There’s nothing quite like family movie night, and streaming is making it easier than ever. While you may think of Netflix as the home to high-quality original content like Stranger Things and Locke & Key, it’s also a repository for new and classic movies appropriate for the whole family. From Disney and Pixar to Laika animation and live-action classics, Netflix pulls from all sorts of genres and styles.
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Whether you want to sit down with the kids and get sucked into a fun-filled adventure or spend the evening laughing, Netflix’s collection has something for everyone. Of course, nobody wants to spend the whole night browsing, so we’ve pulled together some of the best family movies on Netflix so you can just grab the popcorn and take a seat.
The Incredibles 2 (2018)
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2004’s The Incredibles was such a classic, you’d be forgiven if you worried that a sequel 14 years later might be a travesty. Thankfully for everyone, your worries were for not. The Incredibles 2 is a more than worthy sequel and was even nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. The sequel picks up right where the original left off, dealing with the fallout from a society that wants to ban superpowers and force superheroes into normal lives. But there is still crime to be dealt with, and while Elasti-Girl starts working for a secret crime-fighting program, Mr. Incredible is left at home with the kids — specifically baby Jack-Jack, who just might be the most powerful superhero of all time. Disney+ will take it away at some point, so unless you plan on getting another subscription, be sure to catch it on Netflix now.
The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)
What do your pets actually do when you’re home all day? In the original The Secret Life of Pets, we learned that they get into a whole lot of trouble. Now, after narrowly avoiding becoming a stray, Max the terrier is back and ready for a fun family jaunt to the countryside. But when he mistakenly gets lost, he’ll have to deal with angry cows, hostile foxes, one mean turkey, and his own neuroses if he’s going to get back home. Thankfully, he has a little help.
Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
What’s that? Another sequel. Yes, another sequel — it’s not our fault these originals were so good! The follow-up to 2012’s delightfully inventive Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph Breaks the Internet expands the boundaries and the scope of this digital universe. To the internet. Wreck-It Ralph and his pal Vanellope von Schweetz have made it out of their games and now must support each other through another adventure across the World Wide Web. Packed full of memes and Internet humor, Ralph Breaks the Internet feels strangely ahead of its time and old news at the exact same time. You know, like the internet.
Space Jam (1996)
Space Jam will be getting a sequel, but it’s not here yet! Instead, enjoy the original, one of the more inventive sports movies ever made and an absolute delight for both kids and their Millennial parents who grew up worshiping Michael Jordan. When mischievous aliens try to take over the Looney Tunes universe, Bugs Bunny challenges them to an intergalactic game of basketball. The shrimpy aliens, however, have a trick up their sleeve. They take the talent of NBA stars like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Muggsy Bogues, and Shawn Bradley and suddenly have the upper hand. But Bugs, Daffy, Lola Bunny, and the gang have an ace-in-the-hole: Michael Jordan.
Richie Rich (1994)
Richie Rich (Macaulay Culkin) has it all. All the toys a kid could ever want, a go-kart, a McDonald’s in his house, and even adoring parents. But he does not, however, have any friends. When his parents suddenly go missing, Richie finds a group of enterprising kids who might just be able to help him hunt down his parents, all while becoming buddies in the process. Remember to remind your kids before watching that Richie Rich is very much fiction.
Hook (1991)
Hook hasn’t exactly aged well into the era of special effects and computer animation, but it does still have an element of magic. Steven Spielberg’s modern take on the classic Peter Pan tale introduces us to a middle-aged Peter, now a workaholic lawyer with kids of his own who has completely forgotten about his past in Neverland. When his kids are kidnapped by his nemesis Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman), Peter must head back to Neverland and remember how to “bangarang.” Robin Williams delivers one of his greatest performances ever as a reluctant Peter, resisting every effort of Tinker Bell (Julia Roberts) and the Lost Boys to reconnect him with his past.
Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution (2019)
This Pokemon movie is a CGI remake of the massively popular 1998 Pokémon film, Pokémon: The First Movie. It doesn’t quite meet the hype of the original movie, which many of today’s parents probably went bananas for as kids, but it’s nonetheless a fun trip down nostalgia lane for adults and an action-packed ride for kids. Starring all the characters from the original Pokémon series, the movie follows Ash, Brock, and Misty as they discover the enormously powerful psychic pokémon Mewtwo and realize he’s not the villain he’s made out to be.
The Little Prince (2015)
This original adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved book somehow manages to both pay homage to the original story while expanding it to beautiful new heights. Directed by Mark Osborne, this visually stunning extension features a young girl (Mackenzie Foy) who strikes up a friendship with an old pilot (Jeff Bridges). As they get to know one another, the pilot regales the girl about a friend from his past: a Little Prince from another planet. Read the book with your kids, then watch the movie, and you’ll build a lasting memory.
The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
Belgian cartoonist Hergé’s Tintin books span centuries of history, the entire globe, and even other planets. Adapting the beautifully illustrated, captivating comics was no easy task. Good thing Steven Spielberg was the one to pick up the mantle. Using a motion capture aesthetic that pays tribute to the source material, Spielberg zeroes in on perhaps the most famous Tintin story: The Secret of the Unicorn. This exciting animated film has that classic Spielberg adventure touch while staying true to Tintin’s investigative roots.
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