12 best family movies of all time

Looking to spend the weekend with your family? Look nowhere else, we have got you covered. From the fantastical spooky to comedy that everyone enjoys, we have got just the list for you. Our compilation of the best family movies of all time will take you down memory lane from classic comedies to the latest blockbusters, all our best picks have been lined up.

On slow summer days, the weekends feel like a month and on days the mundane takes a toll on you, our extensive list of bests will surely cheer you up the right amount. When it comes to a good family watch, we all search for comedies and prefer the slice of life narratives. Some of the most famous family-suitable films are the already highly popular Disney recommendations like Frozen or The Lion King. Other famously picked choices are the sought-after franchises, the Marvel productions or the Jurassic Park movie series.

Our list is a blend of all the goodness, not only will the children enjoy but also stories that the parents can sit through without falling asleep on the couch. A thorough mix of the classics and the animations, our list is dominated by feel-good movies that leave you with smile hangers. Scroll down further to sift through our picks for the best family films of all time.

Check out our compilation of the best family movies of all time below:

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Starting with this 2018 release, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman. This film is the first attempt at an animated Spider-Man film which received rave reviews from the audience as well as the critics and the film went on to win the Best Animated Film awards at the Oscars that year, becoming the only non-Disney or Pixar movie to win the award after Rango. Among its comedy and character arcs, the film was also praised for its unique style of animation which was miles (pun intended) away from the animated films of the time. The story follows Miles Morales who safeguards the neighbourhood as Spider-Man after acquiring strength from a spider bite. Soon after, he meets different variants of himself, he finds himself in the middle of a massive battle to rescue the multiverse.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

A franchise that could not go unnamed in this list, the whole Harry Potter movie series is no doubt a treat to watch. Though as they say the first is always the charm, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is surely a testament to it. Introducing the vast world of wizards to the world the film did a great job of bringing in the fantastical element of sorcery to the franchise which the subsequent movies tend not to focus on much. Adding to the sheer delight that the set design is in this movie, the young actors also bundle up the mass appeal and family-friendly vibe of the film. The narrative chronicles the life of Harry Potter the eleven-year-old orphan who realises he is a wizard and is asked to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Even when he departs a mundane existence and enters a magical realm, he encounters hardship.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

As much as we love the whole franchise, the second instalment in the series is the best choice hands down. Directed by Chris Columbus, the film casts Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Tim Curry, Brenda Fricker, and Catherine O'Hara. The film yet again follows the same premise as the first edition in which the young boy Kevin McCallister gets accidentally driven away from his family on a Christmas trip leading him to the most happening city in all of America, New York. Therewith the assistance of his father's credit card, Kevin enjoys the life of riches and spends his holidays in the most lavish ways possible. While the critics gave the film mixed reviews and picked on its darker tones and depictions of violence, the film was a complete hit at the box office. It went on to become the third highest-grossing film of the year.

Monsters Inc.

A Disney and Pixar production, the film is an absolute gem. From its unique take on monsters to the one-of-a-kind plot, the film is a certified best. Starring the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Mary Gibbs and Jennifer Tilly, the film is directed by Pete Docter in his debut. A fun mixture of comedy, cuteness and emotions, the movie follows three monsters, James P. "Sulley" Sullivan and his one-eyed sidekick and closest friend Mike Wazowski, who work at Monsters, Inc., an energy-generating plant that produces energy by frightening human children. The monster world, on the other hand, believes that children are harmful, so when a young human girl slips into the facility, she must be brought home lest it is too late.

How to Train Your Dragon

A DreamWorks Animations masterpiece, How to Train Your Dragon is a film you could re-watch for days on end. Directed by the duo Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the film lends the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, and Kristen Wiig. The film introduces us to the world of Vikings, who survive while fighting dragons. The plot is set in a fabled world, where an adolescent Viking lad called Hiccup strives to become a dragon slayer, as is his tribe's custom. After eventually catching his first dragon, a Night Fury, and getting an opportunity to be accepted by the tribe, he realises that he no longer wants to murder the dragon but rather befriends it, naming him Toothless. Not only was the film a total commercial success, but it was also praised highly by critics and even got nominated for two Academy Awards. 

