Looking for the best Netflix family movies? Then you've come to exactly the right place. Here are our top 15 picks on Netflix.
It’s time to sit down and watch a movie with the whole family, but with HBO Max, Disney Plus, Hulu and Prime Video as well as the more traditional TV channels, the options are overwhelming.
Netflix, for example, is a treasure trove of thousands of movies and it’s not surprising that you might find yourself flicking through aimlessly trying to find the right movie to enjoy. Fortunately, we’ve put together the 15 best flicks to stream right now on the platform, a lot of which can only be found on Netflix and are even made by the team at Netflix themselves.
Sure, it might’ve been easier when you could pick up a movie from an elite selection at Blockbuster and once you’ve made your choice, it’s done. But there’s no denying that choosing from home is superior and with our list of the best family movies on Netflix, you can work your way through movie by movie at your viewing pleasure.
In this guide, we've stuck to Netflix originals so you need never worry about these movies leaving the streaming, these family flicks are sticking around forever. So let's enjoy them.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Imagine your average family, the kids are growing up and one’s off to college so the dad decides a fun family road trip is a great idea. Sounds simple enough. Now, throw in a robot apocalypse that spins humanity’s very existence into turmoil as an AI with a penchant for revenge has decided it’s time to take over the world.
With family life meeting chaotic events, Netflix’s very own The Mitchells vs. the Machines is full of fantastic animation, great humour that the whole family can enjoy, and a unique story told in a captivating way. Considering it’s from the team behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse too, you can guarantee the visuals are going to be impressive. This one’s a lot of fun.
Over The Moon
Fei Fei is a 13-year-old with a huge ambition; to fly to the Moon and reveal the existence of a mythical goddess who resides there. Dealing with topics of grief and sadness, Netflix's glorious Over the Moon tackles a beautiful tale of losing someone but finding hope in far out places. Fei Fei builds a homemade rocket to take her trip and discovers a planet full of beauty, catchy songs, and unusual creatures.
With the voices of Sandra Oh, Cathy Ang, and John Cho, it’s a tale of diversity and with Disney animator, Glen Keane, who’s worked on the likes of Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Tangled, Over the Moon is an impressive movie both in story and aesthetics.
The Willoughbys
Based on a book of the same name by Lois Lowry, The Willoughbys is a delightfully dark animation which focuses on four siblings with a wish to venture out away from their parents. They hatch a plan to be rid of their parents for good after they get kicked out of their home and take on a big adventure with their nanny.
The adventure leads them on a path of discovery about what it means to be family, with lots of warmth and humour woven throughout. The voice cast is full of big names, including Ricky Gervais, Terry Crews, Maya Rudolph, and Jane Krakowski.
Vivo
Lin-Manuel Miranda of Encanto and Hamilton fame can’t seem to put a foot wrong and with the animated musical, Vivo, he continues to astound. A movie filled with vibrancy and rhythm, Vivo follows the tale of a busking kinkajou and his owner, Andrés, as they travel the streets of Havana, Cuba.
Sadly, tragedy strikes and Vivo embarks on a journey to Florida to find famous singer, Marta Sandoval, and sing her a love song. Uniting with many friends along the way and forming special connections, most poignantly with Andrés’ grand-niece, Gabi, he discovers a new meaning to life far away from his time in Cuba. Lin wrote the songs for the movie, but he also voices the titular character, Vivo, too.
The Adam Project
From director Shawn Levy, best known for the Night at The Museum franchise and Stranger Things, comes The Adam Project. Adam Reed (Ryan Reynolds) is a time-travelling fighter pilot who rocks up in 2022 to unite with his 12-year-old self (Walter Scobell) to save the future by finding his father.
It’s a PG-13 so a movie for the older kids, but one that will provide a lot of sci-fi, wit, and action. Plus, the relationship between young and old Adam makes for entertaining and at times emotional viewing for the whole family as both Adam’s learn the importance of time with family.
Wish Dragon
You might have heard about rubbing a lamp and a genie with three wishes coming out, well what about a teapot that contains a wish-granting dragon? Din (Jimmy Wong) is determined to be reunited with his childhood best friend, Li Na, whom he thinks fondly of now he finds himself in college. Fortunately, with the magic of the Wish Dragon, Din is taken on a whirlwind adventure through Shanghai to try to reconnect with his lost friend.
This whimsical animation is full of hope, but it also has viewers asking the question, if you had the opportunity to wish for something, what would truly be the best use of your wish?
