Tonight is Roberts Family Movie Night. We pop popcorn and dredge it in seasonings (my favorite is this all-natural Doritos Seasoning!). We cram onto the big U-shaped couch that came with the house, and we stay up entirely too late, laughing and enjoying a movie together.
As our children have gotten older, it’s been harder to find movies that everyone enjoys. Often, we have to watch a “little kid” movie earlier in the evening and switch to a “big kid” movie later on.
I still remember the night my husband rented Goonies. He remembered it from his childhood and wanted to share the film with the kids. A few minutes into the movie it became obvious we would NOT be sharing Goonies with the kids. EEK!
But, then we found VidAngel. I don’t even remember how we found out about the site. We joined while it was still in beta and helped make some of the selections that built their first library of films available for filtering. One of those movies was Goonies!
Since that day, we’ve been loyal fans of VidAngel. We have watched many, many movies that we never would have been able to watch otherwise. Movies that have merit and are worth the watching, but needed some cleaning up so the entire family could enjoy them.
The way that VidAngel works is simple. You “buy” your first movie for $20. You choose the filters you want on – everything from language to violence to immodesty – and then watch the movie with those things taken out. There is very little disruption to the film, so you aren’t getting huge blips and bleeps, just smooth transitions and muted language. (We have our filters preset now, so it doesn’t take me very long to go in and check over the filters each time we watch a movie.)
After you watch the movie, you sell the movie back for $19. That money goes into a credit account on VidAngel. The next time you “buy”/rent a movie, your cost is only $1 because you have that $19 credit. And right now, if you sign up and watch a movie, you can then turn around and invite other friends and family to join, and once they rent their very first movie, you receive a $5 credit to your account, giving you 5 FREE MOVIES!
We have tried several different filtering programs, and VidAngel is by far the best! Plus, you can request movies for their team to filter! Your teens can watch Schindler’s List for school without needing to see the nudity. You and your spouse can settle in for a movie night with an action/adventure film that doesn’t include any language. Your little ones can be in the same room when a movie is playing because you’ve already taken out everything that you don’t want your family to see!
We haven’t decided yet what we’ll be watching tonight for Roberts Family Movie Night, but you can be certain it will include a VidAngel movie! Why not join us?!
rebecca says
WOW- we need a couch like that! We squeeze onto 2 couches for now 🙂
The same thing happened to us with GOONIES! My husband remembered it also from his childhood and suggested it, but we also couldn’t let the kids see it all… and just yesterday my one son was remembering the “scary movie” he saw part of (and that was months ago- oops)
I will check out vidangel- thanks!
Amy says
Ha! How funny it was the same movie!
Tara Vos says
First, love the picture of the family on the huge couch!
Second, we love VidAngel as well! The only way to go!
Theresa says
Ok wait, so I am not tech savvy. I can’t watch the movies on my tv? Like it has to be through phone or comp.?
Amy says
It is via internet. Before we had apple tv, we plugged our computer into the TV or projector so we could watch it on a bigger screen.
Samantha says
There are so many movies I loved as a kid that I would love to watch with my children, but can’t because of different reasons. I can’t wait to try VidAngel out.
sabrinagohl says
Do we have to have a computer or do we have to have internet
Amy says
You do have to have internet.
Tammy Green says
That is too funny about the movie, Goonies. That exact situation with the same movie happened to us! We turned it off after about 5 minutes into the movie. We mostly preview all movies that may have questionable content, but my husband, like yours, didn’t remember all the trash in the film. But as parents who protect our children and are conficted to do so, see and hear everything! So you could say, unless it is rated G or PG, we have to preview it first (which takes the fun out of watch for the first time as a family) or we just don’t watch it at all. It is sad because boys want to watch films like Transformers, X-Men, Ninja Turtles, ect. I am glad VidAngel came along. My husband and I came across this a few weeks ago also. Can’t wait to check it out and be able to watch a movie with the children without sitting on the edge of my seat with the remote in hand and a finger on the button anticipating to click before my children are or hear something that can’t be removed afterward. Love this filter site!
Kelly says
Your post has made me SO happy in SO many ways!! First of all, my all-time favorite kid movie (even as an adult) is GOONIES! I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one who likes it…my husband thinks I’m nuts : ) I’ve watched it so many times that I pretty much have it memorized (my parents weren’t as picky about the movies I watched…) and was able to let my older boys watch it because I could fast forward through all the bad language and other stuff we don’t find appropriate for kids. I would love to be able to sit and watch it as an entire family without all the work on my part.
Secondly, after our frustration with Plugged-In came to a head (after years of questioning in my own mind, I finally e-mailed to ask the movie reviewers – in a spirit of love – why they watch and review ALL movies that come into the theater, and my husband and I were sorely disappointed in their reply), we went on a search for other options and my husband came across VidAngel. He told me a little about it, but I think I was distracted at the time (hey, we have 7 kids and I’m pregnant!) and didn’t give it the attention I should have. But now that you’ve explained it (and I was actually focused), I LOVE the idea. I think we might already be “signed up,” but we definitely haven’t taken advantage of it yet. You’ve inspired me to look into it more thoroughly, though!! Thanks!
And while I’m here… it’s been through your blog that I have come to realize that I have diastasis recti (finger width of about 3 before I was pregnant) and am inspired to research it and hopefully get it under control before it gets any worse. So, thank you…your testimony about it really does help other women. I hope your last few weeks of pregnancy go quickly and smoothly (or that you will allow the Lord to comfort you if they don’t). I still have another 10 wks. left before we meet baby and find out if it’s a boy or girl – we have 6 boys and 1 girl!
Josi says
Hilarious about Goonies….add me to the list! The last time I came across it I had to just turn it off. One of the reasons I loved the movie was because it was filmed in Astoria, Oregon. I live in WA and I visited Astoria with my family as a young girl. It was so fun to recognize many of the places in the movie. I think they filmed scenes in Cannon Beach, OR as well but made it look like it was all close together, which it is not.
Thanks for the great info. I love these types of tips!
Megan Besong says
Yes! We LOVE VidAngel! Found it on our Roku. My husband and I laughed and laughed, though, when we saw that one of the “commonly used” filters was filtering Jar Jar Binks out of Star Wars! ha ha ha
Savannah says
I just saw an ad for this somewhere, so perfect timing on your post. We currently stream Netflix through our PS4 and iPad. I plan on checking back with VidAngel from time to time, for when they release an app for streaming on the PS4. It would be great to not have to hear the choice language that seems to be in almost every movie these days!
Savannah says
I was wondering why PS4 created a hyperlink…it links to Psalm 4! That’s great! Guess I should have spelled out Playstation 4 instead. ?
Amy says
Ha! I have an application on here that makes Scripture references links so you can read the verse…never thought it would take abbreviations, though!