The 30 best family comedy movies ready to stream right now

From animated delights to live-action thrills, these films are a fun watch no matter your age.

Nothing brings a family together faster than laughter — except maybe pizza. We can't help you put dinner on the table, but if you're in search of a good movie to help elevate your quality time, look no further than this list of the 30 best family comedy movies compiled below. From animated classics to live-action favorites, these films are sure to provoke laughter and tears, and are guaranteed to provide at least 90 minutes of blissful, argument-free fun.

The Addams Family (1991)

The Addams Family is wildly entertaining whether you’re a fan of the classic show or not. That’s because the kooky performances help bring every wild scene and gothic set piece to life, as an oddly macabre clan (helmed by Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston) spars with a con man who resembles their lost relative. Christopher Lloyd is stellar in dual roles, but the most notorious Addams is a certain sullen, world-weary daughter in a star-making performance.

Or, better put by EW’s critic, “Best of all is the scene-stealing Christina Ricci, who plays Wednesday with the adorable, saucer-eyed disengagement of a demon child from Neptune.” —Chris Snellgrove

Where to watch The Addams Family: Paramount+

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Cast: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, Dan Hedaya

Related: The Addams Family adaptations, ranked

Babe (1995)

Babe isn’t just a great children’s movie for families — it’s perfect for animal lovers, too. When a sweet farmer (James Cromwell) wins the titular pig (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) at the fair, the runt escapes his fate as a Sunday ham and instead learns how to herd sheep. Along the way, he navigates the surprisingly complex world of farm politics with the other livestock.

EW’s critic praises the entire cast, writing, “[Cromwell and Magda Szubanski] maintain perfect pitch as a variation on Jack and Mrs. Sprat, but the real stars are the animals — including dogs, horses, cows, sheep, ducks, and mice as well as the fabulous Babe.” —C.S.

Where to watch Babe: Max

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Chris Noonan

Cast: James Cromwell, Christine Cavanaugh, Magda Szubanski, Hugo Weaving

Related: James Cromwell rescues baby pig, names it Babe

Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

This coming-of-age soccer movie (or, rather, football in England, where it’s set) catapulted Keira Knightley to movie star status, but it’s Bend It Like Beckham’s cultural perspective and commentary that truly make it special. The story follows Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra), a teen girl obsessed with soccer (and with David Beckham, who gave the film permission to use his name because he wanted to promote girls’ soccer). Feeling suffocated by her strict Indian parents and their hope that she’ll someday become a homemaker and devoted wife, Jess secretly joins a soccer team and must juggle responsibilities for both her family and her coach (Jonathan Rhys Meyers).

The film resonates with anyone who knows the acute angst of pretending around loved ones to be someone they’re not. The result is director Gurinder Chadha’s supremely watchable sports film about gender, culture, sexuality, diversity, and love — and it’s a touching one to boot. —Ilana Gordon

Where to watch Bend It Like Beckham: Disney+

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Gurinder Chadha

Cast: Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Juliet Stevenson, Shaznay Lewis, Archie Panjabi

Related: How Bend It Like Beckham bent the rules and became a girl power classic

Big (1988)

Big is the ultimate “be careful what you wish for” story. When 12-year-old Josh is too short to hop on a carnival ride and woo his crush, he yearns (with prompting by a fortune-telling machine) to be “big.” The boy wakes up the next morning as a grown-up Tom Hanks, whose joy at unexpectedly getting what he wanted is subdued by his new responsibilities and inability to hang with his not-so-big best friend.

Alongside a veteran cast in supporting roles — Elizabeth Perkins as the love interest, John Heard as the jerk co-worker, Robert Loggia as the toy company boss who’s inspired by his mysterious new employee’s childlike charms — Hanks transformed his career here, proving his dramatic chops and earning his first Oscar nomination. —C.S.

Where to watch Big: Disney+

Director: Penny Marshall

Cast: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia, John Heard, Mercedes Ruehl

Related: Tom Hanks: 'I have been in some movies that I hate'

Despicable Me (2010)

Despicable Me asks us to root not just for the bad guy, but a proud supervillain, Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), whose army of loyal Minions enthusiastically help their leader pull off his devious plans. To one-up his new villainous (if not pathetic) rival (voiced by Jason Segel), Gru adopts three young girls as part of an elaborate scheme, but they melt his heart quicker than a ray gun.

