Animated Family Movies: 34 Best Picks for Movie Night

Hayao Miyazaki‘s masterpiece won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, making it the first non-English language film to do so. The story follows Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl who wanders into a spirit world where her parents are turned into pigs and she must work at a magical bathhouse to save them. Widely considered the greatest animated film ever made.

Pixar’s Best Animated Feature Oscar winner from 2008. WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class) is the last cleanup robot on an abandoned Earth, who falls in love with EVE, a sleek probe sent to find signs of life. The first 30 minutes are nearly dialogue-free and are some of the best filmmaking of the 2000s, animated or otherwise. Directed by Andrew Stanton.

Brad Bird‘s 2004 Pixar superhero classic that predated the MCU by four years. The Parr family (Bob, Helen, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack) live as suburban civilians under the Superhero Relocation Program until a new threat emerges. Features Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone. Won Best Animated Feature.

Pixar’s 2003 Best Animated Feature winner about clownfish father Marlin’s desperate search for his captured son Nemo. The film introduced Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres), who got her own spinoff in 2016. Directed by Andrew Stanton, who also did WALL-E. One of the most rewatchable Pixar films ever made.

Pete Docter‘s 2015 Pixar masterpiece about the personified emotions inside a young girl’s mind. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust navigate Riley’s move from Minnesota to San Francisco. Won Best Animated Feature. Inside Out 2 (2024) became one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time.

Pixar’s 2017 Best Animated Feature winner set during Mexico’s Día de los Muertos celebration. Miguel, a young boy who dreams of becoming a musician despite his family’s ban on music, accidentally crosses into the Land of the Dead. The “Remember Me” musical sequence is one of the most emotional moments in any Pixar film.

The 1991 Disney Renaissance classic that became the first animated film ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Belle, a bookish young woman, takes her father’s place as the Beast’s prisoner and discovers the cursed prince beneath the monster. Songs by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. A genuine masterpiece.

Disney’s 1992 hit featuring Robin Williams‘s legendary performance as the Genie. Aladdin, a street thief, finds a magic lamp and uses it to win over Princess Jasmine while battling the evil sorcerer Jafar. Won an Oscar for “A Whole New World.” One of the foundational Disney Renaissance films.

Miyazaki’s 1988 Studio Ghibli classic about two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who move to the countryside while their mother is hospitalized and encounter giant forest spirits including Totoro himself. Pure magic. The English dub features Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning as the sisters.

Brad Bird‘s 1999 Warner Bros. animated film about a 9-year-old boy named Hogarth who befriends a giant alien robot (voiced by Vin Diesel) in 1957 Cold War-era Maine. Based on Ted Hughes’s 1968 novel The Iron Man. The film flopped at the box office but is now considered one of the greatest animated films ever made. “Superman!” hits every single time.

Disney’s 2014 animated superhero film, loosely based on Marvel Comics characters and Disney’s first major foray into Marvel properties post-acquisition. The story follows Hiro Hamada and his giant inflatable medical robot Baymax in the futuristic city of San Fransokyo. Won Best Animated Feature.

Disney’s 2016 Best Animated Feature winner about Judy Hopps, a bunny who becomes the first rabbit police officer in the mammal city of Zootopia. She partners with sly fox Nick Wilde to solve a missing-mammal mystery. The film tackles prejudice with surprising depth for a family movie.

DreamWorks Animation’s 2010 hit based on Cressida Cowell’s book series. Hiccup, a young Viking, befriends a wounded Night Fury dragon he names Toothless. The animation, particularly the flight sequences, was groundbreaking. Spawned a full trilogy plus an animated series. The live-action 2025 remake is a critical hit too.

DreamWorks Animation’s 2008 hit starring Jack Black as Po, an overweight panda who fulfills an ancient prophecy by becoming the Dragon Warrior. Supporting cast includes Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, and Lucy Liu as the Furious Five. The franchise now spans four films plus multiple TV series.

The 2021 Sony Pictures Animation film from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller‘s production company (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). A road-trip comedy where a quirky family must save humanity from a robot apocalypse. Visually stunning and emotionally grounded. Won the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature.

Illumination Studios‘ debut film from 2010, voiced by Steve Carell as Gru. A down-on-his-luck supervillain plans to steal the moon and adopts three orphaned sisters as part of his scheme, only to bond with them genuinely. Launched a massive franchise plus the Minions spinoffs.

The 2002 Blue Sky Studios original about three prehistoric creatures (a mammoth, a sloth, and a saber-toothed tiger) trying to return a human baby to his tribe. Voiced by Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, and Denis Leary. Scrat the squirrel became one of the most iconic animated characters of the 2000s.

The 2009 Sony Pictures Animation film by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (their first feature). Loosely based on Judi and Ron Barrett’s 1978 picture book, the film follows aspiring inventor Flint Lockwood whose food-replicating machine starts causing meteorological food storms. Pure silly fun.

