My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
If your mind is going a million miles an hour and you’re looking to escape to a time of childhood innocence all while taking in beautiful imagery that Studio Ghibli has to offer, then My Neighbor Totoro can put your mind at ease. Get taken on a journey with young girl Satsuki and Mei and listen to the music of Joe Hisaishi. Meet cute and cuddly Totoro as the girls explore the forest over the summer. There’s also a Catbus!
Up (2009)
Even though the beginning of the Pixar masterpiece is a tearjerker, as we’re taken through the life of Carl and Ellie Fredericksen. Once that bittersweet past is explained the rest of the story is remarkable in that it lifts the spirits of everyone watching the story unfold between a broken-hearted old man and a lonely child who eventually become friends.
Babe (1995)
It’s always a joy to imagine animals talking. Dick King-Smith’s “The Sheep Pig” was adapted to make the charming film “Babe” which makes for a cute story with tons of visual wit and enthusiasm. The story follows “Babe” and the adventures of this little piglet avoiding the farmer’s dinner table by learning how to herd sheep.
The Princess Bride (1987)
A restless little boy is read a story by his grandpa, so right from the get-go the movie starts out comforting. You’re left thinking of times when you’d imagine faraway magical adventures. The story turns out hilariously entertaining and fun taking a different approach to telling traditional fairytales. It’s one of those films where the lines are repeated over and over again.