Choosing a film for your entire household to take pleasure in could be tough. There’s by no means a scarcity of youngsters’ films to select from, however more often than not these are likely to solely cater to the younger ones, leaving little to entertain adults. After which there’s the danger of a PG-13 film being a bit too a lot for the little youngsters to deal with. Fortunately, Netflix presents an particularly extensive choice of films for any age to take pleasure in, each animated and live-action.
We’ve scrubbed via the streaming service to search out 13 of the perfect family-friendly films, together with the whole lot from action-packed adventures to catchy musicals and uplifting emotional dramas to animated wonders. Now nobody has to compromise.
1. The Half of It (2020)
Credit score: KC Bailey / Netflix
Rated: PG-13
At a highschool within the small Washington city of Squahamish, Ellie Chu is the go-to child for any pupil making an attempt to get out of writing an essay. A shy Chinese language-American teen, Ellie ghostwrites her classmates’ homework to make some further money and assist her widowed father pay the payments. That makes her the right individual for what Paul, the candy soccer jock who lives subsequent door, wants: Ellie to put in writing a love letter to his crush. The one downside is, Ellie additionally secretly has a crush on the identical lady.
Alice Wu’s candy coming-of-age movie The Half of It is a contemporary teen tackle the traditional play “Cyrano de Bergerac,” however with a queer YA twist. As Ellie pens love letters from Paul to stunning cool-girl Aster, she additionally grows nearer to Aster in actual life. The love triangle turns messy as lies, heightened teen feelings, and miscommunication pile up. The Half of It is a heartwarming and charming teen film that tenderly explores matters of queer identification, faith, and friendship, and could be a terrific look ahead to each teenagers and queer adults who by no means acquired a queer highschool romance film of their youth.
Methods to watch: The Half of It is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Spider-Man: Throughout the Spider-Verse (2023)
Rated: PG
Within the sequel to Into the Spider-Verse, a yr has handed since Miles Morales and his Spidey mates saved New York Metropolis from Kingpin. Now Miles is older, appearing rather more like a moody teenager, and struggling to get alongside together with his dad and mom. The destiny of the multiverse quickly turns into Miles’ prime precedence when he meets a brand new, even worse supervillain named The Spot (Jason Schwartzman). Miles and Gwen Stacy reunite and meet a handful of latest Spider-Folks to try to cease The Spot from destroying your entire multiverse. Our newest crew of web-slingers consists of Issa Rae’s pregnant Spider-Girl, Daniel Kaluuya because the spikey-haired Brit Spider-Punk, Karan Soni as Spider-Man India, and Oscar Issac as Spider-Man 2099. In some way the sequel is bursting with much more gorgeous visuals, humor, and high-stakes motion — together with one the best and most suspenseful chase scenes but with extra Spider-Folks than you’ll be able to depend.
Methods to watch: Spider-Man: Throughout the Spider-Verse is now streaming on Netflix.
3. Enola Holmes (2020)
Credit score: Legendary © 2020
Rated: PG-13
Millie Bobby Brown swaps superpowers for sleuthing in Enola Holmes, Harry Bradbeer’s film concerning the 16-year-old sister of the famed Sherlock Holmes. On this detective story, it’s Enola who will get the highlight and the possibility to resolve a thriller. When her mom Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter) goes lacking, Enola units out to search out her however quickly discovers a collection of hidden clues her mom’s left behind that reveal a a lot larger story at play.
Enola Holmes has the traditional intrigue of a Holmes story, filled with intelligent clues and quizzical riddles — and sure, Sherlock himself does seem, performed by Henry Cavill — however brings a youthful and feminist spin to the previous detective style. Mother and father who’ve watched Amazon’s Fleabag will even discover one thing distinctive to take pleasure in right here as nicely — Bradbeer, who directed the Phoebe Waller-Bridge comedy collection, brings that very same cheeky, breaking-the-fourth-wall character commentary to Enola Holmes. It provides a recent, winking humorousness to what’s already a enjoyable household journey filled with thriller and romance.
Methods to watch: Enola Holmes is now streaming on Netflix.
4. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Rated: PG
Simply some of the attractive and imaginative stop-motion movies of the previous decade, Kubo and the Two Strings tells the story of a younger Japanese boy who units out on a legendary quest. Whereas caring for his in poor health mom, Kubo is abruptly attacked by the vengeful spirits of his mom’s sisters (each voiced by Rooney Mara). He now should discover his father’s magical swimsuit of armor and outrun his evil ancestors with the assistance of a magical shamisen instrument, a speaking snow monkey (voiced by Charlize Theron), and a cursed samurai trapped in a beetle’s physique (Matthew McConaughey). Not solely is Kubo a feast to take a look at — made by the identical studio behind Coraline and ParaNorman — but additionally, it tells a touching emotional story.
Methods to watch: Kubo and the Two Strings is now streaming on Netflix.
