The beginning of fall and an upcoming weekend—what more do you need to plan a family movie night and get cozy with your loved ones? (I guess… popcorn and movie recs?)
To ensure a perfect movie night, I’ve listed the 40 best family movies, including some classic adventures and comedies and some underrated hidden gems with excellent plotlines that fit every age group’s requirements.
Apart from that, I’ve also mentioned the streaming platforms you’ll require to stream the movies, so make sure to go through it.
So, without any delay, let’s jump in!
| Release Date | 14 June 2024 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
Inside Out 2 begins with Riley starting puberty and experiencing a lot of new emotions, causing a sudden demolition in Riley’s mind headquarters. Her old emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, try to adapt but are left helpless as anxiety shows up, and it seems like she isn’t alone.
Watch Inside Out 2 on Apple TV!
| Release Date | 5 July 2024 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
Despicable Me 4 starts with Gru welcoming a new family member, Jr. Gru. However, soon their happiness comes crashing down as they learn the criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal has escaped the prison to get revenge on Gru. As a result, Gru relocates to a safer place to protect his family, but are they truly safe?
Watch Despicable Me 4 on Amazon Prime Video!
| Release Date | 7 October 2022 |
| Genre | Comedy/Family |
When the Primm family moves to New York City, their young son, Josh, struggles to adapt to his new life and friends. However, soon Josh discovers Lyle, a singing crocodile who loves baths, caviar, and great music, and they instantly become friends. But when Lyle’s existence is threatened, the Primm family comes together to show Lyle is not as dangerous as people think.
Watch Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile on Netflix!
| Release Date | 6 February 2009 |
| Rating | CBFC: U |
| Genre | Family/Horror |
While exploring her new home, Coraline comes across a secret door that leads her to a world that mirrors her own but is comparably better. She is delighted with her discovery, but the problem arises when the other family beyond the secret door tries to keep her forever. Coraline must use all her bravery to make it back, or she’ll be trapped forever.
| Release Date | 12 July 2024 |
| Genre | Musical/Fantasy |
After the Queen of Hearts initiates a coup on Auradon, her daughter, Red, and Cinderella’s perfectionist daughter, Chloe, travel back in time using White Rabbit’s pocket watch to stop the battle of seizure of power. They try to undo the events that led Red’s mother down this wicked path.
Watch Descendants: The Rise of Red on Disney+!
| Release Date | October 24, 2004 |
| Genre | Family/Action |
The married superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, are forced to live a common life as Bob and Helen Parr after the government banned all super-powered activities. Although Mr. Incredible is happy with his family, he longs to live an adventurous life, and soon he gets the chance as he is summoned to fight an out-of-control robot. However, he gets in trouble and needs his family to save him.
Watch The Incredibles on Disney+!
| Release Date | November 16, 2001 |
| Genre | Family/Fantasy |
It follows a young boy, Harry Potter, who learns on his eleventh birthday he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers. Due to his powers, he is summoned to enroll at Hogwarts, the English boarding school for wizards, where he meets his friends and discovers the mysterious truth behind his parent’s death.
Watch Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video
| Release Date | June 7, 1985 |
| Genre | Family/Adventure |
The Goonies story follows a bunch of adventurous kids on the verge of losing their house as a property development company wants to destroy their home to build a country club. When they find a pirate treasure map in their attic, they bring along some of their friends to find the treasure, while trying to avoid a group of bad guys.
Watch The Goonies on Amazon Prime Video!
| Release Date | December 15, 2023 |
| Genre | Family/Musical |
Wonka tells the story of Willy Wonka, who dreams of becoming a chocolatier in a city renowned for its chocolate. With his dreams and skills, he manages to change the industry run by a cartel of greedy chocolatiers and earns himself a name as a confectionary genius.
| Release Date | June 11, 1982 |
| Genre | Family/Sci-fi |
After a kind alien is stranded on Earth, it is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott. He brings the extraterrestrial into his suburban house in California and introduces him as E.T. to his friends. They all decide to keep his existence a secret. However, when E.T. falls sick, the government must intervene, which lands both Elliott and E.T. in a complicated situation.
