Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins

Over the last couple of days we have looked at some of the best family film moments and favourite family films but today we are going to look at some of the best movies that cross generations.

Easter weekend has been littered with movies that you can sit down and watch with your mum as well as your granny so lets take a look at some of the favourites.

1. Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins may have been released back in 1964 but it still remains one of the most popular musicals, and it was a role that shot Julie Andrews to stardom.

The film went on to be nominated for thirteen Oscars, including Best Picture, winning five, including Best Actress for Andrews.

2. Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is one of the most famous movies ever made and we can all sing a song from the movie. Difficult to believe then that at the time of release in 1939 the film was not a massive commercial success.

The film, which is perhaps the movie Judy garland is mostly associated, follows fourteen year old Dorothy who, after a tornado in Kansas, finds herself in the Land of Oz. She sets out to see the Wizard of Oz at the Emerald City to get home making a string of friends along the way.

3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The popular Roald Dahl story came to the big screen in 1971 with Gene Wilder in the lead role of Willy Wonka and Peter Ostrum as Charlie.

The film follows Charlie's adventure around Wonka's chocolate factory as one by one the other children find themselves in self inflicted trouble. The movie was remade in 2005 by maverick filmmaker Tim Burton with Johnny Depp taking on the role of Wonka.

4. Star Wars

The Star Wars phenomenon kicked off in the seventies with A New Hope, which propelled Mark Harnill, Harrison ford and Carrie Fisher to superstardom.

 Helmed by George Lucas the film used breakthrough special effects and, like Jaws before it, enjoyed massive success upon release and was recognised by the Academy.

A New Hope remains one of the most financially successful movies of all time breaking house records when released.  The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi followed which cemented the franchises status.

5. E.T

An extra-terrestrial is accidentally left behind on Earth and is befriended by a young boy and his brother and sister.

As Elliot attempts to help his extra-terrestrial companion contact his home planet so that he might be rescued, the children must elude scientists and government agents determined to apprehend the alien for their own purposes...which results in an adventure greater than any of them could have imagined.

E.T. was a timeless story of friendship and, along with Return of the Jedi was the biggest grossing movie of the decade, but lost out to Gandhi for best Picture at the Oscars.

6. Bambi

Bambi was only Disney's fifth full length animation motion picture to be released and is based on the 1923 book Bambi, A Life in the Woods by Felix Salten.

The film is seen as a milestone in children's animation as it combines the usual trademarks of Disney movies: light-hearted, bright set to music with the harsh realities of life.

7. Sound of Music

‘The hills are alive’ yes there’s a second entry for Julie Andrews as musical Sound of Music also makes the chart.

Released in 1965 the film was born on the Broadway musical and enjoyed major box office, critical and award success as it went on to scoop Best Picture.

8. The Railway Children

Based on the novel by E. Nesbit novel The Railway Children was released in 1970 and still remains one of the best British movies.

Starring Jenny Agutter, Gary Warren and Sally Thomsett the movie follows three children who move near a railway line after their father is falsely accused of selling state secrets.

9. Raiders of the Lost Ark

Set in 1936 Dr. Jones is a respected archaeologist and professor at a college in New England. But Jones is pitted against the Nazis as they try to discover the location of the Ark of the Covenant, which is believed to contain the Ten Commandments, in a bid to make their army invincible.

Raiders was the biggest grossing film of 1981 and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture but lost out to Chariots of Fire. Indiana Jones has become one of cinema’s greatest icons.

10. Grease

‘I’ve got chills they’re multiplying’ with many musical lovers Grease remains one of the most popular movies in this genre, and the roles of Danny and Sandy are synonymous with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw


by for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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