While the movie focuses on the new Spider-Man, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), as he comes to grips with his new powers, it’s also a celebration of many different versions of the character thanks to the multiverse storyline. The action is solid and the script hilarious, but Miles’ familial relationships are the movie’s beating heart and should connect with parents and kids alike. Into the Spider-Verse was met with universal acclaim from critics and became the first non-Disney/Pixar film to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature since Rango (2011). It won the same award at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards. Written and directed by Brad Bird, The Incredibles has plenty of comic book-style action, but its best asset is its characters. Even with their super powers, Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Dash, Violet, and baby Jack-Jack draw their true strength from each other. The Incredibles was well-received by critics and Pixar fans alike and won the Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Sound Editing. It also spawned an excellent sequel, which was released a whopping 14 years after the original in 2018. Hugh Grant gives a career-best performance as the villainous actor who frames Paddington, but Brendan Gleeson’s surly prison cook almost outmatches him. It’s a delightful movie from beginning to end and one that may very well become a family favorite. Paddington 2 has an impressive 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and received three BAFTA nominations: Outstanding British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for Grant. The movie is filled with swashbuckling action, fantastical settings, and endlessly quotable dialogue. While a few scenes may frighten younger audiences, it’s a movie that was made to be shared with kids. The Princess Bride was a box office disappointment upon release but has since become one of the most beloved films of the 1980s. In 2016, it was inducted into the National Film Registry. The original adventure of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) may have launched a multi-billion dollar media empire (no pun intended). However, it’s still a crowd-pleasing story at the end of the day. The original Star Wars is the place to start for families sitting down to watch the series for the first time. After that, watch the next two installments—The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983)—and then dig into the other movies and TV series. You can stream all past and future Star Wars content on Disney+. Chris Pratt plays Emmet, an ordinary Lego Minifigure who gets to play the hero alongside larger-than-life characters like Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and Batman (Will Arnett). The Lego Movie was a commercial and critical hit and is widely regarded as one of the best-animated movies of the 2010s. It also spawned a Lego movie franchise, including The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). What follows is an inspiring story of not only human endurance but the power of ingenuity and optimism. In a world that is too often defined by conflict and distrust, it’s refreshing to see whole countries rally together to save Watney and bring him home. The Martian was one of the best-reviewed films of 2015 and received seven nominations at the Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Damon also earned praise for his lead performance and won the Golden Globe for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Set in 1930s Paris, Hugo follows a young orphan (Asa Butterfield) who attempts to rebuild his late father’s automaton and becomes embroiled in a mystery involving real-life filmmaker Georges Méliès (played to perfection by Ben Kingsley). While a bit overlong, Hugo is a beautiful movie filled with heart and is unlike anything else, Scorsese has made. Hugo was a critical success, earned a staggering 11 Oscar nominations (including Best Picture), and won five. Unfortunately, it was a box office bomb and only made $185 million against a $150 million budget. Following four high schoolers who get sucked into a video game, the movie gets a lot of mileage out of the physical comedy chops of its main cast. Dwayne Johnson is his usual charismatic self, but his co-stars Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black form a delightfully weird action hero squad. With an equally entertaining sequel —2019’s The Next Level—available, Jumanji is some of the most solid family entertainment in movies right now. The first movie introduces young wizard Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and the other main characters who attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but it’s a bit of a dry adaptation. Fortunately, both the movies and J.K. Rowling’s original novels get better as they go along, making this the perfect gateway into one of the biggest franchises of the 21st century. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was followed by seven sequels, concluding with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II. All eight movies were previously available to stream on Peacock but were removed from the platform in November 2020. You can now find them on DirecTV and SyFy.