Enola Holmes
In 2020, Netflix decided that it was time for the iconic sleuth Sherlock Holmes’ sister to step into the limelight. Enola Holmes, played by Millie Bobby Brown, is Sherlock’s (Henry Cavill) youngest sibling, but it doesn’t mean she’s not as smart and cunning as her brother.
In fact, the pair go head-to-head in the search for their missing mother, Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter). Another one for the older kids with the use of some knives and guns in the fight scenes, but nothing too violent, and action-packed fun for the whole family. This quickly became a big hit for Netflix, which led to...
Enola Holmes 2
A sequel being ordered, which arrived in the autumn of 2022.
After the adventures of the original, this time, we meet Enola as she is starting up her own detective agency but struggles to get clients, unlike her famous detective brother.
That all changes when a factory girl named Bessie asks Enola to help find her missing sister, a straightforward-sounding case that turns out to be anything but.
Brown, Cavill and Bonham-Carter return, with His Dark Materials writer Jack Thorne providing the script.
The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic novella was given a fresh spin by Netflix with a voice cast that included Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Marion Cotillard, Benicio del Toro, James Franco and Ricky Gervais.
The original follows a young prince who visits various planets in space on a wondrous voyage, while Netflix's version tells the story of the book using stop motion animation. We follow a little girl, who lives in a very grown-up world with her mother, who then mets a mysterious neighbor, the Aviator, who then introduces her to an extraordinary world where anything is possible, the world of the Little Prince.
Elegant, tenderly scripted and beautifully put-together, this is an absolute gem.
White Fang
Jack London's classic story about a young wolfpup who gets separated from his mother and faces a bitter battle for survival was retold in 2018 by Netflix.
Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Paul Giamatti and Eddie Spears lend their voices to this movie, which was made by Academy Award-winning director Alexandre Espigares.
It's a story that's been told over and over again, but this is one of the best versions out there.
Back To The Outback
Netflix’s Australian animation, Back to the Outback, is full of adventure, big names, and a lesson about finding home with the family you choose. Some of Australia’s finest, Kylie Minogue, Isla Fisher, Tim Minchin, and Eric Bana share their voices with this fun comedy that follows a group of zoo animals that escape to make their way, as the title would suggest, back to the outback to find their families.
It’s not as easy as it sounds though with father and son zoo keeping team chasing them down and a high-maintenance koala that they unfortunately brought along for the ride.
Robin Robin
Would it be a list of family movies without a Christmas tale to enjoy? From the creators of another movie on our list, Aardman Animations brought Robin Robin to Netflix in 2021 to tell the heartwarming story of an optimistic robin raised by a family of mice. As she grows, she begins to notice she’s different from those around her and so wishes upon a Christmas star to teach her who she really is.
As with any great Christmas animation, the voice cast includes big names such as Gillian Anderson and Richard E. Grant and is a wonderful uplifting journey of a little Robin that wants to belong. As a short movie, it’s only 30 minutes long, so an easy watch for the whole family to enjoy.
Klaus
Another one for the festive period is 2019’s Netflix Original, Klaus. Set in the fictional town of Smeerensburg, Jesper, a postman, finds himself relocated and struggling to fit in. Until, that is, he sparks up a friendship with reclusive toymaker, Klaus, who agrees to spread joy around a dreary town, covered in snow, and wrought with family conflict.
The tale is one that the whole family can enjoy in the run up to Christmas or even just in those wintery days and fortunately, it also benefits from stunning visuals and a stellar cast in tow. Voices for this one include Jason Schwartzman, Joan Cusack, J. K. Simmons, and Rashida Jones. Whilst the kids might not be able to name their movies, the adults will certainly enjoy hearing their voices recreate the characters of Klaus.
Gnome Alone
If the title sounds familiar, of course it’s because there’s the cult family classic, Home Alone. But a play on words name is all that these two movies share in common as Netflix Original, Gnome Alone, is very much its own story.
High schooler Chloe discovers that the gnomes living in the garden in her mum’s new house can talk. But, they’re not just chatting about day-to-day life, they’re in fact in dire need of help in saving the world and they need Chloe’s help. In order to destroy the underground beasts threatening humanity, Chloe must team up with the gnomes to defeat them. An easy, fun, and fairly short movie enjoyed by the younger kids in the family.
Yes Day
Netflix has provided a lot of great family animation movies for our list, but Yes Day is a great example of a fun, family twist on the concept of 2008’s Yes Man where a mum and dad must say yes to every request their kids have for them for one day only (within reason).
To live through the dreams of a child for a day leads them on some quirky adventures and brings the whole family together to experience things they never would’ve dreamt their parents would be up for before. Yes Day won’t fail to make you smile… and it may even inspire a Yes Day of your own.
