All the films in the following list are PG-13, PG, or older and unrated, and I went light on sexual themes in the PG-13 part (except for Austin Powers, because… it’s Austin Powers). This is just me quickly going through my own movie collection.
PG-13:
- Arachnophobia (1990)
- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
- Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
- Cabin Boy (1994)
- Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
- Gremlins (1984)
- Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
- Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002)
- Life is Beautiful (1997)
- Little Shop of Horrors (1986) Director’s Cut, if you can
- Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
- The Mummy (1999)
- The Mummy Returns (2001)
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
- Pirates of the Carribean (2006)
- Princess Mononoke (1997)
- Raising Arizona (1987)
- Sneakers (1992)
- UHF (1989)
- Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
PG:
- *batteries not included (1987)
- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
- Back to the Future trilogy (1985-1990)
- Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
- Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)
- The Dark Crystal (1982)
- Dreams by Akira Kurosawa (1990)
- Flow (2024)
- Ghostbusters (1984)
- Ghostbusters II (1985)
- The Goonies (1985)
- Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
- The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
- Jewel of the Nile (1985)
- Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
- Porco Rosso (1992)
- The Princess Bride (1987)
- The Producers (1967)
- Indiana Jones original trilogy (1981-1989)
- Real Genius (1985)
- Shaolin Soccer (2001)
- Spaceballs (1987)
- Strange Brew (1983)
- Three Amigos! (1986)
- Time Bandits (1981)
- Twins (1988)
- Uncle Buck (1989)
- War Games (1983)
- The Wizard (1989)
- Wizards (1977)
- Young Frankenstein (1974)
Unrated:
- The Great Escape (1963)
- Hundreds of Beavers (2024)
- Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
- Nova Seed (2016)
- Rashomon (1950)
- Seven Samurai (1954)
- Stalker (1979)
Also, special mention to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) which would be otherwise PG except for the scene where Steve Martin says “fuck” 18 times, which alone earned it it’s R rating.
You might want to switch Gremlins to the PG-13 category. The PG-13 rating was invented as a response to Gremlins being PG.
https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/how-gremlins-helped-change-movie-ratings-forever-with-pg-13
Really? I always heard/read that it was as a response to Alien getting an R rating.
And actually, Alien is not a bad answer to this question. It was my 9yo and 7yo’s first R rated movie and they absolutely loved it. Plus, it sets them up for more good sci-fi down the road. My kids just watched Interstellar at 11 and 9 and really enjoyed themselves
Showed my 10 and 9 year old boys Alien a few months back. Followed by Aliens (and then AVP). 9 year old was way more scared by Aliens and AVP than the first Alien. But I tested the water on them with Prey, which they really dug.
I came here to offer suggestions, but damn my dude, blockbuster never would have died if they had you in charge!
Proceed with caution with the Dark Crystal. Idk if I was too young to watch when I did, or what, but it scared the bejeebus outta me; I couldn’t even look at the cover until I was an older teen
You’re going to mention Shaolin Soccer but not Kung-Fu Hustle? Come on.
Kung Fu Hustle is rated R, which was outside of the general range of ratings I went for. It’s been a while since I watched it and I couldn’t remember specifically what got it that rating.
Description from Common Sense Media:
Parents need to know that Kung Fu Hustle is a Hong Kong martial arts comedy starring Stephen Chow. It has lots of stylized and cartoonish violence and blood. Scenes show the aftermath of people dead from ax wounds (axes sticking out from bodies), gunned down by gunfire, and beaten up; bullying (kids beat up a boy and urinate on him); and people dying from fighting. A person is decapitated, and a cat is cut in half, but these are only shown in shadow. People are “comically” stabbed by knives, beaten up, threatened, and chased. One effeminate man is often called a “fairy” and made fun of. The movie also has fat jokes. A married man often flirts with other women, but this is part of an act. Characters range from naive romantics to hard-core hired killers, and the tone is wildly comic, often paying homage to previous martial arts films. The main character shows some positive values in his redemption story, eventually becoming compassionate and showing integrity. Adults drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes and cigars, and one man smokes opium out of a pipe. Strong language includes “f–k,” “bulls–t,” “a–hole,” “ass,” “bitch,” “fairy,” “damn,” “hell,” and “piss.”
Seems definitely a bit more mature than Shaolin Soccer was, at least in my opinion.
Tron. Labyrinth. Goonies. Legend. Etc.
And by etc, OP means Princess Bride.
I cannot for the life of me understand the love for this movie. But the love for it spans generations so assume I’m the one in the wrong, but I just don’t see it.
The Neverending Story
EDIT: Stoopid autocorrect
The Everending Story
Is that a short movie about a kid finishing reading a book about a hero completing his quest?
A lot of Chris Lilley’s shows could do the trick. They do have some adult references and some swearing here and there but nothing you wouldn’t hear from going out side.
