Best Movie To Watch With Family When Everyone Disagrees On Tone
- 01. The Best Movie to Watch with Family: Wonder for a Marist Lesson in Mercy
- 02. Why Wonder Aligns with Marist Educational Values
- 03. Key Marist Values Demonstrated in Wonder
- 04. Comparative Analysis: Top Family Movies for Marist Values
- 05. How to Use Wonder for Family Faith Formation
- 06. Frequently Asked Questions About Family Movies and Marist Values
- 07. Conclusion: Choosing Wonder for Marist Family Formation
The Best Movie to Watch with Family: Wonder for a Marist Lesson in Mercy
The best movie to watch with family is Wonder (2017), directed by Stephen Chbosky, because it delivers a powerful Marist lesson in mercy through its story of Auggie Pullman, a fifth grader with Treacher Collins syndrome who learns to navigate middle school while teaching his family and classmates the transformative power of choosing kindness.
Why Wonder Aligns with Marist Educational Values
Wonder embodies the core Marist principles of presence, simplicity, and family that St. Marcellin Champagnat founded our educational mission upon. The film demonstrates how mercy in education works in practice when students, parents, and educators choose to see each other's inherent dignity rather than focusing on differences.
According to research on compassion-building films, movies that center someone different from the viewer and contain emotional complexity develop stronger empathy skills in children. Wonder centers Auggie's perspective while showing real feelings of grief, loneliness, and fear-exactly the emotional education Marist schools prioritize alongside academic rigor.
Key Marist Values Demonstrated in Wonder
- Mercy and Compassion: Characters learn to show kindness to someone at their most vulnerable, reflecting Jesus' example of welcoming the marginalized
- Family as Educational Community: The Pullman family models how parents support children's moral formation through difficult transitions
- Seeing the Whole Person: Students gradually recognize Auggie's intelligence, humor, and courage beyond his facial difference
- Choice and Free Will: The film's mantra "Choose Kind" emphasizes that mercy is a deliberate decision, not passive feeling
Comparative Analysis: Top Family Movies for Marist Values
| Film Title | Year | MPAA Rating | Run Time | Primary Marist Value | Best Age Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wonder | 2017 | PG | 113 min | Mercy & Kindness | 8-16 years |
| Paddington 2 | 2017 | PG | 103 min | Politeness & Hospitality | 6-14 years |
| Inside Out | 2015 | PG | 95 min | Emotional Intelligence | 7-15 years |
| Going My Way | 1944 | Approved | 126 min | Priestly Vocation & Service | 12+ years |
| The Prince of Egypt | 1998 | PG | 99 min | Faith & Liberation | 8-16 years |
How to Use Wonder for Family Faith Formation
Marist educators recommend structured viewing followed by guided reflection to maximize character education impact. The magic happens when families discuss the film afterward, asking questions that help children process complex emotions and moral choices.
- Before Watching: Explain that the movie deals with bullying and facial differences; assure children that kindness wins by the end
- During Viewing: Pause after emotional scenes to check in with younger children about how characters feel
- After Watching: Ask "When did you see someone choose kind? When have you needed someone to choose kind for you?"
- Action Step: Identify one person in your school community who needs mercy this week and plan a concrete act of kindness
Unlike surface-level "be nice" messaging, Wonder creates real emotional connection by showing the consequences of cruelty and the healing power of acceptance. The film's tagline "Choose Kind" becomes a practical moral framework that families can apply daily in school drop-offs, playground interactions, and sibling conflicts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Family Movies and Marist Values
Conclusion: Choosing Wonder for Marist Family Formation
When families seek the best movie to watch together that aligns with Catholic and Marist educational values, Wonder stands unmatched for its authentic portrayal of mercy in action, its accessibility across age groups, and its practical "Choose Kind" framework that translates directly into daily school and home life.
By choosing Wonder for family movie night, Marist families invest in holistic education that blends emotional intelligence with spiritual formation, preparing children to see God's image in every person they encounter throughout their lives.
Everything you need to know about Best Movie To Watch With Family When Everyone Disagrees On Tone
What Makes Wonder Superior for Marist Family Movie Night?
Wonder offers a reminder that we are all at the mercy of one another, capturing the interdependence that Marist pedagogy emphasizes in community formation. Dark, pain-filled, lonely corners exist in each person's life, and the simple kindness of another can pull someone into the light.
What age is appropriate for watching Wonder with children?
Wonder is rated PG for thematic elements including bullying and some mild language, making it appropriate for children ages 8 and up. The 113-minute runtime requires attention span that most third graders possess, and the emotional depth resonates particularly well with ages 10-14 when peer acceptance becomes critically important.
How does Wonder connect to Catholic teaching on mercy?
While Wonder is not explicitly a religious film, it embodies Catholic social teaching on human dignity, preferential option for the vulnerable, and the corporal works of mercy. The film illustrates St. Faustina's Divine Mercy message that "Jesus, I trust in You" by showing how trust in others' goodness transforms communities.
Are there better Catholic movies for family viewing than Wonder?
For explicitly Catholic content, films like Going My Way, The Prince of Egypt, or Nacho Libre offer direct faith themes. However, Wonder remains superior for teaching mercy as daily practice because it shows ordinary children and families living out gospel values without religious labels, making it more accessible for diverse Latin American families.
How can Marist schools use Wonder in curriculum?
Marist educators in Brazil and Latin America have successfully integrated Wonder into values formation programs by pairing it with service projects, writing assignments about empathy, and discussions of Treacher Collins syndrome in science class. The film's 2017 release means most current high school students were young children when it premiered, creating shared cultural reference points.
Where can families stream Wonder legally?
Wonder is available on major streaming platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ in Brazil and Latin America as of May 2026. The film also releases on digital purchase for $14.99 USD and physical DVD/Blu-ray for schools building media libraries.
