Films for a mixed-age couch
Which film would you put on when ages in the room do not match?
Mixed-age means a film that does not require you to send half the room out, and does not bore everyone over twelve. Tastes differ. This list is a starting shortlist of films families often rewatch together. It is not a rating board.
Check the rating and the content for your household. A note that a film is widely watched by families is not a statement that it is right for your child. You know the room. The list does not.
Rank two options at a time. Leave out anything you cannot judge. You can share the result or, on a public list, add your order to the visitor tally.
4–8 options keeps it quick. Leave at least two checked. You can adjust the order at the end.
What is on this list
The order here is a starting shortlist, not a ranking. Notes are context so a group can tell similar options apart.
- Paddington 2
- Paddington 2 (2017), directed by Paul King. Commonly listed at about 104 minutes. A comedy with a bear. Check the rating where you live.
- The Princess Bride
- The Princess Bride (1987), directed by Rob Reiner. Commonly listed at about 98 minutes. Sword fights and a comic tone. Check the rating where you live.
- The Muppet Christmas Carol
- The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), directed by Brian Henson. Dickens, with Muppets. Some children find the Marley scene loud. Check the rating where you live.
- Spirited Away
- Spirited Away (2001), directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Commonly listed at about 125 minutes. Richer and stranger than a studio comedy. Check the rating and whether the room wants subtitles or a dub.
- The Emperor’s New Groove
- The Emperor’s New Groove (2000), directed by Mark Dindal. Commonly listed at about 78 minutes. A short Disney comedy.
- School of Rock
- School of Rock (2003), directed by Richard Linklater. Commonly listed at about 109 minutes. Louder and ruder than Paddington. Check the rating before a younger child sits down.
- Ratatouille
- Ratatouille (2007), directed by Brad Bird. Commonly listed at about 111 minutes. A Pixar film about cooking.
- Shrek
- Shrek (2001), directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson. Commonly listed at about 90 minutes. The first film. Jokes aimed at adults sit next to a fairy tale. Check the rating.
Visitor rankings
Finish the pairs, then add your order from the results screen. Pickaside stores a random id in this browser and the order you submit. It does not ask for your name on a public list.
Loading visitor rankings…
Questions about this list
Are these all rated the same?
No, and this page does not print a rating that might be wrong for your country. Look up the current classification where you live before you press play. The notes are years and directors so you can find the right film.
Why include Spirited Away with Paddington?
Because mixed-age rooms already have that argument. Spirited Away is a different intensity from Paddington 2. Ranking them against each other is the decision. If one is wrong for your room, leave it off.