The Best Family Movies on Netflix Right Now (December 2019)

While the world of streaming has opened up a vast amount of possibilities in terms of viewing options, it can sometimes be overwhelming trying to decide exactly what to choose—especially when you have the entire family on the brain. That’s why we’ve crafted a specially curated list of the best family movies on Netflix, which runs down the very best movie-watching options for all (or at least most) ages to enjoy. They range from animated features to uplifting live-action stories of real-life heroes.

But it’s not only Disney movies—our list of the best family and kids movies on Netflix features films from all kinds of studios, all kinds of eras, and all kinds of genres. So if you’re looking for the perfect viewing option that both kids and parents will enjoy, we’re pretty confident you’ll find something here. Check out our full list of the best family movies on Netflix below.

And for even more recommendations, check out our full list of the 75 best movies on Netflix right now.

Penelope

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Image via Summit Entertainment

Director: Mark Palansky

Writer: Leslie Caveny

Cast: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O’Hara, Peter Dinklage, Richard E. Grant, and Reese Witherspoon

The 2006 film Penelope is a modern day fairy tale that tells the story of a young girl cursed with the nose of a pig who lives her life in seclusion. Her life is upended when her parents learn their family curse can be reversed if their daughter marries a man of noble birth, and thus the hunt for a suitor is on. The film is whimsical, romantic, and a bit silly, but with a PG rating it’s fun for the whole family. And hey, it’s live-action, and good live-action family films are few and far between on Netflix these days. – Adam Chitwood

Ralph Breaks the Internet

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Image via Disney

Directors: Rich Moore and Phil Johnston

Writers: Phil Johnston and Pamela Ribbon

Cast: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Alfred Molina, Ed O’Neill, and Bill Hader

While Wreck-It Ralph delved into the world of arcade and classic gaming to tremendous results, the sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet turns its focus to an entirely different kind of beast: the internet. In the mold of successful Disney sequels, this film maintains the core characters that mean so much to audiences while evolving and challenging them to compelling results. Here, we see Ralph and Vanellope potentially going separate ways as they enter the massive world of the internet, and the film explores themes of toxic masculinity and online culture—though never in a preach-y manner. There’s plenty of time for fun as well, and while one could see the Star Wars and Disney Princess references as shameless cross-promotion, that doesn’t mean they aren’t wonderfully delightful. Thankfully, this is a sequel with a story worth telling. – Adam Chitwood

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

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Image via Sony Pictures

Directors: Bob Perischetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Writers: Phil Lord, Rodney Rothman

Cast: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Zoe Kravitz, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Nicolas Cage, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber

“Anyone can wear the mask.” That’s the theme of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which makes it not just one of the most inspiring superhero movies ever made, but also one of the most important. While the film’s protagonist is Miles Morales, a mixed race high school student living in New York City who gets bit by a spider and gains superpowers, the movie expands the world into a “multi-verse” as various Spider-People from other dimensions come into Miles’ life. Spider-Gwen, Spider-Ham, Spider-Man Noir all have different backgrounds and motivations, but they all rose above adversity to become the hero their world needed. The crux of the film is the relationship between Miles, who’s not yet ready to lead, and an alternate universe Peter Parker, who’s going through a mid-life crisis and reluctantly mentors the young, new Spidey. It’s an endearing, hilarious, and touching the relationship, and the film is packed with themes of friendship, heroism, and family that make it a tremendously positive viewing experience for youngsters. – Adam Chitwood

The Princess and the Frog

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Image via Disney

Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker

Writers: Ron Clements, John Musker, Rob Edwards

Cast: Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Oprah Winfrey, Bruno Campos, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jennifer Cody, Jim Cummings, John Goodman

10 years ago this December, as of this writing, Disney introduced fans all over the world to Tiana, the first African-American Disney princess, in The Princess and the Frog. Set in New Orleans during the early 20th century, the story centered on Tiana, a working-class woman who dreamed of one day opening her own restaurant. That dream was was far more important to her than the romantic notions of childhood stories like “The Frog Prince”, but as Disney movies go, Tiana soon finds herself smack in the middle of a froggy fantasy that’s complicated by a voodoo curse. And while all’s well that ends well, The Princess and the Frog takes some fun liberties with the original source material.