5. Nimona (2023)
Credit score: Netflix
Rated: PG
Set in a medieval futuristic world, Nimona blends high-tech sci-fi (assume Fifth Aspect with flying vehicles and skyscrapers) and high-stakes motion in a traditional hero’s journey. On this story although, our heroes and villains aren’t precisely who they seem like at first. Based mostly on the graphic novel by nonbinary, transmasculine cartoonist ND Stevenson, Nimona additionally tells a strong and unabashedly queer story about discrimination and acceptance.
The story follows the titular Nimona (voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz) as a mysterious shapeshifting teen who recruits an outlaw knight named Ballister (Riz Ahmed) as her sidekick. Nimona, who can remodel from a punk teenage lady into creatures like a rhinoceros, a mouse, or a gorilla, tag groups with Ballister to assist clear his title after a stunning incident derails his life and future. Not solely is Nimona filled with emotional depth and a few stunning plot twists, however its imaginative animation and visible world make it a uncommon deal with of a household film that’s bursting with originality.
Methods to watch: Nimona is now streaming on Netflix.
6. Spider-Man (2002)
Rated: PG-13
Mashable Prime Tales
Earlier than the world-ending stakes of right this moment’s Marvel films and the brooding darkness of DC heroes, there was 2002’s Spider-Man, a superhero film that’s bursting with goofiness and kid-like spirit. It is probably not the most effective Spider-Man film, however the first Sam Raimi Spidey movie is a must-see for any child who loves the net slinger, and anybody who enjoys the silliness of comedian e book heroes.
This Peter Parker origin story, the primary of many on the large display, is downright foolish in one of the simplest ways. There’s a campy villain (Willem Dafoe’s Inexperienced Goblin, who seems to be like he’s jumped proper off the comedian web page together with his Energy Rangers-like swimsuit), a gloriously sappy romance — with, thoughts you, some of the iconic film kisses of all time — and a really dopey humorousness. I imply, Spider-Man fights in a wrestling cage match! What extra would you like, Peter testing out his powers by shouting “Up, up, and away web!”? You bought it.
Methods to watch: Spider-Man is now streaming on Netflix.
7. The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021)
Credit score: ©2021 SPAI. All Rights Reserved.
Rated: PG
On this planet of The Mitchells vs. The Machines, everyone seems to be hooked on their telephones, a mega tech company launches a flowery new software program, and children are endlessly irritated by their dad and mom. Sounds acquainted, huh? The animated Sony/Netflix film is fairly clearly a mirrored image of our present second with know-how and the way it can disrupt our every day lives, making it completely relatable throughout many ages. It’s additionally tremendous hilarious and wickedly entertaining. That’s removed from stunning provided that it’s produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the filmmakers behind the beloved LEGO Film.
In The Mitchells vs. The Machines, an AI voice software program (assume Siri or Alexa) decides to take over humanity, and it’s as much as the titular Mitchell household to avoid wasting the planet from the robotic apocalypse. There’s Katie, a queer teen and aspiring filmmaker (Abbi Jacobson), her dinosaur-obsessed little brother Aaron, their dad and mom Rick (Danny McBride) and Linda (Maya Rudolph), and their canine Monchi (noises voiced by none aside from Doug the Pug). What follows is a collection of massive and dazzling motion sequences harking back to The Incredibles — whereas there’s no tremendous powers right here, there’s an unimaginable combat scene in opposition to big Furbys.
Methods to watch: The Mitchells vs. The Machines is now streaming on Netflix.
8. The Secret Lifetime of Pets (2016)
Rated: PG
There are dozens of youngsters’ films about speaking cats and canines, however The Secret Lifetime of Pets is likely one of the most charming and lovable. It follows a giddy terrier named Max (Louis C.Okay.) who loves his life together with his candy proprietor Katie (Ellie Kemper) — that’s, till she brings residence a shaggy canine named Duke (Eric Stonestreet). However the two pups should discover a method to get alongside once they unintentionally get captured by Animal Management. An entire solid of animals assist rescue the 2 canines, together with a Pomeranian (Jenny Slate) who has a crush on Max, a rabbit named Snowball (Kevin Hart) who leads a crew of animals who’ve been deserted by their house owners, a grumpy red-tailed hawk (Albert Brooks), an previous Basset Hound (Dana Carvey), and a mini dachshund named Buddy (Hannibal Buress). If you happen to’re searching for cute animals, a well-known and enjoyable voice solid, and a plot filled with foolish shenanigans, you’ll be able to’t go incorrect with The Secret Lifetime of Pets.
Methods to watch: The Secret Lifetime of Pets is now streaming on Netflix.
9. All of the Brilliant Locations (2020)
Credit score: Michele Okay. Brief
Rated: TV-MA
All of the Brilliant Locations is an emotional teen drama that doesn’t shrink back from addressing the very heavy matters of loss of life, suicide, abuse, and self-harm, and simply how unbearably immense these could be for younger of us to navigate. Elle Fanning performs Violet, a lonely teen who can’t escape the guilt she feels after surviving the automotive crash that killed her sister 9 months in the past. She meets Finch (Justice Smith) whereas standing atop the bridge the place her sister died. After he talks her down, the 2 rapidly turn out to be shut, taking enjoyable day journeys round their small city collectively and slowly opening up concerning the ache they’re each affected by.
