Image via YouTube/Paramount Pictures
A family can some in many different shapes and sizes; “family” might mean the people biologically related to you or it might mean a bunch of people you chose as you grew up and learned more about yourself. However you define “family”, though, they’re the people who are somehow capable of being infuriating while also necessary, annoying, and lovable at the same time. They might have embarrassing photos of you when you were younger, but they will also have your back when you need them to. At the end of the day, though, a family is just the group of people you feel the safest around. And if the day has been long and difficult, there is nothing better than gathering everyone around the TV/laptop screen/streaming device of choice to unwind and watch a movie everyone can enjoy.
Of course, that’s easier said than done.
The plural nature of family means that you’re always dealing with an unpredictable mix of personalities. With different ages, maturities, and tastes to consider, picking a movie can be a difficult task. You’re trying to find that sweet spot between funny, but not offensive, educational, but not didactic, not too edgy, yet not too safe, and also not incredibly long, so you’re not forced to spend any more time with those crazy people than you absolutely have to. As a result, actually agreeing on something to watch can feel about as easy as spotting a unicorn.
But that’s not to say that the perfect family movies don’t exist. We’ve gone and done the hard part for you and found ten of the very best. The following list covers a range of genres and topics and includes movies from different eras and countries. If you can’t satisfy the majority of your family with something on this list of the best family movies, then, well, that’s your problem now, buddy.
The Karate Kid (1984)
Director: John G. Avildsen
Stars: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue
A tale of determination and cultural appreciation, The Karate Kid reigns as one of the most referenced and influential movies in recent history. It manages to be exceptionally family friendly, while also entirely revolving around a pretty violent fight, and that is largely thanks to the directorial direction. John G. Avildsen also directed the first Rocky movie, which should be enough to crown him as the GOAT of all inspirational sports films.
Spirited Away (2001)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Stars: Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takeshi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi
We should all thank our lucky stars for Studio Ghibli; those geniuses know exactly how to make a fully animated movie that adults will love. Spirited Away is a great family flick, because it’s all about the lengths a little girl will go to to save her family after they have been turned into pigs by an evil witch. So, it’s not exactly relatable in any obvious way, but the movie’s gorgeous animation and fantastical elements are charming and captivating.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Director: Robert Mulligan
Stars: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, John Megna, Ruth White
For many of us, family dinners can be difficult if we’re forced to listen to our uncle’s/grandfather’s/cousin’s weird racist tirades. Sometimes movies can help illustrate different points of view more than an impassioned debate would. Based off of Harper Lee’s Pullitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Alabama in the 1930s and explores themes of racism, poverty, and honor; the protagonist, Atticus Finch, has become nearly synonymous with tolerance, and his most famous line of dialogue—“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view"—was even quoted by President Obama in his farewell speech.
Inside Out (2015)
Director: Pete Docter
Stars: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Lewis Black, Bill Hader
If your family includes children in the general target demographic of Disney animated movies, but also includes people who demand a little bit of intellectual stimulation from their entertainment, Inside Out is the way to go, since it lives just at the intersection of those two ideas. When young Riley Andersen learns that her family is moving to San Francisco from Minnesota, five emotions—joy, fear, disgust, anger, and sadness—take over and guide her through that tough time. Each emotion turns into a character and eventually a lesson about human nature and family relationships. Pro tip: Have tissues at hand.
West Side Story (1961)
Directors: Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins
Stars: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, Russ Tamblyn
West Side Story updates a tale we all know (William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet) by moving the action to a 1950s New York City teeming with gang violence. But West Side Story sees Shakespeare’s tragic love story and raises it to a musical, adding an extra notch on the drama scale. Watch it for the novel perspective on an old story and the stellar score full of catchy songs. And don’t forget that, despite La La Land’s recent success, West Side Story still holds the record for the musical with the most Oscars, with ten wins.
Boyhood (2014)
Director: Richard Linklater
Stars: Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater, Ethan Hawke
This groundbreaking coming of age story of a young American boy that was filmed over 12 years is the quintessential family movie. The entire film chronicles the teenage years of Mason Evans, Jr. from the critical age of 12 to 18, and because the viewer gets to see the actor physically grow up, the emotional and psychological changes that come with that turbulent time are magnified and made more tender and relatable.
Airplane! (1980)
Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Stars: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Listen, Imma let you finish, but Airplane! is one of the greatest comedies of all time. Perhaps one of the directors’ greatest decisions was to center the entire plot on airports and airplanes, which are both places where comedy usually goes to die. The best way to describe the humor throughout this movie is just plain silly; its series of slapstick gags and plays on words (including such gems as: “Surely, you can’t be serious?” “Yes, I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley.”) are as original as it gets, and quickly became hugely influential for all great comedy films since.