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Common sense media reviewers.

Language, drinking in affecting comedy about acceptance.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Mixed messages about women and girls (a set of mid

Kate is selfish and painfully blunt, but softens o

Viewers hear how violent a group of Juggalos is (t

Brief conversation about using two condoms for bir

Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t,"

An adult handles stress by drinking; she gulps dow

Parents need to know that Family is about a selfish, blunt workaholic (Taylor Schilling) whose unexpected week with her middle school-age niece (Bryn Vale) changes her in important ways. The main characters learn to have empathy for each other and for themselves, and both make positive changes in their lives…

Positive Messages

Mixed messages about women and girls (a set of middle school bullies is insulted for being "dogs" and "bitches," and one girl is said to have a "lazy eye"), but also very sweet messages about empathy, unity, importance of feeling like you belong, being true to yourself, understanding that most people feel like "freaks" inside no matter what they look like outside.

Positive Role Models

Kate is selfish and painfully blunt, but softens over course of movie, acknowledges her faults and need to be kinder. Adults are deeply involved with the young characters. Even though bullied middle school girl joins a socially reviled group with off-putting outward attributes, viewers see that the group accepts her as she is, cares for her. Some stereotyping, including middle school "mean girls" group. An adult woman calls them "dogs," says they don't have right to pick on others because they're so unattractive. At 11, Maddie is empathetic toward others: When told that it should make her happy to shop for a dress when there are poor kids who can't, she logically answers, "Why would that make me happy? It just makes me sad those kids are poor." A mom who thinks "karate is for boys" learns better. Characters are diverse in race, ethnicity, gender, body type.

Violence & Scariness

Viewers hear how violent a group of Juggalos is (talk of them stabbing each other and damaging public property, and viewers see them fistfighting), but they ultimately emerge as sweet eccentrics who drop everything to search for a lost kid. A bullied girl fights back against her foes by kicking one so hard she falls down; the kicker is then suspended from school. A woman is injured by a closing garage door.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Brief conversation about using two condoms for birth control (a character correctly says that it's safer to use just one) and some talk about dating. Two characters seem headed toward a romance at the end of the movie, but they never kiss.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "p---y," "ass," and "bulls--t." A middle school-age child is called a "loser," and others are called "dogs" and "freaks."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

An adult handles stress by drinking; she gulps down wine, shots, cocktails. One scene shows many cocktails being downed. A character shows up drunk at a school; she takes a Lyft there and is driven by a sober friend so she doesn't drive drunk. At a gathering of Juggalos, people smoke joints and share large bongs; a character talks about being addled because she's on a lot of drugs.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Family is about a selfish, blunt workaholic ( Taylor Schilling ) whose unexpected week with her middle school-age niece (Bryn Vale) changes her in important ways. The main characters learn to have empathy for each other and for themselves, and both make positive changes in their lives. A girl who feels like she doesn't fit in is bullied by a group of female classmates who are then spoken of in stereotypical terms (as "dogs," "bitches," and "mean girls"); the girl ultimately defeats them by kicking one to the ground (she's suspended for it). At the same time, the girl also finds a group of friends who accept her for who she is. Despite some iffy choices, those friends are eventually revealed to be kind-hearted, thoughtful, and caring (even if viewers see them shrieking, punching each other, and sharing giant bongs). In other scenes, adults guzzle wine and cocktails; they don't usually appear drunk, but in one scene a character does show up drunk at a school. Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "p---y," "ass," "bulls--t"; several characters are also called (or call themselves) "freaks." There's no sex or romance, but there's a brief joke involving condoms and suggestions of the potential for romance between two characters. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (2)
• Kids say (1)

Based on 2 parent reviews

This is a 5 year old movie

What's the story.

Kate ( Taylor Schilling ) has her eyes on the prize at work and doesn't have a lot of time for FAMILY. But when her brother ( Eric Edelstein ) and sister-in-law ( Allison Tolman ) have to leave town for an emergency, Kate's the only one available to take care of her 11-year-old niece, Maddie (Bryn Vale). Kate figures she can hold things together as usual, despite a challenging period at work. But Maddie's a kid who needs help -- and, luckily, she finds it, thanks to Kate and a friendly group of local Juggalos (followers of the band Insane Clown Posse).

Is It Any Good?

It churns through plenty of cinematic clichés along the way, but ultimately this comedy gets to a place of genuine sweetness -- in a gathering of the Juggalos, of all places. Viewers will instantly recognize Schilling's Kate from the first scenes: She's tightly wound, all business, with no time for friends or family. "I have a habit of saying things that everyone is thinking, but then someone's always like 'Why did you say that?' so I'm usually in the place where I hate myself but also think I'm better than everybody else," she sums up to Maddie. We know, by the way, that Maddie will be the driving force of Kate's story arc, because of course Kate has to change by the time the credits roll, or why else would she be dressed in pristine white silk shirts and frowning? So change she does, and in all the ways you imagine she will -- but the magic of Family is that it's done with such artistry that it transcends the trite setup.

Maddie is a weird kid, but the movie's not laughing at her -- even though her true friends wind up being Juggalos who hang out in front of a mini mart playing a recorder. We feel the pain of her differentness from the kids at school, as well as her joy at finding a group that accepts her as she is -- and an aunt who can help her feel comfortable and supported in choosing to stand out rather than trying fruitlessly to fit in. Maddie's new friends, as Kate tells Maddie's worried mom, "play with their spit, and all their songs are about stabbing people, but once you get beyond that, they're really kind of sweet." And, without giving away the ending, it's true. No, it's not realistic, but Family gets at a real feeling: the wonder of finding your people. And clichéd as it is, it's awfully affecting.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Family compares to other family-centered movies. Does the content seem more or less realistic than others'? How is this family different from other movie families?

