Subgenre Sampler

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Marcel: the Shell With Shoes On (2022): Dir. Dean Fleischer-Camp
Feat. Isabella Rossellini, Jenny Slate, Thomas Mann…; Marcel is an adorable one–inch–tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint, Alan. Once…
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021): Dir. Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada; A sophisticated Disney animated feature set in a re–imagined Earth inhabited by an ancient civilization known as Kumandra, where a feisty…
Love and Monsters (2020): Dir. Michael Matthews
Feat. Dylan O’Brien, Michael Rooker, Jessica Henwick; After a Monsterpocalypse forces humans into underground colonies, a young man decides against all logic to brave the surface and face the monsters…
Detective Pikachu (Pokémon Detective Pikachu) (2019): Dir. Rob Letterman; Thrilling Pokemon adventure set in Ryme City, a sprawling metropolis where humans and Pokemon live side by side. When a detective goes missing, his…
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (How to Train Your Dragon 3) (2019): Dir. Dean Deblois; The beloved Dreamworks series comes to a fitting close with this third delightful fantasy film following the adventures of Hiccup, who has…
Jumanji: The Next Level (2019): Dir. Jake Kasdan
Feat. Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan …; The cast of the successful, enjoyable reboot return for more jungle fantasy adventure, this time to rescue one of their own through braving parts…
Spread Your Wings (Donne-moi des ailes) (2019): Dir. Nicolas Vanier
Feat. Jean-Paul Rouve, Mélanie Doutey, Louis Vazquez; A gorgeous boys' own eco–adventure from France, based on the true story of a visionary scientist and his 14–year–old son who bond…
Mia and the White Lion (2018): Dir. Gilles de Maistre
Feat. Daniah De Villiers, Mélanie Laurent, Langley Kirkwood; Adventurous family drama following a young girl who befriends a lion cub when her parents move to Africa from London to manage a lion farm.
Eagle Huntress, The (2016): A 13–year–old nomadic Mongolian girl breaks a 2,000 year–old gender barrier to follow her father and train hunting eagles in this…
Moana (2016): Dir. John Musker, Ron Clements
Feat. Aulii Cravalho, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Jemaine Clement…; An epic CGI Disney adventure about a Polynesian girl who sets sail on a daring ocean voyage to find a home for her people. Features Kiwi voice…
Pete's Dragon (2016): Dir. David Lowery
Feat. Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley…; Inspired Disney remake vastly improves upon its own forgotten 70's adventure that tells the tale of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend…
Long Way North (Tout en haut du monde) (2015): Dir. Rémi Chayé
Feat. Christa Theret, Féodor Atkine; Beautiful hand–drawn animation by the director of THE SECRET OF KELLS, telling the story of a 15–year old Russian aristocrat called Sasha…
Barbie: The Pearl Princess (2014): Dir. Ezekiel Norton; Entry into the Barbie film series where the fashion doll is a mermaid who has the power to change the colour of pearls and make them dance.
Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder (2014): Dir. Arild Fröhlich
Feat. Kristoffer Joner, Emily Glaister, Eilif Hellum Noraker; From the pen of Norwegian crime writer Jo Nesbo comes this earthy family caper. Two lonely children help an eccentric inventor gain recognition for…
Maleficent (2014): Dir. Robert Stromberg
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley…; Angelina Jolie plays Sleeping Beauty's iconic villain in this visually striking update of the Disney animated classic.
Song of the Sea (2014): Dir. Tomm Moore; From the director and production team behind THE SECRET OF KELLS comes another distinctive hand–made animated feature from Ireland that serves…
Barbie and Her Sisters in A Pony Tale (2013): Dir. Kyran Kelly; Equine–themed inclusion into the Barbie film series, set at a riding academy in the alps.
Epic (2013): Dir. Chris Wedge
Feat. Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, Beyonce Knowles…; Appealing animated adventure centred on a teenager who is transported to a magical forest kingdom where she must help a band of rag–tag…
Jack the Giant Slayer (2013): Dir. Bryan Singer
Feat. Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor…; 'Jack and the Beanstalk' is reimagined for the big screen in this hulking fantasy adventure about a naïve farm boy who attempts to rescue a…
Legend of Sarila, The (2013): Dir. Nancy Savard; Three young Inuits set off in search of a promised land to save their clan from starvation in this snowbound animated adventure.
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013): Dir. Sam Raimi
Feat. James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz…; Sam Raimi directs this spectacular re–imagining of the Wizard of Oz legend for Disney studios – an origin story centred on the coming of…
Tarzan (2013): Dir. Reinhard Klooss; The adventures of Tarzan and Jane live on in this new 3D animation.
