Family movies: Be ready if the power goes out

Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 10 November 2011 12:08

While the last thing we may want to imagine is the possibility of another power outage, the winter is young. So, before the next storm hits, select some DVDs to have on hand in case the lights go out and the laptop still has battery. Here are seven movies to keep in mind — one for each powerless day of a week (oh, no, will it last a week?).

Swiss Family Robinson: Living without electricity

Power outages teach us how to be resourceful. How would you react if, suddenly, you found yourself on a remote island without conveniences? Where would you sleep? What would you eat? In this Disney favorite, the Robinsons make do with what they find and even build an exquisite tree house with all natural materials! Never mind that they easily conquer the elements and rarely face any real threats: How they connect is what matters. They remind us what a family can share when we remain flexible to adapt to any situation.

Fantasia: Creating without computers

For years, moviemakers created animated films without computers. They used their fingers and imaginations. Some 70 years after it was made, this classic remains a most creative film experiment. Even today, the idea of a plot-less film using classical music might seem outrageous; in 1941, few could imagine what Walt Disney had in mind. This is perfect snowbound entertainment because, without a conventional plot, you can start, stop and restart without confusing anyone. But don’t reveal when Fantasia was made. Simply say you want to share a film that tells exciting stories through pictures and music.

Singin’ in the Rain: Adjusting to technology

Learning how to use new electronic gadgets can make us laugh. That’s what happened in Hollywood in the 1920s when the movies learned how to talk. Singin’ in the Rain recreates when the microphone was invented and, for the first time, audiences could actually hear movie stars talk instead of only watching them mime in silent films. What happens when some of the voices don’t match how people look? This fun movie — with so many wacky characters — may generate nonstop laughter. And we all need a good laugh when we’re powerless.

The African Queen: Getting to know each other

Challenges teach us how to appreciate others in new ways. That’s what Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn experience on a thrilling ride down a jungle river in Africa. You will see them fight back when the enemy attacks from a fortress, escape drowning in the rapids, and survive threats by water animals and bugs, including ugly leeches. Their journey reminds us what it can take to be brave, how to protect someone you learn to care about, and why it’s important to understand how others think and believe.

How the West Was Won: Enjoying a history lesson

Have you ever wanted to travel back in time to the early years of the United States? How the West Was Won is almost like jumping on a time machine to experience what early Americans faced to settle our nation. You will be there as brave men and women ride the rapids of the rivers, cross the country by covered wagon, fight in the Civil War and, ultimately, defend the new land against outlaws. Through their struggles they define “the American Spirit” — that magical combination of hope, determination and grit — as they make the new land their own.

Avalon: Savoring family time

Families are sacred connections of blood, heart and memory. But every family has to work to overcome temptations to disconnect as technology stretches hours, shrinks the world, and detracts from family time. For the family in Avalon the temptation of technology is not an iPad or a video game, it is the popularity of television that, in the 1950s, began to disturb family traditions. As you share the journey of the reel family on screen, talk with your children about the importance of keeping the real family connected.

Forrest Gump: Celebrating the unexpected

Do you know people who are genuinely happy? People who, no matter what challenges they face, always seem to find the good in everything? Such optimistic views — that “a glass is always half full, not half empty” — can inspire us to keep everything in perspective, even when the power goes out. When Forrest Gump tells us that “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will get,” he is looking for the good in every person and experience he encounters. Forrest teaches us that anyone can experience joy by looking for what is good in life. And that’s a good lesson to remember.

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