Family Movie Nights

To help families spend time together and share common experiences, The Leadership Institute provides recommendations for Family Movie Night. Each week, a new movie recommendation and explanation is available for your consideration. Enjoy the show!

If you are looking to see where a particular movie is streaming or is available online, please visit https://www.justwatch.com

Classic, Drama, Family, G, Musical

Oliver!

This week’s film is a classic musical which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1968. Based on the stage musical, itself based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, the… Read More

Adventure, Comedy, Family, G, Musical

Muppet Treasure Island

Here’s a classic adventure story perfect for the summer, told through the unique comedy of the Muppets. Jim Hawkins is a young orphan working at an inn whose life is… Read More

Drama, PG-13

Nightjohn

“Words are freedom.” Sarny is a young girl growing up as a slave on a Southern plantation in the 1830’s. Though life is rough, she feels fortunate to be chosen… Read More

Adventure, Drama, Family, PG

Duma

When the young South African boy Xan finds an orphaned baby cheetah, he decides to raise it, calling it Duma. When the cat becomes too old to continue raising on… Read More

Adventure, Animated, PG

The Iron Giant

Here’s a lesser-known animated film from the filmmaker who would go on to direct The Incredibles and Ratatouille for Pixar. Nine-year-old Hogarth lives in a small town in the 1950s.… Read More

Adventure, Drama, PG

Empire of the Sun

It’s the 1940s, and Jamie Graham (played by a young Christian Bale) is a British schoolboy living in Shanghai with his parents. He enjoys an upper class lifestyle, but takes… Read More

Comedy, Family, G, Musical

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Here’s a whimsical classic from the 70s. The master candy maker Willy Wonka is famous throughout the world for his delicious treats, but he hides in his secretive factory where… Read More

Animated, Comedy, PG

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

With Thanksgiving feasts (and perhaps some holiday shopping) around the corner, here’s a family comedy that features some delicious weather, but warns of the dangers of excessiveness. Flint Lockwood has… Read More

Animated, Family, PG

Coraline

The young Coraline Jones is miserable after she and her parents move to a new house out in the middle of nowhere. She is completely bored, misses her friends, and… Read More

Adventure, Family, PG

Return to Oz

It’s been six months since Dorothy returned to Kansas, and Aunt Em is worried about her. Dorothy’s not sleeping well and she keeps talking about strange nonsense such as a… Read More

Adventure, PG-13

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them… No Catholic list of film recommendations… Read More

1 2 3 4 5