Watch E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial on Apple TV+!
| Release Date | November 22, 2017 |
| Genre | Family/Fantasy |
It follows a young boy, Miguel, who dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz despite his family’s generations-old ban on music. Trying to prove his talent, Miguel ends up in the Land of the Dead, where he meets a charming trickster named Hector. The two soon become friends and try to solve the mystery behind his family’s ban on music.
| Release Date | July 20, 1998 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
Twins Annie and Hallie have been living as strangers until a coincidence unites them. The girl’s parents, Nick and Elizabeth, live on the opposite side of the Atlantic, each with one child. When they meet at the camp, they plan an identity swap, giving each other the chance to live with a parent they missed with plans to reunite their family again.
Watch The Parent Trap on Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+!
| Release Date | August 6, 2003 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
The story follows a single mother, Tess Coleman, and her daughter, Anna, who are strangely at odds due to their huge differences. However, one day after receiving a cryptic fortune at a Chinese restaurant, they wake up to find they have somehow switched bodies. Forced to put up a pretense until they find a solution, they develop respect and understanding for each other.
| Release Date | October 9, 1987 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
The Princess Bride follows the story of a young, beautiful woman and her true love, a farmer-turned-pirate. In the fairy tale, he must find her after a long time of separation, while encountering various allies and obstacles and fighting against the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited.
Watch The Princess Bride on Disney+!
| Release Date | January 16, 2015 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
Paddington follows the story of a young bear who moves to England in search of a home after a deadly earthquake destroys his home in the Peruvian rainforest. After he is lost at the Paddington station, he meets the kind Brown family, who shelters him. Soon, he finds himself attached to the family, though he doesn’t know someone has different plans for the rare bear.
Watch Paddington on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Apple TV+!
| Release Date | January 6, 2017 |
| Genre | Drama/History |
The story follows the three brilliant women at NASA: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who work as the brains of the greatest mission in history—to launch astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that boosted the nation’s confidence and contributed to the Space Race.
Watch Hidden Figures on Amazon Prime Video!
| Release Date | August 31, 2002 |
| Genre | 2h 15m |
10-year-old Chihiro and her parents come across an abandoned amusement park, where her parents suddenly turn into giant pigs. Soon, she meets the mysterious Haku, who explains that the park is a resort for supernatural beings who wish to take a rest from their time in the earthly realm. He says if she wants to free her parents and herself, she must work there.
| Release Date | November 21, 2007 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
The story is about a young girl named Giselle who lives in the fairytale land of Andalasia with her woodland pals and falls in love with the handsome Prince Edward. When she goes to marry Prince Charming, her evil stepmother sends her to New York City, where there are ‘no happy ever afters’. Can she find her way to her true love?
| Release Date | 8 July 2016 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
This animated film revolves around Max, a terrier who enjoys his life in New York City until his owner adopts an unruly canine, Duke. One day on their walk, they lose their collars and end up in the sewers, the kingdom of a ferocious bunny, Snowball. Now, the two dogs must put aside their differences and join forces to avoid being captured by Animal Control, while their friends are on their way to save them.
Watch The Secret Life of Pets on Amazon Prime Video!
| Release Date | 16 June 2023 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
The movie’s plot revolves around Element City, where people are elements—air, water, earth, and fire. It shows a star-crossed romance story of two incompatible creatures, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy, who find that they have so much in common and start to fall in love against all odds.
