It has come to my attention that an entire decade has passed since the final Harry Potter film came out, and a staggering two decades since Robbie Coltrane, as Hagrid, uttered the words “You’re a wizard, Harry!” in the first film.
The news that so much time has passed since these movies came into our lives sparked a conversation between myself and another team member at The Latch, that went something like this.
Her: “I remember lining up to get the last book at Dymocks in the city! I also made my husband miss out on a day in Osaka when we were in Japan so I could go to the Harry Potter section of Universal.”
Me: “My 26th birthday coincided with the final book being released so my friend and I rented a club in the Cross and had a ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Booze’ themed party where we decorated the place to look like Hogwarts and everyone came in costume. Some of our friends LEGIT did not make it because they were reading the book!”
Her: “I think there’s also something special about the fact that it’s loved by both kids and adults. When we watched the Cursed Child there were so many adults there with little kids that obviously read the books themselves and then their kids were into it.”
“I’ve been trying really hard for the last few years to make my husband commit to watching all of the Harry Potters with me at Christmas, I want it to become a family tradition that we commit to every year.”
Me: “There is no way I won’t still read these books to my kids!”
Her: “Same!”
When it comes to films (and books) that are adored by kids and their parents, it’s hard to go past the Harry Potter franchise. Case in point, I am 10 years older than my teammate with whom I had that conversation and yet we both devoured the final book as soon as it came out (her, hopefully, without a hangover as she would have only been 16/17 years old.)
In fact, my first introduction to the world of Harry Potter came when I was 18 and working as a part-time nanny for two little girls who begged me to read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to them. I was still reading it well into the night and long after they were asleep.
In honour of the tenth anniversary of the final Harry Potter film (and the twentieth anniversary of the first), here are 10 other films that both kids and adults love, so you can watch them with your kids, or just watch them again for you.
Home Alone
Year released: 1990
A great Christmas movie, full of silly hijinks that is worth a watch any time of year.
Watch it on: Disney Plus
The Goonies
Year released: 1985
I’m just going to say it. It is practically child abuse to not let your kid watch this film as soon as possible. It has everything: a killer ’80s soundtrack, adventure, a treasure hunt and Josh Brolin wearing a bandana. What more do you need in a film?
Watch it on: Google Play
Shrek
Year released: 2001
Not only is this movie hilarious, but it delivers the very important message that beauty is skin deep and you should love people for who they are, not for what they look like. It’s also an extremely clever spin on the classic fairytales.
Watch it on: Netflix
Back to the Future
Year released: 1985
Look, we all wish we had a time machine right now so we could travel back to a time before COVID and incessant hand washing and being treated like serial killers every time we sneeze.
What better way to do escape 2021 than with this enduring classic?
Watch it on: Netflix
The Karate Kid
Year released: 1984
Yes, you can watch the shiny and new version of The Karate Kid by way of Cobra Kai on Netflix, but isn’t the original always better? We think so.
Watch it on: Netflix
Toy Story
Year released: 1995
There are so many Pixar films that can be enjoyed by adults and kids — Up, Finding Nemo, Cars and Monsters Inc just to name a very select few. With so many wonderful titles to choose from, we figured we couldn’t go past the very first Pixar film ever made, Toy Story.
Watch it on: Disney Plus
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Year released: 1971
We mean the original — not that psychotic Johnny Depp/Tim Burton fever dream, obviously.
Watch it on: YouTube Movies
Mrs Doubtfire
Year released: 1993
There is a reason that Robin Williams is considered one of the greatest comedic minds of all time and this film provides some extremely strong supporting evidence. May he rest.
Watch it on: Disney Plus
The Parent Trap
Year released: 1998
Say what you will about Lindsay Lohan, before she opened a club in Mykonos and became our favourite meme, she could really act. Show me the lie.
Watch it on: Disney Plus
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Year released: 1990
Just hear me out with this one — yes it is a little scary at times but it’s also the most fun, ridiculous, campy, hilarious and sassy comedy horror film out there.
You’ve got a cameo from Hulk Hogan, a drunk cooking show host, a vampire who wants to be a serious newscaster, an automated building owned by a Trumpian type tycoon and some solid early 90’s corporate fashion.
That is all capped off with a bunch of gremlins who can sing and dance and chat and who perform such a rousing rendition of ‘New York, New York’ at the end, that it inspired me to move to The Big Apple myself.
So watch it with your kids. They will turn out fine. Just like I did?
Watch it on: Netflix
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