This movie is also one of the few traditionally animated tales that Disney makes in the modern era. That fact didn’t escape critics and general audiences alike, both of whom loved the old-school Disney feel. The Princess and the Frog is probably the last big-budget production that the acclaimed studio will tackle with traditional animation, so it’s worth a watch for that reason alone. – Dave Trumbore

Incredibles 2

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Image via Pixar/Disney

Writer/Director: Brad Bird

Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Huck Milner, Sarah Vowell, Catherine Keener, Bob Odenkirk, and Samuel L. Jackson

Although it doesn’t quite reach the high bar set by the original, Incredibles 2 remains a completely delight from start to finish. Writer-director Brad Bird breaks the narrative into two plotlines, one following Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) as she attempts to restore the good name of the Supers, and a second following Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) as he attempts to raise the kids. Although the Elastigirl plotline has all the colorful action thrills we want from a superhero movie, the film reaches a whole new level as Mr. Incredible struggles valiantly to raise a hyperactive Dash (Huck Milner), an angry Violet (Sarah Vowell), and a Jack-Jack who is bursting with superpowers. Pixar has been uneven with its sequels, but Incredibles 2 is easily a success for the animation powerhouse. – Matt Goldberg

Daddy Day Care

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Image via Columbia Pictures

Director: Steve Carr

Writer: Geoff Rodkey

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King, and Anjelica Huston

The 2003 comedy Daddy Day Care is far funnier than you think, and it’s a great watch with the kids. Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin have dynamite comedic chemistry as a pair of dads and breadwinners who not only find themselves laid off, but also unable to enroll their children into day care. So they take it upon themselves to begin a day care themselves, which comes into direct competition with an upscale academy run by Anjelica Huston. Hilarious hijinks ensue, and this is ultimately a warm, silly, better-than-it-needs-to-be family comedy. – Adam Chitwood

The Little Prince

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Image via Netflix

Director: Mark Osborne

Writer: Irena Brignull (screenplay), Bob Persichetti (screenplay), Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (novel)

Cast: Mackenzie Foy, Riley Osborne, Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Marion Cotillard, James Franco, Benicio Del Toro, Ricky Gervais, Bud Cort, Paul Giamatti, Albert Brooks

It’s not every day you get to see a modern animated adaptation of an iconic bestselling story like The Little Prince, but thanks to Netflix and the talented cast and crew assembled to bring Antoine de Saint-Exupéry‘s story to life, a whole new generation can now enjoy the classic tale. Now while it’s not a point-for-point translation of the tale, it does pay homage to the novella’s fan-favorite characters and scenes. The Fox, The Snake, and The Rose are all present, and they’re brought to life in contrasting animation styles that help to conjure up images of the original drawings alongside the cutting-edge computer-generated characters common in today’s kids movies. This contrast also sets apart the book’s story, which itself exists as a story within a larger framing story following The Little Girl (Foy) and her uptight, hyper-organized Mother (McAdams). Their addition brings a new wrinkle to a familiar story, but the movie’s at its best when it sticks to the original tale. If you haven’t read The Little Prince or seen any of its adaptations over the years, this is a great place to start. — Dave Trumbore

Mary and The Witch’s Flower

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Image via GKids

Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Writers: Mary Stewart (novel), Riko Sakaguchi, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, David & Lynda Freedman

Cast: Hana Sugisaki, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Yûki Amami, Ruby Barnhill, Kate Winslet, Jim Broadbent

Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata passed away in early 2018, and though often outshined by the slightly more prolific Hayao Miyazaki, Takahata’s contributions to the famed film studio have influenced generations of artists, filmmakers, and creators alike. One such influence can be seen in the spin-off production company Studio Ponoc, whose first animated feature Mary and The Witch’s Flower promises big things ahead for the heir apparent.

