents...

We started an occasional family movie night with DS and here are some we found that clicked with our values as a TV-free family, no commercialism, not rude, aggressive, etc.

Milo and Otis (VERY sweet live action dog & cat adventure)

Red Balloon (not boring at all, BEAUTIFUL movie!)

Mary Poppins (very sweet, even if it's Disney)

IMAX movies like Coral Reef Adventure, Dolphins, Mysteries of the Nile, The Dream Is Alive, etc

Kiki's Delivery Service

Arctic Tale (basically a documentary about global warming & the Arctic told in a kid friendly way)

Animals Are Beautiful People (great nature doc, funny and sweet)

All of the above should be fun for the grandparents too, they are not sugared up and dumbed down if you know what I mean?

Good Luck!

[mamaofthree]

Kiki's delivery service ROCKS! it is a cartoon, but just lovely
we also love My Neighbor Totoro another just lovely movie.
I know you are looking for things with no tie ins but the Little Bear books are now a TV on video (we get them at the library) and they are very sweet. Non-violent, short, and just cute (especially the ones that are the books also).
Fairy Tale theater videos are really nice. They came out in the 90's I believe. Our library has some, the kids really enjoy them and they are about 30 minutes to an hour long. They are live action and tend to follow the fairy tales a bit more like they were written.

hth

h

[EyesOfTheWorld]

I hope this thread doesn't get you too much heat.

We do occasional DVDs, as a sick day thing and more often in the winter when we're all homebound and crazy. Both of my girls ADORED My Neighbor Totoro - it was months ago that they saw it and they still talk about it. Even DH and I enjoyed it. Super sweet. I've let them watch parts of the Planet Earth documentaries DVDs and they were enthralled. Some of it's a little violent (animal on animal stuff) but there's so much beautiful, cool stuff that it outweighs it, or you could fast forward. The other thing we use in the winter is Yoga Kids. I love it because it gets them up and moving around, challenges them, and I love the way the instructor speaks to them like intelligent human beings. Nice scenery too. My older DD wanted to know what musicals were, so we rented The Sound of Music - she enjoyed it but a lot of it went over her head (re-watching it I realize how much went over MY head as a kid too).

[onlyzombiecat]

I recommend Studio Ghibli Movies. They are animated but my dd has always loved them and they are very well done.
My Neighbor Totorro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Castle In the Sky
Howl's Moving Castle
Spirited Away
The Cat Returns

The Muppets- We have dvd's of the original show and a couple of the older movies and dd loves them.
Also Fraggle Rock.

[onlyzombiecat]

Non-animated movies you might want to check out-
Bednobs & Broomsticks (some animated characters- about like Mary Poppins)
Underdog
The Country Bears
Pete's Dragon (animated Dragon)
Swiss Family Robinson
The Absent Minded Professor
The Love Bug
Benji
Operation Dumbo Drop

[mama_at_home]

Milo and Otis is cute.

[SantaMonica]

Your approach makes sense - set the agenda yourself. I think the Red Balloon is a GREAT choice, both because it's only about 30 minutes long but also because it's beautiful and entirely visual (so it's even good for kids who don't have great verbal skills). I saw that someone else on the thread recommended Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away which are fantastic films for older children but I'm not sure they would be appropriate for a 3.5 year old and some of the scenes in them might be a bit scary to someone that young, IMO.

[flowmom]

The BBC Planet Earth series -- though there may be some scenes that would be upsetting to more sensitive children (animals hunting animals).

[onlyzombiecat]

Originally Posted by SantaMonica

I saw that someone else on the thread recommended Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away which are fantastic films for older children but I'm not sure they would be appropriate for a 3.5 year old and some of the scenes in them might be a bit scary to someone that young, IMO.

I mentioned Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away. I missed that the OP didn't really want animated movies.
My dd saw Spirited Away first when she was 4 or 5 and Howl's Moving Castle at 6 I think. She didn't have a problem with either movie and she sobbed for almost 45 minutes at the end of Milo and Otis at age 8. I didn't expect that.


You might look at:
Kidsongs

Microcosmos

Fantasia (animated though)

[lalaland42]

I don't have any recs but I want to warn you that Annie has a scary scene at the end. My sis used to be obsessed with Annie so I remember it pretty well and I think the scene where Annie breaks away from her "real parents" and climbs up the bridge that is opening is pretty scary. You might want to preview this one.

[loraxc]

What happens at the end of Milo and Otis? (I've been considering this for DD's first movie with us.)

I'm also considering Wallace and Gromit.