Kids know how to act, and they know how to move a story forward. More often than not kids are able to bring a bit of humor, drama, and even innovation to any type of film. In any venue they are often the plucky, resourceful young stars that know how to think their way through a dilemma in ways that adults would never consider. This is what makes young stars so much fun to watch, because they still believe in the unconventional approach, and sometimes know how to make it work.
Here are some of the top movies that feature a group of kids as the main actors.
How To Train Your Dragon
You might think a story about vikings and dragons would focus less on the children and more on the adults considering the fact that the dragons are so nasty. But in this film the children are trained early on to combat the dragons that pillage and plunder their home, so as to make them tougher, harder, and much more reliable in the defense of the village. Hiccup however is not the rough and tough viking that the others are, and learns how to use his intelligence rather than his battleaxe to figure out how to best solve the dragon problem. The rest of the kids are mostly along for the ride once they learn that Hiccup is worth following.
A Christmas Story
I triple dog dare ya! Ah yes, the days of youth, when such things as a dare could escalate towards bodily injury in a heartbeat. Poor, poor Flick. This movie blends the real with the daydream but still showcases how very easily kids could fold under peer pressure and the idea of Christmas being the great payoff for a year spent as a good and attentive child. Plus, it shows the pecking order in elementary school quite well, no matter that it’s a little brutal at times.
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone
This film kicked off a worldwide phenomenon that is still going strong today. The kids have grown up, a few of the older actors have passed away, and there are no talks of revamping the series any time soon, but Harry Potter is likely a name that is going to live on from one generation to the next simply due to the wonder and imagination that it inspires. It’s amazing what can come from one person’s imagination, and how a group of kids could drive such a film to such impressive heights.
Stand By Me
It’s kind of hard to believe this was based on a Stephen King novel, but it shows how much he’s able to diversify between his stories when he really wants to. The story itself was a little darker and not as fleshed out, but it did provide a great basis for the film. The idea of four friends hiking out into the back country to see something unique in their experience is something that a lot of young boys would have jumped on without question. The adventure they take however is something that a lot of us can actually relate to, and that makes it one of the best films ever made.
The Goonies
If you’ve never watched The Goonies you might have had a different childhood than most, but if you’ve never ever heard of them you might want to check them out. This is the ultimate when it comes to kid-driven movies, as it shows exactly what is meant by the unconventional method of dealing with whatever life throws at you. It doesn’t always work, but it almost always has the element of surprise. Plus, it’s a fun film to watch from beginning to end.
With some films you don’t need a serious, adult-driven plot. Sometimes all it takes is a few well-worn gags and a simple sense of humor that doesn’t need awesome special effects.
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