EW’s critic points out that the film’s artistic pedigree is a globetrotting success much like the very spy movies it evokes, writing, “Despicable Me…is an American story, from a Spanish animator’s idea, fleshed out by a French animation house; no wonder a certain Euro je ne sais quoi influences the aesthetic of this charming tale of bad intentions and happy endings.” —C.S.

Where to watch Despicable Me: Peacock

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Directors: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin

Cast: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig

Related: How to watch the Despicable Me movies in order

Encanto (2021)

Like a superhero movie set in a small town, Encanto is the story of a Colombian family whose children are endowed with magical abilities. Well, all except Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), who seemingly has no special power but must save her kin anyway.

The uplifting message is perfect for a family movie night, with EW’s critic calling it “a smiling tale about familial reconciliation and learning to see your relatives for who they are rather than who you wish they were...” That said, it’s Lin-Manuel Miranda's songs — especially “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” — that turned Encanto into a genuine cultural sensation. —C.S.

Where to watch Encanto: Disney+

EW grade: B (read the review)

Directors: Jared Bush, Byron Howard

Cast: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo, Jessica Darrow

Related: Encanto song 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' passes 'Let It Go' as highest-charting Disney animated hit in 26 years

Finding Nemo (2003)

Finding Nemo is as much about family as it is about fish, following a neurotic clownfish father Marlin (Albert Brooks), and his young son Nemo (Alexander Gould). When Nemo’s curiosity gets the best of him and he’s captured by a diver, his dear old dad is powerless to save him. So, Marlin teams up with a forgetful new friend (Ellen DeGeneres) to bring his son home.

Pixar populates this ocean with entertaining characters and unforgettable dangers, but the thrills won’t scare young viewers about taking a dip, even with the presence of a ravenous shark. The resulting film, according to EW’s critic, “sustains its own comic universe of intelligent life, a thronging biosphere of amusement simultaneously scaled for children and pitched for knowing adults.” —C.S.

Where to watch Finding Nemo: Disney+

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Andrew Stanton

Cast: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush

Related: The 25 best platonic couples in movies and TV

Freaky Friday (1976)

Still better than the 2003 remake, the original Freaky Friday should be mandatory watching for all teenagers and their parents. The story focuses on a bickering mother and daughter duo (Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster) who switch places with one another for a single day. The results are predictably hilarious, with each one learning that walking a mile in the other’s shoes isn’t nearly as easy as they had imagined.

Throw in performances from other old-school legends like John Astin and Dick Van Patten, and you’ve got a classic coming-of-age film that can bring parents and children a little closer. —C.S.

Where to watch Freaky Friday: Disney+

Director: Gary Nelson

Cast: Jodie Foster, Barbara Harris, John Astin, Patsy Kelly, Dick Van Patten

Related: Manny Jacinto plays Lindsay Lohan's husband in Freaky Friday sequel Freakier Friday

Home Alone (1990)

Home Alone is a kid’s fantasy brought to life: 8-year-old Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally left behind during his family’s overseas Christmas vacation and gets to be the man of the house for a change. When two bumbling thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) attempt to rob his home, Kevin begins an elaborately violent, slapstick battle of wits via booby traps involving a tarantula, paint buckets, and flamethrowers.

According to EW’s critic, “The real reason behind Home Alone‘s gargantuan success, of course, is the unforced, marble-mouthed performance of Macaulay Culkin, a kid whose naturalism is the obverse of every tiny prime-time wiseass from Dennis the Menace to Steve Urkel.” —C.S.

Where to watch Home Alone: Disney+

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Chris Columbus

Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, John Heard, Roberts Blossom, John Candy

Related: Every Home Alone movie, ranked

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids mashes together a schlocky sci-fi premise reminiscent of the ’50s with the comedic sensibilities of the ’80s. Rick Moranis plays a genius inventor whose miniaturization device accidentally shrinks his children to a quarter of an inch. More accurately, the kids actually shrink themselves while messing around in Dad’s makeshift lab, but hey, he shouldn’t have left that dangerous technology within their reach.

