7 Best Movies for Family Movie Night

Pop the popcorn and crowd around the TV because it's movie night! Here are seven of the best movies for family movie night.

Don’t scoff at family movie night. It’s not just about watching films that are suited for all age ranges; it’s also about sitting down to spend quality time with the loved ones in your life.

It’s a way to make memories together and to experience something together. Think: salty and sweet popcorn, and snuggling on the couch in a blanket fort.

The best movies for family movie night are often ones that remind us what really matters. Feeling joy and peace with your loved ones, and making time for them before life gets in the way.

Are you planning to put aside your worries to spend some cherished time with your family? Then read on for our movie night ideas.

1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Topping the list for family-friendly movies is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This flick took home the Oscar for best-animated film in 2019, and it’s a sure hit for kids and adults alike.

This is a movie that leaves a diversity-positive message for your kids, starring African American/Puerto Rican teen Miles Morales. It is lovingly animated, funny, and creative. It stays true to the essence of the Spider-Man franchise while remaining a fresh addition.

Are you sick of superhero movies? Sick of watching New York City get destroyed for the 100th time? The same team helming the heartwarming spectacle that was The Lego Movie are behind Into the Spider-Verse.

2. Encanto

How about some new movies for family night? With a poignant perspective on immigrant families, parents and children will find relatable messages and lots of laughs. This movie is also LGBTQ-friendly. 

The animation and soundtrack are both stellar, with “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” topping the Billboard Top 100 last month.

These days it can seem like movies try to pack in as much sensationalism and violence as possible to rake in the box office sales. Studios like Pitch White Entertainment and producers of movies like Encanto stay true to the mission of producing high-quality family-fun entertainment.

3. Spirited Away

Ghibli movies are the ultimate family films. Each one is beautiful with heartfelt ecological messages, featuring casts that include strong, realistic women. Critics often praise the director Hayao Miyazaki for how well he explores and honors the inner life of children.

In this movie, a young girl and her parents find an abandoned amusement park. She finds out about the existence of spirits that walk the night, and the operations of a mysterious bathhouse. The film premise is bizarre, but we promise everything just works if you give it a try.

Spirited Away is a beautiful movie about growing up, the wonder of being a child, and finding your place in the world. If you’re looking for an escape into a bizarre yet gorgeously fleshed-out animated world, look no further.

Some say it is the best-animated film of all time. To determine if that is true, you and your family will have to see for yourselves!

4. Coco

Beware, this one’s a tearjerker.

If you’re looking for family night movie suggestions that are also about the value of family, check this animated feature out.

Miguel is an aspiring musician who dreams about being like his music idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. He ends up venturing to the masterfully realized and animated Land of the Dead, and along the way, finds out that things are not what they seem.

This movie can be harder to watch because it explores themes of grief, loss, and aging, but it is extremely heartwarming and worth the watch nonetheless.

5. The Princess Bride

Ah, this one’s an absolute classic.

The Princess Bride is a hilarious love story, revenge story, an adventure story all in one. The cast of characters is extremely memorable, and the movie’s highlight reel quotes will stay with you for ages.

This movie will fill your family room with riotous laughter, good spirit, and maybe some light tears. If you and your family want good, simple entertainment in a sea of movies that are needlessly complex or convoluted, then The Princess Bride comes highly recommended. 

6. Star Wars (1977)

How could Star Wars not make the list? This movie is filled with iconic characters that you may already recognize, but it is an absolute classic for a reason. It’s Star Wars; what more can we say?

This iconic grandiose space opera will have you and your kids dreaming about what lies beyond the stars. It is epic, nostalgic, and a must-watch.

After you see this one, you will want to see more in the series. If you and your family love to nerd out, the Star Wars franchise is definitely a rabbit hole to delve into.

7. Harry Potter Films

These are yet another rabbit hole to dive into. If you’re not into space operas, perhaps you’re into teenage wizards in a beautiful gothic setting.

These films were heavily formative for an entire generation’s imagination, as creative and wonderous as they are. Give these a try with your family if there’s anyone into magic and fantasy settings. The best part is that you can follow the main cast’s development as they get older.

Note that most of the films are PG, and some are PG-13.

Best Movies for Family Night

Ultimately, the best movies for the family night are the ones that you stumble upon together.

Watching movies can be a magical and transformative experience. Cherish the hours spent in a dark room with a flickering screen and bated breath, and enjoy the shared experience.

Check out our lifestyle section for more movie and media recommendations.

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