By: Shandi Thompson
New year, new grade, new friends, new challenges. Maybe even a totally new school in a totally new city. As summer days slide into school nights, here are 10 back-to-school movies for the whole family that will entertain and boost some confidence for the year to come!
For your elementary kiddos check out these family friendly stories of determination, friendship, and embracing the things you love about you. The following films all have a PG rating or lower:
1. Inside Out (Animated)
Riley just moved, and she’s relying on her emotions to help her navigate her first day of school in a new city. Though her Joy tries to keep things positive, Fear, Sadness, Anger and Disgust all have feelings (pun intended) about the changes happening around them.
2. Monster’s University (Animated)
Join Sully and Mike Wazowski on their journey to become Scarers in this charming sequel. Starting as rivals, the film follows the monsters down the path to friendship. It teaches the value of teamwork, the pitfalls of taking shortcuts, and that the path to getting where you want to be, isn’t always straightforward.
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Live Action)
Whether the wizarding world has been a part of your life or not, this fantasy classic brings serious fall/ back-to-school vibes as young Harry Potter learns has a seat waiting for him at the premier wizarding school of the UK. Over the course of his first year at Hogwarts, he makes new friends, picks up new skills, and has the adventure of a lifetime as he starts to piece together his past.
4. Matilda: The Musical (Live Action)
Based on the Roald Dahl classic, Matilda is a precocious girl with both superpowers and grit. In this retelling of the story, Matilda learns to stand up for herself and her classmates. It also has the added bonus of catchy songs and a delightfully villainous Emma Thompson as the nefarious Trunchbull.
5. Akeelah and the Bee (Live Action)
11-year-old Akeelah is a middle schooler in south LA with a talent for spelling, but not a lot of structure, support or motivation to make something of it. After meeting Dr. Joshua Larabee, and a number of other serious young spellers, Akeelah sets her sights on reaching the National Spelling Bee. With the support of her mentor, community, and family, she is ready to reach for the top.
For those middle and high-schoolers who might feel a little too cool for back-to-school, there are still some great films that might just have them hanging out for a minute. All of these films are all PG-13 may feature some occasional language or themes better suited to older audiences.
1. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Live Action)
High school can be a mine field of opportunities for embarrassment, but when Lara Jean discovers that 5 love letters, she wrote to former crushes have been mailed out without her knowing, her life gets turned upside down. Now she must navigate what those long held feelings mean for her, those they were about, and the larger web of who it affects.
2. Friday Night Lights (Live Action)
For the sports fans, this based-on-a-true story football film brings both emotional intensity and the gridiron action that inspires and endures. A small Texas town pressures its high school football team to make it to the state championship. Tempers, egos, and relationships are all strained. Exploring themes of grit, determination, and assessing your own values, this film keeps everyone glued to the action.
3. The Breakfast Club (Live Action)
An oldie but a goodie. This John Hughes flick set the gold standard for the band of misfits’ film that has a little something for everyone. When five teens from different cliques find themselves in Saturday detention, they find that you can’t always judge a person by who they do (or don’t) hang out with. And you likely have more in common than you know. Add in a dash of anti-authority rebelliousness against a tyrannical assistant principal, and you have a classic for the ages.
4. 10 Things I Hate About You (Live Action)
This ultimate 90s adaptation of Taming of the Shrew is a rollicking ride through the halls of Padua High. Students’ scheme to get the abrasive Kat Stratford paired off so they can open the door to dating her younger sister, Bianca. Follow their exploits as everyone learns a little about love, authenticity, and taking yourself out of your comfort zone.
5. Mean Girls (Live Action)
When formerly home-schooled Cady moves to Illinois from Africa, she gets her first shot at attending public school. But she finds that it is a jungle out there as tries to navigate a new world of clique politics and popularity. Smartly written, and still memed to this day, this 00s classic still resonates and amuses.
I hope these films provide some great watches for the family as the days get shorter and we settle into the school-year routine.
10 Back-to-School Movies for the Whole Family
By: Shandi Thompson
Shandi Thompson is a writer and marketer based in Louisville. Her hobbies include cuddling with her cats, watches goslings grow, binge watches prestige TV, and slowly works her way through her ever growing “to be read” pile.
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