We live in a highly demanding society, in which we spend a lot of time carrying out different obligations and activities that leave us little time for family leisure. And this is very necessary, as it allows us to share time and get involved in the lives of our loved ones.

A simple way to have a good time as a family can be to get together to watch a movie. But the seventh art has a lot of works to choose from, some of which are much more appropriate for family enjoyment (especially for children). In this article we will see a small selection of movies to watch as a family , perfect for spending a good time together and promoting discussion when they are over.

Family Movies

Below we present a series of films and sagas that can be entertaining for everyone and at the same time show a positive message for the whole family. Many of the following are practically classics, while others are more modern.

1. Flubber and the Mad Professor (1997)

A film in which a somewhat absent-minded university professor from an institution on the verge of bankruptcy discovers a very peculiar green energy substance, Flubber, which defies gravity and even has a certain personality. Thanks to it, he will try to save the university from bankruptcy , he will manage to fix different aspects of his life and he will have to face a rival professor who will try to take it over.

2. Jumanji (1995)

Although a new version has recently been made in cinemas, in this list we refer mainly to the original 1995 version. In it we observe first how Alan Parrish discovers and later gets trapped in the jungle by a magic board game called Jumanji, which twenty-five years later is rediscovered by two brothers who start playing (freeing a now adult Alan in the process) and having to finish the game despite the fact that the game causes them to become real and the consequences that the game dictates in each roll appear.

3. Toy Story (1995)

All the films in this saga are highly recommended for the whole family and especially for children. These films convey values and express the importance of friendship and loyalty, as well as showing us how time and the circumstances around us change (there are different problems as Andy grows up).

In the original Toy Story we see how Andy’s toys have a life of their own when no one is looking, living a peaceful life at first until a new toy, the astronaut Buzz Lightyear, makes its appearance and becomes one of little Andy’s favorites. The boy’s favorite toy so far, Sheriff Woody, is jealous and tries to get rid of the astronaut without success. But due to a series of circumstances, they both end up losing their way, having to join forces and form a solid friendship to return to their owner before he moves out.

4. Honey, I shrunk the kids! (1989)

Another family classic, in which we see how four children are shrunk to the size of insects because of a reducing ray created by the father of two of them, and they will embark on a small adventure in order to return to their normal size.

5. Gremlins (1984)

The inventor Randall Peltzer buys a mogwai creature called Gizzmo for his son in a shop, although he is warned not to get it wet or feed it after midnight. However, due to a small incident, Gizzmo comes into contact with the water, and new members of his species are born as a result. Unlike the peaceful Gizzmo these are mischievous and evil, and manage to trick the young into eating after the deadline. After that, they become Gremlins.

Although it can be considered familiar, it also has a certain component that mixes humor with terror. In addition to the original, there are several sequels.

6. Home Alone (1990)

A well-known comedy film with several sequels in which the character played by Macaulay Culkin is left alone at home (due to an oversight by his family), having to deal with the attempted robbery of two thieves. The boy will prove to be much smarter than his adversaries , to whom he will set various traps in order to defend his home.

7. E.T., the alien (1982)

The story of the alien lost on Earth and his friendship with young Elliot as they both try to find a way for the former to go unnoticed and finally return home is one of the best known and most valued family films.

8. Matilda (1996)

Matilda is a very intelligent young woman who is ignored and despised by her family, who enrolls her in a school whose principal has abusive and twisted practices. The little girl discovers that she possesses telekinetic powers, which she uses to teach a lesson to those who treat her badly. She is only recognized by her teacher , to whom she will entrust her secret.

9. The Princess Bride (1987)

This film begins with a grandfather visiting his sick grandson in order to read him a story. This story is about Lady Buttercup and her stable boy, Westley, who is in love with her and she ends up corresponding with him.

However, the young man goes off to seek his fortune in order to marry her but disappears and is considered dead, accepting years later Buttercup’s request for marriage from Prince Humperdinck. However, before the wedding she is kidnapped by three outlaws, complicating the story greatly.

