Six Great Films with Six Great Dads
Father’s Day is just around the corner, and with the launch of our new Home Cinema range of blankets, cushions and socks we thought we’d would pull the two together and share our list of films that have some truly epic and awesome dads.
Finding Nemo
We all know the heart-warming and hilarious story of a neurotically overprotective clownfish (Albert Brooks) who must travel across the ocean in search of his son. Along the way he meets a new friend – the loveably forgetful Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) – some reformed sharks (who end up being not quite so reformed), and finally learns one of the hardest lessons a parent has to learn: that kids aren’t that fragile and that at some point they all have to “leave the reef”. But it also has the best motivational phrase, too: “Just keep swimming!”
The Pursuit of Happyness
An absolute tear-jerker of a film about the true-life story of a father and son who spent a year living on the streets and the father’s struggle to support them both and get their life back on track. It stars Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith, as the father-son duo, and the film earned Will Smith his second Oscar nomination. For good reason, too. Have some tissues handy and be prepared to feel all the feels.
Big Fish
Directed by Tim Burton, Big Fish is a quirky (what Tim Burton film isn’t quirky) but ultimately wonderful feel-good film that tells the story of a father (Albert Finney, and Ewan McGregor as the younger version of the father) and son (Billy Crudup) who become estranged due to the father’s habit or mixing fantasy and reality when recalling the events of his life. However, the son believes the tall tales – of witches, giants, and werewolves – to all be lies. After three years of not seeing each other, the father takes ill and the son and his new wife attend to the father’s death bed to listen to the story of his life one last time…
The Lion King (the original 1994 version)
If you grew up in the 90s and were lucky enough to see The Lion King when it first came out, the memory of that thundering heard of Wildebeest coming over the ridge, cascading into the valley below and baring down on Simba holds a certain amount of awe. Equally, Mufasa (James Earl Jones – the best voice actor to have ever portrayed an animated lion) plunging in to save his son and the fateful consequences of that brave effort will no doubt conjure up feelings of despair that have stayed with you till this days. One of the best Disney films ever made, The Lion King is a story of how a father’s influence can shape that destiny of his son. Not to mention the great sing-along soundtrack.
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade
The third (but sadly not final) instalment in the Indiana Jones franchise (no offence to anyone that liked Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) sees Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) team up with his father (Sean Connery) to battle the Nazi’s once again. This time, they’re hunting for the Holy Grail. The Last Crusade easily ranks as one of the best Indiana Jones films, even if there is no explanation offered as to why Indy’s dad has a Scottish accent.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Undoubtedly one of the best books and films ever made, To Kill a Mockingbird also has one of the greatest characters ever created: Atticus Finch. Amidst racial tensions in the Depression era of 1930s America, Atticus Finch serves as a moral, calming role model to his daughter, Scout, and instils in her such values as integrity, justice, and empathy while all those around them give into racial biases and fears. Atticus Finch is portrayed impeccably by Gregory Peck, earning him an Oscar win, and pretty much sets the standard for most awesome dad ever.
Let us know how many of these you’ve seen or if there are any others we need to add to our list.