Brave (2012): Dir. Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Feat. Kelly MacDonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson…; Pixar's latest winning animation centres on an impetuous Scottish princess torn between her royal duty to the kingdom and her true desire to become…
Rise of the Guardians (2012): Dir. Peter Ramsey
Feat. Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law…; An imaginative spin on childhood mythology, this excellent animated fantasy casts Jack Frost, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, The Sandman, and…
Standing Up (Goat Island) (2012): Dir. D. J. Caruso
Feat. Chandler Canterbury, Annalise Basso, Radha Mitchell…; Uplifting and morally salient adventure story about a pair of shy 12 year old kids who find strength and confidence together after a cruel prank…
Hugo (2011): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley…; A state–of–the–art fantasy and homage to the origins of film and one of its earlier innovators, George Méliès (Kingsley), whose…
Neverland (TV Mini-series) (2011): Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Rhys Ifans, Anna Friel, Bob Hoskins…; Clever prequel to "Peter Pan" from the producers of TIN MAN and ALICE that gives a fresh, alternative take on the origins of Peter Pan and Captain…
Treasure Island (2011): Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Eddie Izzard, Toby Regbo, Donald Sutherland…; Eddie Izzard provides plenty of scowl and swagger as the latest incarnation of Long John Silver in this gritty and imaginative adaptation Robert…
War Horse (2011): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan, Emily Watson…; Steven Spielberg revives the magic of Old Hollywood with this rousing saga of a plucky farm stallion who goes on to inspire soldiers and citizens…
Alabama Moon (2010): Dir. Tim McCanlies
Feat. John Goodman, Jimmy Bennett, Clint Howard; Simplistic family drama about an eleven year old boy raised in the Alabama wilderness, who is forced out into the modern world when his survivalist…
Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove (2010): Dir. Will Geiger
Feat. Bindi Irwin, Beau Bridges, Mike Falkow; Genial revival of the FREE WILLY franchise with Bindi Irwin sent to spend her summer in South Africa with grandfather Beau Bridges and his failing…
White Lion (2010): Dir. Michael Swan; Entertaining and adorable fodder for wildlife lovers follows the journey of an endangered albino lion, destined according to legend to be a messenger…
Where the Wild Things Are (2009): Dir. Spike Jonze
Feat. Max Records, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini…; Expanding on the simple text of Maurice Sendak's modern children's classic, this glorious, visionary adaptation from director Spike Jonze and writer…
Adventures Of White Tuft, The (White Tuft,The Little Beaver) (2008): Dir. Phillipe Calderon; Gentle family drama follows White Tuft, a young beaver, who is separated from his family after the dam they dwell in collapses. Skilfully weaving…
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008): Dir. Andrew Adamson
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Ben Barnes, Sergio Castellitto…; This epic–leaning return to the fantasy world of Narnia finds the Pevensie children heading back through the wardrobe to help Prince Caspian…
City Of Ember (2008): Dir. Gil Kenan
Feat. Harry Treadaway, Saoirse Ronan, Tim Robbins…; Dystopian children's fantasy set in an underground city of the future that is threatened by eternal darkness but whose leaders protect their citizens…
Colour of Magic, The (2008): Dir. Vadim Jean
Feat. Sean Astin, Jeremy Irons, David Jason…; A live–action return to Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld,' where an unfortunate wizard, enthusiastic tourist and fierce wooden box with legs must…
Inkheart (2008): Dir. Iain Softley
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Sienna Guillory, Paul Bettany…; An under–rated, imaginative rendering of German author Cornelia Funke's novel about a young girl and her father who have the ability to bring…
Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack (TV Series) (2008): Feisty animated sitcom following the misadventures of Flapjack, a young boy who lives under the sea, and his whale companion Bubbie. Intricate and…
Nim's Island (2008): Dir. Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin
Feat. Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler; Sun–baked family adventure set in the magical land of Nim's Island, where an imaginative bookworm (Abigail Breslin) must enlist the help of her…
Pinocchio (TV Mini-series) (2008): Dir. Alberto Sironi
Feat. Robbie Kay , Alessandro Gassman, Bob Hoskins; Lengthy, live–action adaptation of the children's classic stars Kay as the boy made of wood and Hoskins as his gruff old father, Gepetto. Quite…
Spiderwick Chronicles, The (2008): Dir. Mark Waters
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Nick Nolte, Sarah Bolger…; Enchanting fantasia in the Gothic tradition, centred around three children (including Freddie Highmore as twins!) who move into a dilapidated mansion…
Tales of the Riverbank (2008): Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Stephen Fry, Jim Broadbent, Steve Coogan…; Based on the classic UK tv series, this tells the story of Hammy Hamster, Roderick Rat and GP the Guinea Pig, who, in the wake of a big storm, embark…
