5 Animal-Friendly Movies for Your Animal-Friendly Family

When you become a parent, no job is more important, complex, consuming, everlasting, exhausting, awesome, satisfying, gross, fun, and rewarding. It’s an epic roller coaster ride and an experience that’s impossible to sum up because you never know what’s around the corner and you never stop being a parent — ever.

It’s only natural to want to pass down to your child the postcards of life that you’ve received (and sent) and their most important lessons; if not to protect, to inform. We are, after all, raising the future stewards of society, humanity, the environment, and the planet. Why not equip them with all we’ve learned so far?

Making choices for the mini-you(s) in your life can be difficult. As always, OGP is looking out for its Green Monsters by cutting through the virtual noise so that you can make conscious choices related to your green lifestyle! Below are five mainstream animal-friendly movies for your animal-friendly family! We strongly suggest viewing these movies before watching them with your little ones because ultimately, you’re the boss.

CAUTION: SPOILER ALERTS!

1. Finding Nemo

Release Date: May 30, 2003

Directors: Lee Unkrich, Andrew Stanton

MPAA Rating: G

Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Feature

In this epic adventure, a little clownfish named “Nemo” is lost after being captured by a scuba diver. The scuba diver thinks that he’s saved him, but really, he’s stolen him from his home. This is a wonderful film and sure to be a family favorite. Spoiler alert: The fish win!

2. Chicken Run

Release Date: June 21, 2000

Directors: Peter Lord, Nick Park

MPAA Rating: G

Awards: 12 awards, 11 for either best film or best animated feature.

This is a film about perseverance and hope. The chickens on Mrs. Tweedy’s egg farm have attempted to escape countless times, but each time, their plan fails. One day, an unlikely visitor, a flying chicken, arrives and promises to teach them how to fly the coop. Despite the very real concerns it poses about egg farming and factory farming, the film is fun and hilarious. Spoiler alert: The chickens win!

3. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of The Were Rabbit

Release Date: October 5, 2005

Directors: Steve Box, Nick Park

MPAA Rating: G

Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Feature

This film is from the co-creator of “Chicken Run.” This is another great adventure involving Wallace and Gromit, the popular duo that have captivated audiences young and old. It is a wonderful cotton-tale about what happens when nature is manipulated for the sake of human gain. It’s definitely a lesson for all! Spoiler Alert: The bunnies win!

4. Ferngully: The Last Rainforest

Release Date: April 10, 1992

Director: Bill Kroyer

MPAA Rating: G

Over a decade before “Avatar,” there was “Ferngully.” This magical film is sure to become a childhood favorite for your little one. This is a lovely film with lots of opportunities for singing songs and learning about insects and animals. It promotes awareness about the intricacies of ecosystems and empowers its viewers, young and old, to save the rainforests! Spoiler Alert: The forest wins!

5. Free Birds

Release Date: November 1, 2013

Director: Bill Kroyer

MPAA Rating: G

In this film, “Reggie,” the pizza eating Turkey, embarks on a time travelling journey. He unwillingly joins the Turkey Freedom Front and attempts to liberate his fellow turkeys from the traditional Thanksgiving menu. Spoiler Alert: The turkeys win!

For more  information about the issues raised by these films, check out the links below for other OGP articles:

• Aquarium Fish
• The Rainforests
• Turkeys
• Factory Farming
• Garden Pests

 Image source: Pixar Wiki