What a summer it’s been for kids’ movies. Inside Out 2 is breaking box office records every single day. The Pixar sequel became the fastest animated movie to cross the $1 billion threshold and could legitimately become the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Despicable Me 4 will not catch Inside Out 2’s box office grosses, but the Minions are well on their way to becoming one of the most popular movies of 2024.
While animated movies are an excellent option for families, they only represent a portion of the movies offered to kids. Netflix has entire genres and subgenres dedicated to children, from comedies and dramas to fantasy and sci-fi. Below is a list of five kids movies to watch this summer. Our selections include a popular video game adaptation, a sports comedy from a comedic icon, and a fun body-swapping adventure.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie has a legitimate claim to be the defining movie of 2023. The video game adaptation was the second highest-grossing film of the year, with $1.3 billion worldwide. After its theatrical run, The Super Mario Bros. Movie has become a Netflix staple, spending an unprecedented 30 weeks in the top 10 most popular movies in the U.S. Kids love it, and adults love watching it.
Italian-American brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) have started a plumbing business in Brooklyn. While working a job, the two are sucked into a Warp Pipe, with Mario landing in the Mushroom Kingdom and Luigi arriving in the Dark Lands. Luigi is now a prisoner of Bowser (Jack Black), the King of the Koopas. Mario must team up with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) to save the Mushroom Kingdom, and more importantly, his brother Luigi.
Stream The Super Mario Bros. Movie on Netflix.
Big Fat Liar (2002)
To a certain group of millennials, Frankie Muniz is an important child star because of his work on Malcolm in the Middle. During his run on Malcolm, Muniz starred in some underappreciated children’s comedies, with Big Fat Liar being one of them. To avoid summer school, serial liar Jason Shepherd (Muniz) wrote a creative writing assignment titled “Big Fat Liar.” On his way to submit the essay, Jason is hit by the limo of Hollywood producer Marty Wolf (The Holdovers star Paul Giamatti).
After getting a ride to school, Jason forgets his assignment in the limo, leading to him attending summer school. To make matters worse, Marty steals Jason’s assignment and turns it into a movie. It’s payback time, as Jason and his best friend Kaylee (Amanda Bynes) travel to Los Angeles to make Marty do the one thing he’s never done: tell the truth.
Stream Big Fat Liar on Netflix.
Kicking & Screaming (2005)
Will Ferrell is a comedic icon. Anchorman. Talladega Nights. Step Brothers. Name an epic comedy in the 2000s, chances are you’ll see Ferrell in it. Kicking & Screaming won’t be at the top of Ferrell’s greatest hits, but it’s hysterical. Phil Weston (Ferrell) is a kindhearted family man who lives in the shadow of his ultra-competitive father, Buck (Robert Duvall).
Buck coaches the best youth soccer team in the district. Phil, on the other hand, coaches his son on the last-place Tigers. In need of change, Phil seeks tutelage from Mike Ditka, who takes him under his wing on how to be a successful coach. The new Phil might be tough, mean, and over-caffeinated, but the Tigers start to turn things around. But winning does not cure all, especially Phil’s relationship with his father and son. No matter what, pass the ball to the Italians.
Stream Kicking & Screaming on Netflix.
The Boss Baby (2017)
Speaking from experience, young children love to watch babies in movies and on TV. Just look at the numbers CoComelon posts on YouTube. Now, imagine how they’ll feel when they see a fast-talking baby in a suit in The Boss Baby. Seven-year-old Tim Templeton (Miles Bakshi) is shocked to discover his new baby brother, Boss Baby (Alec Baldwin), has the mind of an adult.
When the parents are around, Boss Baby acts like a normal infant. When they are away, Boss Baby is a secret agent for Baby Corp tasked with investigating why families love puppies more than babies. At first, Tim and Boss Baby are rivals, with the former trying to win back his parents’ attention. However, the duo eventually realizes they must work together as brothers to save their parents from a puppy-centric scheme.
Stream The Boss Baby on Netflix.
Family Switch (2023)
The plot of Freaky Friday is played out with an entire family in Family Switch. The Walkers are going through some tough times as a family. Parents Jess (Jennifer Garner) and Bill (Ed Helms) are failing to communicate and bond with their children, CC (Emma Myers), Wyatt (Brady Noon), and baby Miles. After a chance encounter with a telescope at the Griffith Observatory, a body swap occurs between Jess and CC, Bill and Wyatt, and Miles and their dog, Pickles.
The Walkers cannot change back until the magical telescope is repaired, meaning it’s time to see how the other half lives, especially on the biggest days of their respective lives. Family Switch is a funny body-swap comedy and heartwarming tale of how no matter how tough things get, you can’t break the bond and love of a family.
Stream The Family Switch on Netflix.