Fox and the Child, The (Le renard et l'enfant) (2007): Dir. Luc Jacquet
Feat. Bertille Noël-Bruneau, Isabelle Carré; A visually impressive, curious hybrid from the director of MARCH OF THE PENGUINS that combines nature documentary and a "fairy tale" look at the…
M.I. High (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Rachel Petladwala, Chris Stanton, Bel Powley; Light–hearted kids series following three secondary school pupils who work as undercover spies working for the British government.…
Stardust (2007): Dir. Matthew Vaughn
Feat. Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer…; An elaborate and wildly entertaining fairytale adventure from the imagination of British fantasy maestro, Neil Gaiman (MIRROR MASK), this tones down…
Crusade: A March Through Time (Kruistocht in spijkerbroek) (2006): Dir. Ben Sombogaart
Feat. Stephanie Leonidas, Joe Flynn, Emily Watson…; From the popular Dutch children’s book, this biblical fantasy follows a young boy who accidentally travels through time back to the 13th Century,…
Merlin's Apprentice (2006): Feat. Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson; Fantastical sequel to the popular mini–series version of MERLIN, this also stars Sam Neill as the legendary wizard, now mentoring a young…
Stormbreaker (2006): Dir. Geoffrey Sax
Feat. Alex Pettyfer, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy…; A British–oriented spin on the kid super–agent premise, with gadgets and evil masterminds galore, based on the popular Alex Rider series…
Tom's Midnight Garden (2006): Dir. Willard Carroll
Feat. Greta Scacchi, James Wilby, Joan Plowright; A handsome screen version of children's novel by Phillipa Pearce, in which a young boy in the 1950s is sent to live with his aunt and uncle because…
Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl, The (2005): Dir. Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Kristin Davis, David Arquette; Colourful fantasy involves a 10–year old boy, who to escape parental neglect and the attentions of school bullies, invents his own…
MirrorMask (2005): Dir. Dave McKean
Feat. Gina McKee, Stephanie Leonidas; Inventive fantasy drama in which a teenage girl – born into a circus family – is traumatised by her mother's sudden illness and retreats…
Masai - The Rain Warriors (2004): Dir. Pascal Plisson; Simple and visually–sweeping, this African epic follows a group of teenage warriors from their drought–stricken village out into the…
Pride (2004): Dir. John Downer
Feat. Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Sean Bean…; Quaintly original and rather winning BBC production about a lionness who rebels against her home 'pride', first, by thinking of becoming a…
Shoebox Zoo (TV Series) (2004): Dir. Justin Molotnikov
Feat. Vivien Endicott Douglas, Jason Connery, Rik Mayall…; An imaginative British fantasy series for children, has a Canadian exchange student (Douglas) living in Edinburgh inherit a box of toy animals, that…
Treasure Island Kids (2004): Dir. Gavin Scott; Hearty adventure series for kids, based around an island and its most interesting inhabitant: the wacky inventor Conrad Dawson, who has spent his…
Two Brothers (2004): Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud
Feat. Guy Pearce, Jean Claude Dreyfus; One of the most compelling 'wildlife' films of recent years proffers the tale of two Bengal tiger cubs, orphaned and separated by a remorseless…
Pirate Islands (2003): Feat. Dan Chesterman, Brooke Harmon; A freak accident sends three Australian kids into a computer–generated world of pirates and swashbuckling heroes.
Star Wars - The Clone Wars (TV Series) (2003): Animated Star Wars 'micro' series set between EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES and EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH, detailing the grand–scale…
Spy Kids (2001): Dir. Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Cheech Marin…; Smashing kidult adventure, in which action dir. Rodriguez lends his action talents to a James Bond–type tale with a twist: Antonio Banderas and…
Amazon (Amazone) (2000): Dir. Phillipe De Broca
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Arielle Dombasle; Convoluted sci–fi adventure has jewel thief Belmondo stumbling upon an alien visitor in the guise of a twelve year old girl. Almost…
Prince and the Pauper, The (2000): Dir. Giles Foster
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Alan Bates; Admirable, entertaining adaptation of Mark Twain's classic story of lookalikes who get caught up in imperial intrigue when a young Prince and a…
Railway Children, The (2000): Dir. Catherine Morshead
Feat. Jenny Agutter, Michael Kitchen, Richard Attenborough; Reviving Edith Nesbit’s classic turn–of–the–century tale of three siblings displaced to the English countryside is this freshly…
Mighty Joe Young (1999): Dir. Ron Underwood
Feat. Charlize Theron, Bill Paxton; Good natured eco–action movie, a remake of the 1949 film of the same name (KING KONG lite, if you will), follows the re–habitation of an…
Tarzan (1999): Dir. Chris Buck, Kevin Lima
Feat. Tony Goldwyn, Rosie O'Donnell, Minnie Driver…; Sticking faithfully to Edgar Rice Burroughs' original story, Disney return to the top of the animated game. No–nonsense, traditional…
Watership Down (TV Series) (1999): Feat. Richard Briers, Jane Horrocks, Andrew Falvey; Extended adaptation of Richard Adam's bestselling novel following a group of rabbits leaving their endangered warren in search of a new home, and the…
