Films your kids will remember for a lifetime

There’s something so special about the films that you experience as a kid – they open your imagination to other worlds, beings and ways of thinking, that can last with you for a lifetime. The best childhood films first and foremost have to be entertaining and fun to watch. But, the films that really stay with you over the years are the ones that introduce new ideas, with special characters and stories with real heart. So when we started thinking about what films to recommend this season for the kids to watch, we knew it would be tough to create a shortlist. 

Now keeping a kid’s attention isn’t always easy, but creating an immersive environment by super-sizing the experience with an extra-large display is sure to help. With a home cinema projector, you can create an impressive cinematic experience that pops with more detail, colour, contrast and brightness. And that’s not forgetting that you’ll save on the cost of cinema tickets, travel and those excessively priced snacks and drinks – ideal when you’re trying to keep the kids busy over the holidays. You also won’t have to worry about being told to be quiet or missing a thing if your kids need to pop to the loo.

So without further ado, here’s our round-up of some of the most heartfelt, fun and entertaining films to watch at home with the kids. Plus, we’ve thrown in some trivia for you to impress the kids with:

Paddington

Fans of Michael Bond’s books will not be disappointed; this utterly charming movie is true to the sweet and comical spirit of the original. A delightfully polite orphaned bear finds himself at Paddington station in London looking for a home. But this isn’t a sad story; prepare for lots of laughs as the Brown family who take him in come to realise just how much of a handful the innocent but accident-prone bear can be. 

Did you know

• Paddington is from Peru - the home of the Spectacled bear species. His Peruvian name - which he fears no one will be able to pronounce - is Pastuso.
• Look out for a brief cameo from Michael Bond, the author of the original books. He raises a glass to the bear who’s being driven home in a taxi with the Browns.
• Don’t attempt to visit Paddington’s home with the Browns at 32 Windsor Gardens in London – it doesn’t exist. 

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

While there may be a newer remake, many agree that this original film has far more charm. We all wish we could be in young Charlie’s shoes as the eccentric Willy Wonka takes him on a tour of his chocolate factory and introduces him to his Oompa-Loompas.

Did you know

• Cadbury played a part in inspiring a young Roald Dahl, the writer of the original story.  As a boy he was a food taster for the confectioner and dreamed of working in a chocolate inventing room. 
• The actor that played Charlie never appeared in another movie, deciding instead to become a veterinarian when he grew up.
• Wonka performs a rather unusual entrance; limping at first with a cane before performing a somersault. Gene Wilder, who played Wonka, said the stunt was designed to keep the audience guessing as to whether anything Wonka says is true or not. 

Spirited Away

Looking for something a little different? Step into the magical world of Studio Ghibli and discover the beautifully hand-drawn movies by world-renowned director Hayao Miyazaki.  Spirited Away, one of the studio’s most successful films, is a great place to start. Set in a weird and wonderful world, this coming-of-age tale has been compared to the likes of “Alice in Wonderland”, “Hansel and Gretel” and “The Wizard of Oz”.

Did you know

• The director wanted to create a film that represented the typical ten-year-old girls he knew with his lead character Chihiro. He wanted to show that ordinary girls could be heroines, too.
• Chihiro's name reflects her character and literally means "a thousand" and "asking questions" or "searching/seeking”.
• Lots of the sound effects in Ghibli films are created with just the human voice – that includes steam locomotives and even an earthquake. 

The Lego Movie

This laugh-out-loud CGI-animated adventure is great for both kids and adults. In this world, the evil Lord Business plans to destroy everything by applying glue. It is up to Emmet - a rather ordinary builder who is hopelessly underprepared – and his gang of misfits to save the world. While it might be blatantly self-promotional, this movie is so heartfelt and hilarious that you’ll forgive it in an instant.

Did you know

• The word Lego is not uttered once throughout the entire movie.
• It would take 15,080,330 Lego pieces to recreate the entire movie.
• To make the Lego pieces feel real, the special effects team added chips, chunks and scratches to the Lego to give it a played with look. 

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

While its special effects may look a little quaint, there’s something still remarkably touching about this story of a lonely ten year-old boy who befriends an endearing lost alien. This iconic sci-fi adventure claimed the worldwide title of the highest-grossing film of the 1980s and is still regularly touted as one of the best movies of all time. So don’t delay – this film is sure to be a crowd pleaser for you and the kids.

Did you know

• E.T. has a very distinctive walk - listen and you might be able to tell that it sounds like wobbling jelly. And that distinctive waddle? That was inspired by ducks - graceful in the water but ungainly on land. 
• A lot of people worked together to bring E.T. to life including a mime artist for the hand movements, an animatronic figure controlled by a team of puppeteers, and two dwarfs and a boy who individually wore a costume¹⁴. 
• The alien’s look was apparently inspired by Albert Einstein, Ernest Hemingway, Carl Sandburg and a painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna titled “Women of Delta.”

Set yourself up with a home cinema projector to make the most of your favourite movies all-year round in the comfort of your living room. Discover the best projector for your needs here.