Mark Kermode's 25 of the Best Films for Children

Mark Kermode's 25 of the Best Films for Children's icon

Created by Chilton.

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In compiling this list of 25 great movies for children, I have attempted to bear in mind the vast range of films that I was lucky enough to have encountered at an impressionable age, and to acknowledge that, until fairly recently, young moviegoers were raised on a diet of movies that played to audiences of all ages.

My choices range from short animations to feature-length live-action films, from silent films to foreign-language classics (I’m assuming subtitles aren’t an issue) from a century of international cinema. Along with the more obvious contenders, I’ve included a few titles that some readers may not consider to be children’s films at all. Fair enough. But, crucially, these are all films that kids could watch, if they wanted. The list is arranged not by merit but by date.

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  1. 1 new

    The Kid

    1921, in 17 top lists Check
  2. 2 new

    Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed

    1926 — a.k.a. The Adventures of Prince Achmed, in 13 top lists Check
  3. 3 new

    Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

    1937, in 25 top lists Check
  4. 4 new

    The Wizard of Oz

    1939, in 37 top lists Check
  5. 5 new

    Pather Panchali

    1955, in 21 top lists Check
  6. 6 new

    Le ballon rouge

    1956 — a.k.a. The Red Balloon, in 11 top lists Check
  7. 7 new

    Les quatre cents coups

    1959 — a.k.a. The 400 Blows, in 26 top lists Check
  8. 8 new

    Mary Poppins

    1964, in 15 top lists Check
  9. 9 new

    Kes

    1969, in 11 top lists Check
  10. 10 new

    Pollux et le chat bleu

    1970 — a.k.a. Dougal and the Blue Cat, in 1 top list Check
  11. 11 new

    The Amazing Mr. Blunden

    1972, in 0 top lists Check
  12. 12 new

    The Street

    1976, in 1 top list Check
  13. 13 new

    E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

    1982, in 30 top lists Check
  14. 14 new

    Tonari no Totoro

    1988 — a.k.a. My Neighbor Totoro, in 23 top lists Check
  15. 15 new

    The Secret Garden

    1993, in 0 top lists Check
  16. 16 new

    Little Women

    1994, in 2 top lists Check
  17. 17 new

    Kirikou et la sorcière

    1998 — a.k.a. Kirikou and the Sorceress, in 0 top lists Check
  18. 18 new

    Whale Rider

    2002, in 5 top lists Check
  19. 19 new

    Bend It Like Beckham

    2002, in 2 top lists Check
  20. 20 new

    Die Höhle des gelben Hundes

    2005 — a.k.a. The Cave of the Yellow Dog, in 2 top lists Check
  21. 21 new

    Taare Zameen Par

    2007 — a.k.a. Like Stars on Earth, in 3 top lists Check
  22. 22 new

    Wadjda

    2012, in 3 top lists Check
  23. 23 new

    Queen of Katwe

    2016, in 0 top lists Check
  24. 24 new

    La tortue rouge

    2016 — a.k.a. The Red Turtle, in 1 top list Check
  25. 25 new

    The Breadwinner

    2017, in 1 top list
    Check
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Last updated on Apr 24, 2020 by Chilton; source