Ignorant of their fate and upset about his professional failures, he destroys his invention, leaving them to navigate a world where even ants are major threats. Matt Frewer and Kristine Sutherland provide great supporting performances, but the biggest stars are the memorable practical effects, most of which have held up remarkably well. —C.S.

Where to watch Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Disney+

Director: Joe Johnston

Cast: Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Kristine Sutherland

Related: Josh Gad has some bad news about the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids reboot

The Incredibles (2004)

In a world where most superhero films have become CGI slurry, The Incredibles remains an original genre take that gives us beautiful family dynamics instead of post-credits teasing. The titular family is in the middle of an identity crisis; the government doesn’t want “supers” around anymore, so they’re stuck in the suburbs and masquerade as (shudder) normies.

But their past eventually comes back to haunt them in the form of Syndrome, whom Mr. Incredible ran afoul of years earlier. Vengeance has been brewing ever since — along with plans for world domination, naturally. The result confidently distills the Silver Age of comics into a new Golden Age of animation. —C.S.

Where to watch The Incredibles: Disney+

Director: Brad Bird

Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson

Related: Incredibles 3 in the works at Pixar

Inside Out (2015)

The real brilliance of Inside Out is that it personifies the stresses of adolescent life. When young Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) moves from Minnesota to San Francisco, her many feelings go haywire. Those emotions get voices of their own: Amy Poehler is Joy, the head of Riley’s emotional circuit board; Disgust is a diva courtesy of Mindy Kaling; Sadness is embodied by Phyllis Smith; Fear by Bill Hader; and Anger by famously irate comedian Lewis Black. It’s a bold approach to portraying big ideas and even bigger feelings.

As EW’s critic observes, director Pete Docter and his creative team “take this daring, conceptually abstract premise and tweak it into a battle royal for control over the tween’s evolving personality.” —C.S.

Where to watch Inside Out: Disney+

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Pete Docter

Cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling

Related: Welcome to the Belief System, a core part of Riley's mind in Inside Out 2

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

This animated family movie sees Jack Black voice a lazy panda, Po, who must master martial arts by training under a strict, eccentric master (Dustin Hoffman). That simple premise kicks off a slapstick action-comedy buoyed by great voice performances by true-blue action stars like Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan.

Kung Fu Panda is as inspiring in conception as it is unique in execution, with EW’s critic writing, “Just about all animated movies teach you to Believe in Yourself…but the image of a face-stuffing panda-turned-yowling Bruce Lee dervish is as unlikely, and touching, an advertisement for that message as we've seen in quite some time.” —C.S.

Where to watch Kung Fu Panda: Peacock

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Directors: John Stevenson, Mark Osborne

Cast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Ian McShane, Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan

Related: Jack Black reveals Kung Fu Panda's 'skadoosh' origins and connection to Nacho Libre

Labyrinth (1986)

Labyrinth is proof that, in the right director’s hands, classic fantasy storytelling translates perfectly to modern viewing. Jim Henson is one such director, and his tale of a young girl (Jennifer Connelly) who must rescue her infant brother from the Goblin King’s (David Bowie) Labyrinth before the little one turns into a goblin is as weirdly fascinating now as it was decades ago.

The premise has all the simplicity of a Dungeons & Dragons starter adventure, but that’s okay. Its straightforward narrative helps us appreciate how the film sings, literally, thanks to the mesmerizing and ear-wormy songs performed by the late, great Bowie. —C.S.

Where to watch Labyrinth: Peacock

Director: Jim Henson

Cast: David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Toby Froud

Related: How the baby from Labyrinth grew up to become a key artist on The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

The LEGO Movie (2014)

Just months before he took the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise by storm, Chris Pratt voiced a hapless LEGO figure who is mistaken for someone “special” enough to keep an evil tyrant (Will Ferrell) from destroying the world. With Hollywood giving us one lukewarm multiverse after another, The LEGO Movie’s fierce playfulness and originality remind us of what we’ve been missing. (How many other films offer up two Liam Neeson cops — one good and one bad, respectively — for the price of one?)

As EW’s critic notes, the movie “invents a kind of child-friendly meta universe in which the playthings on display are at once objects and characters. The transparently fake LEGO constructions embody the pure spirit of make-believe.” —C.S.

