There will always be an inherent appeal and love towards the widely versatile and coveted genre of family movies, as the lasting appeal of creating a story for all ages allows nearly anyone to connect with a film’s themes and messages. Some of the most beloved films of all time have been family films, with titles like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Toy Story, and Spirited Away leaving a lasting impact that spans from childhood well into adulthood. However, despite the inherent greatness of the genre, many exceptional family films are overlooked and forgotten due to the overwhelming number of family films being released.
With filmmaking continuing to be a battle for attention, it becomes inevitable for certain films to fall through the cracks and be largely forgotten, even if they end up being great and compelling watches. Whether it be a massive amount of competition from other great family movies, being released without much marketing or attention placed upon it, or simply being forgotten with time, these family films have inherent qualities that make them perfect rediscoveries in the modern era.
10
‘The Kid Who Would Be King’ (2019)
Directed by Joe Cornish
The iconic mythology of Arthurian legend has found itself being adapted numerous times into film over the years, yet The Kid Who Would Be King brilliantly reinvents and evolves the story to a contemporary, modern-day family adventure. As opposed to simply directly adapting the story into a contemporary setting, the film sees a young kid who is suddenly thrust into this world of ancient magic when he finds himself in possession of Excalibur. After gathering his own knights of the Round Table, he finds himself on a quest to save the world from the wicked enchantress Morgana.
The Kid Who Would Be King is massively amplified by its inherent charm factor, making the film a compelling and fun watch whether someone is an expert on Arthurian legend or has never read a single King Arthur story. For younger audiences that are looking to get into the classic stories of Arthur, The Kid Who Would Be King is about the best entry point that one could ask for, making its lessons and arcs fall in line with a modern world and relatable characters.
9
‘Seal Team’ (2021)
Directed by Greig Cameron
With so many animated family films being released and clamoring for attention in the era of streaming, many animated films that aren’t created by a major studio find themselves being massively overlooked and forgotten about. However, films like Seal Team show that these often ignored animated films can sport some genuinely effective charm and compelling humor that helps them even stand alongside these animation titans. While it may not have the emotional sting of a high-end Pixar or Dreamworks film, a great cast of voice actors and some well-timed gags go a long way in terms of memorability.
The film acts as a loose parody of 80s action films as it follows an unconventional military seal team consisting of literal seals, fighting back against a gang of sharks that are overtaking their neighborhood. However, with the seals not having the experience to hold back the sharks, they venture out in search of a legendary military seal named Claggart (J.K. Simmons) to help them in their ongoing battle. The film is fully aware of the goofiness of its own premise, fully leaning into its absurdity and making for a fun time for all ages.
Seal Team
- Release Date
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October 28, 2021
- Runtime
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98 minutes
8
‘Fly Away Home’ (1996)
Directed by Carroll Ballard
One of the quickest and most effective ways to garner affection from audiences and an overall heartwearming energy in a family film is through the usage of cute, lovable animals, a tactic expertly utilized by Fly Away Home. The underrated 90s family movie follows young 13-year-old Amy (Anna Paquin), still reeling from the death of her mother, living with her father that she barely knows (Jeff Daniels) in Canada. While initially hating her new life, she soon finds refuge in taking care of a nest of goose eggs that were abandoned when a local forest was torn down. After the eggs hatch, Amy and her dad must find a way to raise and train the geese to fly south for the winter.
While geese aren’t exactly the first animal that people consider when thinking of cute and heartwarming animals on-screen, Fly Away Home not only does a great job of getting the audience to feel for the animals, but also uses them as a tool to explore Amy’s grief and sorrow. It allows Fly Away Home to tackle a rather difficult and painful subject from a place of kindness, earnestness, and overall genuineness that makes it a standout family movie experience of the 90s.
Fly Away Home
- Release Date
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September 13, 1996
- Runtime
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107 minutes
7
‘The One and Only Ivan’ (2020)
Directed by Thea Sharrock
One of many exceptional Disney+ originals that now has no official way to watch the film due to being taken off of the platform, the Academy Award-nominated The One and Only Ivan is a great modern take on the classic animal rights family film. The film follows the struggles of the titular Ivan (Sam Rockwell), a gorilla who has been living in a suburban shopping mall circus all his life, suddenly finding himself yearning for a better life outside the circus. Soon, he and his animal companions band together to forge an escape plan out of their forced captivity.
Based on an incredibly real story, The One and Only Ivan transforms the feel-good story of animal rights into a story of deep personalization and yearning, with exceptional talent across the board elevating the material. The real highlight of the film is the visual effects, which, even 5 years after the film’s release, still hold up tremendously as some of the best CGI animals ever put to film. While the film may not have an official method of viewing, it’s certainly worth checking out the second that it once again becomes available, however and whenever that may be.
6
‘Shorts’ (2009)
Directed by Robert Rodriguez
Among all the different Robert Rodriguez family movies that have graced screens over the years, Shorts is widely forgotten and ignored in favor of more bombastic experiences like the Spy Kids franchise or Sharkboy and Lavagirl. However, not only does the film live up to the stature and legacy of Rodriguez’s other family movies, but in some ways even surpasses these films in terms of a cohesive vision and creative expression. The film tells the story of various children in the neighborhood utilizing a magical rainbow rock that grants wishes, segmenting its story into 5 chapters told slightly out of order.
While the non-chronological setup can feel a little contrived at points, when the film is delivering on creative madness and full-on absurdity at all times, audiences are much more easily able to adapt to the film’s manic world and filmmaking style. It has a lot of the same energy and feel as other Rodriguez family movies, focusing more on wild effects and goofy characters to create an experience that feels tailor made for the inner 10-year-old inside all of us.