Adapted from Mary Stewart’s novel “The Little Broomstick”, Mary and The Witch’s Flower captures all of that story’s magical elements and theme of self-discovery in a way that only an anime-styled movie can. Studio Ghibli’s style is very apparent here and it will take some time to see how Ponoc differentiates itself in order to stand on their own, but it’s clear that their grasp of story and eye for iconic creature creations is a strength. Seek out Mary and The Witch’s Flower to acclimate yourself with Studio Ponoc and get a jump on the next Ghibli-esque obsession. – Dave Trumbore

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

the-grinch Image via Universal Pictures

Director: Ron Howard

Writers: Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman

Cast: Jim Carrey, Jeffery Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, Taylor Momsen, and Molly Shannon

There’s something oddly alluring about director Ron Howard’s big budget 2000 live-action adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Even though the film as a whole isn’t great, Jim Carrey’s charismatic performance goes a long way, and the eye-popping production design and makeup bring Whoville to life like never before. On that level alone this one should keep kids enraptured from start to finish, but it’s also just a solid Christmas movie to pop on during the November/December months to get everyone in that holiday spirit. – Adam Chitwood

Coraline

Coraline Image via Focus Features

Director/Writer: Henry Selick

Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane, Jennifer Saunders, Robert Bailey Jr., Dawn French, and John Hodgman

A word of warning: Coraline may be a little too intense for the super young ones, but if your kids are into fairy tales with a bit of edge to them, this gorgeous stop-motion-animation film could be right up their alley. It hails from the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas and the studio behind ParaNorman and Kubo and the Two Strings and tells the story of a young girl named Coraline who discovers a secret door in her new home that leads to an idealized parallel world, where her parents do her bidding and everything seems perfect—“seems” being the operative word. It’s gorgeous, fun, and wildly fantastical, and yes, a teensy bit disturbing. – Adam Chitwood

An American Tail: Fievel Goes West

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Image via Universal Pictures

Directors: Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells

Writer: Flint Dille

Cast: Phillip Glasser, James Stewart, Erica Yohn, John Cleese, Jon Lovitz, and Erica Yohn

You need not have seen An American Tail to enjoy this 90s classic sequel An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. Produced by Steven Spielberg, this hand-drawn animation film tells the story of the impoverished Mousekewitz family who now find themselves enmeshed in the world of the Wild West. It’s a loving ode to the Western genre with some swell original songs and a voice performance by icon Jimmy Stewart. Give it a whirl if you’re in a throwback mood. – Adam Chitwood

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Director: Peyton Reed

Writers: Chris McKenna & Eric Sommers and Paul Rudd & Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Laurence Fishburne, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, Michael Pena, and Michelle Pfeiffer

Ant-Man and the Wasp is kind of perfect for Netflix because it’s a great hangout movie to just have in the background. The stakes are incredibly low for a Marvel movie—it’s about preventing a lab from being stolen so that Scott (Paul Rudd), Hope (Evangeline Lilly), and Hank (Michael Douglas) can rescue Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the Quantum Realm. Loads of hijinks ensue, and it’s just a light, fun movie that’s not too demanding and perfect for watching with your kids. If you choose to watch Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp is a great palette cleanser. – Matt Goldberg

A Wrinkle in Time

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Image via Disney

Director: Ava DuVernay

Writers: Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell

Cast: Storm Reid, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey, Chris Pine, Levi Miller, Mindy Kaling, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peña, Andre Holland, and Zach Galifianakis

While A Wrinkle in Time may not be the most tightly constructed film ever made, what Ava DuVernay’s big-budget Madeline L’Engle adaptation lacks in cohesiveness it makes up for in heart and theme. The story follows a 13-year-old girl who embarks on an interdimensional journey to find her father, who accidentally teleported himself to another world. The story is one of light overcoming darkness, and goodness overcoming evil and hatred, which is worthy subject matter for young viewers especially. Young Storm Reid is delightful and compelling in the lead role, and the visuals on display are impressive. – Adam Chitwood

Source:Collider