As homeschool families, we work hard. The combination of home and school seems to yield exponential stress for a mama wearing lots of hats. After a full week of wearing the Teacher Hat, choosing to just be Mom on a weekend night is freeing. 

Pop some popcorn, pile onto the sofa, and gear up for a great family flick! When we invested in a new sofa, we bought a sectional so we could cuddle up – all six of us – and do just that.

Going out to the movies was a rare treat – tickets for six will buy a lot of groceries – so we opted for the home movie option.  Besides saving money, home movies offer lots of other advantages, as well:

1. Drink and snack refills without missing a scene.
2. Bathroom breaks when needed.
3. Pauses for edifying discussion. For example (while watching Beauty and the Beast):

Mom: “Did you see what Belle did? She gave her life so her father could go free! Who does that remind you of?”

Kids (collectively groaning, eye-rolling, and/or sighing): “Really, Mom? You’re making a Disney princess a Christ figure?”

Mom (smiling smugly, knowing her point was made and feeling very proud that her 4^th grader’s vocabular includes the term “Christ figure.”): “Why, yes. Yes, I am.”

My litmus test for a good movie is twofold:

1. Has to make me laugh (at least once).
2. Must have a happy ending.

There are occasional exceptions to the first, but never the second. (Not to spoil you for the list below, but I’m trying to remember if there’s scene that makes me laugh – or even smile—in Ben-Hur.)

Movies let us laugh together. They create memories and inside jokes that knit our hearts together. They can make us think deeply and critically. We weave memorable  lines into conversations.  I’m the mom that actually likes it when friends or visitors feel like we Macfarlans have a different language. I love the sense of belonging to the quirky “Mac-Club”, created by our experiences. I’m delighted to have inside jokes and stories that only we know and understand. More than the fun stuff, though, I’m always searching for ways to make a film meaningful. During the movie, the Homeschool Mom part of my brain never quite shuts down. It’s constantly humming away, scanning for key lines, phrases, or moral dilemmas to discuss later.

If you’re ready to create your own movie club, here’s a few I recommend. Since it was impossible to choose only ten, I opted for a separate category for animated. (Look for that in a future Top Ten post.)

If you would like a more thorough review, check out Focus on the Family’s wwwpluggedinonline.org. (They also review TV shows, books, and games.)

In no particular order:

Film	Comments	Discussion Question(s)
Ben Hur	While other families hunted eggs, the Macfarlans made a tradition of watching Ben-Hur on Easter afternoon. Don’t judge.	How did Messala’s ambition lead him to make poor decisions? How does bitterness take root in Judah’s life, and what does it lead to? What lives are changed by Jesus and how?
Chariots of Fire	A good one to watch before the summer Olympics begin.	How can exercising our faith be compared to running a race? Has following Jesus ever required you to make a sacrifice?
It’s A Wonderful Life	My Christmas flick fav!	Is being sick worse than being discouraged? Why do you think Mr. Potter was so mean? Why does George’s brother Harry call him the “richest man in town?”
The Sound of Music	Delightful, wholesome, fabulous musical. And what’s not to love about Julie Andrews?	How does Maria change the lives of the Von Tripp family? What are Maria’s favorite things? What are yours?
Apollo 13	The engineers are the heroes!	“I don’t care what anything was designed to do, I care about what it can do”. How can this statement be the theme of the movie? What does this move teach about teamwork?
Second Hand Lions	Makes us treasure the senior adults in our lives.	Does our society respect senior adults? What are lessons you have learned from senior adults in our family or in our church?
October Sky	My West Virginia roots compelled me to add this one. My degree from Virginia Tech makes me yell, “Go, Hokies!”	Why did Homer’s father want him to work in the coal mine? Was he a good father? How did a science fair change a life?
Remember the Titans	Lessons on leadership, discrimination, reconciliation, and hardship.	Do you agree that “attitude determines leadership?” How does Coach Boone’s training of his team start even before they get to camp? What do you learn about racism and reconciliation from this movie?
True Grit	We’re from Arkansas. Had to include this one.	How is Mattie an interesting combination of boldness and naivete? What does true grit mean and who displays it in the movie?
Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark	College professor turns adventurous treasurer hunter.	What character traits does Indy demonstrate? Can you think of one Bible reference that the movie got wrong? $1 for each one you find!

These films are bound to create sweet memories for your own family. And remember while you watch: try to come up with good discussion questions to stimulate conversation after the movie. Ice cream will help (and you will need something sweet to chase the salty after all that popcorn). Happy watching!