Shorts
- Release Date
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August 21, 2009
- Runtime
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89 minutes
5
‘Night on the Galactic Railroad’ (1985)
Directed by Gisaburo Sugii
While Studio Ghibli is normally the go-to studio that comes to mind when considering exceptionally well-crafted anime family films, Night on the Galactic Railroad is a charming, spiritual venture that predates even the earliest Ghibli masterpieces. The film follows a young feline boy named Giovanni, who in an unexpected escape from his lackluster school and home life, finds himself going aboard a mysterious magical train that has him seeing locales all across the universe. While on the train, he finds himself accompanied by Campanella, an acquaintance from school and one of his only true friends.
Night on the Galactic Railroad is wildly ahead of its time in terms of visual storytelling, a compelling and metatextual narrative, and simple yet impactful coming-of-age messages. While already relatively obscure when it was first released, the passage of time and the massive explosion of Studio Ghibli has left the film to be largely forgotten by worldwide audiences. Still, it has an alluring presence and tone that makes it hold up tremendously in the 40 years since its release.
4
‘The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle’ (2000)
Directed by Des McAnuff
Feature-length adaptations of classic cartoon characters that revolve around the titular cartoon characters entering the real world have been a constant trend in blockbuster animation, with films like The Smurfs, Space Jam, and Enchanted coming to mind. However, one that is largely overlooked and assumed to be lacking in quality is The Adventure of Rocky & Bullwinkle, despite the film fully adhering to the legacy and comedic wit of the classic 70s cartoon.
While the combination of 3D and live-action may seem dated, the real strength of the film comes from its absurdist parody writing that at times even rivals all-time great spoof films with its exceptional delivery. The film is very aware of its own existence, with a sense of humor that falls in line with the cheesy wordplay of the original that doesn’t talk down to the audience and invites them in on the cheapness of the humor. While the film was ripped apart by critics and audiences of the era, the 2000s box office bomb is absolutely deserving of rediscovery.
The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle
- Release Date
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June 30, 2000
- Runtime
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88 minutes
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June Foray
Rocky / Cartoon Natasha / Narrator’s Mother (voice)
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Keith Scott
Bullwinkle / Narrator / Cartoon Boris / Cartoon Leader (voice)
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-
3
‘Gumby: The Movie’ (1995)
Directed by Art Clokey
Gumby is one of the most important and widely recognized characters in animation history, paving the way for stop-motion animation with various iterations across generations during the 20th century. While individual shows and a classic Saturday Night Live sketch may come to mind when thinking of the character, many often overlook the character’s long-awaited feature film, aptly titled Gumby: The Movie. The film serves to bring all the classic antics of the original show to the modern age, with a larger feature-length budget and a lot of the same talent that made the original shorts.
A major facet that stopped the film from garnering traction among audiences was its massively limited theatrical rollout, which saw it gross only $57,100 on a budget of $2.8 million. 30 years out from the film’s release, only the most dedicated of Gumby fans remember the film, although those who have seen it are quick to sing the praises of its surrealist energy, wildly mesmerizing animation, and effective comedy. Whether Gumby is parodying classic sci-fi stories like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars or just jamming out with his friends, Gumby: The Movie has a lot to offer, even for those who have never watched anything relating to the character.
Gumby: The Movie
- Release Date
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October 4, 1995
- Runtime
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91 minutes
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Art Clokey
Pokey / Prickle / Gumbo (voice)
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Dal McKennon
Gumby / Claybert / Fatbuckle / Kapp (voice)
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Gloria Clokey
Goo (voice)
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2
‘Olive, the Other Reindeer’ (1999)
Directed by Steve Moore
A short and sweet Christmas musical adapted from the children’s book of the same name, Olive, the Other Reindeer sports exceptionally ahead of its time 3D animation and an all-star team of talent to make the film an underrated holiday classic. The film sees the titular Olive (Drew Barrymore), a dog who has been having trouble fitting in due to just how different she is from other dogs getting into a slump during the holiday season. However, when she mishears a message over the radio that Santa is counting on “all of the other reindeer” to be about herself, she embarks on a quest to the North Pole to save Christmas.
A lot of the animated brilliance of the film is expertly hidden, as its 2D children’s book style is actually accomplished with an assortment of flat, 3D models that breath life into its world in a way rarely seen in TV animated films. The film also gets a lot of strength from being produced by Matt Groening‘s The Curiosity Company, with the film’s comedic style and approach having a lot of unexpected similarities with The Simpsons, even utilizing the voice of Homer, Dan Castellaneta, in a main role.
1
‘Missing Link’ (2019)
Directed by Chris Butler
Animation studio Laika has consistently found themselves at the forefront of exceptionalism when it comes to creating meticulously crafted visual spectacles in the realm of feature-length stop-motion animation. Many of their films, including the likes of Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Corpse Bride are among some of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed animated family movies of all time. However, among their wide catelog of great films, Missing Link easily stands out as the most overlooked and underappreciated film in their filmography, despite having a lot of the same strengths as their other films.
The stop-motion adventure film sees the charismatic mythical investigator Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman) traveling to the Pacific Northwest to prove the existence of the mythical missing link. However, he soon arrives to realize that the missing link himself, who goes by the pseudonym Mr. Susan Link (Zach Galifianakis) was the one who sent an invitation to Frost in the first place. The major takeaway and greatest strength of Missing Link comes from its beautiful animation and striking visuals, with the film’s exceptional display of mountain ranges and great outdoors being some of the most beautiful animated setpieces ever put to film.