Our 10 favorite family movies (so far)

Meet you on the couch on Friday.

As I’ve shared here many times, a low-screen family isn’t the same as a no-screen family. Screens can be beautifully connective, inspiring, and restful if used in a thoughtful way and kept in their right place.

The best example of this, I think, is family movie night.

The fall that June started kindergarten, we joined the ranks of many, many families before us and set aside Fridays to partake in this well-worn tradition — and boy has it become a beloved one. The kids look forward to it all week and, to be fair — since we paired it with a takeout tradition we started after a mini emotional meltdown over the passing of time, no big deal — so do the parents.

And it is truly family movie not at our house, not kid movie night. I want my children to see me enjoying leisure time, not scrolling on my phone or cleaning up the kitchen while they enjoy themselves. In a twist that makes it even more appealing to the grown-ups, our rule is that the adults get to pick the movie¹.

In the last three years, we’ve watched over 50 movies together. And now we’re entering a new season: Annie will finally get to join the movie night crew! (Thus far, we’ve put her to bed and then settled in to watch the evening’s entertainment, but age three is when you get to join the fun.)

Of course, the older kids were immediately concerned about all the movies she’d missed while snoozing upstairs, and quickly decided that the only thing for it was to rewatch the entire movie night catalog to get her up to speed. So that’s our plan! We’ll likely make a few minor adjustments here or there, but it looks like the work of selecting movies will be exceptionally easy for the next three years or so :)

As I look back at all the movies we’ve watched together (and are about to watch again), I thought it would be fun to round up our top ten. It was a nearly impossible task (all 50 are movies we loved — that’s why we chose them!!), but nevertheless we persisted. Here’s where we landed, in alphabetical order for fairness:

The Aristocats | A sweet and fun romp that was a favorite of mine from childhood. While a bit of a lesser-known pick from the annals of earlier Disney animation, I think it still shines: there’s a simple but endearing plot, funny scenes and characters, bravery and courage displayed, realistic but loving sibling relationships, and great jazz music. Parfait, as Duchess would say.

Inside Out | This is the only Pixar film that made our list (!). While we loved many others (and Shep lists Cars as one of his favorite movies!), I think this is in part because our kids were a bit younger (3-8) this time around, and Pixar movies tend to be geared toward slightly older audiences. Inside Out, however, transfixed all of us with its creativity, emotional depth (June and I both cried!), humor, and the genuinely loving family at its center.²

Kung Fu Panda | If Shep was drawing up his own list, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kung Fu Panda in the top slot: both kids thought this movie was absolutely hysterical. (Kudos to the screenwriters, because they managed this without resorting to overly crude humor, double entendre, or inside jokes — a feat!) With oodles of humor and heart, this is an original story we all enjoyed.

The Lion King | As a kid, I loved the majestic, sweeping visuals, the incredible songs, and the epic storyline. As an adult, I still love those things — but also the pitch-perfect depiction of what it means to come of age and to live for something more than yourself. Unforgettable characters, a compelling story, breathtaking imagery: it doesn’t get much better than The Lion King.

Matilda (the original) | John down-voted this one, dismissing it as “weird” — to which I said: um, yes, it’s Roald Dahl. Generations of kids have been entranced by Dahl’s particular brand of weirdness, and June and I are no different. John’s opinions notwithstanding, this story of a brilliant girl trapped in a boorish, cruel family who discovers magical powers and a new family at school earns its place in our family’s top ten.

The Parent Trap (LL version) | While we’ve watched, and loved, both versions of The Parent Trap, we all agreed the Lindsay Lohan version deserves its spot on this list. The characters, the settings, the wardrobe, the plot, the dialogue — all iconic. And yes, this movie certainly played a role in June’s early enthusiasm for sleepaway camp :)

Sing 2 | While we watched and enjoyed both Sing and Sing 2, the follow-up just edged out the original for us. The parents appreciated the pop culture references and we all enjoyed the heartfelt characters and catchy tunes.

The Sound of Music | It’s hard not to talk about this movie in all exclamation points, because I! just! love! it! Because I love it so, I was a bit nervous to share it with my kids — but thankfully, they both seemed to love it, too, especially June. It’s long (we split it into two nights), but incredibly worth the watch. Pure, utterly genuine, and full of joy, it’s a masterpiece with so many timeless scenes and songs.

Tangled | Tangled came out just after I graduated college, so I watched it for the first time alongside my kids. As someone who grew up in the 90’s, I was delighted by the way it manages to capture the best of the Disney princess movies of yore but with a delightfully fresh twist. It’s sweet, it’s funny, it will pull at your heartstrings. (Yes, John, June, and I all cried.)

Zootopia | This was another surprise! While Zootopia was recommended to me many times, I was never really interested — I think because I didn’t really understand what it was about? But when our movie options started to dwindle, we added it to the queue and were very glad we did. Blending creative storytelling, laugh-out-loud humor, and thought-provoking themes, the Thomas family agrees this one should definitely be on your list. (Don’t be like me!)

Honorable mentions: Balto, Pocahontas, Robin Hood, and The Sword in the Stone. (And more! So many more!!)

Your turn! What movies would be included if your family was making a top ten list? I’d love to hear — and I’m also excited to see what movies rise to the top in our next three-year cycle, as our kids encounter the same movies at different ages!

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1. We do let them choose their shows (within reason), so this seems fair :)

2. We saw Inside Out 2 in theaters this summer and loved it just as much!