Is it ever OK to use stereotypes as a way of portraying characters? Do you see any stereotypes in this movie? Do the characters ultimately affirm or upend their stereotypes?

How do the characters in Family demonstrate empathy ? Why are these important character strengths ?

How does the movie portray drinking ? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

Movie Details

• In theaters : April 19, 2019
• On DVD or streaming : July 16, 2019
• Cast : Taylor Schilling , Brian Tyree Henry , Kate McKinnon , Bryn Vale
• Director : Laura Steinel
• Inclusion Information : Female directors, Female actors, Black actors, Lesbian actors
• Studio : The Film Arcade
• Genre : Comedy
• Character Strengths : Empathy
• Run time : 85 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : language, some sexual content and drug use
• Last updated : January 11, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

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Best classic comedy films, goofy comedy movies to watch with tweens and teens, related topics.

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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

5 Helpful Websites for Parents Who Want to Know More

• Mixed Media,
• Kristy Quist, Tuned In Editor

It’s no simple thing to figure out if the game your son wants to buy is appropriate, or if the movie your daughter’s friends are going to watch is right for her. Of course you turn straight here to thebanner.org for your reviews, but you can’t find everything here. So here are some other sites you might find helpful. As always, these are tools for discernment, not substitutes for good judgment on the part of the one who knows your child best—you!

1. kids-in-mind.com This website will answer any and all questions you may have about a movie’s content. At a glance you can read a description of the movie and an assigned rating for three categories: Sex & Nudity, Violence & Gore, and Profanity. Need more information? Click on “Complete Content Analysis” under the title of your choice to find out pretty much everything that is in the film. It’s the same content listing, by the way, that you will get if you click on “Parents Guide” on the Internet Movie Database imdb.com . Don’t look here for an evaluation of how worthwhile the movie is—this site will just tell you what your child might see.

2. parentpreviews.com Parent Previews also reviews movie content. The site lists a report card on each movie, giving grades in the categories Violence, Sexual Content, Language, and Drugs/Alcohol. There is also an overall grade based on the combination of those grades. You can also read a full review or the details of the content. The “Talk It Over” section suggests questions for discussion. You can also check alternate titles and readers’ comments.

3. pluggedin.com This arm of Focus on the Family reviews movies, videos, music, TV, and games. While movies get a content caution rating for each of three categories—kids, teens, and adults—the other categories leave it to the reader to decide based on content descriptions. Focus on the Family also offers book reviews at a separate site, thrivingfamily.com . They explicitly state that their reviews are for content, not for literary merit.

4. dove.org The Dove Foundation evaluates movies, music, and books, each of which have either received or not received the Dove designation “Family Approved.” Their focus seems to be on movies, as the book and music sections have a much more limited selection. Movies have a bar graph rating content in the categories Sex, Language, Violence, Drugs, Nudity, and Other. Once you get beyond the first couple of screens, the site is not as streamlined and easy to use as others.

5. commonsensemedia.org This website offers reviews of a broad spectrum of movies, games, apps, websites, TV, books, and music. Like kids-in-mind.com , these reviews are based on content, not worldview. They promote what they call “media sanity,” offering tools to parents and children to be savvy users. Common Sense Media allows parents and kids to share their ratings as well.

About the Author

Kristy Quist is Tuned In editor for The Banner and a member of Neland Ave. CRC in Grand Rapids, Mich.

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Unlike the MPAA we do not assign one inscrutable rating based on age, but 3 objective ratings for SEX/NUDITY , VIOLENCE/GORE and LANGUAGE on a scale of 0 to 10, from lowest to highest, depending on quantity and context.

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FILTER by RATINGS Did you know you can now filter searches by any combination of ratings? Just go to our search page or use the search bar, with or without a keyword, from the top navigation menu. Move sliders from 0-10 in any combination, check and uncheck MPAA ratings and use keywords to further filter results — please let us know what you think.

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This is what we do: We enable adults to determine whether a movie is appropriate for them or their children, according to their own criteria. Unlike the MPAA we do not assign an inscrutable rating based on age but 3 objective ratings for SEX/NUDITY , VIOLENCE/GORE & LANGUAGE, on a scale of 0 to 10, and we explain in detail why a film rates high or low in a specific category; we also include instances of SUBSTANCE USE, a thorough list of DISCUSSION TOPICS that may elicit questions from children, and the MESSAGE the film conveys. Since our system is based on objective standards, not the viewer’s age or the artistic merits of a film, we enable adults to determine whether a movie is appropriate for their own children… | more | 

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What to watch with your kids: ‘Haunted Mansion’ and more

Here’s what parents need to know, haunted mansion (pg-13).

Ghostly comedy is a spirited ride with peril, some scares.

“ Haunted Mansion ” is a tween-friendly supernatural comedy that’s the second movie inspired by the classic Disney theme park ride (the first was released in 2003). The frights are similar to those in horror-comedy classics like “Ghostbusters” and “Beetlejuice”: Spirits have an edge of silliness to them, but a couple (like an ax-wielding bride with demon eyes) are genuinely unsettling. Ghosts swirl through the screen in bulk, and characters — including a child — are in constant peril. All of this makes the movie more appropriate for older tweens and teens than younger or more sensitive children. Kids who do want to have the (often powerful) experience of “surviving” watching a scary movie will definitely feel like they’re watching a fright fest — but it’s creepy, not screamy, and it’s balanced with a sense of humor. Themes touch on moving on after death and loss (for both the spirits and for living characters who are mourning the loss of a loved one), and adult characters drink throughout. (122 minutes)

The First Slam Dunk (PG-13)

Basketball anime about personal loss is a winner; language.