Where to watch The LEGO Movie: Netflix (last day to watch: September 30)

EW grade: A (read the review)

Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Cast: Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Morgan Freeman

Related: The 20 best animated movies on Netflix

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (2022)

Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer Camp didn’t let the dissolution of their marriage stop them from collaborating on a poignant film about a small shell named Marcel, his grandmother, and the documentarian who follows Marcel’s attempts to reunite his family. A live-action/stop-motion animated mockumentary based on the viral character Slate and Fleischer Camp debuted in a series of short YouTube videos, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (voiced by Slate) is just as adorable and earnest as you remember him, but now he’s dealing with the real-life problems that accompany viral fame.

A meditation on love, loss, and moving on after divorce, Marcel and Dean (played by Fleischer Camp) cheer each other up during some of the loneliest moments of their lives, and after watching this film, you will find yourself similarly uplifted. —I.G.

Where to watch Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: Max

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Cast: Jenny Slate, Rosa Salazar, Thomas Mann, Dean Fleischer Camp, Lesley Stahl, Isabella Rossellini

Related: Marcel the Shell team on capturing the 'staccato brokenness' of a stop-motion world

Matilda (1996)

To younger audiences, Matilda will read as the offspring of Harry Potter and the MCU. Our titular character (Mara Wilson) endures awful parents (Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman, both adorably hammy) and a cartoonishly abusive principal, though she never loses her sense of wonder. Matilda’s hard-knock life lightens considerably, however, once she develops telekinesis.

Thanks in large part to DeVito’s unforgettable direction, Matilda remains the best-ever Roald Dahl adaptation. EW’s critic pinpoints the enduring appeal of this story of childhood vengeance, calling it “an ideal rental for the legions of kids looking for a film in which they triumph at last.” —C.S.

Where to watch Matilda: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Danny DeVito

Cast: Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Embeth Davidtz, Pam Ferris

Related: The cast of Matilda: Where are they now?

The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)

Every family has problems, but the Mitchell family has big ones — like a robot apocalypse. In this animated comedy, a dysfunctional family's already messy road trip is thrown into further chaos when robots attempt to take over the world. As the only people left to fight them off, it's up to the Mitchells (voiced by Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, and director Mike Rianda) to take out the machines and save humanity. But, to do that, they'll have to ensure their family's connection to each other is stronger than their connection to their phones and iPads.

In an ironic twist, The Mitchells vs. the Machines — whose message warns of the dangers of relying too much on technology — employs both hand-drawn and CGI animation to create its visuals. —I.G.

Where to watch The Mitchells vs. the Machines: Netflix

Director: Mike Rianda

Cast: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Eric André, Olivia Colman

Related: Danny McBride takes on technology in The Mitchells vs. The Machines and real life

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Monsters, Inc. taps into the woefully unexplored idea that children may embrace cinematic monsters rather than cower from them. Accordingly, the antics of two “top scarers” (John Goodman and Billy Crystal) fall flat when they try to frighten a young girl, but their improbable relationship with her could completely revolutionize how the monsters interact with humanity. The ensuing film combines soul with CGI, fortifying the lofty reputation Pixar had already built by 2001, just six years into its theatrical run.

EW’s critic praises the movie for striking the right balance across generations, writing, “Indeed, Monsters, Inc. has got that swing, that zippity, multilevel awareness of kids’-eye sensibilities and adult-pitched humor.” —C.S.

Where to watch Monsters, Inc.: Disney+

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Pete Docter

Cast: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly

Related: Pixar film tribute montage

The Muppets (2011)

Co-writer and star Jason Segel infuses The Muppets with all the intense devotion of a true superfan. The story here is very slight: With the help of his girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), Segel’s Gary and his Muppet friend Walter must foil a plot by an oil-hungry baddie (played by Chris Cooper, with a full-fledged maniacal laugh) to destroy the Muppet Studio for more of that liquid gold.

Though there have been countless Muppet films (and TV shows), this quality 2011 comedy revitalized the brand for a new era without sacrificing any of its classic charms. As EW’s critic explains, “For adults, the movie’s gentle, clever, unironic humor feels freshly, trendily retro now, enhanced by laughs provided in cameos from a very up-to-date roster of stars.” —C.S.