Body Troopers (1998): Dir. Vibeke Idsoe
Feat. Adolf Bjerke, Sigve Boe, Leif Dubard; An adventure of the non–precocious variety, in which an 8–year–old boy is shrunk and injected into his sick grandfather's…
Borrowers, The (1998): Dir. Peter Hewitt
Feat. John Goodman, Jim Broadbent; Inhabiting the wall and floor–spaces of our houses, colonies of tiny people eek out an existence 'borrowing' food–scraps and those items…
Madeline (1998): Dir. Daisy Von Scherler Mayer
Feat. Hatty Jones, Frances McDormand; Little Hatty Jones is quite marvellous as a cutey–rebel redhead boarding at a school of etiquette presided by groovy nun Frances McDormand in…
Enid Blyton's Secret Series (TV Series) (1997): Follow–up to the popular Kiwi–produced 'Adventure Series', with the intrepid Arnold family embarking on more thrills and spills the world…
George of the Jungle (1997): Dir. Sam Weisman
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church; Loose JUNGLE BOOK parody has Brendan Fraser as the hunky klutz in a loin cloth, raised by gorillas, who discovers love in the form of Ursula, whose…
Alaska (1996): Dir. Fraser Heston
Feat. Thora Birch, Vincent Kartheiser, Dirk Benedict…; Chilly warm–fuzzies abound in this amenable children's adventure – a kind of CLIFFHANGER for kids! Bro and Sis set off in search of their…
Enid Blyton - Island of Adventure (TV Series) (1996): Dir. Peter Rose; Volume 1) A fearless foursome of intrepid kids and a parrot, fossick around in a seaside setting, uncovering old smuggling caves and a…
Enid Blyton's Adventure Series (TV Series) (1996): Kiwi–made series based on stories by Enid Blyton has four children embark on a series of adventures that takes them across land and sea.
Fly Away Home (1996): Dir. Carroll Ballard
Feat. Anna Paquin, Jeff Daniels; Hutt girl Anna Paquin gets blessed with a role that many a Hollywood brat would kill for! After adopting a flock of baby geese, she sets about…
Goosebumps (TV Series) (1996): Ghoulish anthology series based on R. L. Stine's popular kidult horror novels. Bound to raise goosebumps on the younger ones. Season One Episodes:…
Loch Ness (1996): Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Ted Danson, Joely Richardson, Ian Holm…; Setting out to trap the Loch Ness monster, Ted Danson is waylaid by the charms of his landlady Joely Richardson. The mystique of the legend is all…
Operation Dumbo Drop (1996): Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. Danny Glover, Ray Liotta; A comedy based on a real–life military assignment – to deliver a full–size live elephant to a remote jungle village by any means…
Robinson Crusoe (1996): Dir. George Miller, Rodney K Hardy
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Ian Hart, Polly Walker…; Pierce Brosnan is washed up on a desert island in another version of Daniel Defoe’s classic.
Shiloh (1996): Dir. Dale Rosenbloom
Feat. Blake Heron, Michael Moriaty, Scott Wilson…; Pedigree version of the prize–winning book, has young laddie Blake Heron taking a runaway beagle in, then having a fight on his hands to keep…
To the Ends of Time (1996): Dir. Markus Rothkranz
Feat. Joss Ackland, Christine Taylor; Elaborate fantasy–tale concerns a sorceress who tampers with Time, causing young hero Joss Ackland to prematurely age. While also keeping an…
Free Willy 2 (1995): Dir. Dwight Little
Feat. Jason James Richter, Michael Madsen, Mykeltin Williamson; Willy returns with the same cast (older, less cute) to get into more trouble, this time a big nasty oil tanker has spilled its wares. Smart kids will…
Gulliver's Travels (1995): Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Peter O'Toole…; Epic, state–of–the–art version of Jonathan Swift's classic fairytale stars Ted Danson as the long–shipwrecked doctor who must…
Jumanji (1995): Dir. Joe Johnston
Feat. Robin Williams, Jonathan Hyde, Kirsten Dunst; A pair of orphans roll the dice on a mysterious board game that brings the perils of the Amazon to virtual life. The spirited high–concept is…
Kid in King Arthur's Court, A (1995): Dir. Michael Gottlieb
Feat. Kate Winslet, Daniel Craig, Art Malik…; Handsome if inessential Disney spin on the Camelot legend, in which a young boy journeys back in time to help King Arthur overcome an evil villain.…
Magic in the Water (1995): Dir. Rick Stevenson
Feat. Mark Harmon, Joshua Jackson, Harley Jane Kozak…; Loch Ness–monster concept is ably transposed to the Canadian lakeside hamlet of Glenorky, which has its own 'Orky' mystery. Thrills ensue for…
Beanstalk (1994): Dir. Michael Paul Davis
Feat. Margot Kidder; A modern retelling of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk yarn, made for small screen and younger viewers. Mad scientist Margot Kidder plants the…
Far from Home - The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1994): Dir. Phillip Borsos
Feat. Mimi Rogers, Bruce Davison, Jesse Bradford…; A 14–year–old boy becomes separated from his father and is washed ashore in the Pacific Northwest. He overcomes great odds against…
Iron Will (1994): Dir. Charles Haid
Feat. Mackenzie Astin, Kevin Spacey, David Ogden Stiers; A young man embarks on a treacherous cross–country sled race in an endeavour to save his family from financial ruin. True–life story of…
Jungle Book, The (1994): Dir. Stephen Sommers
Feat. Jason Scott Lee, Cary Elwes, Lena Headey…; Disney's live–action rendering of the adventures of Mowgli is a treat, with Jason Scott Lee perfectly cast as the adult jungle boy. Spectacular…
