The broad genre of family movies is vast and can encompass many smaller genres. The most consistent description is that a family movie is primarily targeted at children but is conscious of the parents and older siblings who may be watching, and thus doesn’t talk down to its audience. They can come in many shapes and forms, from animation and live-action; the average Disney movie is often a family movie, as are live-action efforts likeHome Aloneor even the first twoHarry Pottermovies.
Due to this flexibility, family movies can be enjoyed by any age demographic in any period, and some might get a stronger reception with age. Indeed, some family movies are so beloved because of their stories, characters, scores, or screenplays that they can be considered perfect, even if there’s something holding them back. With so many movies to choose from, it isn’t easy to narrow it down to just ten choices worth highlighting above all others. However,these family movies stand out because of their near-flawless nature, making their genre proud.
10’Despicable Me'
Directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin
Felonious Gru (Steve Carell) is an evil genius hoping to make his mark upon the world, especially after a younger villain named Vector (Jason Segel) stole the Great Pyramid of Giza. He comes up with an ambitious plot to steal the moon, but Vector interrupts his attempt to steal a shrink ray. This sabotage leads Gru to adopt three orphaned sisters as part of a scheme to steal the shrink ray, but over time, he comes to love them.
Despicable Meis acharming subversion of spy movies by focusing on the villain’s perspectivethat began Illumination’s rise among animation studios. One thing that helps the film is its charm: Gru goes through a strong arc, shifting from villain to hero, and the scenes between him and the girls are sweet and heartfelt.The film also introduced the world to the Minions, who have become a staple of popular culture thanks to their silly antics and iconic nonsense language, for both better and worse.
Despicable Me
Directed by Enrico Casarosa
Off the shore of the Italian town of Portorosso live Luca (Jacob Tremblay) and Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), two young sea monsters who dream of one day traveling the world with a Vespa. When Luca’s parents learn of the children’s ambitions, they plan to send him to live with his uncle in the deep to keep him away from humans, so Luca and Alberto run and hide in Portorosso. They befriend a human girl named Giulia (Emma Berman), and the three decide to enter the town’s annual triathlon to use the money to fulfill their dreams.
Lucalacks the same emotional punchas many of Pixar’s best films, but for what it is, it is a beautiful story about friendship and tolerance. It captures the simple innocence of childhood dreams, finding fun in the simple things, and struggling to maintain friendships when everyone has different interests. The use of the sea monsters also leads to many different forms of interpretation, such as revealing one’s true self to those one cares about and the struggle of groups like immigrants and queer people to fit into a society that doesn’t always tolerate them.
8’Enchanted'
Directed by Kevin Lima
Giselle (Amy Adams) is a fairy tale heroine who can’t wait to marry her true love, Prince Edward (James Marsden). Unfortunately, on their wedding day, Edward’s stepmother, Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), pushes Giselle down a wishing well, which transports her to New York City. There, she meets Robert Philips (Patrick Dempsey), a divorced lawyer, who allows Giselle to stay with him and his daughter, Morgan (Rachel Covey), while Edward and Narissa’s servant, Nathaniel (Timothy Spall), travel to New York to rescue and kill her respectively.
Enchantedis a fun movie that sees Disney poking fun at its clichés and iconic storylines while still respecting the tales that made it the juggernaut it is. The best parts are when the fairy tale characters attempt to adjust to life in the real world, where events like randomly breaking out into song are seen as weird. Each character is fun and does a good job of representing their archetype, but Giselle is the standout thanks in large part toAdams' Golden Globe-nominated performanceand beautiful singing voice.Enchanted’s final act succumbs to tropes and shoddy VFX, but everything that comes before is a whimsical treat.
Directed by Chris Noonan
A piglet named Babe (Christine Cavanaugh) is won at a fair by Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell) and brought to live on his farm. He befriends the sheepdog Fly (Miriam Margolyes) and a duck named Ferdinand (Danny Mann), who thinks he’s a rooster. Over time, Babe demonstrates skill at sorting, which prompts Arthur to train him to herd sheep.
Babeis a beautiful filmon both a technical and storytelling level. Whilethe CGI used to make the animals talk is a bit dated, the film makes great use of practical effects and animatronics, to the point that sometimes it’s hard to tell what is a real animal and what is fake. The story is sweet and uses the animal characters to deliver a rather impactful message about inspiring kindness in others, the dangers of prejudice, and how the most unlikely of people can do extraordinary things.
6’The Goonies'
Directed by Richard Donner
As their homes face foreclosure, Mikey (Sean Astin) and his friends meet up for a final weekend and discover a treasure map that leads to the treasure oflegendary pirate One-Eyed Willy. Hoping to use the treasure to save their homes, the kids follow it into an underground cave network filled with traps. They also run into the dangerous Fratelli crime family, who want to steal the treasure for themselves and won’t hesitate to kill some kids if they have to.