Where to watch The Muppets: Disney+

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: James Bobin

Cast: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones

Related: The 15 show cancellations that hurt the most in 2023

Paddington (2014)

There are few things the internet can agree on, but the undisputed dominance of the 2015 semi-animated film Paddington, starring beloved children’s book character Paddington Bear, just happens to be one of those things. Garnering a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and hailed for its charming script, family friendly content, and excellent voice acting courtesy of star Ben Whishaw, the movie has since amassed a following of Paddington loyalists, prompting a sequel in 2017 and a threequel slated for release in November.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming film, Paddington should be number one on your list  — and if you need a topical reason to check out the movie, you should know that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced everyone’s favorite bear in the film’s Ukrainian release. —I.G.

Where to watch Paddington: Starz

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Paul King

Cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Nicole Kidman

Related: Hugh Grant and Paul King address the one bad review that tainted Paddington 2's perfect score

The Parent Trap (1998)

Call it a tale of two Lohans. In this modern remake of The Parent Trap, Lindsay Lohan plays twins who live on opposite sides of the country and switch places as a gambit to reunite their divorced parents (Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson). In her feature film debut, Lohan perfectly fills the shoes (all four of them) of original star Hayley Mills, delivering two memorable performances as separated sisters–turned–best friends.

The spectacular final result was cause for celebration from EW’s critic, who writes, “It’s no small feat that this kind hearted remake is as graceful as it is, an homage as well as an update for an era of even more split families, and more fervent children’s wishes for the magical ability to make things whole.” —C.S.

Where to watch The Parent Trap: Disney+

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Nancy Meyers

Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson

Related: Lindsay Lohan's father thinks she deserved an Oscar for The Parent Trap

The Princess Bride (1987)

The Princess Bride sounds straightforward: A boy (Cary Elwes) meets a princess (Robin Wright) and sparks fly, but their love falters when she’s kidnapped by an evil monarch (Chris Sarandon). However, that simple description omits the colorful characters, bizarre adventures, and brilliant dialogue that have helped this film stand the test of time.

A classic sword fight, a pit of despair, a six-fingered man, a lifelong revenge plot, and several rodents of unusual size…no matter how many movies children watch with their parents, none of them quite fit that description. Ultimately, every performance, from André the Giant to Mandy Patinkin, is pitch-perfect, and this film is a crown jewel of Rob Reiner’s royal reign in Hollywood. —C.S.

Where to watch The Princess Bride: Disney+

Director: Rob Reiner

Cast: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant

Related: 13 things Cary Elwes revealed about The Princess Bride on Reddit

Rango (2011)

Rango the chameleon (Johnny Depp) has spent his life as a family pet learning how to blend in, but when his terrarium lands in the middle of the Mojave Desert, he finally gets his chance to stand out. An animated comedy with plenty of references to the world of old school spaghetti Westerns, Rango tells the story of an unwitting hero who is named the sheriff of a small frontier town, and is tasked with discovering what happened to the area’s water supply.

EW’s critic praises the acting, writing “Thanks to Depp’s own chameleon-like performance and the camaraderie of the cast’s voice-recording sessions run like live theater, the script has a lively, improvised feel.” A family comedy that comes out with guns drawn and comedy as dry as the film’s setting, Rango is a smart, unique watch. —I.G.

Where to watch Rango: Netflix (last day to watch: September 30)

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Gore Verbinski

Cast: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Winstone, Timothy Olyphant

Related: The 35 best Western movies from 1990 to 2024, ranked

The Sandlot (1993)

The Sandlot’s picture of adolescence teeters between awkward and awesome. The film follows a group of baseball-loving suburban kids who, during the summer of 1962, navigate the treacherous world of playground insults and a fearsome, ball-gobbling dog dubbed “the Beast.”

EW’s critic puts the film’s nostalgic appeal succinctly in the review, writing, “As the gang learns to work as a team off the field, the movie never loses its quick pace or its sense of fun. Old baseball wisdom: The best teams win with strong fundamentals. So do the best movies.” —C.S.

