You Gotta Start 'Em Young

Over the past year here at ScreenAnarchy I know for certain that both Kurt and I – and I believe Ard as well – have commented on the sad death of the PG-rated kid-oriented adventure film, a category of film that was pretty much a thriving sub-genre unto itself for a period in the eighties before MPAA rules squished it flat. It was a sad loss because these were the films where imagination was allowed to reign supreme without any of the cynicism or extreme violence that marks the supposedly "serious" and "adult" versions of the same genres. I'm all for cynicism when it's called for but these where the films where you got to dream and where, while those dreams may include a touch of danger, they were always ultimately films where possibility ruled.

I don't think it's any surprise that the group of us mention these things from time to time simply because all three of us are fathers and, if we're honest, half the fun of parenthood comes from being able to pass on the things you love to your own kids and while Walden is at least trying there's really no equivalent to these older classics. And so, last week I introduced The Boy to The Goonies. And the next night he asked to watch it again. Which brings me to the topic of this installment of the ScreenAnarchy-O-Meter: Five films to get your growing geek-child started off right. There are a good number of big, obvious titles not included in my list so feel free to jump in and throw your two cents in.

Willow
Coming in 1988 Willow, in retrospect, pretty much marked the end of quality kids' fantasy. If there were any major titles of the type released for fifteen years or so following this one they're certainly not leaping to mind for me. Willow's also one of the last thing's George Lucas has had any involvement in that had any semblance of a soul. Put Lucas and Ron Howard together as a writer-director combo now and I'd run screaming from the room but this one is filled with magic and adventure and Val Kilmer before he turned into the over-serious grouch that he is today. Yes, it has its flaws, but it dreamed big which I'll always thank it for.

Gremlins
Joe Dante's Gremlins definitely skews a bit older than most on this list – it's probably a touch frightening for The Boy just yet – but it is an undeniable classic and one of the all-time great pieces of Christmas counter-programming. Whatever happened to the Chris Columbus that wrote Gremlins? For that matter, whatever happened to Joe Dante? Would it be too much to ask for you two to get back to your roots?

Time Bandits
Irony of ironies: former Monty Python members Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin reportedly wrote Time Bandits over a single weekend because they needed to turn out a quick hit to secure financing for Gilliam's Brazil. And hit it did – based on cost-reward ratio I believe this is still Gilliam's most successful film and a pretty compelling argument that maybe he needs to just stop thinking so damn much all the time. Charming, funny, frightening this thing blends history, mythology and adventure into one potent coming of age story with a surprisingly downbeat ending that you'd NEVER be allowed to put in a kid's film these days. People always talk about Brazil as Gilliam's masterpiece but you can make a good argument for Time Bandits as well.

The Monster Squad
Wolf Man's got nards. And the movie that demonstrated this fact to us has already been chosen as The Boy's next foray into this particular world. How Fred Dekker's career fell apart so very, very badly so soon after making this is a mystery to me but no monster-loving kid's childhood is complete without this one.

The Goonies
I feel kind of silly saying it but it wasn't until sitting down to re-watch The Goonies last week that what should have been perfectly obvious all along finally hit me full on: The Goonies is, quite simply, Indiana Jones for kids. All of the same elements are there: the hunt for treasure, the swashbuckling adventure, the narrow escapes, a hint of romance … the collection of young talent here is astounding – Josh Brolin! Sean Astin! A Corey! – and the film has aged incredibly well. Again I ask writer Chris Columbus: any chance of a return to form? Please?

So there you have it. I'm happy to entertain suggestions on what else I should be throwing The Boy's way. The Neverending Story (which I confess to never having seen)? Back to the Future? Something from the Henson factory? Have at it!