Best Family Movies to Share with Your Pre-Teen

Looking for family movies you can share with your pre-teen? Middle schoolers can be tricky; they're too old for cartoons and too young for much of the R rated entertainment Hollywood churns out. What's a parent to do? Never fear, there are some great oldies-but-goodies out there you can enjoy with your kids. You may even have them buried somewhere on VHS!

Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein. Truly a classic! In this wonderful comedy, Gene Wider plays Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, trying to live down his grandfather's infamous name. His troubles begin when he inherits his grandfather's estate, complete with the services of I-gor (Marty Feldman at his personal best), scary caretaker Frau Blucher, (Cloris Leachman), and lab assistant Inga (Teri Garr). Rounding out the cast is a hilarious Madeline Kahn as Frederick's wealthy fiancé, and a fabulous Peter Boyle as the Monster. Shot in black and white for effect, it's also interesting to note that Frankenstein's lab uses all the same props from the 1931 Boris Karloff original. It's a great romp through memory lane you can introduce to your kids. They'll love it!

Neil Simon's Murder By Death. Comedic genius! This comedy classic features Peter Falk, Elsa Lanchester, David Niven, Peter Sellers, James Coco, Nancy Walker, Eileen Brennan and a slew of other amazing actors. Set in a creepy, remote mansion, the world's five greatest detectives are invited to "dinner and a murder." Shortly after arrival, they discover they're trapped for the weekend. With a great deal of prize money and their world renowned reputations at stake, the group sets out to solve the murder yet to come. Much like Young Frankenstein, this movie has just enough creepiness to keep pre-teens on the edge of their seats. Great fun!