Best Family Movies of 1989

This colorful adventure tells the story of an impetuous mermaid princess named Ariel who falls in love with the very human Prince Eric and puts everything on the line for the chance to be with him. Memorable songs and characters -- including the villainous sea witch Ursula.

Life on a shelf as a snowman trapped in a snow-globe blizzard can become wearing, especially when you're surrounded by knickknacks from sunnier locales. When the jaded snowman finally breaks free of his glass house, his vacation plans are cut short.

The scientist father of a teenage girl and boy accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.

Scott Turner has 3 days left in the local police department before he moves to a bigger city to get some 'real' cases—not just misdemeanors. When Amos Reed is murdered, Scott sets himself on the case, but the closest thing to a witness to the murder is Reed's dog, Hooch, which Scott has to take care of—to avoid Hooch being 'put to sleep'.

Buck Russell, a lovable but slovenly bachelor, suddenly becomes the temporary caretaker of his nephew and nieces after a family emergency. His freewheeling attitude soon causes tension with his older niece Tia, loyal girlfriend Chanice and just about everyone else who crosses his path.

The story of the Buckman family and friends, attempting to bring up their children. They suffer/enjoy all the events that occur: estranged relatives, the 'black sheep' of the family, the eccentrics, the skeletons in the closet, and the rebellious teenagers.

When a casino-owning dog named Charlie is murdered by his rival Carface, he finds himself in Heaven basically by default since all dogs go to heaven. However, since he wants to get back at his killer, he cons his way back to the living with the warning that doing that damns him to Hell. Once back, he teams with his old partner, Itchy, to prep his retaliation. He also stumbles onto an orphan girl who can talk to the animals, thus allowing him to get the inside info on the races to ensure his wins to finance his plans. However, all the while, he is still haunted by nightmares of what's waiting for him on the other side unless he can prove that he is worthy of Heaven again.

Despondent over the closing of his karate school, Cobra Kai teacher John Kreese joins a ruthless businessman and martial artist to get revenge on Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.

Corey refuses to let his emotionally disturbed younger brother Jimmy be institutionalized, and the two run away together. They soon join forces with a resourceful girl, who notices that Jimmy has a special talent: he is a "wizard" at video games and can achieve the high score on absolutely everything he plays. Evading their parents and a sinister bounty hunter, the trio head for a climactic showdown at the national video game championships in California.

A young boy is scared of the monster under his bed. He asks his 6th grade brother to swap rooms for the night as a bet that the monster really exists. Soon the brother becomes friends with the monster and discovers a whole new world of fun and games under his bed where pulling pranks on kids and other monsters is the main attraction.

A Beverly Hills housewife in the middle of a divorce tries to find focus in her life by taking over her daughter's Wilderness Girls troop.

Sophie is snatched from her orphanage early one morning by the BFG (Big Friendly Giant), whom she witnesses engaged in mysterious activities. She is soon put at ease, as she learns that BFG's job is to collect, catalog and deliver pleasant dreams to children. She joins him that night, but a mean giants follow them, planning to eat the children of the world.

A humorous and thought-provoking view of what animals in zoos might be thinking about their captivity and surroundings.

One day, two kids named Scott and Laurie and their basset hound Barney are magically transported into a coloring book! This coloring book is a mystical, magical land called "Sillyville." While there, the kids meet up with Sillywhim, a happy, sing-songy lady who tells them of Sillyville's troubles. The Yellow Spurdurgurgles, Blue Twirlypops, Green Jingleheimers, and Red Bittybooties are all fighting because they do not wear the same colors! Scott, Laurie, and Sillywhim meet up with all of these coloful characters, plus a talking tree, a singing acorn, and the kindly purple-wearing Pasha who all sing songs about themselves. Will the kids and Sillywhim be able to reunite all of the people of Sillyville? You can bet your magic rainbow blower on it!

The special is hosted by Tony Danza and Annie Potts celebrating 50 years of William Hanna and Joseph Barbera's partnership in animation. This is the first animated project to be broadcast in Dolby Surround sound system.

Dance along to six hot songs written exclusively for Barbie. learn to do the Barbie dance from Paula Abdul (yes, Paula herself). She takes you step by easy step...you'll love it! Try to guess the winners in the dance contest! See Barbie doll in her own music videos and sizzling fashion show video! Watch interviews with the Barbie Dance Club D.J. It's all right here on home video! So put on your dancin' shoes and join the fun!

