This was a seriously hard list to compile.
I mean, it wasn’t far off someone asking us whether we have a favourite child (the answer is of course we don’t!).
There really are too many magical movies to choose from, so this list is what we are referring to as a starting point for the best family films ever made.
From brand-new must-sees, to classic Disney films that have stood the test of time, there is something to suit every member of the family from tiny tots to testing teens, plus mums and dads will enjoy them too.
So pass the popcorn and let’s get started. Happy viewing.
A Bug’s Life (1998)
Pixar dives into the world of crepy crawlies, specifically an ant hill under siege by outlaw grasshoppers. Only the meek Flik and a Magnificent Seven-like band of circus bugs can protect the colony, proving that a community united can never be divided. Just don’t call that ladybug a “lady.”
Rating: G. Amazon Prime.
Back to the Future (1985)
Marty’s bestie is an eccentric scientist who creates a time-travelling machine, a DeLorean, to be precise. The 17-year-old then travels back in time and finds out the only way to get back to the present is to ensure his high-school aged parents fall in love.
Rating: PG. Amazon Prime.
Bambi (1942)
It may be impossible to watch without weeping uncontrollably, but once you’re over the trauma of (spoiler alert) Bambi’s mom dying, the rest of the film is full of cheerful bunnies and shy skunks who just want to be BFFs (best forrest friends) with everyone.
Rating: PG. Amazon Prime.
Big (1988)
Josh Baskin comes face to face with a creepy arcade game at the fairground and wishes to be big so that he is tall enough to go on one of the rides at the carnival fair. Problems arise however when his wish comes true and he wakes up as a 30-year-old man who has a high flying career.
Rating: PG-13. Google Play.
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Be Disney’s guest and dive into its Broadway-ish take on this folkloric staple, complete with singing cutlery, a take-no-guff bookworm heroine and the world’s most soulful monster. Like Jean Cocteau’s dreamy 1946 version, the it’s-what’s-inside-that-matters message comes through loud and clear.
Rating: G. Netflix.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Possibly one of the best family movies of all time… quite the claim, we know. Elliott and ET build up a strong friendship. When the alien is detained by the government, Elliot goes all out to set him free and get him back to his spaceship so he can go home. He does all of this, despite not wanting his best friend to leave. That’s what being an adult is all about.
Rating: PG. Netflix.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Who ya gonna call when your city is overrun by paranormal activity? The original version of this movie can’t be topped, but re-watch it with your kids and you be the judge.
Rating: PG. Netflix.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
Literature’s greatest boy wizard is turned into one of the movie’s most charismatic under-12 heroes as J.K. Rowling’s world of muggles, monsters and mystical goings-on at Hogwarts is brought to life on screen. This is the first in the eight-really make viewers of all ages believe in magic.
Rating: PG. Netflix.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
A crazy scientist accidentally shrinks his kids and throws them away with the rubbish! This is what special effects were all about in the eighties, and makes for hilarious family viewing.
Rating: PG. Amazon Prime.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
This is the first adventure of snake-loathing archaeologist Indy who is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant and then finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime.
Rating: PG. Google Play.
Matilda (1996)
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Roald Dahl’s child-genius heroine comes to life courtesy of Mara Wilson, who plays the telekinetic little girl with just the right amount of braininess and brashness. Director Danny DeVito goes to town on the book’s caricatures but, wisely, never forgets the story’s message: Kids need both books and encouragement to develop a smart mind.
Rating: PG. Amazon Prime.
Mulan (2020)
Following Disney’s live-action remake trend comes Mulan, directed by Niki Caro of Whale Rider and North Country fame. Featuring Chinese star Liu Yifei as the titular character and a host of other Chinese legends like Donnie Yen, Gong Li, and Jet Li, this one is poised to conquer the global box office and, if it taps into the animated original’s magic, our hearts.
Rating: PG-13. Amazon Prime.
One Hundred and One Dalmations (1961)
This is the movie that blessed the world with Cruella De Vil who alone makes this film one of Disney’s best, but the dogs are pretty cute too. When a litter of dalmatian puppies are abducted by the minions of the evil fashionista, the parents must findthem
before she uses them for a truly diabolical style statement.
Rating: G. Amazon Prime.
Onward (2020)
Set in a suburban fantasy world, populated with mystical creatures, live two teenage elf brothers – Ian and Barley Lightfoot. This world, however, where fairy tale was once the reality, is losing its sense of magic with its inhabitants using machines such as mobile phones and cars instead. So Ian (voiced by Tom Holland) and Barley (voiced by Chris Pratt) embark on a quest to discover if there is still magic in the world in order to spend one day with their father, who died when they were too young to remember him.
Rating: PG. Amazon Prime.
Peter Pan (1953)
Wendy and her brothers are whisked away to the magical world of Neverland with the hero of their stories, Peter Pan. Peter Pan is a true gem of a childhood classic about kids who simply want to stay kids forever, chill in a mermaid lagoon, fight pirates, and avoid ticking alligators. You know, the usual.
Rating: G. Netflix.
Spy Kids (2001)
The family that spies together stays together: Robert Rodrguez’s cartoonish blockbuster about two underage Bonds rescuing their secret-agent parents suggests that nothing bridges the generation gap like good old fashioned espionage. It’s also filled with more imagination, wit and fun than 99 percent of its grown-up spy-movie peers.
Rating: PG. Netflix.
The Grinch (2018)
Yes, we know it’s a festive film, but we couldn’t write a list of our top family films without including it. The Grinch is a classic Christmas movie that’s a year-round favourite. The town of Whooville is holly jolly when the holidays hit… Well, almost everyone in Whoville. Our beloved green scrooge – the Grinch – tries to hijack the Christmas festivities in his town. It’ll take one sweet little girl to show him what the season is all about in this animated family-friendly flick. Wintertime is incomplete with without this Dr. Seuss classic.
Rating: PG. Netflix.
The Karate Kid (1984)
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Wax on, wax off. This iconic martial arts film made Mr Miyagi and Daniel-son household names. Daniel moves to a new town, decides to learn karate and gets trained by the calm, patient, highly-skilled Mr Miyagi who teaches him there is more to the discipline than fighting. The one-legged karate kick still brings a tear to our eyes!
Rating: PG. Netflix.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
Based on Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet this follow-up story sees young Clara transported to a fantasy world of gingerbread soldiers and mice armies after she loses a magical key. There she encounters the regents who preside over the land’s three realms who encourage Clara and a soldier called Phillip to brave the ominous Fourth Realm to retrieve Clara’s key and return harmony to the unstable world. The stunning sets and beautiful costumes make this a modern day Christmas film classic that all the family will love.
Rating: PG. OSN.
The Princess Bride (1987)
This list is alphabetical otherwise this beloved classic might have it to our top spot. Could Rob Reiner’s simultaneous send-up and celebration of fairy tales have better captured the imagination of all who live for the phrase “Once upon a time…”? The answer is no. We have lost count of the number of times we’ve seen it, and rather than get tired of it, we like it more and more with each viewing.
Rating: PG. Amazon Prime.
