For me, there were too many films to pick from. Of course some of the films that came to mind I thought maybe they weren't aimed at kids to begin with, like Time Bandits. Is that a kids film? It has a PG (not a rating anymore but is still used unofficially) rating. Also, Where The Wild Things Are. The film is based on a children's classic book but I feel the film would go over children's heads, its too deep for them to grasp. So, I went for safer options and films that I was obsessed with as a child and film I saw as a teenager and used to watch on a loop at Uni.
1. Jumanji
Couldn't stop watching this as a child. Didn't see it in the cinema but saw it frequently on TV and when I taped it. A game becoming real when you play it, anyone of any age can enjoy this, plus it has Robin Williams in it. He wasn't outrageous and he wasn't completely serious, a great balance for a children's film based on a book. This also came out around the time people were loosing interest in board games, excellent boost.
2. The Goonies
'Goonies never say die!' That's right, they don't. I saw this when I was older, in college and couldn't stop watching it in Uni. Kids going on an adventure to find some treasure to save their homes while gangsters track them down. Again, I'd watch it. But I think this film appeals to the older crowd for nostalgic reasons. Still, it has some great meme making moments in it.
3. Labyrinth
This was going to be in the list from the start. Classic film starring David Bowie
and his crotch as the Goblin king who makes a teenager run through a maze to save her baby brother she screams wishes would be taken away. A musicial mixture of Bowie, puppets, mayhem, dream sequences and the bog of eternal stentch that seems like the worst thing in the world. A film that deserves 'cult' status and has inspired the 'Masquerade Ball' at the Prince Charles Cinema which I enjoyed immensely, especially blowing bubbles at the screen and singing along to 'Dance Magic Dance'.
Don't forget to check out where Thursday Movie Picks all started -
Wandering Through the Shelves.
