Many favorite childhood memories involve a comfy couch, microwave popcorn (maybe with a handful of M&Ms mixed in for good measure), and a family movie night. And for those of us who have children of our own, it’s delightful to discover that watching our kids watch movies makes for new memories that are just as special. Their unexpected giggles, their fully engaged wide eyes, their endearing way of grabbing your arm during a mildly scary scene — it’s all just the best. The only thing better? Enjoying the films yourself, with or without those mini co-viewers. 

So, we’ve made you a list of 15 fun flicks that are guaranteed to hold your attention to the end (even if the youngest sleepyhead in your party doesn’t make it quite that far). From animated adventures to live-action comedies and mesmerizing musicals, there’s something for every fam. Pass around the popcorn and enjoy!

Family Switch

In this Freaky Friday–esque feature, a family outing to Los Angeles’ Griffith Observatory just before the holidays turns out to be life-changing — literally. After a planetary alignment–slash–telescope fiasco, the Walkers awake the next morning to discover they’ve all swapped bodies: Mom Jess (Jennifer Garner) and daughter CC (Emma Myers), dad Bill (Ed Helms) and son Wyatt (Brady Noon), and toddler Miles (Lincoln and Theodore Sykes) and French bulldog Pickles. With limited time, the Walkers must figure out how to repair the telescope (shout-out to helpful astrologer Angelica, played by Rita Moreno) and survive role-playing in each other’s lives. The results? Hilarity and a heartwarming dose of perspective that leads to “family bonding” — this time, thankfully, in a figurative sense.

Family Switch

2023

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Orion and the Dark

From Charlie Kaufman, the mind behind meta classics including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Being John Malkovich, comes this DreamWorks Animation creation about an 11-year-old who’s scared of everything — but mostly the dark. And frankly, Dark (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser) is a little fed up. Hoping to prove he’s really nothing to be afraid of, Dark invites the anxious Orion (Jacob Tremblay) to accompany him on the job, promising that he can help Orion overcome his fears by morning, because “one night can change everything.” With any luck, this smart, unique, and critically acclaimed work just may resonate with a few real-life kids who are overly attached to their night-lights.

Orion and the Dark

2024

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Paddington

Much like the idea of a soft-spoken bear, this film is a gentle giant. It’s sweet and silly in all the ways fans of the original children’s book series would expect, but the star power of the cast and the lasting impression of its tender-hearted message are a big deal. When Paddington (Ben Whishaw) trades his home in “Darkest Peru” for the busy streets of London, he’s taken in by the Browns (Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Madeleine Harris, and Samuel Joslin) and their eccentric housekeeper, Ms. Bird (Julie Walters). Now they’ll all learn what it means to be a family, while avoiding the clutches of an evil taxidermist played with 100% commitment by Nicole Kidman. 

Paddington

2014

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Minions

The little yellow guys who stole every scene in Despicable Me rightfully became stars of their own franchise. In this 2015 spin-off prequel, set before the supervillain Gru (Steve Carell) was their boss, we realize the minions had a long history of serving “history’s most evil masters,” bumbling from one villainous boss to the next. After years of isolation, minions Kevin, Stuart, and Bob (all voiced by Pierre Coffin) set out to find their family a new leader to follow. Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, and Allison Janney are among the actors who lend their talents to this box-office smash that’s equal parts adorable and absurd.

Minions

2015

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The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Aspiring moviemaker Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson) is on a cross-country road trip to her dream film school, accompanied by her dog (Doug the Pug), little brother (Mike Rianda), mom (Maya Rudolph), and tech-hating dad (Danny McBride). But meanwhile, an AI virtual assistant called PAL (Olivia Colman) has learned her creator’s newest robotic inventions will render her obsolete — and PAL refuses to go down without a fight. Cue a robot apocalypse and diabolical plan to capture all of humanity. Now the Mitchells’ family squabbles and misunderstandings have to take a backseat to… well, saving the world. This Oscar-nominated sci-fi action-comedy is sharp, funny, and touching. And we haven’t even mentioned its deep bench of voice cameos — Fred Armisen, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Blake Griffin, and Conan O'Brien, to name a few.

The Mitchells vs. The Machines

2021

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Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical

This charming movie-musical is based on the stage musical of the same name, which was itself based on the beloved children’s novel by Roald Dahl, as the title suggests. Despite negligent parents (Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough), the precocious Matilda Wormwood (Alisha Weir) remains sweet-tempered and devoted to her love of reading — even at Crunchem Hall under the dastardly headmistress, Agatha Trunchbull (Emma Thompson). Matilda soon develops telekinetic abilities, and sets out to lead her kind-hearted teacher Miss Honey (Lashana Lynch) and her classmates in a revolution to free them from Trunchbull’s tyranny once and for all. Thanks to a classic, compelling story plus unbelievably gifted young stars (the dance scenes alone are mind-blowing!), kids and parents alike will be singing its praises. (And if you want to pair Matilda with a classic throwback, consider queueing up the 1982 movie-musical Annie, which also boasts a charming young heroine, talented-kids ensemble, and conniving adults who underestimate them.)

Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical

2022

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The Sea Beast

As legendary as the sea monsters that roam the deep are the hunters who go after them. And the most famous of these hunters is Captain Crow (Jared Harris) and his crew, which includes first mate Sarah (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) and adopted son Jacob (Karl Urban). To secure their careers, Crow’s team must find and kill a beast known as “The Red Bluster” before the king and queen (Jim Carter and Doon Mackichan) and Admiral Eric Hornagold (Dan Stevens) can manage it first. To make things more interesting, a daring young orphan named Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator) stows away on their ship. This epic (and Oscar-nominated) tale features gorgeous animation and all the swashbuckling adventure any wannabe pirates could hope for.