Watch Elemental on Amazon Prime Video!
| Release Date | December 22, 2023 |
| Genre | Adventure/Comedy |
Migration follows a family of four ducks who migrate from New England to Jamaica, leaving their safe home for an adventurous trip. However, their plans soon go haywire as they lose their way in New York City and realize the dangers out there. Through this experience, they learn that they need to expand their horizons, make new friends, and accomplish some great things in life.
| Release Date | March 1, 2022 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
The movie follows a thirteen-year-old girl, Mei Lee, who is torn between following her mother’s expectations and navigating the adolescence changes. To top the struggles, she has a hereditary curse that passes from generation to generation; whenever she gets overly excited, she transforms into a giant red panda.
| Release Date | November 23, 2016 |
| Genre | Family/Adventure |
Moana, a sea voyaging enthusiast and the daughter of the chief navigator, learns that her village is suffering from a curse caused by the demigod Maui, who stole the heart of the goddess, Te Fiti. So, she sets off on a journey to find Maui and urges him to return Te Fiti’s heart and save her village, while discovering her own identity.
| Release Date | July 28, 1996 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
Matilda is a young, gifted girl forced to put up with her crude parents and the bully principal at Matilda’s school, Agatha Trunchbull. However, when Matilda discovers she has the power of telekinesis, she decides to defend her friends from the tyrant principal and fight against her mean parents.
| Release Date | June 29, 2007 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
Remy, a rat, dreams of becoming a great chef in the rodent-phobic profession. To follow his dreams, he goes to Paris and meets a hapless garbage boy, Linguini, who helps him put his culinary skills to use while remaining hidden. Finally, he gets the chance to prove his skills to a great food critic, but will he be able to turn the culinary world of Paris upside down?
| Release Date | November 17, 2023 |
| Genre | Musical/Fantasy |
In this sequel, Poppy finds that Branch was once a part of the boy band ‘BroZone’ with his brothers, Floyd, John Dory, Spruce, and Clay. However, when they discover Branch’s sibling Flyod is kidnapped, they embark on a journey to save his brother from a pair of wicked villains and reunite Branch with his other brothers.
Watch Trolls Band Together on Netflix!
| Release Date | May 24, 2024 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
It follows the story of the scruffy cat Garfield, who is unexpectedly reunited with his long-lost father, ragged alley cat Vic. Soon, he and his canine friend Odie are forced to leave their perfectly pampered lives to join Vic to take part in risky heists and begin an adventurous outdoor journey.
Watch The Garfield Movie on Amazon Prime Video!
| Release Date | April 7, 1993 |
| Genre | Family/Sport |
When Scootie Smalls and his parents move to a new neighborhood, he wants to learn baseball and manages to make friends with the kids playing at the sandlot. Benny Rodriguez, the neighborhood baseball guru, takes him under his wing, making him a part of the local baseball buddies. Soon, they experience many adventures while also running into some comical troubles.
| Release Date | February 16, 2007 |
| Genre | Family/Adventure |
The story follows the life of Jesse, whose life changes after he befriends Leslie, the class outsider. After wandering off into the woods after school, they create an imaginary secret kingdom named Terabithia, where they rule as king and queen while fighting all sorts of evil monsters. But soon tragedy strikes and Jesse must overcome the horrors of reality.
Watch Bridge to Terabithia on Disney+!
| Release Date | June 24, 1994 |
| Genre | Family/Musical |
It follows the story of the young lion prince Simba and his villainous uncle Scar. After Simba is appointed the next heir, Scar is overrun by jealousy and plans to kill Simba, though only his father Mufasa dies and Simba escapes. After his escape, he meets two outcasts and lives quietly, though years later, he returns to his homeland to stop Scar’s evil reign and take on his role as the king.
Watch The Lion King on Disney+!
| Release Date | April 5, 2023 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumber Mario and his brother Luigi are transported into a magical new world, called Mushroom Kingdom. When the brothers are separated, Mario travels the kingdom with Princess Peach and an anthropomorphic mushroom named Toad to find Luigi and save the world from a merciless fire-breathing Koopa named Bowser.
Watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie on Netflix!
| Release Date | March 8, 2024 |
| Genre | Comedy/Adventure |
When Po is chosen to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, he must train a successor to take his role as a Dragon Warrior. However, he soon discovers a new shapeshifting villain named Chameleon has set her eyes on his Staff of Wisdom and is out to challenge him. Luckily, he meets a fox named Zhen, who helps him reach the villain’s lair.
