It’s probably safe to assume we’ve all been watching more TV these days and the staff here at MetroFamily is no exception! We happily did some “research” to round up our favorite family movies from each decade.
Shake up your family’s screen time and introduce your kids to one (or all) of these fun, family-friendly classic films.
Editor’s note: The age ratings are based on recommendations from Common Sense Media. If you have a movie your family loves not listed here, please share your suggestion by email tips@metrofamilymagazine.com or comment below.
’50s & earlier
Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937, 5+)
Wizard of Oz (1939, 6+)
Lassie Come Home starring Elizabeth Taylor (1943, 8+)
Disney’s Peter Pan (1953, 5+)
Disney’s Lady and the Tramp (1955, 5+) Add to the fun and watch the recently released live action remake.
’60s
Pollyanna (1960, 6+)
Swiss Family Robinson (1960, 8+)
Disney’s 101 Dalmatians (1961, 5+) Add to the fun and watch the live action remake
Parent Trap (1961, 6+) Add to the fun and watch the 1999 remake.
The Incredible Journey (1963, 9+) Add to the fun and watch the 1993 remake, Homeward Bound.
Mary Poppins (1964, 6+) Add to the fun and watch the recently release sequel Mary Poppins Returns.
The Three Lives of Thomasina (1964, 8+)
The Sound of Music (1965, 6+)
The Jungle Book (1967, 4+) Add to the fun and watch the recently released live action remake.
’70s
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971, 8+) Add to the fun and watch the 2005 remake, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971, 7+)
Robin Hood (1973, 5+)
Where the Red Fern Grows (1974, 9+) Add to the fun and watch the 2003 remake.
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975, 7+) Add to the fun and watch the sequel Return from Witch Mountain.
Pete’s Dragon (1977, 7+) Add to the fun and watch the 2016 remake.
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977, 7+) Hours of cinema await in the extensive collection of the Stars Wars Saga.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977, 3+)
The Rescuers (1977, 6+)
’80s
The Fox and the Hound (1981, 6+)
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982, 7+)
The Karate Kid (1984, 11+)
The NeverEnding Story (1984, 8+)
Back to the Future (1985, 10+) Add to the fun and watch the trilogy.
An American Tail (1986, 5+)
The Princess Bride(1987, 8+)
Big starring Tom Hanks (1988, 13+)
Land Before Time (1988, 6+)
Honey I Shrunk the Kids (1989, 6+)
The Little Mermaid (1989, 5+)
All Dogs go to Heaven (1989, 8+)
Uncle Buck (1989, 13+)
’90s:
Beauty and the Beast (1991, 6+) Add to the fun and watch the live action remake.
Hook (1991, 10+)
Aladdin (1992, 6+) Add to the fun and watch the recently release live action remake.
Mighty Ducks (1992, 11+)
Cool Runnings (1993, 8+)
Hocus Pocus (1993, 10+)
The Sandlot (1993, 8+)
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993, 12+)
Free Willy (1993, 6+)
Flubber (1994, 9+)
Lion King (1994, 6+) Add to the fun and watch the live action remake.
Angels in the Outfield (1994, 7+)
Jumanji (1995, 10+) Add to the fun and watch the rebooted series, Jumani: Welcome to the Jungle & Jumanji: The Next Level.
Toy Story (1995, 5+) Add to the fun and watch the 4-movie collection.
Matilda (1996, 9+)
Space Jam (1996, 7+)
Anastasia (1997, 6+)
Mulan (1998, 5+)
’00s:
The Emperor’s New Groove (2000, 6+)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001, 7+) Hours of cinema await in the extensive collection of the Potter series.
Monsters Inc. (2001, 5+)
Lilo and Stitch (2002, 5+)
Finding Nemo (2003, 5+) Add to the fun and watch the sequel, Finding Dory.
Elf (2003, 7+)
Holes (2003, 10+)
The Incredibles (2004, 7+) Add to the fun and watch the recently released sequel.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005, 9+) Add to the fun and watch the full trilogy.
WALL-E (2008, 5+)
Princess and the Frog (2009, 6+)
’10s:
Tangled (2010, 5+)
Wreck-It Ralph (2012, 7+) Add to the fun and watch the recently released sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet
Frozen (2013, 5+) Add to the fun and watch the recently released sequel.
The Lego Movie (2014, 6+) Add to the fun and watch the sequel.
Inside Out (2015, 6+)
Moana (2016, 6+)
Trolls (2016, 6+) Add to the fun and watch the recently released sequel Trolls World Tour.
Coco (2017, 7+)
Recent releases
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018, 9+)
Toy Story 4 (2019, 5+)
Onward (2020, 7+)
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