The 20 Best Family Movies on Hulu, from ‘The Addams Family’ to ‘Bumblebee’
Giant bowl of snacks? Check. The entire family snuggled in front of the TV in cozy pajamas? Check and check. But there’s just one thing that’s missing: A genuinely good, family-friendly movie that everyone can actually agree on. Should it be a fun animated film? A Disney favorite? Or perhaps, a classic throwback that’ll give us *all* the nostalgia?
As we all know, picking films for family movie night is no easy task, especially when there’s a wide range of ages involved. But thankfully, Hulu offers a variety of entertaining options that are sure to appeal to kids and adults alike. From Shrek to Dora and the Lost City of Gold, read on for the 20 best family movies on Hulu.
1. ‘The Addams Family’ (1991)
There are so many reasons to love this classic, from Wednesday’s clever clapbacks to all the Halloween costume inspiration. In the film, we follow the Addams family, an eccentric, aristocratic bunch that reconnects with their long-lost relative, Uncle Fester Addams (Christopher Lloyd). Or so it seems...
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2. ‘Spy Kids’ (2001)
Meet Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara), two regular kids forced to become expert spies after they learn that their parents have been captured by an evil genius. Whether they’re fighting robots or flying spy planes, it’s always exhilarating to see the brother-sister duo in action. Expect a few laughs and a lot of action.
3. ‘Abominable’ (2019)
Aside from its stunning visuals, Abominable offers a whole lot of adventure and heartwarming moments. In the film, we follow Yi (Chloe Bennet), a young girl who discovers a young Yeti on the roof of her home. After naming him Everest, she and her pals embark on an exciting journey to reunite the creature with his family—but not without a few challenges along the way.
4. ‘Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie’ (2017)
If you grew up on Arnold’s musings and Helga’s over-the-top poetry, then prepare to revisit your childhood. In this film, which was released as the show’s official finale, Arnold and his peers get to go on a field trip to San Lorenzo, a Central American country, where Arnold's parents were last seen. When their trip takes a wild turn, fans finally get answers about what happened to Arnold’s parents.
5. ‘Peter Pan’ (2003)
When Peter invites Wendy (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and her two brothers to Neverland, the home of the Lost Boys, she and her siblings get kidnapped by Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs). With the help of the fairy Tink (Ludivine Sagnier), Peter must go up against Hook in order to save his friends.
6. ‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’ (2019)
Which is more dangerous, the jungle or high school? For Dora, it’s definitely the latter. While her parents embark on a dangerous mission to find the city of gold, Dora is sent off to high school for the first time ever and, naturally, she sticks out like a sore thumb. But given her innocence and her contagious energy, it’s hard to not fall in love with—and root for—our earnest protagonist.
7. ‘The Pacifier’
When Shane Wolfe (Vin Diesel), a Navy SEAL lieutenant, fails to protect a scientist from getting assassinated, Shane jumps at the opportunity to redeem himself. The task? To protect the scientist’s kids, who prove to be quite a handful.
8. ‘Mr. Popper's Penguins’
Mr. Popper (Jim Carrey) is a top-notch real estate entrepreneur and father who seems to have a bright future ahead of him. But his life is turned upside down when his father suddenly passes away and leaves a rather unique gift: a live penguin. One miscommunication later, he ends up with a colony of six, and of course, hilarity ensues.
9. ‘Spider-Man’ (2002)
Peter Parker’s (Tobey Maguire) life changes in a matter of seconds after he gets bitten by a genetically-altered spider. When he develops spider-like powers, from quicker reflexes to crawling on any surface, he decides to use them to fight crime in his city, turning him into the beloved superhero, Spider-Man. Maguire’s humor and quirky charm can win anyone over.
10. ‘Spies in Disguise’ (2019)
Look up the word “suave” and you just might see Lance Sterling (Will Smith). In Spies in Disguise, super spy Lance teams up with the intelligent Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) to carry out all of his missions. But when Walter is accidentally turned into a pigeon, major chaos ensues.
11. ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ (2010)
Navigating the ups and downs of middle school is no easy task, and 11-year-old Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) knows this all too well. As Greg tries to boost his social status at school, he details his experiences and thoughts in a diary, although this does little to solve his problems.
12. ‘Rio’ (2011)
In this light-hearted comedy, Blu (Jesse), an overprotected male Spix macaw, is terrified to fly. When his human owner, Linda, learns that there’s a female of his kind in Rio de Janeiro named Jewel (Anne Hathaway), she takes Blu to meet her. However, things get rocky when animal smugglers manage to kidnap Rio and Jewel. The star-studded cast includes Jemaine Clement, Leslie Mann, George Lopez and Jamie Foxx.
13. ‘Shrek’ (2001)
Shrek was quite content in his swamp—that is, until it got invaded by fairytale creatures. When he learns that they've been banished from their own home by Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow), Shrek decides to make a deal with Farquaad, which involves rescuing his future bride, Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz).
14. ‘Dolittle’ (2020)
Robert Downey Jr. stars as the famed Dr. Dolittle, a unique, widowed veterinarian who can understand and communicate to all animals. Downey is simply a delight in this charming film.
15. ‘Are We Done Yet?’ (2007)
In this fun follow-up to Are We There Yet?, we follow Nick Persons (Ice Cube) and the gang two years later. Nick and Suzanne (Nia Long) are officially married and living together with her children. When Nick learns that Suzanne is pregnant with twins, he purchases a bigger home in the suburbs. But there's just one problem: Their new home is far from perfect. Can he make all the repairs without losing his mind?
16. ‘The Sandlot’ (1993)
In this coming-of-age film, Scottie Smalls (Thomas Guiry) moves to a new neighborhood and bonds with a group of boys who play baseball at the local sandlot. The kids, however, run into a bit of trouble when Scottie loses his step-dad’s valuable baseball. The feel-good 90s film was a major box office hit and is now considered a cult favorite.
17. ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief’ (2010)
Trouble seems to follow Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) wherever he goes, but the trouble only multiplies after he learns that he’s the son of an actual Greek god. As he learns to manage his divine powers, he’s also tasked with preventing a dangerous war and saving his mom from the underworld. NBD.
18. ‘Bumblebee’ (2018)
Can you imagine seeing a recycled car morph into a lovable autobot? Well, that’s exactly what happens to 18-year-old Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld) when she tries to fix her old yellow Volkswagen Beetle. After it transforms, she nicknames the autobot "Bumblebee." But as Bumblebee’s memories get restored, he embarks on a mission to save the planet from evil forces.
19. ‘The Mighty Ducks’ (1992)
A night of celebration turns into a nightmare when Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez), a successful lawyer, gets arrested for drunk driving. As his punishment, he has to serve several hours of community service by coaching an amateur hockey team. Though he’s initially reluctant to get involved, he grows fond of the team and works hard to turn them into champions
20. ‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)
Based on William Goldman’s 1973 novel of the same title, this refreshing comedy tells the story of a young farmhand named Westley (Cary Elwes), who’s determined to rescue Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright), the woman he loves, from Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), the man she’s forced to marry. FYI, it’s worth noting that this movie is widely considered one of most quotable films of all time, so prepare to hear all the Princess Bride references.
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