Miyazaki’s 2008 Studio Ghibli film about a goldfish princess named Ponyo who wants to become human after befriending a 5-year-old boy named Sosuke. The English dub features Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, and Tina Fey. Visually one of the most beautiful Ghibli films.

The 1937 film that started everything. Walt Disney’s first feature-length animated film, based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Disney received an honorary Oscar in 1939 (plus seven miniature statuettes for the dwarfs) for the film’s groundbreaking achievement. The film that launched the entire Disney empire.

Walt Disney’s 1950 animated classic that saved the studio from bankruptcy. The fairy tale about a kindhearted young woman, her evil stepmother, mice friends, and the famous glass slipper. The songs “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” and “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” remain iconic.

Disney’s 1953 adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s classic play and novel. Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and the Darling children fly to Neverland to battle Captain Hook. One of the foundational works of Disney’s classic era, though modern viewers should be aware that some of its portrayals of Indigenous characters haven’t aged well.

Disney’s 1942 animated film based on Felix Salten’s 1923 novel. Young Bambi grows up in the forest with his friends Thumper and Flower. The film’s depiction of Bambi’s mother’s death remains one of the most emotionally devastating moments in family animation. Surprisingly mature for a children’s film.

Walt Disney’s 1940 experimental animated film that paired classical music compositions (Beethoven, Bach, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky) with abstract animated sequences. The “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” segment with Mickey Mouse remains the most famous. A genuine work of art that bombed initially but became a cultural treasure.

Wes Anderson‘s 2009 stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1970 children’s book. Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) returns to his chicken-stealing ways after years as a journalist, putting his family and the animal community in danger. Anderson’s signature visual style works perfectly for stop-motion.

The 1996 Disney film adapted from Roald Dahl’s 1961 debut children’s novel. Directed by Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas), produced by Tim Burton. Combines live-action and stop-motion animation to tell the story of orphan James and his magical insect friends inside a giant peach.

Robert Zemeckis‘s 1988 groundbreaking film that combined live action with hand-drawn animation in ways that had never been done before. Set in 1947 Toontown, where humans and cartoons coexist. Won three Academy Awards including a special achievement award for animation effects. Slightly mature for younger kids but a family classic.

Don Bluth‘s 1989 animated classic. Charlie B. Barkin (Burt Reynolds) escapes from doggie heaven to seek revenge, only to bond with a young orphan named Anne-Marie who can talk to animals. Genuinely heartbreaking in places. Released the same week as The Little Mermaid in 1989.

The 2009 BBC One animated short film based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler‘s 1999 picture book. Stars Helena Bonham Carter, Rob Brydon, Robbie Coltrane, James Corden, John Hurt, and Tom Wilkinson as the voice cast. Earned Academy Award and BAFTA nominations. A perfect 27-minute pick for younger kids.

The 2014 Irish hand-drawn animated film from Cartoon Saloon (also responsible for The Secret of Kells and Wolfwalkers). Directed by Tomm Moore. A young boy named Ben discovers that his mute sister Saoirse is actually a selkie (a mythical seal-person). Nominated for Best Animated Feature. Visually stunning.

The 2010 Studio Ghibli adaptation of Mary Norton’s 1952 novel The Borrowers. Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (Ghibli’s youngest director at the time). Arrietty is a tiny “borrower” who lives beneath the floorboards of a human house and befriends a sick human boy. Gentle and beautiful.

A 2016 Studio Ghibli co-production (with French studio Wild Bunch). The first non-Japanese Ghibli film, directed by Dutch animator Michaël Dudok de Wit. A dialogue-free fable about a shipwrecked man who befriends a giant red turtle on a deserted island. Won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes and was nominated for Best Animated Feature.

Laika Studios‘ 2019 stop-motion film about Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman), a Victorian-era explorer who teams up with Mr. Link (Zach Galifianakis), a Sasquatch trying to find his Yeti relatives. Won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature. Underrated and beautifully animated.

The 2020 Netflix/Pearl Studio musical animated film. Directed by Disney legend Glen Keane (his directorial debut after decades animating Ariel, Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Tarzan). Fei Fei, a young girl grieving her mother’s death, builds a rocket to the moon to meet the legendary moon goddess Chang’e. Gorgeous music and animation.

A handful more worth adding to your family movie night rotation:

• ✅ Toy Story (1995): Pixar’s debut and the first fully computer-animated feature film. Now a four-film franchise.
• 💡 The Lion King (1994): Disney’s all-time highest-grossing Renaissance hit. Hamlet with lions.
• 🔥 Frozen (2013): The cultural phenomenon. “Let It Go” is permanently lodged in every parent’s brain.
• ✅ Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018): The animation revolution. Won Best Animated Feature.
• 💡 Encanto (2021): “We don’t talk about Bruno” became the biggest pop song of 2022.