Choose Your Pick for BEST Kid’s Fantasy Film (non-animated) : Slice of SciFi

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17 Responses to “Choose Your Pick for BEST Kid’s Fantasy Film (non-animated)”

niafabo on October 19th, 2009 1:27 am

My choice would probably be different if there weren’t horrible remakes made of a few of those movies.
DeadParrot on October 19th, 2009 2:41 am

Do Muppets count as animated? I’ve always liked the duo of “The Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth” for different reasons.
Scooter on October 19th, 2009 2:53 am

What, no Narnia?
No, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
Sam Sloan on October 19th, 2009 4:30 am

These choices are “kid” specific. While I thought of including those you both listed above, I wanted to keep the choices limited to 10, and while I too love The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth and particularly Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I decided to leave them out due to their overtly dark tones. I did include the original Chocolate Factory film starring Gene Wilder, however.
JFStan on October 19th, 2009 8:09 am

So, “Labyrinth” and “Dark Crystal” are too dark, but the emotional kick in the nuts that is “Bridge to Terabithia” is fine? I disagree with your logic, sir.
Bobs-Dobs on October 19th, 2009 3:09 pm

Nothing like pushing the new “Where the Wild Things Are”, how much you get paid for that one? If i remember right didn’t “The Neverending Story” destroy a whole world at the end, that’s pretty darn dark if you ask me.
Marshal on October 19th, 2009 5:10 pm

I was looking for Zathura. My kids have watched that non-stop.
Sam on October 20th, 2009 5:24 am

@JFStan — you wouldn’t be the first.

@Bobs-Dobs — sadly nothing.

The darkness I refer to is one that an adult understands but a child would only be confused by. The “emotional kick in the nuts” in TNS and BTT is one children face on some level every day and studies have shown that these are more readily understood in the mind of a kid, a sort of reality within the fantasy world that is a normal part of a child’s everyday life and is actually useful in aiding the growing child to understand and accept some of the hardships that are a part of life……God, I’m beginning to sound like a friggin’ child psychologist.

Anyway, the more fantastical the story, such as those found in TDC and L, in which the characters are further removed from the child’s world, while still entertaining, don’t seem to make quite the same positive emotional connection that some other films do.

I agree that leaving out Zathura was an error on my part.
reppoHssarg on October 20th, 2009 8:14 pm

Where’s “The Princess Bride”? Is it considered too adult? Huh???
Kwisatz Haderach on October 31st, 2009 2:43 am

I vote for Narnia.
the lows on October 31st, 2009 9:24 pm

i agree, princess bride all the way. The grand father is reading it to his grandson, totally a kids movie. Should be on the list.

Darcy
Michael Mennenga on October 31st, 2009 9:46 pm

I have to vote for Willie Wonka. (The original with Gene, not that bastardized Frackin’ Mistake, of Depp.)
I remember this movie when it came out and the awe of watching Wonka take these unworthy people through the factory and the wise ‘Crazy Like a Fox’ antics of the candy maker. For me, I got such a life lesson from this movie, that it made me look deeper at the world I lived in. (Yeah, it really was that deep)
I’m not alone… I’ve had this conversation with many people over the years and we all agreed that Willie Wonka was a pivotal page in our lives.
Kurt in St. George on November 1st, 2009 2:22 pm

A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down. I saw Mary Poppins when I was six and I still remember it. For a younger child I think it is a better movie. Its just incredibly imaginative and yet easy to grasp.

I was about 10 - 12 when I saw Willy Wonka. I could really appreciate the story and the humor much more then if I had seen it when I was six. There are some children’s stories that resonate more if you are a little older.
Dave in Albany on November 2nd, 2009 6:10 am

Bedknobs and Broomsticks!

Labyrinth!
D. C. on November 2nd, 2009 6:16 am

Labyrinth.
podakayne on November 3rd, 2009 7:59 pm

first choice is Wizard of Oz…but after that The Neverending Story is awesome, have not seen Where the Wild Things Are, yet even as books go it would be 3rd on the list with WOZ swamping places with The Neverending Story.

lybyrinth maybe too scary for young kids…but disneys bedknobs & broomsticks fantastic (surprised there isn’t a redu for most of these since hollywood seems to redo a lot of the horror genre, why not fantasy—dont answer that maybe they should just leave well enough alone!)
Garrett on November 6th, 2009 9:56 pm

Bedknobs and Broomsticks would have had my vote if it was there (partly animated so I can understand why it wasn’t). The Neverending Story was my second pick, so it was nice to see it listed. I can really see some of the other suggestions as strong contenders: Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and Narnia.