10. The Goonies (1985)

A cult film that tells us about the adventures of a group of friends in a precarious socio-economic situation (they are going to be seized a few days later) who discover a treasure map of a famous pirate , who will try to search while avoiding traps and the interference of a family of robbers who also intend to get it.

11. The Neverending Story (1984)

A beautiful story that tells us how little Bastian, a victim of bullying, takes refuge one day in a bookstore where he will find the book that gives its name to the film. It tells the story of the world of Fantasia, a fantasy world full of magical creatures which will be consumed by the Nothing unless the chosen one saves it. An allegory of the passage of time and the loss of the ability to fantasize as we grow older and stop doing it.

12. Return to the Future (1985)

Another enjoyable classic, shows us the story of Marty McFly, who meets Dr. Emmet Brown who has created a machine to travel through time. Both will accidentally travel back in time to the time when McFly’s parents were still teenagers. There they will have to deal with various situations as they discover how to generate enough energy to return to their time .

In addition to the original, its sequels are also recommended.

13. Free Willy (1993)

This film is especially valuable in teaching children respect for animals and freedom. In it we will see the story of friendship between Jesse (a twelve year old boy) and Willy, the orca of an aquarium that the young man will initially be forced to clean (after having painted its walls) and where he will later work.

In addition, this film has several sequels that can also be seen as a family.

14. Up (2009)

Although with a perhaps somewhat sad beginning, this Pixar film shows us the story of Carl, who after the death of his wife decides to fulfill his childhood dream of moving his house to Paradise Falls , something he does with the help of hundreds of balloons. Although inadvertently and accidentally he takes with him a young explorer named Russell, with whom he will live a great adventure.

15. Coconut (2017)

Pixar film based on the Mexican Day of the Dead. It tells us about a young man with aspirations to become a musician named Miguel, born into a family that hates that profession because it was the cause of her husband’s abandonment of the family’s great-grandmother. However, trying to enter a contest during the festivities enters the World of the Dead , from which he must leave so as not to be trapped at the same time to return to the family altar a photo of his great-grandmother (which he had previously removed).

16. The Lion King (1994)

One of Disney’s best known and most popular classics. It tells us the story of Simba, a lion cub destined to become the king of the savannah who is nevertheless used by his uncle to take power away from his father. An animated version of Hamlet, which also hides some political criticism and works with issues such as duty, betrayal, facing facts and enjoying life day by day.

17. Harry Potter (saga)

The Harry Potter saga is known worldwide, with a total of seven films and the spin-off Fantastic Animals and Where to Find Them.

Probably the one that has a more familiar and cheerful look is the one in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001), in which the boy wizard discovers his condition and starts attending Hogwarts School of magic and sorcery.

18. Little Warriors (1998)

Science fiction film in which we see how the toy company Heartland commissions two collections of real action toys created by two designers. One of them creates the Gorgonites collection , for educational purposes, while the other creates the Elite Command as a more military action figure.

It is decided that the second ones will lead the project and the Gorgonites will act as their enemies. Both are installed with chips that have not yet passed the security filters and acquire awareness and learning abilities after installing untested microchips. While the Gorgonites, initially conceived as educational toys, only want to return to their supposed homeland the Elite Command will seek to destroy their rivals, in a conflict that will also affect the young Alan (who finds the Gorgonites’ leader in his backpack before the conflict) and his environment.

19. Upside down (2015)

An animated film that tells the story of a girl named Riley and the emotions that live inside her: joy, sadness, anger, disgust and fear.

Throughout the film we see how the little girl’s life changes as she moves and grows , living her emotions in great turmoil. Until now, her life has been marked by Joy, although events make Sadness take over little by little. And this triggers a clash between the two, in which the memories and the emotional world of the girl are in danger and both emotions are accidentally expelled.

Both will have to cooperate to prevent the main elements of Riley’s personality from being lost, learning the Joy that also Sadness and the rest of emotions have their role.

