The great family movies aren’t the ones that talk down to kids, nor the ones that sneak in a few jokes for the parents like a bribe. They’re the ones that quietly trust everyone in the room to feel something.
These ten have lasted because they do that, and they work for a wide range of ages. Check ratings against your youngest viewer, and don’t be surprised if the grown-ups cry more than the kids. It happens. Nobody’s judging. Everybody’s pretending something is in their eye.
Toy Story
The first fully computer-animated feature changed movies forever, but it holds up because of its story, not its polygons. Woody, a cowboy doll, sees his place as a favorite toy threatened by a new space-ranger toy, Buzz Lightyear, who thinks he’s a real space ranger and is very committed to the bit.
Its themes, jealousy, friendship and the fear of being replaced, are deeply human, and also somehow about toys. It’s funny, warm and endlessly quotable. The sequels are worth your time, and so is the quiet admission that you’ve felt personally attacked by the third one.
Moana
A teenage girl from a Polynesian island sets out across the ocean to save her people, with help from the demigod Maui, who’s a bit of an ego with abs. The songs, many by Lin-Manuel Miranda, are catchy enough to take over your household for at least a week.
The water animation is spectacular, and Moana is a lead who is brave without being a cliché. It’s a great fit for kids who love adventure and music, and parents who will be humming about being shiny for the next several months.
The Lion King
A young lion prince runs away after his father’s death and returns as an adult to reclaim his place. The story is Shakespearean, rooted in Hamlet, but with more singing and fewer people saying “to be or not to be” to a skull.
It can be intense for the youngest viewers, but its themes of responsibility and growing up land with real weight. The music alone is worth the watch, and so is the experience of watching a stampede that has been traumatizing children since 1994.
Finding Nemo
A clownfish father crosses the ocean to find his lost son, joined by a forgetful blue tang named Dory. The movie is bright, funny and full of heart, and also an excellent argument for not keeping fish in a tank in a dentist’s office.
It’s a story about letting go, which every parent understands and absolutely hates. Kids love the colorful sea creatures, and adults find it more moving than they’d like to admit. Just keep swimming. Also, keep tissues nearby.
The Incredibles
A family of superheroes, forced to live ordinary lives, is drawn back into action. It’s part superhero movie, part family comedy, and plays with both genres in clever ways, like a very good party trick that also has a heart.
It has a stylish mid-century look and a jazzy score. Its jokes about the stress of everyday family life land especially well with parents, who also have a secret identity: tired.
Coco
A young boy who dreams of becoming a musician is transported to the Land of the Dead on Día de los Muertos. The movie celebrates Mexican culture with vivid color and warmth, and then quietly destroys everyone.
Its story of family and memory is deeply emotional, and the final scenes have a way of making whole living rooms cry. The music is wonderful, and you will find yourself humming “Remember Me” while doing the dishes and feeling things. You’ve been warned.
Encanto
The Madrigals are a magical family in Colombia, each blessed with a special gift, except for Mirabel, who gets the family’s full attention anyway. When their home begins to crack, she sets out to find out why.
The songs became a worldwide phenomenon, and the movie has a sharp insight into family pressure and expectations, with a surprising amount of wisdom about what it means to be the one who doesn’t feel special. We don’t talk about it, but we should.
Shrek
A grumpy ogre agrees to rescue a princess to get his swamp back, and ends up with a talkative donkey and an unexpected romance. It pokes gentle fun at fairy-tale tropes, with the tone of someone who has read all of them and has notes.
Some of its pop-culture jokes have aged like milk, but its heart and its message about accepting yourself still work. It’s a reliable comedy for the whole family, and the “All Star” opening is still undefeated.
How to Train Your Dragon
A Viking boy named Hiccup befriends a wounded dragon instead of killing it, and the bond changes his village’s whole way of life. The flying sequences are exhilarating, and the dragon is basically a very large, very expressive cat.
It’s a story about friendship and about refusing to become what everyone expects. John Powell’s score is one of the best in animation, and it will make you want to hug something with scales.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Mario and Luigi are plumbers from Brooklyn who find themselves in a colorful fantasy world and must stop the villain Bowser, who sings a love song to a princess on a piano, which no one asked for and everyone loved. It’s packed with references for fans of the games.
Its story is simple, and that’s part of its charm. It’s a bright, fast, fun movie that works for kids who know the games and parents who grew up with them, and it’s an excellent argument for letting everyone sing along.