The Latest Family Film Guide (The Family Being A Man,A Woman And A Teenage Daughter)

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

This has rarely been a blog about films. As no one in the family, least of all me, can claim to be a film buff. But there are days, and yesterday (Sunday) was certainly one of them, where there is nothing to do (not even looking for a house which incidentally now has one, after wife/daughter saw it on Saturday, the Victorian terrace I mentioned before, on as a maybe. Wife however wants to see if there is a "better" house first. Particularly when it comes to parking).

The weather outside was awful. One of the great facts of weather forecasting is that they're rarely wrong when they say it's going to be bad.

So we're in that classic Sunday afternoon what to do is there anything we can watch as a family moments? It's nowadays not easy. There was a time when something we could watch "as a family" meant a ninety minute cartoon film where me and the wife sagely looked on as the daughter lapped it up. But that was then and this is now. Daughter is more likely to go on about the series Pretty Little Liars. She often talks to me about it, in the mistaken belief that I know or indeed care. She would have us watch that but feet are put down in disagreement.

But of course the biggest person that is an obstacle to family viewing is me. After all wife/daughter seem to object to watching ninety minutes of twenty two people plus officials chasing a round ball. Or indeed my idea of entertainment is not watching chairs swivelling round at the sound of a voice.

My wife however had a plan. Remembering how we watched in a film The Perfect Catch together in a similar situation last year she had a movie recorded from the TV which seemed to be able to do the same job......and it did.

The movie (made in 2007) was No Reservations starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart. It's about a chef who because of an accident becomes the guardian of her niece as well as a relationship she has with another chef in that restaurant.

And it made me think whether there is a formula for the sort of film that Mum, Dad and teenage daughter should watch if this ever happened again. So, taking The Perfect Catch and No Reservations as the benchmark this appears to be the criterion.

Rule Number One: It's a rainy afternoon,you have nothing better to do and you're bored. Consequently you're not going to want to watch a film that will give you a deep insight into the human condition. It doesn't even have to be a great film. As long as the time is passed pleasantly enough that's all that matters. It's like a cinematic version of Mcdonalds. You enjoyed it at that moment but it won't be listed amongst your top ten films of all time

Rule Number Two: It has to be romantic. Women like romance. It can't however be the sort of heart and flowers sort with added high orchestral music and chocolates if you want a man to watch it willingly. If that happens I for one will hold my fifty three year old prerogative and have an afternoon nap.

Rule Number Three: It doesn't have to make to you laugh. Making you smile is sufficient. After all who's heard of a slapstick romance?

Rule Number Four: No one of either gender can look as if they've just come off the catwalk. Aaron Eckhart comes close to breaking that rule but he's just this side of quirky to be acceptable.

Rule Number Five: The route can be different but if the destination has changed people will feel unhappy. No one watches a film on a rainy afternoon with nothing better to do to be surprised.

(Of course rule number five is difficult to work out completely. But more often than not with these sort of movies you just know)

So if another film comes under this category before my daughter decides to leave home (I won't cry...I'm from the East End ...I won't cry...really) I'll let you know. In the meantime feel free to add other movies you've found passed the multigenerational family film test.

Until the next time.