One of the best parts of weekends is curling up with a movie and a bowl of popcorn to enjoy some laughs or touching moments. This is an excellent time to nourish our spirit and not fill our minds and hearts with images of violence. Let’s make careful and informed choices before we watch ‘any ol’ thing’.
These lists have been compiled from my own movie-watching experience, as well as from doing research. I have included animated movies because they are some of the best movies ever made, and are certainly not only for children any more.
Rather than including a description I recommend checking any movie at IMDb and Wikipedia. Common Sense Media is a very helpful site for examining a movie before viewing it with children, or to avoid movies with sexual content. Rotten Tomatoes is helpful for those who want to check the common opinions of the masses before viewing (Links at bottom of post). I have only chosen movies above the mid-range of critical reviews on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes (nothing below 70% Positive Ratings at the time of posting).
May we all find something inspiring to watch and enjoy!
Here are two lists of older violence-free movies to consider renting or recording.
75 alphabetical suggestions for movies rated “General” “PG” or “PG-13”:
50 First Dates (2004 US comedy, PG-13, sexual content)
A Beautiful Mind (2001 US Biographical drama, PG-13)
A League Of Their Own (1992 US Drama, Rated PG)
An American Tale: Fievel Goes West (1991, Animated/Family, Rated G)
As Good As It Gets (1997 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG-13)
Babe (1995, US Drama/Comedy/Family, Rated G)
Back To The Future (1985 US Comedy-Action, Rated PG)
*batteries not included (1987 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG)
Benny And Joon (1993 US Drama-Comedy, Rated PG)
Big (1988 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG)
Big Fish (2003 US Fantasy-Drama, Rated PG-13)
Brave (2012 US Animation-Family, Rated PG)
Calendar Girls (2003 UK Comedy-Drama, Rated PG-13)
Chocolat (2000 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG-13)
Cinema Paradiso (1988 Italian Comedy-Drama, Rated PG)
City Slickers (1991 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG-13)
Dave (1998 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG-13)
Departures (2008 Japanese Drama, Rated PG-13)
Dersu Uzala (1975, Japanese/Russian)
Driving Miss Daisy (1990 US Drama, Rated PG)
Edward Scissorhands (1990 US Drama/Science Fiction, Rated PG-13)
ET: The Extra Terrestrial (1982, Drama/Science Fiction, Rated PG)
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG-13 for language)
Field Of Dreams (1989 US Drama, Rated PG)
Forrest Gump (1994 US Drama, Rated PG-13)
Ghostbusters (1984 US Comedy, Rated PG)
Groundhog Day (1993 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG-13)
Harvey (1950 Classic charmer, sweet story about tolerance) RECOMMENDED: Thanks eBL!
Home Alone (1990 US Family-Comedy, Rated PG)
How To Train Your Dragon (2010 Animated Family, Rated PG)
Hugo (2011 US Action-Adventure, Rated PG)
In And Out (1997 US Comedy, Rated PG-13)
(#1) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981 US Adventure, Rated PG)
(#3) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989 US Action-Adventure, Rated PG-13)
(#4) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008 US Adventure, PG-13)
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946 US Classic Drama, Not Rated. Engaging, sweet story)
Jean de Florette (1986 French Historical Drama, Rated PG)
Jean de Florette II (Manon des Sources 86 French Drama PG) RECOMMENDED:Thanks Kozo!
Julie And Julia (2009 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG-13 for some language)
Kinky Boots (2005 UK Comedy-Drama, Rated PG-13)
Mary Poppins (1964 US Family movie, Rated G) Heart warming frolic for all ages
Millions (2005 UK Family film, Rated PG) Good movie for families
Miss Congeniality (2000 US Comedy, Rated PG-13)
Mr. Holland’s Opus (1997 US Drama, Rated PG)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002 US Comedy, Rated PG)
Nanny McPhee (2006 US Family movie, rated PG)
Nanny McPhee Returns (2010 US Family movie, Rated PG)
Ratatouille (2007 US Animated Family, Rated G) For kids but adults may enjoy more!
