Friday favorites: movies from my childhood

In general I'm not a huge movie person--I mostly prefer to watch TV on DVD and I will seriously watch an entire series over a weekend, and will watch a series over and over.

But there are two main exceptions to this rule and those are the movie genres of kid movies and old musicals. So today, here are a few of my very favorite children's movies!

1. the Little Mermaid

This movie came out during that impressionable stage in my childhood where everything just seems like such a big deal! I think this was the first movie I ever saw in a movie theatre and I just adored it! I would sing the songs, pretend to be a mermaid in the bathtub, dream about meeting my own prince...oh it was wonderful... I still adore it, but now the dad stuff makes me cry every time! I get mad at her for being rebellious and cry when King Triton comes up from the sea at the wedding...sigh. It's just lovely.

2. An American Tale

I still remember the opening of the movie with all the snowflakes falling from the sky...and the music was gorgeous. The giant waves that turn into monsters when he gets washed away from the boat and the fish in the sea...this one made me cry too. What can I say? I have a tender heart ;) It's just wonderful.

3. The Land Before Time (first movie ONLY)

Again, one to make you cry!--we had to fast-forward through the part where his mom died..and then later when he thinks he sees her but it's just her shadow...how could they even put that in a kid movie!?!? But I loved that there was a character with my name (though I didn't understand that her name was Cera, not Sarah), and I thought the tree stars looked so delicious!! Just a great story altogether...

4. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

A little different than the other movies, but I really did love this one! The "Toot Sweet" song in the candy factory, when the main characters dressed up like dolls for the evil king, and I LOVED the breakfast invention that the dad made! There were definitely some weirdo aspects of this movie though: the child-catcher who lured kids away with candy, the old men who had been tortured and stretched...eep. I loved all the songs though and the idea of a flying car! Amazing!

5. The Fox and the Hound

Okay...are we sensing a pattern here? I seem to love sad kid movies! I own this one now but honestly cannot watch it b/c it is so so sad! When I was in college I actually broke down and started crying during Bible study one night telling my girls about this movie and playing one of the songs for them. Oh dear. "When you're the Best of Friends..." I can't say any more or I will lose it!

6. Anastasia

This one came out when I was a little older (around 13) and I had already been interested in that story and had seen an old Ingrid Bergman movie about it. Well, I just LOVED this one. I had the soundtrack on CD, my friends and I went and saw it over and over at the $.99 theater, and we thought that Dimitri was the cutest animated character ever! I loved the "Once Upon a December" song too...Fun fact: when I spent a summer in Russia during college I got to go on a Romanov tour in the city of Ekaterinburg! We went to a Cathedral and Monastery dedicated to the family and saw the places where they were killed and buried. It was so interesting!

7. Aladdin

It was just freakin' awesome!!! Hilarious, suspensful, catchy songs, love story. LOVE!

8. Alice in Wonderland

Maybe I like it b/c I have such weird Wonderland-like dreams, but I always loved this one. Especially the "Golden Afternoon" scene with all the flowers.

In general, I love all Disney movies (up until Pocahontas that is...but not excluding Pixar--they're great) and I do try to get them all on DVD.

Honorable mentions: not really huge or great movies but I loved them none the less (and own them on DVD btw...)
FernGully
the Swan Princess
Thumbelina

What are some of your favorite children's movies?