Tween a Rock and a Hard Place

List creator: CBenson Created on: August 10, 2006 - 10:42 AM PDT Description: Movies parents can enjoy with their prepubescent kids who don't mind subtitles, but still laugh at AFV.

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	movie title	related list	average rating	MPAA rating	watch	rent	buy
	Army of Darkness (Director's Cut) (1992)			Not Rated
Campy, tongue-in-cheek fun. Don't be fooled by the R rating - violence is of the Three Stooges variety. As a more G-rated alternative: Bedknobs & Broomsticks
	The Devil's Backbone (2001)
Very well-done and very scary . The movie does feature some sex and violence, but not gratuitously so. Alternative: Poltergeist
	Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985)
Dorky, great fun. Alternative: SpongeBob Squarepants: The Movie
	Princess Mononoke (1997)
Beautiful and action-packed. Be warned, this is the most violent of Miyazaki's cartoons. As always, Miyazaki's movies are good for not treating people and issues as simply black & white. Alternative: Howl's Moving Castle
	Hero (2002)
Sophisticated martial arts. Good way to test the waters for other movies like Rashomon. Alternative: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
	Spirited Away (2001)
Shintoistic Alice in Wonderland. Some kids may find it too scary or creepy. Alternative: Kiki's Delivery Service
	Night Watch (2004)
Too cool for school. Violence, of course, but it is definitely fantasy violence. Alternative: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Television)
	Firefly - The Complete Series (Disc 1 of 4) (2002)			Not Rated
Space Western with humor. Firefly is actually my alternative for Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries (TV 2003), but I screwed up and don't know how to switch them.
	The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
Lovely, may be too slow for some kids. Alternative: Whale Rider
	Holes (2003)
Hokey, but harmless. The kid actors are very likeable. Of course, the book is far better. Alternative: The Goonies
	The Princess Bride (1987)
Holds up well over time. Alternative: Ladyhawke, just be prepared for a seriously cheesy soundtrack.
	Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Essentials - Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1991)
Perfect for smart aleck kids. Alternative: Muppets from Space, which has a seriously great soundtrack.
	Home Movies: Season One (Disc 1 of 3) (1999)			Not Rated
Smart cartoon, low-key, clever humor of the Adult Swim variety. Alternative: SpongeBob Squarepants.
	Raising Arizona (1987)
The Huggies chase scene alone is worth renting this movie for. Alternative: Looney Tunes cartoons.
	Veronica Mars: Season 1 (Disc 1 of 6) (2004)			Not Rated
Hip, bright detective show with a great cast. Deals with mature issues like sex, drugs, divorce, death, etc. Alternative: Monk
	Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series (Disc 1 of 6) (1999)			Not Rated
Almost made this show an alternative to Veronica Mars, but it deserves its own slot. One of the best shows ever about high school life. It does deal with mature issues like drugs and sex. Alternative: Degrassi Junior High.
	The Cat Returns (2002)
Goofy, sweet movie about a girl who rescues the Prince of Cats and finds that no good deed goes unpunished. This one doesn't need a less-intense alternative.