Films and TV
Please check the GUIDANCE RATING for all of these before showing them to your child (ren). You may also wish to watch them first to check that they are suitable for your child(ren). Thank you.
Inside Out is an animated Pixar film about the feelings of an 11-year-old girl named Riley. Anger, Sadness, Joy, Fear and Disgust are all characters in the film. They must work together to help Riley make the right decisions in life. Inside Out can teach children a lot about emotions.
Ten-year-old Phiona lives in a Ugandan slum and struggles each day—until she meets a man who teaches her how to play chess. She has a natural curiosity, passion, and talent for the game, and under his mentorship, she quickly becomes a top player, travelling to compete in tournaments. She's a great role model, exhibiting strength, loyalty, and ambition throughout.
The Silent Child Film is a British sign-language short film, released in 2017. It tells the story of Libby, a profoundly deaf four-year-old girl, who lives a silent life until a social worker teaches her how to communicate through sign language. The film won the Oscar for Live Action Short Film at the 90th Academy Awards.
Magic turns an arrogant prince into an ugly beast. To try to break the spell, the beast takes a young woman named Belle captive in his castle. She starts to see the beast’s inner beauty, but her village marches to destroy him. The music, story and animations in this Disney movie will captivate children—raising questions about the nature of appearances.
In the classic family film E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, a young boy named Elliott makes friends with an alien who is stranded on Earth. Elliott tries to help E.T. “go home.” but other humans are afraid of E.T., and government scientists try to catch and study the alien. This film can help children explore how people see others who are different.
This sweet, quirky film is aimed at older children; those who march to a different beat may like Napoleon Dynamite. The wide range of characters in the film is also a good jumping-off point for conversations about the uniqueness of every person.
This highly entertaining, Oscar-winning animated film follows bright-eyed bunny, Judy Hopps, to the big city of Zootopia where she becomes the first rabbit to join the police force. Though she endures bullying and ridicule from all the other animals, including a cunning fox, her story of triumph teaches us all to not only believe in ourselves, but to see the best in others and never judge a book by its cover.
Up is a movie about the beauty in unlikely, timeless friendships. There are images of a happy, healthy marriage, and we see the value in multigenerational connections. Though there are moments of sadness in this movie, it's ultimately more uplifting and heartwarming than anything. It's also a visually stunning film, which is a treat for both kids and adults alike.
This movie is an adaptation of R.J. Palacio's best-selling young-adult novel Wonder. It's about a child who wants to belong and shows us how we can all connect to one another, even if we don't look the same. It teaches empathy, compassion, and accepting people for who they are inside.
This is the story of a talented, brave young boy who breaks through gender stereotypes to pursue his passion for dancing. It's also a good one if you want to encourage children to speak up against intolerance and conformity, and to help others do the same.
Cool Runnings teaches us that winning isn't everything. Every time we lose, we get better. Feel the Rhythm! Feel the Rhyme! Get on up, it's bobsled time!
Stick Man is a British animated short story about family, determination, and Christmas!
The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. The story teaches that when you have a grand vision, your success starts with the right mindset.
A story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius but is misunderstood by her family. Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world!
