Family films for movie night
Ten films that genuinely work for every age at once, from Pixar classics and stop-motion gems to adventures that grown-ups enjoy just as much.
Salah Edine · 4 min readPaddington 2
Choosing a film for the whole family is harder than it sounds. Little ones need colour, pace and characters they can root for; teenagers will roll their eyes at anything too sweet; and the adults on the sofa would like something with a bit of wit. The best family films manage all three at once.
Every film below has earned its place by working on several levels. Some are animated, some are live action, and a few are old enough that parents may remember seeing them as children. All of them are worth watching together.
Paddington 2 (2017)
Paul King's sequel follows the polite, marmalade-loving bear as he tries to buy a special present for his Aunt Lucy and ends up wrongly accused of theft. It is gentle without ever being dull, with beautifully designed sets and a delightfully vain villain played by Hugh Grant. The humour lands for children and adults alike, and its message about kindness feels sincere rather than preachy. If you only pick one film from this list, this is a very safe bet.
Toy Story (1995)
The first fully computer-animated feature film is still one of the best. Directed by John Lasseter, it imagines a world where toys come to life when nobody is watching, and centres on the rivalry between Woody, a cowboy doll, and Buzz Lightyear, a shiny new space ranger who does not realise he is a toy. The jokes are quick, the friendship at its heart is touching, and it holds up remarkably well. It also opens the door to a whole series if your family wants more.
Up (2009)
Pixar's adventure, directed by Pete Docter, stars Carl Fredricksen, a grumpy widower who ties thousands of balloons to his house and floats off toward South America. His trip gains an unexpected passenger: Russell, an eager young Wilderness Explorer. The opening sequence is famously moving, so be ready for questions from younger viewers. After that, it becomes a lively, funny adventure with talking dogs and a giant colourful bird.
Coco (2017)
Twelve-year-old Miguel dreams of becoming a musician, even though his family has banned music for generations. On the Day of the Dead, he finds himself in the vibrant Land of the Dead, where he must uncover his family's history. Directed by Lee Unkrich, the film is gorgeous to look at, full of songs and rooted in Mexican tradition. It is also a lovely way to start conversations with children about memory and the relatives who came before them.
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Film and TV information and images from TMDB. Streaming data by JustWatch.
