Maddie’s Movie/TV Show Review: All Ages Edition

I wanted to share some movies and TV shows I loved, so I decided to write a column about it. I wanted all the different age groups to like the movies and TV shows, so I just put three movies and three TV shows in each age group, and wrote why it’s good to watch for that age group. Anyone can watch any of these movies; this article is just a suggestion as far as age goes. I hope you enjoy reading it, and maybe you’ll end up watching one or two of these movies if you haven’t already.

K-2 Movies

1. Tangled

This movie is perfect for younger kids; it’s funny, silly, and has the perfect plot to hold their attention. There’s always a fun animal friend in Disney’s movies, and for Tangled, it’s a cute little green chameleon named Pascal. Tangled is a great movie to watch at home or even for a class movie day.

2. Luca

Luca is an adorable movie about friendship and trust. Kids will love it because of its humor and funny characters. Even older kids and adults will enjoy it because it’s funny and it’s incredibly well animated with beautiful scenery, because it’s set on the Italian Riviera.

3. The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid is a super fun movie with mythical creatures like mermaids and talking animals. It can get a little bit dark at some points (you might want to check out Ursula the Sea Witch if your kid gets easily scared), but most of this movie is upbeat with happy, cheerful music and characters.

K-2 Shows

1. Bluey

The most adorable show ever, in my opinion, is Bluey. My little brothers love it, and I admit I’ll watch it sometimes too when it’s playing on the TV. It’s animated, and about a family of dogs who live their life just like us. The main characters are Bluey and Bingo, two sisters who love to play and have fun, and their parents have to find time to play with them. 

2. Big City Greens

Big City Greens is about a family who has always lived in the country, then one day they move to Big City to live with their grandma. The main characters are the Green family: Cricket, Tilly, Bill, and Gramma (Alice). This adorable show is about their life in the city after never having stepped foot out of the countryside.

3. The Magic School Bus

This educational show is funny and witty, and kids can easily enjoy the fun adventures and field trips that the characters go on every day. The term “Educational Show” might scare away some kids, but this show is perfect to watch anywhere. In fact, I remember when I was little watching it in class and enjoying every second of it.

3-5 Movies

1. Mulan

My personal favorite Disney movie, Mulan, is about a girl who goes away to war disguised as a man to save her father, who has already served and is injured, from having to go off to fight for his country. Mulan is set in Imperial China, and at the time, women weren’t allowed to fight in wars, and had to stay home, so Mulan dressed up as a boy and left for the war in the night while her family was sleeping.

2. Raya and the Last Dragon

This movie is full of witty humor, but has some darker parts, as many Disney movies do. Raya and the Last Dragon is a fantasy movie about a darkness that turns people to stone, and the dragons hundreds of years ago gave their lives to stop it. But when the darkness comes back, the dragons are nowhere to be found. Raya, the protagonist, is set on finding the dragon that saved the world last time, and bringing her back.

3. Onward

You’re gonna need the tissue box for this one. This magical fantasy movie is full of mythical creatures and funny scenes. But, unfortunately, it’s really sad. Most of the movie is a journey of the main characters trying to bring their father back so they can talk to him one last time.

3-5 Shows

1. Amphibia

The storyline in Amphibia is super fun and easy to follow. Basically a girl gets sucked into a dimension where there are no humans and only frogs. I like to put this show on in the background, maybe while I’m eating or doing something else. I love watching it in my freetime and after school.

2. The Owl House

The Owl House is a little dark, and some of the characters can be pretty creepy. This is another show about a girl getting sucked into another dimension, but in this one, there’s mythical creatures, witches, and all sorts of weird things that you’d never find in the real world. The girl’s name is Luz, and she was sent to a summer school. She never got to go, because she found a door into a different dimension and got a little too curious.

3. Avatar: The Last Airbender

I had to add this to the list, it’s one of my favorite shows ever. I only added it to the 3-5 group because that’s probably the age group that would appreciate the humor the most, but really, this show is for all ages. It’s fantasy and adventure, the storyline is fast paced but leaves you thinking about what’ll happen next, and overall, it’s just an amazing show.

6-8 Movies

1. The Greatest Showman

The first live-action movie on this list, and third to last. The Greatest Showman is the story of P.T. Barnum, the founder of Barnum & Bailey circus. This incredible musical will blow your mind. I listen to the songs from it unironically in my freetime sometimes. It has some of my all time favorite actors in it also, like Zendaya, Hugh Jackman, and Zac Efron.

2. Enchanted

Not to be confused with Encanto, this live-action comedy Disney movie is kind of a spoof of Disney movies, well, at least the beginning is. Once again, a girl gets sucked into a different dimension, but this time, she gets taken out of her Disney cartoon world, into our real world.

3. Newsies

The third and final live action movie on this list: Newsies. Set in 1899, it tells the story of newsboys in the late 19th century. Again, it’s a musical, and I love the music, personally, but it’s not a movie for everyone. For me, it’s incredibly enjoyable and fun to watch, but the reason I put it in the 6-8 section is because it’s a little more mature, so younger kids would only enjoy the singing and dancing scenes.

6-8 Shows

1. Clone Wars

As another one of my personal favorites, Clone Wars is a fantastic show. Unfortunately, the first few seasons are slow paced, so you have to stick with it for a while before it gets to its peak. And it’s 7 seasons. Yes. 7. Anyways, this Star Wars show is set in between the movies Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

2. Total Drama Island

This cartoon show is perfect for leaving on in the middle of the day or even falling asleep to night. It’s based off of reality TV, and the contestants of the show stay at an old summer camp, competing to win a lot of money. Each episode, one contestant gets voted off the island. Total Drama Island is, despite its title, a comedy show. The humor is definitely a little more mature, taking its place in the 6-8 section of this list. 

3. A Series of Unfortunate Events

I haven’t finished this show, but I do know that it’s great for holding your attention and captivating its audience. It’s a mystery show, and it’s about three orphans trying to make their way through life while the antagonist is trying to steal their inherited fortune. Basically, these kids have gone through a real series of unfortunate events.