Say Anything (1989 US Drama, Rated PG-13) Great teen coming-of-age film
School Of Rock (2003 US Comedy, rated PG-13) Good positive message
Shrek (2001 US Animated Family film, Rated PG) Some edgy humor directed at adults
Singin’ In The Rain (1952 US Musical) Often considered the finest musical of all time.
Sleepless In Seattle (1993 Comedy, Rated PG) A fairy tale even teens can enjoy
Some Like It Hot (1959 US Classic, Comedy) One of the wildest romantic farces ever
Somewhere In Time (1980 Drama-Fantasy, Rated PG) RECOMMENDED: Thanks GFS & Patty!
Star Trek (2009 US Adventure/Science Fiction, PG-13) Classic franchise gets new life
Tangled (2010 US Animated Family film, Rated PG)
That Thing You Do (1996 US Comedy-Drama, Rated PG)
The Accidental Tourist (1988 US Drama, Rated PG)
The Blind Side (2009 US Drama, Rated PG-13)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005 Fantasy, Rated PG)
The Magic of Belle Isle (2012 Drama-Comedy, Rated PG) RECOMMENDED (Thanks Russ!)
The Muppets (2011 US Comedy/Family film, Rated PG) Fun and heart warming movie
The Never Ending Story (1984 US Fantasy film, Rated PG) Not for very young viewers
The Odd Life Of Timothy Green (2012 US Drama, Rated PG) For kids and non-jaded adults
The Princess Bride (1987 US Fantasy-Comedy, Rated PG) Enjoyable, sharp-edged fairy tale
The Pursuit Of Happyness (2006 US Drama, Rated PG-13) Best for over 10yr olds
The Rundown (2003 US Action/Adventure, Rated PG-13) Some non-graphic violence
The Secret Garden (1993 US Family movie, Rated G) May bore kids used to action films
The Terminal (2004 US Drama, Rated PG-13 from brief strong language)
The Truman Show (1998 US Drama, Rated PG) thought provoking for 8yrs and up
The Wedding Singer (2004 US Comedy, Rated PG-13)
The Wizard Of Oz (1939 US Classic Family Drama, Not Rated)
Under The Tuscan Sun (2003 US Drama, Rated PG-13) Sweet adult story; not for kids
Up (2009 US Animated Family film, Rated PG) Wonderful family film for all ages
Waking Ned Devine (1998 Irish Comedy-Drama, Rated PG) Some black humor
Wall-E (2008 US Animated Family film, Rated G) Charming eco-friendly adventure
Whip It (2009 US Comedy, Rated PG-13) Mixes girl power and teen angst
Willow (1988 US Fantasy, Rated PG) Magic-filled adventure for tweens and up
Here are violence-free R-Rated movies (for strong language; some with nudity):
A Fish Called Wanda (1988 UK/USA Heist-Comedy, Rated R)
Almost Famous (2000 US Drama, Rated R)
Amarcord (1974 Italian Classic Drama, Rated R)
Amelie (2001 French Comedy-Drama, Rated R)
Billy Elliot (2000 UK Drama, Rated R)
Garden State (2004 US Drama, Rated R)
I Heart Huckabees (2004 US Comedy, Rated R)
Jerry Maguire (1996 US Drama, Rated R)
Lost In Translation (2003 US Drama, Rated R)
Nobody’s Fool (1994 US Drama, Rated R)
Our Idiot Brother (2011 US Comedy, Rated R)
Planes Trains And Automobiles (1987 US Comedy, Rated R)
Sideways (2004 US Drama, Rated R)
The Full Monty (1997 UK Comedy-Drama, Rated R)
The Trip (2011 UK Comedy-Drama, Rated R)
Wonder Boys (2000 US Drama-Comedy, Rated R)
I have made these lists as much for myself as to share here, as I have only seen a fraction of these so far. And of course these are by no means exhaustive, but are a place to start to see how many movies we can choose from that are free from violence. These are a well-reviewed beginning for us all to create a weekend movie night without worrying about gratuitous, graphic violence and gore flung in our faces. While some on these lists have action and excitement, they’re mostly comedies and dramas that focus on the plights and pleasures of our shared human condition. Please take a moment to check out any movie listed here at these links to ensure it will be the right choice for yourself and your viewing audience. May we all enjoy our entertainment free from violence! Namaste. ~Gina
Links for researching movies:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/
http://www.imdb.com/
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/
http://www.wikipedia.org/
This will be so helpful. It’s such a struggle figuring out what will please all our family members, and echo our values to boot. I wonder if the kids have seen Back to the Future???