“The First Slam Dunk” is based on writer/director Takehiko Inoue’s popular 1990 basketball-themed manga series/franchise, Slam Dunk. The action takes place over the course of a high school basketball championship game, breaking away to give glimpses into key players’ personal stories, especially point guard Ryota Miyagi (voiced by Shugo Nakamura in the original Japanese and Paul Castro Jr. in the English dub). He lives in the shadow of his brother, a promising athlete who disappeared years earlier, traumatizing their family. He also gets bullied, targeted by a group that beats him bloody. But he’s a fantastic example of the importance of perseverance, both in facing life’s challenges and in working with a team to reach a goal. The teen characters frequently incorporate insults and profanity into their speech, including “a--hole,” “bastard,” “moron,” “s--t,” “goddammit,” and more. (124 minutes)

The Slumber Party (TV-PG)

Sweetly innocent take on “The Hangover” has crushes, a kiss.

“The Slumber Party” is a tween-friendly comedy about the shenanigans of a group of 14-year-old girls during a wild slumber party. There are some moments of peril, but no one’s ever genuinely scared or in danger. Romance includes two of the characters having crushes on older boys. One girl is filmed mildly “grinding” while on a homecoming float. There’s a lot of buildup to a single kiss between two teens. Expect a bit of mild insult language (“psychopath,” “freaky”) and a bleeped out “s--t.” Messages touch on the importance of going outside your comfort zone and trying new things before judging them, and the movie shows that families come in all shapes and sizes. (82 minutes)

Available on Disney Plus.

Zoey 102 (TV-14)

Funny, dramatic series reunion has kissing, social drinking.

“Zoey 102” is a movie sequel to the hit 2000s teen dramedy series “Zoey 101.” Star Jamie Lynn Spears and almost everyone from the cast of the original show — which aired from 2005 to 2008 on Nickelodeon — return. Themes of the movie include friendship, teamwork and the importance of honesty. The movie’s content is tween-friendly overall, but you can expect some social drinking and partying by adults, kissing, and characters waking up in bed together. An underlying storyline is that a killer is on the loose in Santa Monica, and a victim is shown in a body bag. (101 minutes)

Available on Paramount Plus.

Common Sense Media helps families make smart media choices. Go to commonsense.org for age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites and books.

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• 2 Fast 2 Furious
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8 Great Movie Review Sites For Parents With Kids In Mind

Fancy an evening watching movies as a family? Let's explore a few of the best movie review sites for kids so that you can choose the best go-to site for your family's needs.

You're ready to put The Wolverine into the DVD player, then suddenly you wonder if this movie will be a problem for your 8-year-old. Well, will it?

If you're a parent with a family who loves movies, you've probably realised that you need to be able to get some reliable information on those movies before you show them to the family. But navigating the various movie sites to find child-friendly titles can be a chore.

Today we'll explore a few of the best movie review sites for kids so that you can choose the best go-to site for your family's needs. We'll also show you the best ways to get drip-fed some useful information about new movie releases too. Then you can line up your Netflix list and get watching!

Common Sense Media

The Common Sense Media site has a unique way of showcasing their film reviews. Latest releases are shown in a list just with a poster, quick one-sentence blurb, age rating, and star rating. If you click through, you get to see a short video review of the film, featuring a few short clips from the film with a voice-over review. This really is great, as you can see for yourself the sorts of characters that are in the film. The reviews are also very comprehensive, letting you know if there is any educational value as well as covering the usual parental worries - and they're not afraid to tell you if they just don't like it much! If you can't watch the video for whatever reason, you can usually click through again to a text version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eQ3UqV4cs4

The site is easy to browse with best of lists and the like. They also cover books, games, music, and more. Common Sense Media can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube , or via their mobile apps .

Plugged In is a family review site for movies, TV series, games, books, and music. It is seriously well worth a visit if you want to be certain about the suitability of any given entertainment for your child.

The reviews are very detailed, and categorised into positive elements, violent content, sexual content, and more. Their summary icons are limited in order to be simple to understand. This site is available to follow on Facebook, Twitter, or via their Focus On The Family apps.

Movie Guide

Movie Guide is focused on movies and reviews in general, and doesn't set out to have family-focused reviews. However, it has summary pages with information that families would need to make a decision. Each review page has an easy-to-read chart showing language, violence, sex, and nudity levels. It also starts the review with a very brief paragraph on potential issues families might have with the film content.

Follow Movie Guide reviews via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, RSS, or on YouTube .

Kids In Mind

Kids In Mind have very wordy reviews, focusing on three major areas of concern for parents: Sex & Nudity, Violence & Gore, and Profanity. Each film has an easy-reference chart showing the severity of content in these areas, but the review proper has a lot more information available.

Follow Kids In Mind on Facebook or via their iPhone or iPad app. Also, iPad users should check out our guide to  watching videos on the iPad  and Android users should read up on our list of  tablets you would let your kids use .

Box Office Mom

The Box Office Mom site appeals to parents as it gets straight to the answers you really want to know. In the full review, each of the following points is also elaborated on, so you can find out more detail if you're still unsure.

Each film has entries for:

• Rating (Her star-rating guide)
• Release Date
• MPAA Rating
• Best Age Group
• Sexual Content
• Violent Content
• Crude or Profane Language
• Drugs and Alcohol Content
• Will it Appeal to Kids/Teens?

She seems to cover any and all movies that teenagers will bug their parents about. So, there are a few R rated movies in the mix, some of which get a big NO, while others could possibly be viewed by mature 17-year-olds.