Neverending Story 3, The (1994): Dir. Peter MacDonald
Feat. Jason James Richter, Jack Black; "Fantasia" comes to Earth in this third installment, and get chaotic in when the magical book "Never Ending Story" falls into the hands of the…
Borrowers, The (TV Series) (1993): Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Ian Holm, Rebecca Callard; First–class BBC serial about a family that live under the floorboards and 'borrow' everything they need from the 'giant' family who reside in…
Far Off Place, A (1993): Dir. Mikael Soloman
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Ethan Randall, Jack Thompson…; Quality drama follows two teenagers across the African desert after they witness a poacher's deadly assault. Superb location photography, but maybe…
Free Willy (1993): Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. Jason James Richter, Lori Petty, Jayne Atkinson…; Hollywood heart–warmer about a friendship between a 70 pound 12–year–old boy and a 7000 pound Orca whale held captive at an…
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993): Dir. Duwayne Dunham; An updated version for the MTV generation of Disney's own 1963 classic about a cat and two dogs who trek across a mountain range in search of their…
Into the West (1993): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, David Kelly, Ellen Barkin…; A grand ol' Irish tale about two gypsy boys who 'steal' back a majestic white mare and take off into the wild green yonder. Magical,…
Reckless Kelly (1993): Dir. Yahoo Serious
Feat. Yahoo Serious, Melora Hardin, Alexei Sayle…; One–man–movie–machine Yahoo Serious follows up YOUNG EINSTEIN with another zany send–up of a famous historical figure. This…
Sirga (1993): Dir. Patrick Grandperret
Feat. Were Were Liking, Souleyman Koli, Salif Keita; French director Luc Besson presents this story of an uncanny friendship between a young boy and a lioness, set against a majestic native African…
Three Musketeers, The (1993): Dir. Stephen Herek
Feat. Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Chris O'Donnell…; Very glossy and yet very average version of the classic Alexandre Dumas novel. Tim Curry's eccentric villain is perhaps the highlight.
Porco Rosso (Kurenai no buta) (1992): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki; A world weary pilot, with a pig's head, protects shipping on the Adriatic from air pirates in the wake of World War I. Although not one of his…
Radio Flyer (1992): Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Lorraine Bracco, John Heard, Adam Baldwin…; Bittersweet story of two young brothers who free themselves from their wicked stepfather by transforming a red wagon into a fantastical flying…
Felix the Cat - The Movie (1991): Dir. Tibor Hernádi; Appealing animation movie starring the beloved black and white kitty–cat Felix in feature–length film format. Canny Felix must rescue the…
Hook (1991): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts…; Spielberg's big–budget rendition of the magical fairy tale. Robin Williams stars as a grown–up Peter Pan enticed to Neverland to reclaim…
White Fang (1991): Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Klaus Maria Brandauer, Ethan Hawke, Seymour Cassel…; Magnificent Disney adventure based on Jack London's novel. An ambitious young gold prospector treks into the Alaskan frontier where he discovers and…
Adventures of Tintin (TV Series) (1990-1991): All 21 animated versions of the classic comicbooks by Herge, in which Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, the Thompson Twins and Calculus find themselves…
Neverending Story 2, The (1990): Dir. George Miller; A young boy escapes from his drab reality in a storybook land called Fantasia where a child empress (Alexandra Johnes) is in danger. Some cute animal…
Shipwrecked (1990): Dir. Nils Gaup
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Bjorn Sundquist; Satasfying South Seas yarn with a young boy wrecked on a 'treasure isalnd' which draws the attention of pirates. A Disney production that's full of…
George's Island (1989): Dir. Paul Donovan
Feat. Ian Bannen, Sheila McCarthy, Maury Chaykin…; Fleeing his nasty foster parents, 10–year old George goes in search of Captain Kidd's buried treasure, having to outwit, among other adults,…
Gleaming the Cube (1989): Dir. Graeme Clifford
Feat. Christian Slater, Steven Bauer; Featuring a lead teenage role for Christian Slater, this suspense–drama follows a skateboarder’s attempts to track down his brother’s…
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Denholm Elliott…; When Sean Connery turns up as Indy's feisty dad, the pair embark on an adventure–laden search for a mystical Holy Grail. You'll have fun…
Round the Twist (TV Series) (1989): Feat. Ebonnie Masini, Andrew S. Gilbert, Rian Mclean…; Australian television classic from the mind of author Paul Jennings following the off–the–wall adventures of the Twist Family, who leave…
Man from Snowy River 2, The (1988): Dir. Geoff Burrowes
Feat. Brian Dennehy, Tom Burlinson; Tom Burlinson returns to gather wild horses from up the Snowy River in this lesser sequel. Fits a love–triangle into the draw as well as the…
Pippi Longstocking, New Adventures Of (1988): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. Tami Erin, Eileen Brennan; Updated feature film version of the mischievous orphan girl, all pigtails, freckles and high spirits.
Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller (1988): Dir. Michael Rubbo; Tommy Tricker is a crafty lad who discovers how to shrink oneself onto postage stamps and thus be mailed anywhere in the world. Quality,…
Willow (1988): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis…; Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley–Kilmer employ swords against sorcery to protect a young baby from the powers of evil. A…
Lionheart (1987): Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Eric Stoltz, Gabriel Byrne, Nicholas Clay…; Young knight Eric Stoltz and a band of medieval tykes join King Richard II's crusade to defeat the Black Prince.
Labyrinth (1986): Dir. Jim Henson
Feat. David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly; Jennifer Connelly goes in search of her baby brother, kidnapped by the Goblin King (David Bowie). An entourage of creatures from Jim Henson highlight…
Stand by Me (1986): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman…; Stephen King adaptation has its darker moments, as four boys journey across 50s rural Maine to see a dead body, but a genuine feeling for childhood…
Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985): Dir. Bill L. Norton
Feat. William Katt, Sean Young, Patrick McGoohan; Adventure fantasy film about a paleontologist and her husband who discover a mother and baby brontosaurus in Africa, and try to protect them from a…
Explorers, The (1985): Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix; Imaginative space adventure film also has enormous fun at the expense of American popular culture. Among the explorers are a very baby–faced…
Goonies, The (1985): Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton; Junior edition of 'Indiana Jones', from a Steven Speilberg story, has seven bored kids on the Oregon coast hunting for pirate booty after they…
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Roshan Seth…; The second in the Indiana Jones trilogy follows further outlandish exploits of the intrepid archeologist.
Neverending Story, The (1984): Dir. Wolfgang Petersen
Feat. Barret Oliver, Gerald McRaney, Moses Gunn; A boy escapes the neighbourhood bullies by retreating into a mysterious book, where fantasical and exhilirating adventures take flight. Visually…
Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi (1983): Dir. Richard Marquand
Feat. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford…; Final installment in George Lucas' space–trilogy sees the conclusion of the galactic war between the Empire and the 'Rebel forces'. Mark…
Mysterious Cities of Gold, The (TV Series) (Taiyô no ko Esteban) (1982-1983): Richly detailed 80's kids anime series centred on a young boy on a worldwide quest to discover his true identity via the Seven Cities of Gold. A…
Tripods, The (TV Series) (1982): Dir. Graham Theakston
Feat. John Shackley, Jim Baker II, Peter Dolphin; One of the BBC's most expensive serials was this imaginative, if uneven, handling of John Christopher's Tripods trilogy. In 2089, the Earth is ruled…
Man from Snowy River , The (1981): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Jack Thompson; Sterling entertainment in the old fashioned sense, this Western has both spectacle and a big–hearted story of a man who must prove himself to…
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman…; Iconic adventure movie catapults one Indiana Jones into a world of endless peril to retrieve the mystical Arc of the Covenant. Breath–taking,…
Herbie Goes Bananas (1980): Dir. Vincent McEveety
Feat. Cloris Leachman, Charles Martin Smith; Final sequel to THE LOVE BUG is set at Rio De Janiero's Grande Premio.
Last Flight of Noah's Ark, The (1980): Dir. Charles Jarrott
Feat. Elliott Gould, Genevieve Bujold, Rick Schroder…; Disney adventure begins with a forced landing on a desert island by pilot Gould, missionary Bujold and an assortment of children and animals. Soon,…
Black Stallion, The (1979): Dir. Carroll Ballard
Feat. Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, Teri Garr…; A young boy is saved from a shipwreck by a magnificent black horse that he eventually enters in a prestigious racing championship. A stylish and…
Famous Five, The (TV Series) (Enid Blyton's The Famous Five) (1978-1979): Feat. Michele Gallagher, Marcus Harris, Gary Russell…; The original and most beloved of The Famous Five TV serials, based on Enid Blyton's classic children's adventure novels. Of Blyton's 21 stories,…
Blue Fin (1977): Dir. Carl Schultz
Feat. Hardy Kruger, Greg Rowe; From the creators of STORM BOY, this ocean adventure focuses on the demanding relationship between a father and his son on a tuna–fishing boat…
Gulliver's Travels (1977): Dir. Peter Hunt
Feat. Richard Harris, Catherine Schell; One of the first films to combine live action and animation, this 1977 version has the gruff old Harris play the shipwrecked sailor who awakens in a…
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977): Dir. Vincent McEveety
Feat. Dean Jones, Don Knotts; Second sequel to THE LOVE BUG, starring everybody's favourite Volkswagen, adds the extra panache to the Paris–Monte Carlo race.
