Summer, especially as hot as the one right now, can best be enjoyed indoor with something to chill and relax. And what better option can there be than watching a movie that everyone can sit together and enjoy?

Watching movies on TV or another gadget is what we’ve been doing forever, so I am sure most of you have seen all the good movies that came out in recent years or are available on streaming services. So deciding something good to watch can be difficult, especially a movie that all the family members can enjoy together and haven’t seen already.

So stepping away from all the blockbuster superhero or super popular animated and live-action flicks that every movie buff has already watched, we bring to you some classics from your parents’ childhood and some newer ones that you might have missed because they weren’t so hyped about. There is something for everyone here — adventure, animation, fantasy, comedy and family drama — so the whole family can enjoy together and discover the charm, laughs and action that make these movies a must-watch.

So get your popcorns, munchies and drinks ready and enjoy.

Race to Witch Mountain (2009)

A science fiction adventure, the movie stars Dwayne Johnson, (yes, The Rock) as Jack, a taxi driver who finds that the two strange kids, Sara (AnnaSophia Robb) and Seth (Alexander Ludwig), he has picked up are actually aliens with the power of telepathy and to move objects with their minds. They are on Earth in search of a science experiment that will save their dying world.

Both the government and their enemy from their alien world are hunting them so Jack has to keep those kids safe and take them to their spaceship deep in Witch Mountain.

It is a reboot of the 1975 film Escape to Witch Mountain, adopted from a 1968 science fiction novel written by Alexander Key.

Richie Rich (1994)

I don’t really don’t think there is a kid who doesn’t know the richest kid in the world, Ritchie Rich. And if you don’t and haven’t read one of his comics, then I feel so sorry for you. I mean, Ritchie Rich, Archie, Scooby do, Garfield and Tom and Jerry are classics that every childhood memory should be made of.

Well, here is your chance to find out more about this poor little rich kid in the movie Ritchie Rich, with Macaulay Culkin playing his last role as a child actor. This family comedy sees Richie lonely and aching to do all the normal things that kids his age do, but, instead, he has to look after his father’s empire in his absence. And the real adventure begins when he is faced with saving his parents from a scheming top executive who wants to finish the Rich family and take over.

With the help of his faithful butler, Herbert Cadbury and some unexpected new friends he makes, Richie comes to the rescue in fun-filled, though sometimes predictable, ways. Overall Richie Rich, rated PG, is light and generates enough laughs to enjoy it on a hot afternoon.

Catch That Kid (2004)

A kid’s caper movie, Catch That Kid has an unusual storyline — three kids set out to rob a high security bank to arrange money for the surgery of one of the kids’ father.

Maddy (Kristen Stewart) is a 12-year-old who loves mountain climbing with her father, Tom (Sam Robards). But Tom suffers a spinal injury and only an operation can save him, but the family doesn’t have the money.

So Maddy plans to rob a bank, whose security system was designed by her mum, Molly. She convinces her geeky pals to help her and is sure they can pull it off since each of them has special skills — Maddy is a champion rock climber, Gus (Max Thieriot), a mechanical whiz specialising in high-speed go-carts, and Austin (Corbin Bleu) is a computer geek.

To find out if the kids pull off this hiest, you need to watch this family action comedy, which will leave you laughing and anxious, all at the same time.

Madagascar (2005)

Madagascar is an absolute animated delight that both kids and adults will enjoy. It follows four animals at New York’s Central Park Zoo — Zebra Marty (Chris Rock), Lion Alex (Ben Stiller), Hippo Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Giraffe named Melman (David Schwimmer).

Marty dreams of escaping from his bored life and one day disappears from the Zoo, as his three friends Alex, Gloria and Melman set off to look for him, they all end up in a crate on a ship to a remote wildlife preserve in, you guessed it right, Madagascar!

The impressive visuals generated by DreamWorks Animation are at their best and prove to be a real treat; oh, and the musical score, particularly “I Like to Move It” by Sacha Baron Cohen, makes this movie enjoyable watch.

The success of this movie led to several sequels and spin offs that are also worth a watch.

Space Jam (1996)

This fun, action-packed, basketball movie teams up the Looney-Tunes with Michael Jordan by combining live-action sequences with animation to give you a movie you can watch over and over.

Playing himself, we have Michael Jordan, after his retirement from basketball, being abducted by Bugs Bunny. He and the other Looney Tunes characters want him to help them win a basketball game against a group of evil aliens to prevent themselves from becoming slaves in the alien amusement park.

Space Jam is full of exciting basketball action and is highly entertaining, so it will appeal to both basketball and Looney Tunes fans. When the movie came out back in 1996, Jordan was a huge star and the fact that he could act surprisingly well for a sportsperson made the movie a huge hit. The 2021 sequel Space Jam: A New Legacy didn’t do as well at the box office.

Space Jam, besides having well-loved, memorable characters, also has a nice sound track featuring songs such as “Space Jam” (by Quad City DJ’s) and “I Believe I Can Fly” (by R. Kelly).

The Karate Kid (1984)

The Karate Kid is a martial arts movie with a touching story that many kids will relate to, especially those who are struggling with fitting in with their surroundings and lack of confidence.

Ralph Macchio stars as Daniel, a New Jersey teen who moves to Los Angeles with his mother. On being bullied by members of a local karate club, Daniel seeks help of the old Japanese janitor in their apartment building, Miyagi (Pat Morita), who is also a karate master.

What ensures is a heart-warming friendship between the two as the old eccentric uses unconventional methods to train the boy. Instead of actual karate lessons, Mr Miyagi makes Daniel initially do mundane work such as shine cars, paint fences and scrub the bottoms of pools.

There is a powerful climactic fight sequence, but the real heart of the story is in the growth of Daniel’s character and what he learns about relationships.

As one reviewer aptly puts it: “Karate Kid is a heart-warming story about mentorship, personal growth and the power of perseverance. It highlights the importance of inner strength and respect, both in martial arts and in life.”

It’s 2010 remake starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith is also a worthy watch.

The Polar Express (2004)

While this Christmas movie isn’t one of the most popular ones of its genre, it still is worth a watch for its the stunning visuals and computer animation combined with live action.

A sceptical youngster, Hero Boy, who is having doubts about Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, finds a mysterious train outside his home and decides to travel on the magical train to the North Pole, to visit Santa’s home. On board are other pyjama-clad children and their journey is filled with stunning snowy visuals and exciting magical experiences.

Hero Boy is given a present by Santa, but it will only work when he truly believes in Santa. By the end, Hero Boy learns that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

Tom Hanks plays the train conductor of the Polar Express, along with five other parts. I am sure watching a movie with breathtaking freezing landscapes is going to have a cooling effect, so don’t miss this one. It is based on the 1985 children’s book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg.

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 29th, 2024