BBC TV miniseries of The Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian made into a single DVD movie. Young Prince Caspian of Narnia wonders and dreams about the old days of Narnia when animals talked, and there were mythical creatures and four rulers in Caer Paravel. But his uncle and aunt don't like to hear him thinking of such things, and plan to murder him and take his throne. Caspian's tutor, Dr. Cornelius manages to save him, and not only teach him about the old ways, but bring him into the real Narnia and introduce him to the real Narnia. But Caspian's plight is desperate, and he must use the legendary horn to call help from another world: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.

An musical adaptation of the book "Pollyanna" set in the 1950's in which an orphan tries to use gladness to unite the people in a small southern town.

An American boy and girl, spending six months in Kenya with their scientist parents adopt a cheetah, only to realize that they must set it loose so that it can learn to hunt and be free. However, when the animal is captured by poachers planning to race it against greyhounds, the two city kids, together with a young African goat herder they befriended, head off into the wild to rescue the cheetah.

Mickey and his friends take a close look at important street safety situations and tips.

One magical day each year the teddy bears of the world come alive to gather in the forest for food, fun and games. One year, with the help of two warmhearted teddy bears, a sad, little girl got a special look at this joyful event.

Directed by Jim Henson, this parody of film noir and gangster flicks takes us through the dangerous town of Dog City, teeming with colorful Muppet Dog characters. Rowlf the dog is your guide through the underside of canine life during the 1930s in Dog City. Our hero, Ace, enters the world of bulldog gangsters and terrier molls when he inherits a saloon from his late Uncle Harry. Unwilling to pay protection money, Ace finds himself the target of Bugsy, a bulldog bully who owns most of Dog City. Life can be ruff!

Garfield the cat daydreams that he's an old-time private detective.

Jessica, the daughter of an impoverished apple farmer, still believes in Santa Claus. So when she comes across a reindeer with an injured leg, it makes perfect sense to her to assume that it is Prancer, who had fallen from a Christmas display in town. She hides the reindeer in her barn and feeds it cookies, until she can return it to Santa. Her father finds the reindeer an decides to sell it to the butcher, not for venison chops, but as an advertising display.

A storm threatens the already damaged harbor breakwater, and Beamer, the Lighthouse, fears for the safety of all who live in Little Golden Book Land! When Scuffy overhears Beamer sharing bad news with the big ships anchored nearby, he promises to help. Undaunted, Scuffy recruits Tootle the Train, Poky Little Puppy, and Shy Little Kitten to join him on his mission.

KAOS has invented a weather machine so Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 are called back into action to foil this evil plan.

Children's book authors Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff's most beloved elephant comes to the big screen in this animated family tale. Elephant monarch King Babar tells the tale, that unfolds via flashback, of how a much-younger Barbar and his girlfriend Celeste save her village from the pugnacious rhinoceroses that have come to raid it.

The simple story of two young Michigan high school students, Jessica, Class President, Local Smart Girl, and object of Marlon's affections attempt to get into a small Pennsylvania college. Jessica fights off her parent's expectation of going to their alma mater of the University of Michigan, while Marlon fights his grades and SAT scores.

In 1935 Toronto, Jane Stuart's mother has taken ill, and the two of them have temporarily moved in with her rich, snobbish grandmother, where Jane is verbally abused and her mother bullied. Jane is forced into a private academy, in which the other girls tell her that her father, whom Jane believes to be dead, is actually alive. Soon after, Andrew Stuart sends word that he would like to meet his long-lost daughter, so Jane is sent by train to Bright River to stay with him, where she encounters an old mystery that she must help her father overcome, new friends, and the chance to bring her father and mother back together again.

In this version of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", a hunchback is found living in the bell tower of UCLA. He is put on trial and made to go through tests. One of the research doctors falls for him, and he falls for her in the end

Young Prince Caspian of Narnia wonders and dreams about the old days of Narnia when animals talked, and there were mythical creatures and four rulers in Cair Paravel. But his uncle and aunt don’t like to hear him thinking of such things, and plan to murder him and take his throne. Caspian’s tutor, Dr. Cornelius manages to save him, and not only teach him about the old ways, but bring him into the real Narnia and introduce him to the real Narnia. But Caspian’s plight is desperate, and he must use the legendary horn to call help from another world: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Then, Lucy and Edmund are sent back to Narnia, along with their cousin Eustace, to assist Caspian on a voyage. Along their journey the children battle dragons and sea serpents, and sail across a golden lake to reach the edge of the world.