You can also browse the site by genre, box-office favourites, or DVD favourites. If you want updates on her new reviews, you can subscribe using RSS, Facebook, and Twitter.

Kids Pick Flicks

The Kids Pick Flicks site has a good point: Why should kids care what a 50-year-old man has to say about movies? To turn that around, they offer a site full of reviews by kids and teenagers.

This, I feel, is an awesome way to find out for sure if your kids will even be interested in certain films. It's also a good way to get your kids interested in reading about movies -- or maybe even reviewing them themselves. In fact, many of the teenage writers on this site seem to have a real talent for writing movie reviews, and could easily line up a good career in it later, I'm sure.

The site is searchable or browsable by DVD reviews or more recent movie reviews. It's worth adding to your RSS feeds.

Raising Children Movie Reviews

The Raising Children site has a lot more than movie reviews, but their movie review section is definitely worth a mention. When browsing their list of movies, you can see prominent icons which let you know what sort of movie it is and what age groups it is recommended for.

The symbols make it easy to see:

• Frightening scenes
• Inappropriate language
• Disturbing, upsetting or confusing scenes
• Sexual references or sex scenes
• Violence or scary scenes
• Age recommendations: Not recommended for / parental guidance recommended for / or suitable for.

As Raising children is an Australian site, all recommendations have been made in conjunction with the Australian Council on Children and the Media. Obviously, clicking through to the film will give you more information on the story, themes, violence, disturbing scenes, sex scenes, product placement, coarse language and ideas to discuss with your children. The last section could be really valuable as a learning tool for your family.

The Dove Foundation

The Dove Foundation covers both movies and books, aiming to showcase the sorts of things that are good for family viewing. Each review comes with a small graph that shows the severity of each of the major worry points for parents: Sex, language, violence, drugs, nudity or other issues. The reviews themselves are brief and focus on what may be worrisome for the parents. The site looks a little outdated, but the content is still very good!

Movies With Kids

As a parent, I wholeheartedly recommend using all of these sites to make decisions. Some of them will obviously gel more with your family's needs more than others, but each of them offer great information about the films out today. I suggest downloading all of the apps and following all of the Facebook pages, as this way you'll get a drip-feed of useful information about the latest films and will have an app on hand to check when you need it.

If your kids also like to play Roblox, make sure you help them stay away from free Robux scams , too.

Image Credits: Little girl Via Shutterstock

35 best family movies on Netflix in 2024

These are the best family movies on Netflix right now

Choosing from the best family movies on Netflix isn't easy, even with a new addition here and there. Netflix's always losing licensed movies, giving us reasons to update this list to make sure it reflects the current options. Making matters worse, Netflix's Children & Family Movies section is packed with films of questionable quality, and it takes a lot of time to sift through all of them to find something that works for you and your crew. 

We consider ratings from both Common Sense Media and Rotten Tomatoes, but neither is exactly the end-all be-all for deciding what's truly one of the best family movies on Netflix. Trying to keep your kids away from inappropriate content? Check out our guide on how to set up Netflix parental controls . And be sure to research the best Netflix VPN if you're on a family vacation and want to keep them entertained with their favorite shows.

The best family movies on Netflix right now

'chicken run: dawn of the nugget'.

Over two decades after their original daring escape in “Chicken Run”, soft-spoken and friendly hen Ginger (Thandiwe Newton) and brash American rooster Rocky (Zachary Levi) find themselves having to protect their newfound flock from an all-too-familiar menace. This time, the chickens won't be breaking out of the farm they live on, but breaking in – are their infiltration skills as good as their escape prowess all these years later? You bet – and the silly, family-friendly jokes make for a clucking good time, too. 

81% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 7 and up Watch now

'Over the Moon'

Fei Fei (Cathy Ang) is a young girl on a quest to validate the legendary tale of Chang’e (Phillipa Soo), the moon goddess who chose immortality over love with Houyi (Conrad Ricamora). To do that, Fei Fei builds a rocket to the moon, determined to prove the existence of the deity that she sees come to life in vibrant color, dancing across the print of a decorative scarf. This out-of-this-world adventure has a show-stopping pop number from Soo and absolutely gorgeous animation that you’ll want to rewind over and over to see again. 

82% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 6 and up Watch now

Leo (Adam Sandler) is an old lizard who still has a zest for life. After spending every day of his life as a class pet, eventually discovers his days are numbered, with just one year left to make his dreams of freedom from the school he lives in a reality. But when a notoriously mean substitute teacher takes over his class, Leo's escape plan takes an unexpected turn. He soon finds himself far away from his best friend and fellow school pet Squirtle (Bill Burr), in a new role where he acts as support and a confidant for frustrated students. 

82% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up Watch now

'School of Rock'

Jack Black stars as Dewey Finn, a passionate yet down-on-his-luck guitarist. After being kicked out of his band, he seizes an unexpected opportunity by posing as a substitute teacher at an elementary school. There, he molds students into a high-voltage rock band, much to the dismay of the school's strict principal (Joan Cusack). As he prepares these young prodigies for the ultimate Battle of the Bands, Dewey finds himself in the process while the kids learn to appreciate the wilder side of life.

92% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 11 and up Watch now  

'Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio'

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio reimagines the classic tale as a post-World War I story with many darker elements. Woodcarver Geppetto (David Bradley), still grieving the loss of his son Carlo (Gregory Mann), crafts a puppet from a pine tree planted at his son's grave. The puppet, named Pinocchio (Mann), comes to life as a mischievous little boy, leading to chaos in his small village. Guiding Pinocchio is Sebastian J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor). Pinocchio struggles with his identity while wishing for immortality, and gets caught up in several mishaps, including being exploited in a circus lead by Count Volpe (Christoph Waltz) and coming face to face with a terrifying sea creature. It’s a sight darker than the Disney version, but well worth the journey. 

96% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 11 and up Watch now  

Rescued by Ruby

Daniel O'Neil (Grant Gustin) is a Rhode Island state trooper who wants to join the K-9 search and rescue team. Despite repeated rejections, he keeps trying even harder after learning his wife is pregnant. In a twist of fate, Daniel crosses paths with Ruby, a hyperactive half-border collie with a history of failed adoptions from the local shelter. Recognizing a kindred spirit in Ruby, Daniel takes a leap of faith, adopting her to train as his search and rescue partner. Together, the pair overcome all odds to become who they were truly meant to be. - BV

100% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up Watch now  

The Sleepover

Clancy Finch (Sadie Stanley) is a teenager with a crush and a rebellious streak. She finds her world turned upside down when her mother Margot's (Malin Akerman) past catches up with them. Margot, a former member of a crime syndicate now in witness protection, is forced to confront her old life when a viral video blows her cover. The Finch children, along with Clancy's friend Mim (Cree Cicchino) and brother Kevin's (Maxwell Simkins) friend Lewis (Lewis Jaye), become accidental heroes as they embark on a mission to save their parents. 

67% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up Watch now

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Yes, even though this column steers readers away from pablum, we're recommending the latest edition of the Shrek Cinematic Universe. That's because Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is far better than you might expect. Its titular feline (voiced by Antonio Banderas) is going through the physical manifestation of that old "nine lives" thing as death haunts him, while he starts wondering if he spent his first eight lives well.

Features a fantastic supporting vast of voice actors, including Florence Pugh as Goldilocks and What We Do In The Shadows favorite Harvey Guillen as new canine character Perro. 

95% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up Watch now

This luxuriously-animated movie is all about odd allegiances. Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) is a shape-shifter whose people have been targeted by the knights of the kingdom.  But, then, knight Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) is framed for the murder of the queen of this futuristic world — and needs Nimona's help to clear his name.

Critics praise Nimona for its positive messages, but also note that it may be a little too violent for some. Others, demand a sequel.

97% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 11 and up Watch now

Enola Holmes 2

Sequels, often, benefit from having their predecessor done the heavy-lifting needed to establish a world that characters (and audiences) can have fun in. So, now that young Enola (Millie Bobby Brown) Holmes is ready to break out of the shadow of her famous brother (Henry Cavill) and start her own agency, she's also old enough to learn that the world won't take a young girl seriously as a detective. 

Fortunately, she meets Bessie (Serrana Su-Ling Bliss), a factory girl in desperate need of help finding her missing sister. So, while audiences are entertained, they'll actually also get an education about the 1888 matchgirls' strike.

94% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 12 and up Watch now

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical

Not every child is raised by parents who care about their education, and not every family can make it to a Royal Shakespeare Company performance. And so we talk about Netflix's new adaptation of Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical. Applauded for solid performances all-around — Emma Thomson and Lashana Lynch were expectedly fantastic, while newcomer Alisha Weir also dazzles — this film is proof that Netflix can make some of the best family movies, period. And credit to director Matthew Warchus and screenwriter Dennis Kelly for sprinkling in the appropriately small amount of risk and danger on top. 

92% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up Watch now

The Sea Beast

Netflix is slowly hitting its stride again when it comes to family-friendly animated movies, and The Sea Beast is the latest piece of proof in that favor. This aquatic adventure finds the orphaned Maisie (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator) stow away on a pirate ship run by monster hunters, led by Captain Crow (Jared Harris). But there's a beast known as The Red Bluster that's terrorizing the seas and causing trouble for the crew. Soon, Maisie and the captain's adopted son Jacob Holland (Karl Urban) are separated from the rest of the crew, and need to survive on their own.

94% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up Watch now

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood

Netflix's original animated kids movies typically go CGI and neon, so color us surprised and delighted to find that Richard Linklater is at the helm for Netflix's latest great movie for families. This time, Linklater is using his love of rotoscope animation to recreate what it was like to be a child during the space race. The film is told through two perspective, a child named Stan who dreams of being in space, and the astronauts and mission control team working during the first moon landing.

92% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 10 and up Watch now

Hilda and the Mountain King

If your family hasn't watched Netflix's excellent animated series Hilda yet, now's the right time — as its sequel movie just came out. This wonderful show has a brilliant wholesome energy to it, with charm and emotional resonance. This feature-length episode looks at one of the show's biggest questions, "what's up with the human/troll conflict?" and does so with a traditional manner: a fish out of water story. The plot is simple, the titular Hilda wakes up with the body of a troll, and is now tasked with two missions: regain her human form and save the city of Trolberg. 

97% Rotten Tomatoes (audience score) Common Sense Media says: Not reviewed yet Watch now

Don't think we need a Santa origin story? Sorry, while the movie industry has made many of us grinches when it comes to films that explain where long-loved characters come from, Klaus breaks the mold. This gorgeous animated film tells a tale set in the fictional town of Smeerensburg, Jesper (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) is a spoiled postman who somehow makes friends with — you guessed it — Klaus (voiced by J.K. Simmons), the local toymaker. Older audiences will appreciate veteran actors including Joan Cusack and the late Norm Macdonald.

94% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 6 and up (plus, a Common Sense Selection pick for Families) Watch now

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote eight original songs for the movie, which fuses his Broadway rapping style with the sounds of Cuba. Vivo follows the titular kinkajou (Miranda), a talented musician who busks in the streets of Havana with owner Andrés (Juan de Marcos). After a tragedy, Vivo journeys to Florida to deliver a love song to the famous singer Marta Sandoval (Gloria Estefan). Along the way, he makes some unlikely friends and connects in his grief with Andrés’ grandniece Gabi (Ynairaly Simo).

86% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 6 and up (plus, a Common Sense Selection pick for Families) Watch now

Escape The Undertaker

OK, this one may be best for kids who are a little older (CSM ranks it for ages 9 and up), but this digital choose-your-own adventure movie offers something your kids may not have seen in a while. You make the decisions for WWE Superstars The New Day, who have decided to stop by The Undertaker's creepy mansion. The chemistry between the trio (Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) is hilarious, and it's perfect for younger and older children alike. Having trouble with inputting your selection? Netflix customer service might be able to help.

No Rotten Tomatoes score Common Sense Media says: ages 9 and up Watch now

The Mitchells vs. The Machines

The latest addition to this list of the best family movies on Netflix, The Mitchells vs. The Machines is an animated film that has something for everyone. Its visuals astound (as we expected from the team behind Spider-Man : Into The Spider-Verse), and its cast is filled to the brim with top players including Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Eric Andre and Olivia Colman. 

And the story is simple until it's chaos: the Mitchell family is out for a road trip right before daughter Katie starts film school. But, then, the robot uprising begins. You know, all our smart tech has finally had enough of us, and is going to take over. It's the inevitable moment we all saw coming, and the exact last thing a family would want when they're on the road and reliant on technology. Too fantastic? Check out our guide to the best Netflix documentaries .

97% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up Watch now

My Octopus Teacher

Tired of zany and too-wacky Netflix animated movies filled with animals who talk and prattle on too long? Looking to give your kids a completely different kind of movie night? Audiences 8 and up (according to Common Sense Media) will enjoy this documentary about a filmmaker who needs to get away from it all — and retreats to the shores of South Africa. 

Diving in the local kelp forest, he meets an octopus who becomes his new friend. The two spend nearly a year together, and their connection is genuine and powerful. 

95% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up (plus, a Common Sense Selection pick for Families) Watch now

Wish Dragon

Kids will flock to Sony Pictures Animation's Wish Dragon for the colorful designs and zany antics, but their parents will keep paying attention because of a stellar cast of voice actors. The likes of John Cho, Constance Wu, Bobby Lee and Jimmy O. Yang lend their voices to project that will surely speak to younger audiences. 

Din (voiced by Jimmy Wong) is a college student with large dreams and a small budget, who is helped by Long (Cho) a wish-granting dragon. Think Aladdin, but slightly more relevant. Oh, and one more item for its credibility: Jackie Chan produced Wish Dragon. 

68% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up (plus, a Common Sense Selection pick for Families) Watch now

Enola Holmes

Families looking for a fun and lively action-filled mystery should stream Enola Holmes. The film stars Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown, who brings modern sensibilities to days of yore. And, yes, Enola is from that Holmes family. But her brothers Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Clafin) are among those who don't know quite what to make of how their little sister is remarkably free-spirited for her time. Brown thrives in the role, mixing the fourth-wall breaking fun that seems to only make it to older female characters such as Fleabag. But parents don't need to worry about the show being too adult, aside from some fight scenes employing knives and guns. For movies from a different historical era, check out our guide to the best Presidents' Day movies . Also, Enola Holmes 2 is almost here!

91% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 10 and up Watch now

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

Seemingly a near-instant classic, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is the unexpected holiday season hit is one of the best family movies on Netflix — especially during the holiday season. A gigantic musical film, filled with joy and excitement — plus a top-tier cast — this John Legend-produced film has won applause all over, from critics to fans. We'll keep plot details minimal, but the film centers around a toymaker who's lost his smile, but may get his exuberance back when he's reunited with his intelligent granddaughter. Want more holiday cheer? Here's how to watch Elf online .

The Willoughbys

Silly yet grounded in real emotional truths, The Willoughbys is a success that proves the Netflix animated films team should be up there with the best. The story is relatable as well, with Willoughby siblings Tim (Will Forte), Jane (Alessia Cara), Barnaby A and Barnaby B (both voices by Seán Cullen) devise the ultimate plan for freedom from their parents. And the kids aren't wrong for this either: mom and dad are too occupied with their never-ending love for one another to care for the kids. The Willoughby kids plan, though, is a bit crazy: sending their parents on a vacation so dangerous that the kids will likely be orphaned by the end.  Feel like you've hit a wall on content in Netflix? Check out our guide to the best Netflix alternatives .

90% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up Watch now

John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch 

Are your kids not exactly traditional? Parents of kids with particularly unique and slightly mature tastes in TV and movies should consider John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch for the next movie night. In this film, the titular comedian (who is also great on HBO Max's The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo ) runs through all of the standard kids content tropes with a sly wit and a lot of kindness. Younger kids may not "get" it, but parents who are fans of Mulaney's will likely wonder why all kids-friendly content can't be this intelligent. It's also got musical numbers, to keep the especially young crowd from getting bored.

96% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up Watch now

Pokemon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution

A CGI remake of the original Pokemon film, Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution is both familiar but new. It focuses on what happens when the iconic Pokemon trainer Ash (and his fellow trainers) discover the massively powerful Mewtwo, a psychic Pokemon who is a massive threat. While it's not high art, it's still a decent choice for family movie night if and when your kid just got into the Pokemon world. Especially since the original is not on Netflix. Mewtwo will also teach kids about when you shouldn't judge others. 

44% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up. Watch now

Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus

Netflix rebooted the Nicktoon classic Invader Zim with this 71-minute film that's easily one of the best family movies on Netflix — especially for younger parents. Just like the classic show, Florpus offers a wild manic energy with some jokes that kids won't get and parents will chuckle at. Reviews point to the film's amazing eye candy and endearing energy levels, and small nods to other classic animated shows. If your kids love this film, maybe it's time to dig up the original series or get them started on Adventure Time. 

100% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up. Watch now

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

This inspiring film — set in a small farming village in Malawi — will pull audiences in with the presence of lead actor (and director) Chiwetel Ejiofor. The award-winning actor doesn't take up too much of the film, though, giving proper time to lead Maxwell Simba, who plays a 13-year-old boy named William. While William's story may read like a middle-school assignment, his education is taken away before he conceives a windmill-power generator to solve his town's problems, it's the kind of motivational story that science-obsessed kids might love.

85% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 12 and up. Watch now

Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling

For slightly older kids and parents on the younger end, Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling is both proudly progressive and delightfully nostalgic. Not only does the series match the original Nicktoon's vibe, but its approach to identity and transgender roles should be inspiring to other family programming looking to take the leap. And at only 45 minutes, this special won't take a huge bite out of your night. 

91% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 10 and up. Watch now

Inspired by Jack London's novel, White Fang will capture the imaginations of those who love pets and nature. Tracing the story of a wolfdog's life, as he moves between three masters, this wonderful animated movie comes to us from France, where it was originally titled Croc-Blanc. Voice acting work comes from beloved names such as Parks and Recreation stars Rashida Jones and Nick Offerman, as well as Paul Giamatti.

88% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 10 and up. Watch now

Parents looking for a futuristic animated film for their middle-school-aged (and up) kids that successfully manages to be appropriate and entertaining should check out Netflix's Next Gen. Featuring voice acting from John Krasinski (The Office) and Charlene Yi (Paper Heart), who play an AI and a young girl, respectively, who unite to stop a baddie. Next Gen is a sci-fi adventure movie that keeps its action scenes kid-friendly with laser blasts and explosions, while staying away from the more grizzly stuff.

60% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 8 and up. Watch now

Pee-wee's Big Holiday

Parents of a certain age, who would be eager to introduce their kids to Pee-wee Herman and his manic energy, will find Pee-wee's Big Holiday to be one of the best family movies on Netflix. It may not provide as many laughs per minute as previous capers, reviews noted it offers a sweetness that will delight existing fans and kids who can handle some surreal humor. 

80% Rotten Tomatoes Common Sense Media says: ages 11 and up. Watch now

Allison (Jennifer Garner) and Carlos Torres (Édgar Ramírez) have always said yes to everything. Now that they have kids (Jenna Ortega, Julian Lerner, and Everly Carganilla), they've changed their tune. They have to say no to keep their sanity with all three children to keep the peace, or so they think. When they get wind of a "yes day" where parents can't decline any request, the Torres family jumps in to try and rebuild the growing rift between them and their kids. But as they keep giving in to more outlandish requests, the Torres clan discovers that you need those "no" answers to temper the yesses, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy time as a family. 

Rotten Tomatoes score: 52% Common Sense Media says: Ages 8 and up Watch now

In the heart of London, an unexpected visitor from the Peruvian rainforest finds himself far from home. Dubbed "Paddington" (Ben Whishaw) after the train station where he's discovered, this young bear quickly charms the kind-hearted Brown family: Henry (Hugh Bonneville) and Mary (Sally Hawkins). But as Paddington tries to adapt to city life and its challenges, he catches the eye of Millicent Clyde (Nicole Kidman), a taxidermist who wants him on her wall. The Browns must work together to protect their furry family member from a terrible fate, all the while learning a thing or two about each other along the way. 

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97% Common Sense Media says: Ages 6 and up Watch now

We Can Be Heroes

This standalone flick, set in the same universe as The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D, is all camp, but perfect for the whole family. When the world's mightiest heroes are captured in an epic battle, it's up to their kids to rise to the occasion. Led by Missy Moreno (YaYa Gosselin), who's joined by an ensemble of super-powered kids, this plucky team finds themselves on a mission to stop an alien "takeover." As they venture into the heart of the alien mothership, under the guidance of trainer Grandma Anita (Adriana Barraza), this next generation of heroes proves that sometimes, you need a set of younger hands to save the day.  

Rotten Tomatoes score: 74% Common Sense Media says: Ages 8 and up Watch now

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Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She's also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.

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The horror flick Sting has a few heartwarming moments, but it’s also as good as its name, stinging both eyes and ears.

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Movie Review Sites for Christian Parents and Family Movie Night

The Fervent Mama uses Affiliate Links. See our disclosure policy here .

Let’s set the scene…..

You’ve picked the movie, you’ve popped the popcorn, everyone’s comfy. You pop in the movie and things are going well. You’re laughing and smiling and enjoying family time. And then it happens, that scene you forgot about, or those words that made you cringe.

Oh, shoot! Wasn’t this supposed to be a kid’s movie? How could I forget about this?! You cover the kid’s eyes while your spouse fumbles around trying to turn it off, or fast-forward, or even just hope the electricity goes out. Give us a break, right?!

You’ve been there, I know you have because I’ve been there too! But, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret that I’ve been carrying around for a while. With a simple click, you won’t have to worry anymore if the movie is kid-friendly, or stands up to your convictions.

You’re New BFF

These movie review sites for Christian parents will be your BFF when it comes to your next family movie night! I can almost guarantee that you’ll find family-friendly movie reviews on the show of your choice via one of these sites.

I do find it interesting that not one of these websites will give you a definitive “do not watch” or “definitely watch” at the end of the review. To make your decision, you will still need to gather information from the reviews and make a judgment call based on your family values and expectations.