The Sea Beast

2022

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The Willoughbys

If your household’s sense of humor skews darker, we suggest this oddball movie, which opens with a warning delivered by a blue tabby cat (Ricky Gervais): “If you love stories about families that stick together and love each other through thick and thin, and it all ends happily ever after… this isn’t the film for you, OK?” Based on the children’s book by Lois Lowry, The Willoughbys follows four siblings — Tim (Will Forte), Jane (Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara) and twins both named Barnaby (Seán Cullen) — who hatch a plan to send their wickedly selfish parents (Martin Short and Jane Krakowski) on a vacation from which they’ll never return. After the Willoughby parents depart, a warm and boisterous nanny named Linda (Maya Rudolph) arrives to actually care for the children in their stead.

The Willoughbys

2020

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Power up for this excellent nostalgia play based on Nintendo's classic video game franchise. Brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are struggling to get their plumbing business off the ground when they’re sucked into a Warp Pipe, separated and transported to new worlds. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom, where he meets the helpful Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and the adored Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). But Luigi falls into the Dark Lands, where he’s captured by evil King Bowser (Jack Black), who’s threatening to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom unless Peach agrees to marry him. Gamers of all ages will be thrilled by the film’s numerous Easter eggs, but even those who have never picked up a controller will find a lot to love about these plucky plumbers and their friends. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

2023

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Enola Holmes

Did you know Sherlock had a sister? With sleuthing skills to rival her brother’s, Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) is on a case to find her missing mother (Helena Bonham Carter), who disappeared on the morning of Enola’s 16th birthday. Soon after, Enola’s brothers Mycroft (Sam Claflin) and Sherlock (Henry Cavill) return home, but do more to hinder than help, at least at first. So, with only her wits and a few curious birthday gifts (read: clues) that her mother left behind, Enola sneaks away to try to track her down alone. Enola Holmes has nonstop mystery, excitement, and cleverness in spades, and you don’t have to be a detective to know what everyone will want to watch when it’s over — the sequel.

Enola Holmes

2020

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Leo

Experience is the best teacher, and class pet Leo (Adam Sandler) — a talking tuatara — has learned a lot in his 74 years observing fifth graders. So in the face of a mortality crisis (Leo overhears a parent remark that his life expectancy is 75), he decides to make the most of his remaining time by acting as a sort of kid therapist. Whenever a class member takes him home, Leo offers a listening ear (do tuataras have ears?), solid advice, and, oftentimes, a catchy song (did we mention this was a musical?). Genuinely funny and surprisingly self-aware, this is only the second animated feature from Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions, and 21 years after Eight Crazy Nights, it was worth the wait. 

Leo

2023

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Nimona

Chloë Grace Moretz stars as the titular shape-shifting teen in this Oscar-nominated web comic adaptation. Nimona’s kingdom has long been protected from monsters by an elite force of knights, and hoping to join their ranks is Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) — who’d be the first commoner to do so, due to Queen Valerin’s (Lorraine Toussaint) decree that a hero’s heart should matter more than their bloodline. But during the knighting ceremony, tragedy strikes and Ballister is framed. Assuming him to be a kindred spirit, the rebellious Nimona declares herself Ballister’s sidekick and vows to help prove his innocence, while harboring a potentially kingdom-shattering secret herself. Because of its heart, irreverence, mischief, and stunning animation, we especially recommend Nimona for families with teens.  

Nimona

2023

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Over the Moon

Our final musical on the list is a space-filled fantasy about a teenager named Fei Fei (Cathy Ang) with a mission to prove the existence of a legendary moon goddess (Phillipa Soo). Still grieving the death of her mother (Ruthie Ann Miles) and upset by her father’s (John Cho) desire to remarry, Fei Fei builds a rocket and sets her lunar course — only to realize her soon-to-be stepbrother, Chin (Robert G. Chiu), has snuck aboard. Now they’ll have to work together to accomplish their goals and make it back home. Rounding out the stellar cast is Sandra Oh, Margaret Cho, Kimiko Glenn, and Ken Jeong. This beautifully poignant story about loss, acceptance, and moving on is still light enough for little ones. 

Over the Moon

2020

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Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

Sixteen-year-old Ruby (voiced by Lana Condor) is your average teenage girl — dreaming about prom, crushing on a guy from math class, disagreeing with her parents. She’s also a kraken posing as a human in the small community of Oceanside with her mom (Toni Collette), dad (Colman Domingo), and little brother (Blue Chapman). When Ruby’s powers reveal themselves, she uncovers some life-capsizing family secrets — including the existence of her bubbly Uncle Brill (Sam Richardson) and warrior-queen Grandmamah (Jane Fonda), who tells Ruby about the krakens’ long-standing feud with mermaids. It’s up to Ruby to reconcile her relatives, save the town, and make it to the big dance. Buoyed by positive messages and an upbeat soundtrack, this one’s great for tweens and above. 

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

2023

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The Boss Baby

The first installment of this DreamWorks Animation franchise introduces us to Ted (Alec Baldwin), a suit-wearing secret agent who also happens to be a baby. You see, babies are at war with puppies — both parties fighting for cuteness points and the love of the world’s grown-ups. Consequently, Ted arrives to infiltrate the home of Janice (Lisa Kudrow) and Ted Sr. (Jimmy Kimmel), who work in Puppy Co.’s marketing department. Though they start off as enemies, Ted and his new 7-year-old brother, Tim (voiced as a child by Miles Bakshi and as an adult by Tobey Maguire), soon decide to team up. With imaginative animation, action movie–worthy stunts, and plenty of meta humor for adults, The Boss Baby is sure to birth some wows and laughs. 

The Boss Baby

2017

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