Hi Kylie, I’m so glad this is helpful! And yes, that is such a classic choice. Great for watching more than once, even if they have seen it
Cheers, Gina
This is one of the most generous gifts anyone could give a movie lover! Thank YOU! XO
Hooray!! Thank you SO much
It is delightful to know that it is helpful as I put lots of love into it, just for sharing! Hugs XO
You and I have such similar tastes! I’d say I’ve seen 95% of these and loved all of them! Get better soon, dear sister.
Cathy
Hooray! There truly are lots of gems out there, if we take a moment to seek them out. Thank you SO much for your kind wishes. I rarely get sick and even more rarely have an enduring (4-day) headache, so I look forward to returning to 100% soon!
Hugs, Gina
What a wonderful post! Although my children are all grown up, and I am “free” to watch whatever I would like, after the horror in Newtown, I have made it my personal goal to never, ever watch anything that features assault weapons, mass killings, gratuitous violence or any humor linked to violence. This list will certainly help me find something out there to see!
This is exactly what I was going for! Thank you for your wise and wonderful comment
May we all make the choice to avoid all imagery of violence, and hopefully its popularity will continue to weaken and fade away – replaced by quality comedies and dramas as we show the movie-makers that’s what we prefer!
Wow… this is awesome!! I’m bookmarking this post to come back to regularly. Thank you! Thank you!
I am delighted that it can be helpful for you
Thank you SO much for your supportive comment!
Great post. Thanks so much for the list.
Hi LuAnn, so glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for commenting!
What a great list! Thank you, Gina. I plan to watch “(The? Miracle of Belle Isle”) tonight. I saw it once before and loved it. It is violence-free.
Russ
Hi Russ, I was hoping to get some additions! Thanks so much for the suggestion of The Miracle of Belle Isle. It’s great to spread the word about non-violent movies
Cheers, Gina
Great list Gina and great post as always! Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart with us! It takes my husband and I at least 45 minutes to choose a movie that is appropriate for everyone in the house. Its funny because we all are soooo sleepy by the time we begin. I will use your list happily. Happy weekend Gina, I am grateful to have found you! Cheers and namaste.
Thank you so much for this delightful comment! I know what you mean about it taking a while to find something that can work for everyone, and I was hopeful this list could be a helpful starting place. Good luck and thanks again dear heart. I am so glad to have found YOU as well
Hugs and Happy Weekend!
smiles, smiles smiles!!
Somewhere in Time, Christophe Reeve, Jane Seymour – written by Richard Matheson (I am Legend)
Thanks so much for this excellent addition. I know my readers will thank you as well for recommending SOMEWHERE IN TIME. Another classic choice. Cheers!
Ditto – great movie!
Oh my God, my kids haven’t seen A Princess Bride yet. What was I thinking? Thank you for reminding me.
Jean de Flourette and Manon de Source are powerful films about true love.
Love this list, Gina.
Hooray! Something to look forward to and make happen
That movie is so much fun, and in my family we often have fun quoting parts out of it. There’s so many great quips to be had (“You’ve been mostly dead all day” and “I don’t think that means what you think it means” to start). Thanks for the suggested additions here as well! So many well made films out there to be enjoyed.
Hugs to you Kozo, Gina
Oh, I blew my first comment. It should have read, “Inconceivable! my kids haven’t seen A Princess Bride.” haha. It’s not my fault though, I’m not used to fighting just one man.
LOL
Perfect! You crack me up, you very wise comic! And I could have said that one thing you didn’t know is that I was typing with my LEFT hand 
Ah but then you’d inform me you were as well so we are still well-matched! xo
Stop quoting. I mean it!