20. The Incredibles (2004)

With the sequel recently released in cinemas and with quite good reviews, another film to see with the family is Los Increíbles. In it we are introduced to the family Parr , formed by Bob, Helen (two former superheroes known as Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl) and their children (with powers) which must hide their powers after having withdrawn the first two due to a wave of demands on the collective superheroes during his youth.

However, Bob loses his job and must find another one urgently, being contacted by a technology company that will service his skills as Mr. Incredible. But things are not what they seem…

21. You to London and Me to California (1998)

Family film that tells the story of two twins who meet at a camp when they are eleven years old, discovering that their parents divorced when they were children and that one of them kept one. Both girls decide to exchange in order to bring their parents together.

22. Babe the Brave Little Pig (1995)

Film starring the Babe credit, which is won in a contest by a farmer who lets him live with his dogs. The little pig dreams of becoming a shepherd dog , something he will achieve little by little throughout this story.

23. Spider-Man

Superhero movies are also suitable for family viewing. Probably one of the most suitable for all audiences is Spiderman, which has different films. One of the best known is the 2002 film, with Tobey Maguire as the wall climber. It tells the story of Peter Parker and his conversion into Spider-Man , as well as the loss of the Ben River, Peter’s infatuation with Mary Jane Watson and the subsequent conflict with Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin.

25. In Search of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones)

The Indiana Jones saga is a perfectly enjoyable adventure saga for the family, this being one of the best known archaeologists of the seventh art. In Search of the Lost Ark we see how Indiana must seek and find the famous Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis take it over. It should be noted that this film shows some violence, so it is not appropriate for younger children.

26. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

This old movie takes us to meet Dorothy Gale, who runs away with her dog to avoid being taken away after biting Miss Gulch. However, she returns home and is caught by a tornado, which transports her to the world of Oz, crushing an evil witch in the process. There she meets the Good Fairy of the North and the Wicked Witch of the West , the latter wanting the dead witch’s shoes and swearing revenge on Dorothy.

To return home Dorothy will have to ask for help from the Sickle Wizard, on a journey in which she will meet characters such as the Scarecrow, the Man of Ojalata and the Cowardly Lion, who will join her on her journey.

27. Shrek (2001)

This film shows us the life of the other Shrek, who shortly after meeting Donkey sees his swamp invaded by the other non-human story characters, who take refuge and have been evicted from their homes by Lord Farquaad. He wants to marry Princess Fiona to become king, but he is not willing to risk rescuing her from the tower protected by a dragon in which she is a prisoner . The villain decides to propose to the ogre to rescue the princess, in exchange for recovering his swamp, something that the ogre accepts.

In addition to the original there are several quite good sequels that can also be enjoyed with the family.

28. Hook (Captain Hook) (1991)

A film that gives a twist to the story of Peter Pan, presenting an adult Peter, married with children and without remembering his past. On a visit to Wendy he sees his enemy Captain Hook kidnapping his children. Peter must return to Neverland to get them back, although he must get his old, forgotten self back if he is to do so.

29. Star Wars (saga)

Although they are not children’s films, those belonging to this science fiction saga are highly recommended and enjoyable for the family.

This story of Jedis, Sith, Strength and Balance, the Galactic Empire and Resistance is part of a cult work that continues to produce works today.

Possibly the most suitable for the child audience is the Phantom Menace, although the most beloved are those of the original trilogy. The spin-off Rogue One is also well known.

30. The Mischief of Peter Rabbit (2018)

This film tells us the story of the rabbit Peter Rabbit and his family, who keep entering Mr. McGregor’s garden . Between the council and the farmer there is great animosity, which is complicated by the arrival of a neighbour, Bea, for whose affection they will compete.

31. Always by your side, Hachiko (2009)

This story may not be entirely suitable for a child audience, but it is highly recommended despite being sad, especially since it is based on a true story. It tells the story of a dog named Hachiko, who always accompanies his owner to the station and waits for him on his return. Unfortunately his owner dies, returning the dog in spite of everything to the station to wait for him every day.