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977): Dir. Sam Wanamaker
Feat. Patrick Wayne, Jane Seymour, Patrick Troughton; The last of Ray Harryhausen's 'Sinbad' series and probably the weakest as hero sails to break a spell that has turned a prince into a baboon. Some…
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977): Dir. George Lucas
Feat. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford…; George Lucas' epic trilogy of space adventure begins "long ago and far far away", with the life of Luke Skywalker being disturbed by the galactic war…
At the Earth's Core (1976): Dir. Kevin Connor
Feat. Peter Cushing, Doug McClure, Caroline Munro; Eccentric doctor Peter Cushing burrows down into the Earth onboard a huge iron mole to emerge in an underground world ruled by the Mahars:…
Castaway Cowboy, The (1974): Dir. Vincent McEveety
Feat. James Garner, Vera Miles, Robert Culp; Well–made Disney adventure yarn has Texas cowboy Garner land in troubled Hawaii in the 1850s. Here, he falls in with helping Miles drive cattle…
Island at the Top of the World, The (1974): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Donald Sinden, Jacques Marin, Mako; Four explorers on an expedition to the Arctic discover dangerous volcanos and a lost Viking race in this appealing Disney live–actioner. In the…
Golden Voyage of Sinbad, The (1973): Dir. Gordon Hessler
Feat. John Phillip Law, Caroline Munro, Tom Baker…; Arabian Nightish saga with Tom Baker (Dr Who) as Sinbad's adversary. The swordplay of a six–armed statue is but one of the Harryhausen FX…
Tom Sawyer (1973): Dir. Don Taylor
Feat. Johnnie Whitaker, Celeste Holm, Warren Oates…; Award–winning musical version of Mark Twain's classic raggamuffin adventures. A youthful Jodie Foster appears as Tom's girlfriend.
Call of the Wild (1972): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. Charlton Heston, Michele Mercier; Fairly average version of Jack London's classic tale of Alaskan survivalism, with Heston traipsing the wilderness with his tough German Shepherd.…
Railway Children, The (1972): Dir. Lionel Jeffries
Feat. Jenny Agutter; When their father is jailed for espionage, Jenny Agutter and her siblings are relocated to rural Yorkshire. Local adventures slowly turn into an…
Tintin and the Mystery at Shark Lake (Lake of Sharks) (1972): Dir. Raymond LeBlanc; Standalone animated Tintin feature (and second of two) finds Snowy, Captain Haddock and co. on a lakeside vacation – picturesque front to a global…
Treasure Island (1972): Dir. John Hough
Feat. Orson Welles, Walter Slezak, Lionel Stander; Well–shot, though fairly hammy version of Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate classic, with Welles playing the peg–legged Long John Silver.
Treasure Island (animated) (1972): Dir. Hal Sutherland; Warner Brothers' animated feature–length version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic.
Catweazle (TV Series) (1970-1971): Feat. Geoffrey Bayldon, Charles Tingwell; An eccentric, disheveled 11th century wizard teleports to the 1970s, spending much of his time in a state of utter bewilderment at the many…
Love Bug, The (1969): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Dean Jones, Michele Lee, David Tomlinson…; The original Disney live–action comedy classic about Herbie, the VW with a mind of it's own. He takes his faithful new owner (Dean Jones) for…
Born Free (1965): Dir. James Hill
Feat. Virginia McKenna, Bill Travers, Geoffrey Keen; Famous family film about the real–life adventures of Joy and George Adamson and the lion cub, Elsa. Richly emotional with an enduring theme.