Annie (2014)

Directed by Will Gluck, this musical comedy film is a contemporary adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name from 1977. The film takes the narrative out of its the Great Depression background and places it in the present day. Starring Quvenzhané Wallis in the lead role alongside Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale and Cameron Diaz, the story revolves around the young girl, Annie, who has spent her entire life in the vicious Miss Hannigan's foster care. When New York mayoral contender William Stacks offers to adopt her, her life takes a dramatic shift. Though the film bombed with the critics and also did adequate sales at the box office, it achieved cult status quickly and has remained a movie that the audience goes back to again and again.

The Incredibles

One of the best family movie marathon picks, this animated film is an entertaining blockbuster. Another Disney and Pixar tie-up, the film was directed by Brad Bird and stars a widely talented voice cast including Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, and Elizabeth Peña. The plot follows Bob and Helen Parr, a pair of superheroes renowned as Mr Incredible and Elastigirl, as they seek to live a tranquil suburban life with their 3 children while hiding their abilities in compliance with a government decree. The entire family is drawn into a battle with a spiteful fan-turned-foe due to Bob's wish to help others.

The Parent Trap

A reboot of the 1961 film of the same name, The Parent Trap is all about the children bringing family together. Starring the pop-culture icon Lindsay Lohan in her debut role alongside Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson, Lohan portrays both the twins in the film which led to her winning high praise for her acting debut. The film also topped at the box office and has been considered a cult classic by the Lindsay Lohan admirers. Following their parents' divorce, twin sisters Hallie and Annie get separated. Years later, they meet at a summer program and decide to swap places in order to reconcile with their parents.

The Addams Family

Although the 2019 animated version of the film was also lauded by fans, nothing can beat the classic. This 1991 supernatural black comedy, is a far reach from the animated films we have recommended before. The movie is based on the cartoon series by Charles Addams and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. Starring Anjelica Huston as the iconic Morticia Addams, Raul Julia as Gomez Addams, and Christopher Lloyd as Fester Addams. The film was a commercial success and even won Huston a Golden Globe for her legendary performance as Morticia. The story revolves around a strange, gothic aristocratic family who reunites with a long-lost relation, Gomez's brother Fester Addams, who's really the adopted child of a loan shark plotting to rob the Addams family of their great riches and fortune.

High School Musical

Directed by Kenny Ortega, this film is all about the fictional high school experience where basketball jocks break into song and transfer students are statues of conventional beauty. However the superficial bling aside, the film is itself a great watch. The film is a narrative about two opposing archetypal cliques of high school juniors Troy Bolton, a basketball captain, and Gabriella Montez, a quiet transfer student who excels in math and science, are the protagonists. They audition together for the major roles in their high school musical, which sparks a rift among the kids. Despite attempts by other students to derail their ambitions, Troy and Gabriella intend to defy peer pressure and rivalry and inspire others not to stick to the status quo. However, they must contend with Sharpay Evans, a high school diva, and her twin brother Ryan. The film casts Zac Efron beside Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel and more.

Spy Kids

Another delightful franchise, this film is a far-right from our previous pick. This family action-adventure comedy was created by Robert Rodriguez and stars Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alan Cumming, Teri Hatcher, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Robert Patrick, Tony Shalhoub, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, and Mike Judge. The film was both lauded by critics and excelled at the box office. Two young siblings become spies in order to save their ex-spies parents against an evil villain. Carmen and Juni fearlessly jet through the skies, dive beneath the seas, and span the globe in a series of daring encounters on a quest to save their parents and possibly the entire world, armed with a backpack of high-tech devices and out-of-this-world conveyance.

Kung Fu Panda

this absolutely hilarious tale is as unique as a film can get. Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne, the film has an ensemble voice cast including Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, Dan Fogler, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Jackie Chan. The plot tells the story of a goofy panda named Po, who is a kung-fu fanatic, placed in a rendition of Chinese civilization populated by humanoid animals. Po is accidentally dubbed the Dragon Warrior, a prophesied hero worthy of reading a scroll claimed to bestow its reader boundless power when a fearsome snow-leopard titled Tai Lung is predicted to escape from prison.

Comment down below your favourites from our list of the best family movies of all time.