If you want to have a family movie night, our list of the best family movies on Netflix right now can save you a time and headaches. The last thing anyone wants to do on movie night is argue over what to watch while flicking through the options, which is why we’ve done the hard part for you. We update this list every month with the best family-friendly options available now.
This May, three movies join the list, including two recent releases that are crowd-pleasers. Read on for the best family movies on Netflix.
Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime, and the best movies on Disney+. For Netflix fans, check out the best movies on Netflix.
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The Wild Robot2024 -
Paddington in Peru2024
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The Lego Movie2014
The Wild Robot (2024)
85%To do that, she befriends the animals of the island, who have been mastering it for generations. But soon, she must pay it forward when she becomes the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.
Paddington in Peru (2024)
65%Embarking on a thrilling quest through the Amazon rainforest, Paddington and the Browns are determined to find Aunt Lucy, but they also may just accidentally stumble across one of the world’s most legendary treasures.
The Lego Movie (2014)
83%Teaming up with the far more competent Wildstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Emmet sets out to stop the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) from using the Kragle to glue the entire universe together.
Matilda (1996)
72%When they put her in a disciplinary school with a sadistic headmistress, Matilda’s only respite is her kind teacher, Miss Honey. Finally, with an adult taking an interest in her, Matilda soon discovers that she has telekinetic powers. After a little practice, she’s ready to stand up to her parents and the psychotic headmistress, Trunchbull.
Big Daddy (1999)
42%Teenagers are family members, too, so allow us to propose a PG-13 option. Big Daddy is one of the more family-friendly of Adam Sandler’s litany of 1990s and early aughts comedies, in part because it’s literally about family.
After Sonny Koufax’s (Sandler) girlfriend dumps him because he’s not willing to commit to having a family, a former roommate’s estranged son suddenly shows up on his doorstep by mistake. Seeing an opportunity, Sonny starts taking care of the 6-year-old Julian (Cole Sprouse) in the hopes of winning his girlfriend back.
Rudy (1993)
71%One of the most beloved football movies has absolutely no bearing in reality, as the real Rudy was universally loathed, but at least the Hollywood version of Rudy is very inspiring. The indomitable Rudy Ruettiger (Sean Astin) grew up in a steel mill town but only ever wanted one thing: to play football for Notre Dame.
Unfortunately, his grades aren’t very good, he’s not much of an athlete, and he’s half the size of the other players. But that doesn’t stop him, through sheer force of will, from making it to Notre Dame and trying to get on the field.
Uncle Buck (1989)
51%It might feel a little dated to some kids, but Uncle Buck is a classic for a good reason. John Candy plays Buck Russell, a rough-around-the-edges bachelor who suddenly becomes the temporary caretaker of his nephew and nieces.
Fully unprepared to be a parent, Buck’s freewheeling style clashes with his eldest niece, his girlfriend, and basically everybody else he meets, all of whom have stern opinions on parenting.
Despicable Me 4 (2024)
52%The Minions are absolutely everywhere these days, so you might as well just accept it and enjoy the ride. So, jump on in with Despicable Me 4! Gru, Lucy, and their three girls welcome Gru Jr. to the family. The baby is immediately intent on making his father’s life as miserable as possible.
However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg because new nemeses in the form of Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his girlfriend Valentina (Sofia Vergara) emerge on the scene, forcing the family to go on the run.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
47%Paramount’s Sonic franchise has come way back after early concept art leaks went viral and nearly made the first film dead on arrival. Fortunately, the studio got it together and has strung together one of today’s most exciting family-friendly franchises, with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 making waves this past summer. Bridge the gap from the first film to the third with this second film that picks up in Green Hills, where Sonic is settling into suburban life and eager to prove that he’s a real hero.
Sonic gets his chance when Dr. Robotnik returns with a new partner, Knuckles (Idris Elba). Fortunately, Sonic finds his own sidekick, Tails (Colleen O’Shaugnessy), and together they set out on an epic adventure to find a powerful emerald before Robotnik and Knuckles.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024)
83%Netflix has become the American hub for Nick Park’s Shaun the Sheep and Wallace & Gromit, with plenty of claymation fun for the whole family. In Vengeance Most Fowl, Gromit becomes concerned that Wallace is becoming too dependent on his inventions, a feeling that becomes justified when Wallace’s latest invention — a “smart” gnome called Norbot — develops a mind of its own.
Soon, Gromit realizes that a vengeful figure from the past is behind this latest development, and it’s once again up to him to save Wallace!
That Christmas (2024)
60%Richard Curtis is perhaps best known for writing Love Actually, and he brings that textbook vignette style to a new animated Netflix original for the whole family. Based on his trilogy of children’s books of the same name, That Christmas follows several tales of a particularly memorable Christmas in the coastal town of Wellington-on-Sea.
When the town is rocked by one of the worst snowstorms in years, everyone’s plans are suddenly thrown into limbo. And, yes, that does include Santa Claus’s plans as well.
Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (2021)
Netflix quietly released this Christmas special featurinh one of Nick Park’s (Wallace & Gromit) classic characters a few years ago, but it’s still a great small watch to enjoy with the whole family.
Shaun the Sheep is predictably excited for the holiday season, but when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings for the flock leads to Timmy getting lost, it throws the whole season into disarray. Now, Shaun must find toddler Timmy before he becomes somebody else’s present.
The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
61%Ever wonder what your pup gets into when you’re gone for the day? Well, it’s probably not what happens in The Secret Life of Pets, but it’s still a fun watch. Terrier Max (Louis C.K.) leads a cushy life as a beloved pet living in a Manhattan apartment building. But when his owner brings home a sloppy mutt named Duke (Eric Stonestreet), Max is none too thrilled.
The duo will have to put their differences behind them, however, to fight back against a white bunny named Snowball (Kevin Hart), who is building an army of abandoned pets to seek vengeance on all the happily cared-for pets and their owners.
Migration (2023)
56%Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (2024)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)
59%Nimona (2023)
75%Leo (2023)
65%Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
83%
8.1/10Enola Holmes 2 (2022)
61%Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022)
61%
5.8/10Too Old for Fairy Tales (2022)
5.8/10My Octopus Teacher (2020)
82%
8.1/10The Sea Beast (2022)
75%
7.1/10Vivo (2021)
66%
6.6/10We Can Be Heroes (2020)
51%
4.7/10Back to the Outback (2021)
58%
6.5/10Enola Holmes (2020)
68%
6.6/10Klaus (2019)
65%
8.1/10Pee-wee's Big Holiday (2016)
63%
6.1/10The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
80%
7.7/10Benji (2018)
53%
6.3/10The Willoughbys (2020)
68%
6.4/10Invader ZIM: Enter the Florpus (2019)
7.5/10If you’re looking for more films suitable for the whole family, we’ve also rounded up the best family movies on Amazon Prime Video and the best family movies on Disney+.
