10 Classic Videos for Kids
by Katy AbelIt's the gift that keeps on giving: A video that children will enjoy time and time again. Here is our selection of this year's best G- and PG-rated movies. They're perfect for gift giving -- after all, there's nothing better on a winter night than some popcorn, hot cider, and a great movie! (By the way, we agree with the American Pediatric Association's recommendation that videos are a poor gift choice for children under age two, so all of the videos described here are for kids three and older.)
1. Shrek and Shrek 2
Studio: Dreamworks
Rating: PG
These terrific adaptations of the William Steig story get the Mom at the Movies' vote for best family films of the year. The movies not only showcase dazzling state-of-the-art CG animation, they also offer a wonderful lesson for kids about inner and outer beauty.
2. Spy Kids
Studio: Buena Vista/Disney
Rating: PG
Spy Kids isn't as good as Shrek, but it's a lot of fun watching the children of secret agents trying to save their parents and the world from danger and destruction. Lots of great action sequences and high-tech gadgetry make this a good choice for the 7- to 12-year-old set.
3. Remember the Titans
Studio: Disney
Rating: PG
Another Mom at the Movies favorite from the past year, Remember the Titans stars Denzel Washington as an outsider football coach who must heal his team's racial divisions during the integration of a Virginia high school in 1971. This movie is a must-see for young sports fans, with its wonderful messages about teamwork and important reminders about the historic struggle for racial tolerance and cultural diversity.
4. Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Studio: Universal
Rating: PG
Ron Howard's rendition of the Seuss classic played in theaters last year, but the video release was delayed until November 20, 2001. Jim Carrey's mean, green Grinch is full of devilish fun; Anthony Hopkins delivers a marvelous narration.
5. Peter Pan
Studio: A&E Home Video
Rating: NR
This is a filmed version of the Peter Pan Broadway musical starring the talented Cathy Rigby in the title role. A&E did much more than simply roll cameras on the stage show; the production was nicely adapted for the small screen, and every viewer has a choice seat.
6. Veggie Tales: Lyle the Kindly Viking -- A Lesson in Sharing
Studio: Lyons Group
Rating: NR
Veggie Tales is a video adventure series for children that teaches "ethical and moral messages" using an entertaining format. The main characters are computer-animated vegetables, such as Larry the Cucumber and Archibald Asparagus. Lyle the Kindly Viking, the latest in the series, contains two stories and one song about sharing that will appeal to preschoolers.
7. Hans Christian Anderson
Studio: MGM
Rating: NR
Originally released in 1952, the movie starring Danny Kaye as Denmark's greatest storyteller is now available for sale on video for the first time. The screenplay takes great license with the actual facts of Anderson's life, but kids should enjoy the tale of a small-town cobbler with a gift for telling fairy tales, and the memorable musical soundtrack.
8. Anne Frank: The Whole Story
Studio: ABC
Rating: NR
This two-part, Emmy Award-winning ABC-TV mini-series, now packaged for sale on video, has been acclaimed as one of the finest movie versions of Anne Frank's life before, during, and after her years in The Attic. Fans of Frank's diary will appreciate the film, but disturbing concentration camp scenes should make this off-limits for anyone under age 13. (An animated version of the Anne Frank story, Anne Frank's Diary from the Globe Trotter Network, was released on video in 1999. It is suitable for children ages 8-14.)
9. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Studio: Disney
Rating: G
Disney's first full-length feature animation has been re-mastered and re-released, featuring a new recording of "Some Day My Prince Will Come" by Barbra Streisand. The DVD Collector's Edition includes a game, scenes cut from the final version, and a book on Disney art.
10. The Book of Pooh
Studio: Disney
Rating: G
Winnie the Pooh and friends get a makeover in this new feature film using puppets and computer animation to tell the tales from Christopher Robin's book. Preschoolers will love the 3D effects and rainbow colors that are used to illustrate valuable lessons about friendships.
