Becoming a father for the first time is always exciting. After all, not only does this mean you get to impart all your wisdom to your wee one, but you get to share all your favourite things with them, too. From your beloved CD collection to your favourite meals and, of course, the movies that changed your life.
In honour of Father’s Day on June 18, we asked seven dads to reveal the movies from their childhoods they can’t wait to share with their kids. From old classics like “My Girl” to more unique picks like “Iron Eagle,” these dads have some sweet reasons behind their choices.
“‘The Land Before Time’ or any Disney movie, because it will teach our daughter how to relate to real life events: connections between family members, loss of a friend or family, and how to fight for justice.” – Kenaz Smith, Chicago, IL
“To me [‘My Girl’] is a classic. I think I was between the ages of eight and ten when I first watched that movie by myself. I remember it stirred up a lot of feelings and emotions I felt like I could relate to, but didn't exactly know how to process. The movie touched on a lot of darker themes but they were real-life situations that are a lot of kids’ realities, such as death of a parent and friend, starting to feel what being in love is, friendship and hardship.
Overall, I think it's a great movie and I hope it can stir up some healthy emotions in my kids when they are old enough to watch it.” – Damion Clarke, Calgary, Alta.
“‘Jurassic Park’ – Because it combines ground-breaking special effects that have stood the test of time with a sense of wonder and discovery that is unlike any that has been replicated in the movies.” – Andy W., Vancouver, B.C.
“‘Poltergeist’ – Because kids need to get scared.” – Andy W., Vancouver, B.C.
“‘Stand By Me’ – Because I want my son to learn the true meaning of friendship. It's listening to each other. It's ripping on each other. It's getting to know a person better than even their parents know them.” – Andy W., Vancouver, B.C.
“‘Superman’ [with Christopher Reeve]. Although fiction, it gives a great example of how to treat others and has such a contrast on right vs. wrong.” – Martin E., Toronto, Ont.
“For [when my kids are teenagers], I'd say 'Schindler's List.' I saw it in the tenth grade. Its brutality and shocking content traumatized me. When you’re a teenager, you think you’re invincible, a know-it-all. It brought me back down to really understanding and valuing human life and that even though my life was hell, it was nothing by comparison and I should really shut up and stop complaining.” – Martin E., Toronto, Ont.
“‘The Sandlot.’ It was always a favourite of my group of friends. There are many memorable lines that we would quote to each other whenever we were hanging out. I can't wait to see [my son] watch it for the first time and get lost in the story like we did when we were kids.” – Stephen Longo, Oshawa, Ont.
“‘Princess Mononoke.’ It taught me about empathy and the importance of understanding where someone is coming from before going to an all-out war with them.” – Kalil Jamal, Windsor, Ont.
“‘Iron Eagle’ starring Louis Gossett Jr. My childhood was captured in a single decade — the 1980s. This film embodied the bold, empowering, and often misguided youth rebellion of the era. I think my kids would be fascinated by an era so very different from the one in which they are growing up.
Besides gaining a better understanding of the decade, I would like my boys to witness the cultural ignorance and propaganda that was so prevalent in major motion films in the 1980s. ‘Iron Eagle’ dished out plenty of this and more with its depiction of the enemy in the ‘Middle East’. I think the inaccuracies and over the top portrayal would surprise my kids since they are growing up in an era of extraordinary tolerance.” – Eric Holmes, Toronto, Ont.
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