Short - This delightful adaptation follows Gertrude and George the Dancing Frog on a whirlwind theatrical tour. - Amanda Plummer, Heidi Stallings, Edna Harris

Zack and Ashlee discover the meaning of true friendship when they create an imaginary friend, the superhero Rem Lezar.

Made-for-TV special of popular comic strip.

Sixteen-year-old Ryan Delaney has won a scholarship, but it's not a full one, so he needs a summer job to pay for his university expenses. And although he's not eighteen, he can't swim, and has never been to camp, he manages to get a job as a camp couselor. But his mother makes him take his younger brother, Sullivan, with him to camp, since she can't look after him while she's working. But camp turns out to be harder than both Ryan and Sullivan thought it would be; and as they fight their battles, they learn about each other, themselves, and what they can do together.

The Zooks and the Yooks are at war over the butter and bread - on which side should one spread?

The Wicked Queen is dead but her brother, Lord Maliss, seeks for revenge. Using the Magic Mirror to locate Snow White and the Prince, he transforms into a dragon and attacks. Maliss takes the Prince to the Realm of Doom. Snow White, with the aid of the Seven Dwarfesses, cousins of the Sevens Dwarves, must embark on a quest to save her true love.

After telling his class about the ghost of Captain Kidd and his buried treasure on George’s Island, George is placed in a foster home. George and another foster child, Bonnie, flee to the island on Halloween but when they’re followed by adults Captain Kidd’s ghost is awakened.

A TV special that aired on February 15, 1989 on CBS. It was the final production in which Mel Blanc voiced the Looney Tunes before his death on July 10, 1989

When Jeff plans to marry again, his triplet daughters Megan, Lisa and Jessie try to bring him together with Susan.

The Miracles of Jesus is an exciting panorama of Jesus’ most touching miracles. Healing the sick and afflicted, raising Jairus’ dead daughter, casting out demons and calming the storm are attributed to the principle of faith. “All things are possible to those who believe,” Jesus tells us. The stories of Christ’s miracles increase our faith and teach character building virtues such as love, mercy and service.

Granpa tells stories to his granddaughter Emily, who imagines them as crayon drawings in motion.

Bonnie and cousin Sylvia, two very young children, are left at home in Willoughby Hall while their parents travel overseas. Only the servants and the prowling wolves are their companions. News arrives that Lord and Lady Willoughby are missing and an evil looking governess suddenly arrives at the hall...

Tells the story of a young man's struggle to keep his world from changing. Placed in the rural setting of the mid 1950s.

Based on the true story of baby Jessica McClure who fell into a drain pipe in her back yard while playing. She was stuck in the pipe about 20 to 30 feet down and it took rescuers 58 hours to get her out. There was fear that if they shook the earth too much with machinery they could cause Jessica to fall further down and die.

A vendetta between two Corsican families is the background to Alexandre Dumas' story of the strange bond between twin brothers, who are separated at birth.

Mungo Baobab and his droids, Threepio and Artoo, are trailing the Rainbow comets of Manda in search of the fabled Roon system. Before they get there, they make an enemy out of the greedy Governor Koong. On Roon, they meet Auren Yomm and join her Umbo racing team in the Roon Games. Mungo takes up his old uncle Ogger's quest of finding the source of the valuable Roonstones. Meanwhile, Koong uses germ warfare against the rebellious province of Umboo and it becomes a race against time to find a cure for the Rooze infection. Written by Il Tesoro

A man befriends his reclusive neighbor.

Inheriting a family resort in Hawaii, the Wyatts find it in such a run-down condition that they decide to sell it after trying to fix it up. Amidst confusing goings-on among the triplet teenage girls and the boys they meet, Jeffrey meets an old high school rival who promises to keep the resort as-is if Jeffrey will sell it to him. He has other plans in mind, however, and they are not limited merely to Jeffrey's resort