Ask Lemmy

Since its 25th anniversary of its western release just passed and it’s on my mind, Princess Mononoke is a good one. It’s bloody but tasteful.

All the films in the following list are PG-13, PG, or older and unrated, and I went light on sexual themes in the PG-13 part (except for Austin Powers, because... it's Austin Powers). This is just me quickly going through my own movie collection.

PG-13:

• Arachnophobia (1990)
• Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
• Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
• Cabin Boy (1994)
• Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
• Gremlins (1984)
• Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
• Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
• Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002)
• Life is Beautiful (1997)
• Little Shop of Horrors (1986) Director's Cut, if you can
• Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
• The Mummy (1999)
• The Mummy Returns (2001)
• O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
• Pirates of the Carribean (2006)
• Princess Mononoke (1997)
• Raising Arizona (1987)
• Sneakers (1992)
• UHF (1989)
• Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

PG:

• *batteries not included (1987)
• The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
• Back to the Future trilogy (1985-1990)
• Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
• Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)
• The Dark Crystal (1982)
• Dreams by Akira Kurosawa (1990)
• Flow (2024)
• Ghostbusters (1984)
• Ghostbusters II (1985)
• The Goonies (1985)
• Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
• The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
• Jewel of the Nile (1985)
• Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
• Porco Rosso (1992)
• The Princess Bride (1987)
• The Producers (1967)
• Indiana Jones original trilogy (1981-1989)
• Real Genius (1985)
• Shaolin Soccer (2001)
• Spaceballs (1987)
• Strange Brew (1983)
• Three Amigos! (1986)
• Time Bandits (1981)
• Twins (1988)
• Uncle Buck (1989)
• War Games (1983)
• The Wizard (1989)
• Wizards (1977)
• Young Frankenstein (1974)

Unrated:

• The Great Escape (1963)
• Hundreds of Beavers (2024)
• Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
• Nova Seed (2016)
• Rashomon (1950)
• Seven Samurai (1954)
• Stalker (1979)

Also, special mention to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) which would be otherwise PG except for the scene where Steve Martin says "fuck" 18 times, which alone earned it it's R rating.

How old are your kids?

Adventure Time seasons 3-6

Steven Universe

*Puppycat

The Truman Show

Simpsons, South Park, modern family, futurama, bobs burgers

It’s a tv cartoon, but Invader Zim covers that gap

Remember the Titans. Absolute cinema

Not knowing their age, I still go with anything PG13 or your local equivalent is likely to be fine for most kids depending on what they like and how they react to different situations. My kiddo liked Jurrasic World at 10, but couldn't handle Jurrasic Park because JP did a better job at making scary scenes scary.

I enjoyed a lot of Rated R movies as a kid, especially when the rating was from language. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles wasn't any more adult than Uncle Buck except for the F bomb laden rental scene. Both are completely appropriate for kids around 10 years old with parental guidance if needed.

We never hid cursing from our kiddo and she didn't repeat it elsewhere, so it really came down to what held her attention and what seemed like something we felt might need some explaining.

It's vague if they are okay with animated films intended for adults, so....

Titan AE, Iron Giant, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, The Rocketeer, Indiana Jones, Star Wars IV thru VI, Forever Young, The Incredible Journey (original, not the voiceover remake).

When my son first starting getting out of kids movies, he liked Indiana Jones and back to the future a lot. Ghostbusters went over well.

Also, Phineas and Ferb is great for every age. Old Simpsons are good too!

Lord of the Rings! Ditto for most of the YA film adoptions from the last twenty years

Connections and The Day The Universe Changed

Edit: Oh, movies. Sorry.

The only thing my mind could come up with that isn't animated would be The Ring. I personally have the original Japanese version, so I have no clue how good or bad the western version is, though.

My kids like horror movies since they were little.

Mr bean.

The only thing I can think of is Midnight Gospel, if your kid doesn’t mind the quick-talking podcast interview going on in the background. But the animation is great. 😃

ETA: Oops you said no animation. I’m sorry!

Tron. Labyrinth. Goonies. Legend. Etc.

My first thoughts were the naked gun or Monty Python movies.