Anyone want a peanut.
I love you, Gina.
From my favorite giant
Love you too Kozo ♥
Oh i just love this list! THANK YOU. I really don’t watch tv but every once in awhile, i’m in the mood for a good movie. I really don’t like violent movies and haven’t seen one in over 10-20 years??? So grateful for this list. AND, Gina, even just the title of this post — it tells folks that there are some alternatives to the latest quinton terontino (have no idea how to spell his name) movie. thank you! love, lisa
Hello dear Lisa! I am delighted that you and your sweet family can get some enjoyment out of this list
And yes – the title – I figured why not make a statement that we all can make a CHOICE to watch something other than Quentin Tarrantino (sp? maybe?? 
) and who’s killing whom with what weapons. Let’s reach a little farther and enjoy feeling something real, and thinking about something other than the adrenalin and fear of survival triggered from violent films. How about laughter, and intrigue, and character-development as we watch someone grow and understand themselves better? Oh so many good movies to be enjoyed and shared. Love to you my friend. I cherish you and your visits 
Hugs, Gina
What a great list – obviously, because it has lots of my favourites
I also love older films like Harvey, and wonder what you think about Witness?
I’m so glad it has lots of your favorites (great taste!)
I like Harvey, and I really enjoyed Witness but was more focused on generally gun-free family-friendly movies (except all the cursing to be found in the bottom R-list of course). Unfortunately some just were forgotten. I welcome any and all suggestions of course and hope readers will scroll down through the comments and see ideas such as your great picks here. Cheers, Gina
Some great movies on this list! I LOVE My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I’ve seen it many times and still laugh each time I watch it! And Tangled…one of my favorite animated movies!
Those are both excellent feel-good movies! I really enjoy laughing when I watch a movie and both have LOTS of laughs. It’s great when a movie really clicks and we enjoy it over and over, often finding little nuances and jokes that can be missed on one viewing. I’ve watched many here countless times, and I love it. I watch Groundhog Day every year on Feb 2nd so it’s almost time! I find it to be rather spiritual actually, especially when he tries to kill himself (that part makes me cry). So hopefully you’ll find some new (old) treasures in this list to enjoy. Thanks for commenting
What a great idea to post this list x it will be really helpful x thanks x
Thanks so much for your kind comment! I am delighted if this post can be helpful
xo
Thank you for this very comprehensive list Gina…I have seen some of those movies and will check the others. Enjoy your week-end
Thank you Anyes
I have not seen everything here either and am looking forward to checking the new ones out. The research came back with great reviews on all of them, so may we all enjoy more movies that go without weapons. Best wishes for a wonderful weekend! Cheers, Gina
Same too you Gina
Very good work, Gina, Thank You! We will make good use of this ~
Love,
Tomas
Thank you kindly Tomas. This is another one of those steps that help us all to become peaceful within and share peace in the world.
Love,
Gina
So many good wholesome movies, great choices. One of our favorites, The Ugly Dachshund…one of many Walt Disney movies. And today I watched the Sarah Plain and Tall trilogy.
Thanks Patty! It’s wonderful to hear about even more good-hearted, entertaining, and violent-free movies. It gets me excited to hope that more and more people will give a moment’s pause before watching something filled with guns and gangs or spies and bombs. There are SO MANY great movies out there, waiting to make us think, feel, learn, and laugh. Cheers, Gina
What a gracious gift! Thank you! Blessings, Christine
Thank you kindly Christine! Your lovely comment is warmly appreciated
Blessings, Gina
Great post Gina, very helpful. Sometimes it’s good to watch a film knowing there are no shocks around the corner, that things will work out well
It’s good for the nervous system!
Thanks for sharing
Rohan.
I am delighted to share this list and it makes me extra-happy to have you enjoy it
I really like how you put that: ‘no shocks around the corner’ and how it’s ‘good for the nervous system’. That is SO true! How refreshing to sit down, relax, and have some laughs, maybe ponder some deeper issues, and perhaps enjoy a character developing and growing. My kind of entertainment!
Thanks for commenting Rohan
Cheers, Gina