Watch Kung Fu Panda 4 on Peacock!
| Release Date | June 9, 2006 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
In a world of cars, a young, ambitious racing car, Lightning McQueen, is on his way to California for the final race of the Piston Cup when he accidentally damages the road of the small town of Radiator Springs and is punished to repair it. During his stay, he finds friends and realizes the meaning of life, but will he be able to make the racing event on time?
| Release Date | December 5, 1999 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
The Little family visits an orphanage and adopts a charming young mouse named Stuart. However, George is initially unwelcoming of him; the family cat is infuriated with the thought of having a mouse as his master and plans to get rid of him. Stuart musters all his courage to face these difficulties and show them the meaning of real family.
Watch Stuart Little on YouTube TV!
| Release Date | 17 December 2006 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
Larry Daley thinks he is destined for big things in life, though his imagination never seems to pay off. When in desperate need of a job, he accepts the job as a security guard at the Natural History Museum. However, he makes a startling discovery: due to an Egyptian curse, the museum’s artifacts spring to life after the building closes.
Watch Night at the Museum on Disney+!
| Release Date | 3 May 2002 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
The plot is set on Earth 20,000 years ago and follows three characters: a woolly mammoth, Manny, a saber-toothed tiger, Diego, and a sloth, Sid, who encounter an Eskimo baby on their way to migrate to the South to avoid the ice age. However, they must return the baby to their tribe before a group of saber tooth tigers kills him.
Watch Ice Age on Amazon Prime Video!
| Release Date | 4 March 2016 |
| Genre | Family/Comedy |
Zootopia is a mammal metropolis where various animals struggle to live and thrive. The plot follows the story of Judy Hopps, the first rabbit to join the police force, who realizes how tough it is to enforce the law. When assigned a mysterious case, she is desperate to prove herself, though she would have to take help from the shrewd fox, Nick Wilde, who plans to make things difficult.
| Release Date | March 21, 2010 |
| Genre | Family/Adventure |
Hiccup is a Scandinavian teenager from the island of Berk and the son of the chief clan and dragon killer, Stoik, who wants to join the upcoming fight against dragons but is denied by his father. Desperate to prove himself as a Viking, he ventures and befriends a mysterious Night Fury dragon, naming him Toothless. He soon realizes people have misjudged their species, but how will he prove that?
| Release Date | June 11, 2010 |
| Genre | Family/Action |
The Karate Kid follows the story of 12-year-old Dre Parker, who is forced to move to China and deal with a strange land because of her mom’s career. Soon, he befriends Mei Ying and somehow ends up being bullied by Cheng, whose karate skills are unrivaled. Later, he meets Han, the maintenance man of Dre’s apartment, a Kung Fu master who helps him learn Kung Fu to fend off Cheng’s bullying and win the upcoming tournament.
Watch The Karate Kid on Netflix!
| Release Date | March 18, 2001 |
| Genre | Family/Action |
Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez are the world’s finest secret agents, though they have retired for a decade to raise their two children, Carmen and Juni. However, they are suddenly called back into business to investigate the disappearance of four agents. When they end up being kidnapped. Carmen and Juni take the matter into their own hands to save their parents and stop an evil genius.
This was all for the best family movies of all time. (Whew! That was a lot!) So, have a fun night this weekend and get to know your family or friends over shared topics and laughter.
If you don’t have a subscription to any OTT, you can check out the listed movies on free streaming platforms, like Soap2Day, YouTube, etc., though you must tread at your own risk.
The best family adventure movies include The Garfield Movie, Migration, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, Secret Life of Pets, Descendants: The Rise of Red, Despicable Me 4, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, etc.
The best family comedy movies are The Parent Trap, Ratatouille, The Sandlot, Matilda, The Incredibles, Inside Out, Coco, Kung Fu Panda 4, etc.
The good scary family movies include Coraline, Corpse Bride, Hotel Transylvania, and The Addams Family.