Where to watch The Sandlot: Disney+

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: David Mickey Evans

Cast: Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna, Chauncey Leopardi, Marley Shelton, Karen Allen

Related: Great movies for kids ages 7–9

School of Rock (2003)

School of Rock resonates across generations because everyone wishes they had a teacher as cool as Jack Black’s substitute imposter–turned–rock & roll guardian angel, Dewey Finn. He poses as an educator for a talented group of students, but his energetic passion for music and his affection for the kids are completely genuine. And let’s be honest, when you’re at an uptight prep school, the only true antidote is the infectious energy of a Jack Black type.

As EW’s critic notes, “When they finally get up to play at the Battle of the Bands, it’s an ecstatic scene, yet you may also wipe away a tear as you realize that Dewey has become a great teacher after all, and that Jack Black, raising his goblet of rock, now rules.” —C.S.

Where to watch School of Rock: Paramount+ 

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Richard Linklater

Cast: Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Miranda Cosgrove, Mike White, Sarah Silverman

Related: Watch Jack Black sing 'In the End of Time' to young School of Rock fan with rare disease

Shrek (2001)

Don’t monsters and outcasts deserve a happily ever after, too? That’s the question at the heart of Shrek, the insanely quotable animated classic about an ogre (Mike Myers) who agrees to rescue a beautiful princess (Cameron Diaz) for an awful lord to restore peace in his own swamp. But the damsel isn’t in distress, the monster isn’t so bad, and some raunchy jokes may go over kids’ heads (but will likely delight parents).

In short, EW’s critic insists Shrek succeeds “because it’s such a feisty but good-natured embrace of the inner ogre in everyone, and such an irreverent smackdown of the Establishment in all its ‘heigh-ho’ tyranny.” —C.S.

Where to watch Shrek: Peacock

EW grade: A (read the review)

Directors: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson

Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Vincent Cassel, Conrad Vernon

Related: Eddie Murphy shares Shrek 5 update, reveals Donkey spinoff

Toy Story (1995)

Toy Story is literally a child’s fantasy come to life, imagining a world where toys have lives of their own and reanimate whenever the kids leave the room. However, the status quo enforced by cowboy doll Woody (Tom Hanks) is disrupted by the arrival of spaceman Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), who adamantly believes he’s an actual intergalactic ranger rather than a plaything. The ensuing power struggle between Woody and Buzz threatens to put their owner’s childish things away forever in Pixar’s debut feature.

This story’s keen sense of childhood wonder was not lost on EW’s critic, who writes, “The beauty of Toy Story is the way it expresses the essence of child’s play — that pretending is the art of dreaming when you’re wide awake.” —C.S.

Where to watch Toy Story: Disney+

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: John Lasseter

Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, John Ratzenberger

Related: Tim Allen shares idea for Toy Story 5, says Disney has reached out to him and Tom Hanks about sequel

Wreck-It-Ralph (2012)

Like Toy Story for gamers, Wreck-It-Ralph imagines that game characters live in a secret digital world whenever the arcade closes. Ralph (John C. Reilly) wants to stop being the villain who always loses to the cheerful Fix-It-Felix (Jack McBrayer), leading him on a quest to finally become a hero. Of course, as Ralph discovers, every hero needs a good sidekick, and Ralph’s is the perpetually glitchy Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) from a racing game.

The resulting animated feature charmed EW’s critic, who writes, “There are more video game cameos and winks than you can shake a Wiimote at…but the real success of the film is its emotional core and the relationship between the two misfits.” —C.S.

Where to watch Wreck-It-Ralph: Disney+

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Rich Moore

Cast: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch

Related: The 20 best kids' movies on Netflix

Zootopia (2016)

Move over, buddy cop films… Zootopia has pioneered the “buddy fox” genre. We follow an eager bunny (Ginnifer Goodwin) who has just joined the police force and her reluctant new partner, a sly con artist of a fox (Jason Bateman). Together, they work on a case whose outcome may deeply affect their world’s social order, in which predators and prey work alongside each other.

As EW’s critic notes, the film brings in “deep socio-political metaphors… plenty of food for thought regarding prejudice and tolerance,” and “zany slapstick, zippy one-liners.” —C.S.

Where to watch Zootopia: Disney+

EW grade: B (read the review)

Directors: Byron Howard, Rich Moore

Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate

Related: Zootopia directors explain that genius Breaking Bad spoof — exclusive

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.