It’s nearly the end of August. We’ve had our family vacation to visit the grandparents. We’ve already got our summer camping trips out of the way. All three kids are registered for the next school year, and my wife, who teaches fourth grade, will be attending her mandatory school year kick-off orientation. Back-to-school shopping’s already on the family calendar; the days are starting to get a little shorter; and when we all settled in for our family movie night, it seemed so clear that this was it. Summer was coming to a close, and this might very well be the last movie night before the start of school. So we needed to watch something pretty awesome.

And, you guys, IT WAS THE SEA BEAST.

I’m not going to say that my children don’t argue all the freaking time, because that would be a huge lie. I once had to shut down an argument between my kids over whether my 13-year-old was breathing in a way to intentionally irritate my oldest (insert parental eye roll). I mean, honestly, there are moments when it feels like my wife and I created a micro version of a congressional hearing — they argue about everything! There are fights over everything from food choices to weekend activities to, yes, family movie night. What we should watch, if a scene was funny or cheesy or fake... And after the movie, arguments about whether or not a movie was actually, as my son likes to say, “Gucci” (translation: good).

I bring all of this up to emphasize the absolute shock I felt when I realized all of that sibling rivalry was replaced with my kiddos being completely hypnotized by The Sea Beast. It felt like we’d found one of those truly rare gems that pleases everyone, regardless of age, sex, belief in monsters or political affiliation. And I cannot fully express how unique a moment like this is for me as a father of constantly arguing children.

I felt absolute glee seeing us all getting along, even if it was only for 115 minutes, as we clung to our seats in an epic sea battle. Sure, I was silently mourning the end of one more summer, but this moment of family togetherness felt like a huge gift — my children acting like the loving family I know they can be. We all snuggled on the sofa, snacking and getting goofy with excitement, fear, shock and empathy, as we watched the complicated relationships between the humans and sea monsters in the film.

Learn How the Animators Brought the Beasts of The Sea Beast to LifeThese monsters are the stuff of nightmares.

There was one moment, near the end, when the Red Bluster, the lovable sea beast that won over everyone’s heart, was about to be harpooned by the grizzled Captain Crow. My youngest, Aspen, got scared and climbed into my lap. As she did, my 13-year-old daughter, Norah, snuggled into my side, a bowl of popcorn in her lap. She wrapped her arm around mine, seeking comfort. Everything about her, from the tight squeeze around my arm to her wide-open eyes, was clearly afraid but unable to look away. She seemed to say, “I’m there. I’m in the movie. But I need my dad right now.”

Even my 15-year-old son, with his long cool-kid hair, inched a little closer to me, until his head was ever so slightly rested on my shoulder, the same look in his eyes as his younger sister. He was unable to look away, fearful that this whole action adventure was about to become a tragedy. I was this incredible source of comfort for them, and I couldn’t help but feel a warmth in my heart knowing that this was exactly what I needed as summer vacation came to an end.

The Sea Beast might have been the perfect summer family movie. I don’t know if I could have asked for a better flick to make us feel like a unified whole. And I know all good things must come to an end, including summer break. But each year, it feels like I go through a number of emotions. At first, I’m excited that I get more time with my kids, then there’s the middle of the summer when I, like many parents, long for the kids to go back to school because there are just so. many. messes!

But then there’s the end, when I just want one last warm family moment before the school year begins. Unfortunately, I don’t always get that, but this year, as I snuggled all three kids and watched The Sea Beast, I got what I’ve always longed for. And let me tell you, it was wonderful.

We finished the movie. It was a little before 9 p.m. The sun was almost down and Aspen did one of those long stretches with a yawn, the kind you only make when you’ve seen a great film that left you somewhere between dream and reality. I carried her to bed, and as I went up the stairs, I could hear my two teenagers. Only for once, they weren’t arguing. They were talking about how awesome the movie was. I couldn’t help but smile.

‘The Sea Beast’ Netflix Trailer