The Best Nostalgic Family Movies on NETFLIX
If you’re like me, you’re not exactly limiting your kids’ screen time during the quarantine. Now is not the time, mommas! So once my kids and I finished current Netflix, we took a deep dive into the old-school classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that I grew up with. These titles may not get as much buzz these days, but they fill a nostalgia-sized hole in my heart. If you’re ready to take a digital trip down memory lane with your kids, try these old-school options for your next Netflix family movie night (or morning, or afternoon… hey, I’m not judging)
Hook (PG, 1991)
When his young children are abducted by his old nemesis, Capt. Hook (Dustin Hoffman), middle-aged lawyer Peter Banning (Robin Williams) returns to his magical origins as Peter Pan. Peter must revisit a foggy past in which he abandoned Neverland for family life, leaving Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts) and the Lost Boys to fend for themselves. Given their bitterness toward Peter for growing up -- and their allegiance to their new leader, Rufio -- the old gang may not be happy to see him.
Space Jam (PG, 1996)
Swackhammer (Danny DeVito), an evil alien theme park owner, needs a new attraction at Moron Mountain. When his gang, the Nerdlucks, heads to Earth to kidnap Bugs Bunny (Billy West) and the Looney Tunes, Bugs challenges them to a basketball game to determine their fate. The aliens agree, but they steal the powers of NBA basketball players, including Larry Bird (Larry Bird) and Charles Barkley (Charles Barkley) -- so Bugs gets some help from superstar Michael Jordan (Michael Jordan).
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (G, 1968)
While truant from school, young siblings Jeremy and Jemima meet the beautiful Truly Scrumptious (Sally Ann Howes), who falls for their widowed father, Caractacus Potts (Dick Van Dyke), and his various oddball inventions, including the family's noisy rebuilt car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. One day at the beach, Caractacus tells Truly and the children a fanciful fable about the villainous Baron Bomburst (Gert Frobe) and his evil designs on the Potts family car.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (PG, 1981)
Epic tale in which an intrepid archaeologist tries to beat a band of Nazis to a unique religious relic which is central to their plans for world domination. Battling against a snake phobia and a vengeful ex-girlfriend, Indiana Jones is in constant peril, making hair's-breadth escapes at every turn in this celebration of the innocent adventure movies of an earlier era.
Richie Rich (PG, 1994)
Richie Rich (Macaulay Culkin) has every toy any little boy could ever want, in addition to an adoring mother (Christine Ebersole) and father (Edward Herrmann). The one thing Richie doesn't have is friends. When his parents suddenly go missing, Richie suspects an executive (John Larroquette) in the family company is to blame. Setting out to solve the mystery, Richie hooks up with a group of kids who prove they just might fill the void in his life, while helping him save his folks.