The Gooniesmakes the most of its simple plot by putting most of its time and effort into the characters. Each of the kids feels real and has strong, defining character traits, such as Mikey’s optimism and Data’s (Ke Huy Quan) love for quirky inventions. Then there’s Chunk (Jeff Cohen), who adds a lot of emotion to the film by bonding with Sloth (John Matuszak), the abused member of the Fratelli family.The Goonies' unique and distinctive style might be too much for some, but for the vast majority, it’s a bonafide childhood classic that keeps getting better with age,
The Goonies
5’Time Bandits'
Directed by Terry Gilliam
One night, a young history buff named Kevin (Craig Warnock) is shocked to learn that his bedroom contains a portal in time and space. From it comes the Time Bandits, six dwarves who used to work for the Supreme Being (Tony JayandSir Ralph Richardson) before deciding to steal a map of the universe and rob history blind. As Kevin tags along, the group is monitored by a personification of Evil (David Warner), who wants to take the map for himself.
Time Banditscombines a creative premise with the legendary British wit and humor ofMonty Python’s Flying Circusto create a unique experience. Mixed among its creative time-travel escapades is commentary about consumerism, faith, the dichotomy of good vs evil, and a childlike sense of wonder. It also manages to be a very progressive film since the banditsare all played by actors with dwarfism.Time Banditsisnot perfect, but that’s very much the point, and who are we to argue?
Time Bandits
4’Home Alone'
Directed by Chris Columbus
As the McCallister family prepares to spend Christmas with their relatives in Paris, the youngest, Kevin (Macaulay Culkin), is picked on by his older siblings and cousins, causing him to wish his family would disappear. That night, a storm knocks out the family’s house, causing them to oversleep andaccidentally leave Kevin behindin their haste. At first, Kevin enjoys being home alone but soon discovers that two criminals called the Wet Bandits are planning to rob it.
Home Aloneis rightfully beloved for Cuklin’s amazing performance and the hilarious slapstick during its third act. However, there is so much to love beyond these elements, such as the film’s sincere message about family and reconciliation. Kevin’s mother, Kate (Catherine O’Hara), is also a complex yet wonderful character, especially in the scenes where she is willing to do everything from selling her possessions to traveling with polka musicians if it means getting back to her son.
Home Alone
3’Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone'
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is a young boy living with his cruel and uncaring relatives. One day, he learns that he comes from a long family of wizards and is enrolled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He befriends fellow first-years Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), learns how to perform magic, and uncovers a plot to steal a powerful magical artifact hidden in the school.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stoneintroduced audiences to the wizarding world, and though not as dark and mature as later films in the franchise, it remains beloved for its fantastical world. Thanks to impressively designed sets and the blending of budding CGI with old-school film tricks, the movie evokes a magical atmosphere that makes Hogwarts feel like a living, breathing location.Philosopher’s Stone’s dumbed-down tone compared to the bookandexcessive exposition can sometimes be too clumsy, but any issue in the plot is offset by the talented older actors, includingRichard Harris,Maggie Smith, andAlan Rickman.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
2’Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'
Directed by Mel Stuart
The world is thrown into upheaval when mysterious candy maker Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) reveals that he has hidden five golden tickets inside his Wonka bars and scattered them around the world. Whoever finds them will be given a tour of his fantastical factory and a lifetime supply of chocolate. One of the winners is Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum), a poor boy who longs for a better life.
This adaptation ofCharlie and the ChocolateFactorywasinfamouslydespised by the book’s author, Roald Dahl. Still,Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factoryhas become a timeless classic thanks to its catchy songs, fantastic acting, and sense of childlike wonder. Charlie is also a wonderful protagonist; while not a bad kid, he has moments of selfishness and frustration, which makes his situation more empathetic to viewers. Then there is Wonka himself, who is nothing short of iconic thanks to Wilder’s fantastic performance, especially with how quickly he can shift from indifference to extreme emotional outbursts.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
1’Kung Fu Panda'
Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
When Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) of the Valley of Peace has a vision that foretells the return of fallen martial artist Tai Lung (Ian McShane), he decides it is time to train someone to become the fabled Dragon Warrior to stop him. To everyone’s surprise, he picks Po (Jack Black), an obese panda and kung fu enthusiast. Oogway’s friend, Master Shi-Fu (Dustin Hoffman), tries to get Po to quit so one of his students can be trained instead, but Po proves to have a never-quit attitude and inspires Shi-Fu to see things differently.
Kung Fu Panda’s premise might seem ridiculous, but its mixture of emotions and comedy made itone of DreamWorks' best moviesand spawned an entire franchise.Kung Fu Pandais a story about self-discovery: Po hopes that learning kung fu will make him into someone better than who he currently is; instead, learning kung fu helps Po to realize that the potential for greatness was always inside of him. It reminds audiences of all ages that they are each a unique individual with something great to offer the world; they just need to believe in themselves. Sadly,the supporting characters have very little to do, meaning that the likes of Hoffman,Angelina Jolie, andJackie Changet almost no dialogue.