32. My neighbour Totoro (1988)

This well-known animation story begins with a father and his two daughters moving to a rural residence near the hospital where their mother is being treated for tuberculosis. The little girls discover that the residence is not uninhabited, observing the presence of little spirits that after some time end up leaving. However, one of the girls, Mei, meets a spirit that guides her to a tree, where she lives with two older and larger versions of the tree. She becomes friends with the creature , whom she will call Totoro

33. Nightmare before Christmas

Tim Burton’s film that shows us how in Halloween City Jack Skeleton, or the Pumpkin King, is tired of always playing the same celebration. Interestingly, one day he discovers a series of doors to other kingdoms, being amazed by the one of Christmas City (ruled by Santa Claus) and the idea of celebrating the same festival is born in it.

However, his fellow citizens are not able to understand her, something that leads him to finally decide to kidnap “Santa Clavos” and take control of Christmas himself (something that young Sally, in love with Jack, will try to prevent him from doing.

34. Chicken Run: Evasion on the Farm (2000)

A film that tells us about life at Tweedy’s Farm, where hens that do not produce eggs end up being slaughtered. Ginger’s hen will notice the situation, starting to generate new escape plans to escape from the farm when a rooster named Rocky, with the ability to fly, arrives at the farm.

35. Willow (1988)

A classic that in our country is usually broadcast during the Christmas season, tells the story of Willow, a little Nelwyn wizard’s apprentice who will embark on a dangerous adventure to protect a baby : the princess whom the current queen is trying to destroy in order to dominate the world.

36. Dr. Dolittle (1998)

Both this film and its sequels can be enjoyed with the family. The first of them tells us the story of Doctor Dolittle, a surgeon who as a child had the power to talk to animals and who many years later and already being a surgeon and being married with children, after almost running over a dog, recovers that power. After that, several animals start looking for him at home to solve their problems, turning him into a vet at the same time that he manages to solve several personal problems.

37. Christmas Story (2009)

The story is based on Dickens’ novel. It tells us about the greedy Mr. Scrooge , who has put family and friends aside and despises the Christmas holidays and their symbolism, and who will be visited by the ghosts of the present, past and future Christmases in order to make him see the error of his ways and where he could lead me.

38. Wonder (2017)

A film that tells us about the life of Auggie, a ten year old boy who was born with a syndrome that has generated a facial deformity that has made him until then have been educated at home. However, he will have to face his first year of school, in which he will have to deal with the teasing of his classmates.

39. Beethoven: one more in the family (1992)

A well-known film that shows us how a Saint Bernard, after being robbed from a pet shop, manages to escape and ends up taking refuge in the house of a family . The father is initially against it but the insistence of the family, who end up calling him Beethoven, will make the dog stay. Beethoven causes some small problems, but in turn he will become a great help and source of joy for each of his members.

40. Jurassic Park (1993)

This film is a classic that touches on the dream of seeing dinosaurs walk the earth again.

The story begins with the death of an employee of a company that has discovered how to do this on Isla Nublar, having created a park with living dinosaurs. This death will cause the safety of the park to be assessed before it opens, prompting a search for paleontologist Alan Grant and paleobotanist Ellie Sattler, mathematician Ian Malcolm and an investor representative named Donald Gennaro to participate in the assessment.

But a security system lockdown triggered to steal embryos will cause many dinosaurs to break loose, causing great danger to the protagonists.

While this first film is one of the most remembered, the rest of the saga and even the most current versions are also very enjoyable. Of course, it could also be a bit scary.

Many others

Evidently those shown here are only a small sample, there being many more exponents to value. Examples range from the majority of works by Disney (Mulan, Mery Poppins, Aladdin…) or Pixar (Bugs, Monsters S.A., Cars…) to fantastic works that, although they may not fall into the category of family films, are very enjoyable, such as The Lord of the Rings or the aforementioned Star Wars or Jurassic Park.