Christmas vacation—the most special time of the year when school’s out, childcare is off and you’re stuck inside with two kids 3 (and a half) and under. Between rounds of Candyland, hide-and-seek and wiping poop off the floor (don’t ask), there comes a time in every parent’s life when you immediately repeal any rules you placed on screen time and, instead, embrace it with full force. So, despite all my best intentions to be one of those moms that goes snow-shoeing with a baby strapped to her back (or at least hit up an indoor trampoline park a couple times), we wound up watching so many family friendly things over break that my husband and I were even able to include some films we enjoyed ourselves. (Silver lining!) That said, there was one in-cinema flick that just didn’t deliver for grown ups or kids. Here, my winter break family movie reviews, and where to stream them.
I Watched These 3 Kid-Friendly Movies with My Toddler—2 Were Delightful and One...Was a Shocking Let Down
Lin-Manuel Miranda, may we have a word?
2 Great Kid-Friendly Movies
1. The Sound of Music (1965)
- Starring: Julie Andrew, Christopher Plummer, Peggy Wood, Eleanor Parker
- Directed by: Robert Wise
- Ratings: 8.1/10 IMDB | 83% Rotten Tomatoes
Since my 3-(and a half)-year-old has been staunchly in her Disney princess era, my husband and I weren’t sure she’d take to this live-action musical, but apparently there is no person on earth, toddler or otherwise, that can resist the charm of Julie Andrews. And while I’ve seen the film more times than I can count, rewatching through my daughter’s eyes was—trigger warning: cheesy—a thrill. While she soaked up the music, the marionettes and any scene with the Von Trapp kids, my husband and I were sucked into the sublime Austrian backdrops, Andrews’s delightful talent, Christopher Plummers’s stoic hotness (what a babe) and film craft that has really stood the test of time. There is the more mature storyline underlining the entire movie about the Anschluss, but we didn’t feel like it was obvious enough to fast-forward through or even stop and address beyond “those are the bad guys.” The cherry on top? Our toddler now refers to Julie Andrews as “Sound of Music.”
2. Paddington (2014)
- Starring: Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Nicole Kidman, Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent
- Directed by: Paul King
- Ratings: 7.3/10 IMDB | 97% Rotten Tomatoes
I’m pretty sure I enjoyed Paddington more than my toddler, but that’s because I really enjoyed it. With Nicole Kidman as an unhinged evil villain and Sally Hawkins and Hugh Bonneville (of Downton Abbey fame) as a mismatched but loving couple who take in the bear refugee, the talent is top-tier. But it’s the direction that elevated it from talking bear children’s romp to classic family movie status. Somehow it feels entirely timeless and modern at the same time. There are fun camera tricks, smart jokes, fully realized characters, clever action scenes and ultimately, the loveliest, cuddliest bear at the center of it all. I also love that it’s an easy gateway to all the Paddington books we have waiting to be read (plus Paddington 2 and the upcoming Paddington in Peru). The only problem: your kid might ask you for orange marmalade sandwiches.
The Let Down of the Century
3. Moana 2 (2024)
- Starring: Auliʻi Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House
- Directed by: Dana Ledoux Miller, Jason Hand, David Derrick Jr.
- Ratings: 7/10 IMDB | 61% Rotten Tomatoes
The original Moana is Criterion-Collection status in our home. The music, the animation, the strong protagonist—we love it! So it was an easy call that Moana 2 would be our daughter’s first movie theater experience. Now, I’ll never know for sure whether it was the soft seats, dark room and napless afternoon that led her to fall asleep so promptly (and so thoroughly) in the movie, or whether it was the Lin-Manuel Miranda-less music and sloppy plot that did it, but I do know this: Moana 2 is no Moana 1. I read somewhere that the sequel was originally conceived as a series, which possibly explains the awkward pacing and lackluster new characters. For me, it was a miss. But I’m sure as soon as it’s available to stream, I’ll be eating my hat after the 400th viewing of The Sound of Music.
Only in Theaters