The romance drama, primarily based on the e book by Jennifer Niven, may be a heavy watch, but it surely’s admirable for the way in which it takes teenagers’ emotional worlds so critically. Fear not, there are nonetheless moments of lightness, humor, and sure, love all through the movie as Violet and Finch start to heal via their connection to at least one one other.
Methods to watch: All of the Brilliant Locations is now streaming on Netflix.
10. Pee-wee’s Large Vacation (2016)
Rated: PG
Whereas nothing can come near the zany, traditional Pee-wee films, the newest sequel remains to be a joyful experience. Paul Reubens returned to his iconic character for the primary time in a long time within the 2015 film, which follows Pee-wee on an journey throughout the nation.
Sooner or later, Pee-wee meets a touring stranger within the type of Joe Manganiello, actually taking part in himself. The hulking Magic Mike star encourages Pee-wee to depart his small city for the primary time to take a trip and go to Joe in New York Metropolis. Pee-wee quickly units out on a highway journey that takes him on a collection of wacky misadventures. He finds himself crossing paths with a trio of financial institution robbers, a farmer who tries to get Pee-wee to marry certainly one of his daughters, a creepy salesman, and a lot extra. However the true coronary heart of Large Vacation is the bond between Pee-wee and his new pal Joe, two guys who very clearly share greater than a platonic connection. With the current information of Reubens popping out as homosexual in a new posthumous documentary, evidently Large Vacation might have been the actor’s means of winking at his sexuality all alongside.
Methods to watch: Pee-wee’s Large Vacation is now streaming on Netflix.
11. Vivo (2021)
Credit score: © 2021 SPAI. All Rights Reserved.
Rated: PG
Vivo has all of the makings of a beloved animated musical you and your youngsters can’t assist however fall in love with. There’s a singing kinkajou who wears a tiny fedora, infectiously catchy musical numbers composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and his Hamilton and Within the Heights collaborator Alex Lacamoire, vivid animation popping with radiant coloration, and an emotional love story on the heart. (Oscar-winner Roger Deakins served as a visible guide, and it reveals.)
Set in Havana, Cuba, the film follows the titular kinkajou (voiced by Miranda) who spends his days taking part in music with Andrés (Juan de Marcos González) in an area metropolis sq.. When Andrés will get a letter from his long-lost love, well-known musician Marta (Gloria Estefan), inviting him to her ultimate present, Vivo units out to satisfy her and ship a music Andrés wrote for her. Loads of hijinks comply with, together with an assortment of songs any Hamilton fan can be singing alongside to for days.
Methods to watch: Vivo is now streaming on Netflix.
12. The Willoughbys (2020)
Rated: PG
Lois Lowry’s novel The Willoughbys involves life on this playful animated movie with a stacked voice solid and a foolish humorousness. The Willoughby youngsters had been sadly cursed with a pair of horrible, neglectful dad and mom (voiced by Martin Brief and Jane Krakowski). Sooner or later Tim (Will Forte), the eldest; Jane (Alessia Cara), the center baby; and their twin brothers (Seán Cullen) give you a plan to ship their evil dad and mom away on a visit in hopes of discovering a brand new mother and pop. Whereas that will sound bleak, The Willoughbys is definitely a lighthearted journey due to its goofy humor and giddy vitality. In any case, the story is narrated by a speaking cat (Ricky Gervais) and includes a gravity-defying child and a kooky candymaker voiced by Terry Crews.
Methods to watch: The Willoughbys is now streaming on Netflix.
13. Over the Moon (2020)
Credit score: Netflix
Rated: PG
It’s been 4 years since Fei Fei’s mom died, and now her dad (voiced by John Cho) is bringing a brand new girlfriend residence. The 13-year-old lady isn’t proud of the thought of probably getting a brand new mother (even when she’s voiced by Sandra Oh) and stepbrother. Upset and lacking her mom, Fei Fei pours her consideration right into a legendary legend her mother used to inform her about — the story of Chang’e (Phillipa Soo), a moon goddess ready for her misplaced like to return. Fei Fei is satisfied that if she will be able to show Chang’e is actual, perhaps her father will even concentrate on his misplaced love as an alternative of getting remarried.
Within the imaginative movie directed by Disney animation legend Glen Keane (recognized for the whole lot from The Little Mermaid to Aladdin to Magnificence and the Beast), Fei Fei builds herself a rocket ship to fly to the moon. With its colourful animation and bubbly characters impressed by the Chinese language Mid-Autumn Competition, Over the Moon is a visible delight with catchy musical numbers and a young story about coping with grief as a younger child.
Methods to watch: Over the Moon is now streaming on Netflix.
UPDATE: Jan. 31, 2025, 5:27 p.m. EST This text has been up to date to mirror the most recent streaming choices.