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox…; Great theme tune sets the tone of this large–scale, rip–roaring comedy about a 1910 aeroplane race, rife with international conflicts,…
Famous Five, The: Five Have a Mystery to Solve (1964): Dir. Ernest Morris
Feat. Darryl Read, Mandy Harper, Paula Boyd…; Jolly hockey sticks! The Five are back, and set for even more adventures this time on a mysterious island, with perilous cliffs, and secret treasure.…
Tintin and the Blue Oranges (1964): Dir. Philippe Condroyer
Feat. Jean-Pierre Talbot, Jean Bouise, Félix Fernández; Second live–action version of Herge’s cult boy journalist, this time in pursuit of some valuable ‘blue oranges’ in Valencia, Spain. As…
Incredible Journey (1963): Dir. Fletcher Markle
Feat. Emile Genest, John Drainie, Tommy Tweed…; Two dogs and a Siamese cat attempt to return to their family by travelling over 200 miles of lush Canadian countryside. The original Disney adventure…
In Search of the Castaways (1962): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Hayley Mills, Maurice Chevalier, George Sanders…; Excellent Disney adventure has Mills perilously search for her lost father across the far corners of the globe. Based on the Jules Verne novel, this…
Jack the Giant Killer (1962): Dir. Nathan Juran
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Judi Meredith, Torin Thatcher…; From the same stable as Sinbad, comes another fantasy using wonderful stop–motion animation. Jack, against all odds, fights the evil Pendragon…
Mysterious Island (1961): Dir. Cy Endfield
Feat. Michael Craig, Joan Greenwood, Michael Callan…; Robust adventure yarn finds a group of Yankee soldiers escaping a Confederate jail using a hot air balloon during the American Civil War. After…
Tintin and the Mystery of the Golden Fleece (1961): Dir. Jean-Jacques Vierne
Feat. Jean-Pierre Talbot, Georges Wilson, Georges Loriot; One of two live–action adaptations of Herge’s Tintin adventures, this stars a look–alike Jean–Pierre Talbot as the eponymous boy…
Kidnapped (1960): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Peter Finch, James MacArthur, Bernard Lee…; The third screen version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic about a young lad who lands in the middle of the 18th century Scottish uprising. With…
Swiss Family Robinson (1960): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. John Mills, Dorothy McGuire, James MacArthur; The shipwrecked family prove as resourceful as the eponymous army–knife in their fight for survival against Mother Nature and dastardly…
Three Worlds of Gulliver (1960): Dir. Jack Sher
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Jo Morrow, June Thorburn…; Gulliver's travels bring him to the lands of the giants and the tiny in this adaptation of Johnathan Swift's classic. The then break–through…
Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958): Dir. Nathan Juran
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Kathryn Grant (Crosby), Richard Eyer…; In his first and most engaging adventure, Sinbad convincingly duels the Cyclops, a dragon and a hyperactive skeleton without any computer assistance,…
Famous Five, The: Five on a Treasure Island (1957): Dir. Gerald Landau
Feat. Rel Grainer, Richard Palmer, Gillian Harrison…; Ginger beer and picnics are put on hold as the five set out in search of hidden treasure, and in pursuit the requisite dastardly villains.…
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1956): Dir. Norman Foster
Feat. Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Jeff York…; Fess Parker returns as the frontier folk–hero, here battling his way down the Mississippi enroute to New Orleans. plenty of excitement to be…
Great Locomotive Chase, The (1956): Feat. Fess Parker, Jeffrey Hunter, Jeff York; An adventure story based on a true American Civil War mission behind Confederate lines to steal a Union train and destroy some strategically…
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954): Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas…; Kirk Douglas and Peter Lorre are shipwreck survivors aboard the Nautilus under the strange command of Captain Nemo (James Mason). From Jules Verne's…
Davy Crockett - King of the Wild Frontier (1954): Dir. Norman Foster
Feat. Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, William Bakewell…; TV version of the quintessential American story, which created such a phenomenal interest when screened that it was released in a movie version. Fess…
Peter Pan (1953): Dir. Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson; Walt's version of the J M Barrie classic, animated with consummate skill by his army of inhouse artisans. The flying imp Peter Pan leads Wendy and…
Story of Robin Hood, The (1952): Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. Richard Todd, Joan Rice, Peter Finch…; Colourful, uncomplicated rendering of the famous tale should delight younger viewers. Filmed in England by Walt Disney Studios.
Long John Silver (1950): Dir. Byron Haskin
Feat. Robert Newton, Bobby Driscoll, Basil Sydney…; Rambunctious adventure with arch pirate Long John Silver on the hunt for his young friend Jim Hawkins and maybe some treasure. Arrrrrgh!!! Notably…
Treasure Island (Long John Silver) (1950): Dir. Byron Haskin
Feat. Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton, Basil Sydney…; This definitive version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story was the first live–action feature from Disney studios, and contains…
Jungle Book (1942): Dir. Zoltan Korda
Feat. Sabu; Live–action version of Rudyard Kipling's novel with Sabu as Mowgli, the boy raised by wolves who attempts to adapt to human custom.
Thief of Bagdad, The (1940): Dir. Michael Powell, Ludwig Berger, Tim Whelan
Feat. Sabu, Conrad Veidt, June Duprez; Sabu stars in this magical, intoxicating vision of the Arabian Nights, some twenty years before the genre was revived in SINBAD. Romance, tragedy,…

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