Please help me make a wish list of good family films...

[CuppaTeaJanice]

I'd like to start building up a collection of films that the whole family can enjoy together. DS is only 2, so a lot of films will be too complex at the moment, but I'm sick of watching Fireman Sam dvds and there must be lots of films around that we can enjoy together. Any recommendations?

I know there's the obvious big budget movies - Toy Story, Bugs Life, Ice Age etc., but there must be some really lovely independent films too. Which films do your family enjoy?

Please help me make a wish list, and hopefully some might arrive at Christmas!!!

Anybody?

Olive the Other Reindeer

My favourite of all time is The Jungle Book, it is just an absolute classic - the songs, the beautiful animation (all done by hand in those days of course, none of this computer generated nonsense!) the characters are wonderful.

Also Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a classic, although Child Catcher maybe a bit scary for littlies!

The Gruffalo

Lost and Found

Studio Ghibli films
Microcosmos, if they like bugs
Mary Poppins - I know it's a bit obvious but my 2yo DS was entranced when it was on tv last time

Thanks! I'm writing all these down and will search Ebay and Amazon later!!

Any more?

A second for Studio Ghibli - will pop back later and suggest some if no one else has had time.

I've never heard of Studio Ghibli! Off to google them now....

It's A Wonderful Life

Bednobs and Broomsticks. Pollyanna, The Incredible Journey........

DS giggled for ages when we watched Flushed Away last Christmas. He also loves Over The Hedge and Night At The Museum.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit........

The polar express
The Muppets Christmas Carol
The Bear
Father Christmas/The Snowman

I'm on a Christmas theme here, having just checked the dvd rack!

the polar express
bednobs and broomsticks
the jungle book
the aristocats
wallace and grommit
the wizard of oz
it's a wonderful life
the snowman
toy story trilogy
all the shrek films
the lion the witch and the wardrobe
ET

oops sorry OP didn't notice that ds is 2 so a few of those recommendations are for when he's older

postman pat has some great xmas dvds.
fun song factory xmas and childrens christmas compilation dvds from amazon were my kids faves.
i think most characters do a christmas version.
yogis first christmas is really old but is still one of my faves.

Any Muppet movies
DD(4) adores Wizard of Oz
Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Mary Poppins
Peter Pan 1 & 2. She prefers 2
The Snowman/Father Christmas (Raymond Briggs ones). Not films but brilliant.
The Land before Time films. DD has adored them since she was 2. Dinosaurs, woeful songs and moral lessons . There are about 14 films, a tv series and endless sing-along dvds so they can run and run.

Studio ghibli fan here too. But, I wouldn't recommend some of them for a 2 yr old.

Trying to translate and remember the English names here! Lovely French one too that I can't remember.

Bod - not a film but my 4 and 1.5 year old love him.
Mr Ben as above.

Google animation for 2 year olds should give a good list?

Muppet movies,
Happy Feet
Cars

Chitty Bang Bang
The Little Princess
The Secret Garden

The British Film Institute did make a list of the top films that they thought children under 14 should see (which isn't exactly the same thing as Family Films) - here are some of the ones from their list, plus some of those which my kids and I would regard as family films:

Beauty and the Beast
Pocahontas
Mulan
Lilo & Stitch
The Lion King
(older Disney's generally)
Back to the Future
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
An American Tale
E.T.
Finding Nemo
Ratatouille
It's a Wonderful Life
Jason and the Argonauts (the old Harryhausen one)
King Kong (the old 1933 one, or the Peter Jackson one)

My Neighbour Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Spirited Away
Ponyo
and all other Studio Ghibli films, with the possible exception of PomPoko and Grave of the Fireflies)

The Princess Bride

Willow
The Never Ending Story
Raiders of the Lost Ark/Temple of Doom/Holy Grail
The Railway Children
The Secret Garden
A Little Princess
To Kill a Mockingbird
Toy Story
Whistle Down the Wind
The Wizard of Oz
The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Calamity Jane, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Meet Me in St Louis, Oliver!
Muppet Christmas Carol
Miracle on 34th Street
Little Women
Charlie & the Choc Factory
Both Nanny McPhee films
Peter Pan
Labyrinth

The Narnia films
The Grinch
High School Musical
Chicken Run
Ice Age series
Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour (Donny Osmond version)

Mary Poppins
Stuart Little films
The Jungle Book (Jason Scott Lee live version)
101 Dalmations (Glenn Close live version)
Wallace & Gromit & Curse of the Wererabbit

These are for the under-8/9 yr olds. Older family films would be Harry Potters, Jurassic Parks, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Waterworld, The Shadow/The Saint, or other musicals.

Wow, thanks very much everybody! Lots of ideas here. I'd better start saving up!!

our favourites are:

Lilo and Stitch
Nim's Island
The Aristocats

For older under-10s, definitely Time Bandits. It's one of my favourite films still and I'm 34.