You might find it helpful to look at more than one site to get a more well-rounded perspective! Fortunately, most of these websites use headings and organize the posts so you can quickly scan for the content that matters most, such as sexual content, profanity, violence, or nudity. 

I’ve put this list in order of preference, so I recommend you start at the top of the list for the best information and then work your way down when you can’t find what you need. If you need to make a fast decision the DOVE site has the most concise information. But if it’s the details you are looking for, I’d go with Plugged In first every time.

I don’t know how many times we’ve pulled out a movie we watched ourselves as kids and remembered fondly, only to get ten minutes into the movie and turn it off in shock. Growing up, growing in faith, and having children of our own certainly changes how we view content. For this reason, I’m glad we have sites that review older movies and not just the most current content.

8 Movie Review Sites for Christian Parents

This one is, by far, my favorite review site to check in on. I’ve used it numerous times, and not just for kids’ movies. We even check videos out for ourselves using this site too! It never fails to disappoint us with accuracy or detail, the writers at Focus on the Family really do a great job! If you have tweens, it would be perfectly safe to have them read the Plugged In review for the video in question before they ask you for permission. This will give your teens an excellent overview of things to watch for and also save you significant time as they will do the narrowing down for you. 

Common Sense Media 

This next movie review site is my second favorite. Like Plugged In, Common Sense Media is incredibly thorough and provides independent reviews based upon age, ratings, and other pertinent information you’ll definitely want to know about. This site was started to help parents navigate the digital age and protect their children from the unknown effects of too much media. If you can’t find what you are looking for on PluggedIn, you will find all the recent movies reviewed here!

Kinds In Mind

With a scaled rating of Sex/Nudity, Violence/Gore, and Language, the system works pretty well for this company. While I was hoping that this movie review site was geared mainly towards Christian parents, they do state that they are independent of all political and religious viewpoints.

I didn’t even know that Dove had their own movie review system. But, they’ve got a pretty good thing going here. I don’t find that it’s as detailed as some of the others here, but it could definitely get the job done if you need just a little snippet of information so you can make a quick decision.

Movie Guide

This is not your old-fashioned movie guide (like I was thinking it was) it actually is very informative and ranks at the top of the list for me! While the site doesn’t have much information about its roots, the site has a ton of movie reviews that are available!

Raising Children

I had never heard of this site until I started doing a little more digging on movie review sites for Christian parents. While this one is not Christian based, and not as detailed in the information, it does cover its bases- so we’ll still list it as a good option for movie review sites for parents.

Box Office Mom

She’s a great movie buff, but I do feel as though it’s a little less informative and a little more dependent on her own opinions when it comes to how her movies are rated. Yet, you may enjoy that real-life review about it. I also love throwing her in here to support another mom blogger!

Parent Previews

Parent Previews is just, well, okay . The problem is that with some of their movie reviews they have a disclaimer that they have not actually viewed the movie yet and the information is gathered from an outside source. No thanks.

Looking for more than just a review site?

If you’re looking for clean entertainment and want specific recommendations, you can check out these posts: Best Clean Shows on Netflix, Clean TV Shows on Amazon Prime , and Faith & Family Movies that you absolutely need to see too!

You might also like these:

All of these sites are different, so it really depends on your personal preference as to which site you’ll refer to when looking for a family-friendly movie review. The top two listed are my favorites, but you may be happy with what another site has to offer!

How do you do your due diligence when choosing what movies are “good enough” for your children?

Just a heads up to be wary of Common Sense Media. They seem good on the surface but in their About Us they are all about the cult of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), which means their staff is woke. And woke and Christianity do not mix.

I have yet to find just ONE site that has the backbone to give the most basic information about whether a movie (any movie searched for) has anything GAY in it! If a site does not include this information on any given search then it is not REALLY a site worth searching and it is a phony moral search site (not Christian, not Godly or morally family friendly by any standard, period)! You can’t leave something like this out of your ratings and be legitimately moral! And you can’t con God by pretending to be Christian friendly and God Revering!

Jane Doe, you are 1OO% correct! My family and I are SICK AND TIRED of all the GAY stuff.

Amen to this, sister!!

Personally with my kid I haven’t shown her anything newer than 1995 or so that I haven’t pre-screened first just to make sure there’s no gay and no anti-men messages in it. But it’s hard when everyone wants to watch the latest stuff.

Be wary of Common Sense Media – I used to use them all the time and loved the detail they provided about what to expect in a movie… until I took my 5 year old to a movie that ended up having a gay kissing scene in it. Common Sense Media does not specify when there are any LGBTQ+ characters or scenes in movies.

Agreed. I read another review where all the parent reviews regarding the lgbtq content were removed by other upset parents who thought they were offensive. I wrote saying how unbalanced this was and that the point of the parent reviews were for parents to see a well rounded review of what is in the show and that if those views were removed based on other parents opinions, that was unfair and one sided.

I’m so sorry you got fooled by them. I almost was too. On the surface they seem really good but thankfully I thought to look at their About Us section and saw they had a page about “Diversity and Inclusion”, which is code for the modern day woke cult. Now I know I won’t be trusting them at all.

We love plugged in! We also use Down The Hobbit Hole Blogs reviews because they have reliable age suggestions and parental warnings. We’re foster parents, so there are a lot of weird things that would make us say yes or no to a movie.

I would like to add one more to your list ChristianAnswers.net/spotlight

I have a bookmark folder on my computer & my phone and add Christian movie review sites as I find them. On my computer and phone I open all the sites in the folder as tabs and search each for movies at the store (the firewall at Dollar General explicitly blocks access to PluggedIn.com) to avoid getting unsuitable movies.

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