Benji (1974)

What's not to love about a dog that runs around a lot wagging his tail, is friends with everyone, is a bit mischievous and has a girlie he's sweet about?

This is the original family friendly film about a cunning dog who saves the day when two children are kidnapped by some particularly inept criminals. There's genuinely loads and loads of running, a bad script and dodgy acting, and plenty more running. There's even a scene of dog cruelty when one of the bad guys lashes out at Benji's girlfriend but (spoiler!) everything works out okay in the end.

Adult score: 4/5
Child score: 4.5/5
First thing the child said when the film finished: "Benji is cute."

Flight of the Navigator (1986)

Obviously piggy-backing on the success of ET a few years earlier, this film tries to emulate that masterpiece through the inclusion of children, aliens, spaceships and the menace of Government authorities.
The plot at least starts with some mystery and then becomes a little lightweight hinging on an alien species intelligent enough to have flown 500 light years across space but a bad enough pilot to hit some electricity pylons.
The lead child is convincing enough, even if the adults around him know the weakness of the plot, and Sarah Jessica Parker is almost upstaged by RALF, a robot with a ridiculous acronym.
The alien spaceship pilot offers some interest and the creative department must have had some fun coming up with the alien species gathered from other planets.



Adult score: 3/5
Child score: 4.5/5
First thing the child said when the film finished: "I liked the little alien thing hidden in his bag."