A massive critical darling, it landed Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for star Johnny Depp. Barrie and the family he befriended that inspired him to write Peter Pan. This one may be more for the families with older kids as it’s a historical drama about the playwright J.M. Before Iron Man, Jon Favreau directed this glorious fable about a human raised by Santa’s elves and the trouble he gets into on a trip to New York City to find his biological father. It doesn’t have to be the holidays to watch one of Will Ferrell’s most joyous and lovable movies. Nick Park directed this funny flick that may not be Aardman’s best, but minor Aardman is still a family film worth seeing. Still mostly known for Wallace & Gromit (and maybe now Shaun the Sheep), the stop-motion masters have made other films too, including this 2018 release about a tribe of Stone Age people facing off against the future really when bronze-using invaders challenge them to a game of football. It was one of the most beloved films of 1967. HBO Max doesn’t currently have the Eddie Murphy remake, but maybe it’s time to introduce the kids to what entertained young ones back in the ‘60s? Honestly, the Rex Harrison musical surpassed children to become a massive hit for all ages, even landing a nomination for Best Picture. It’s dated, for sure, but might scratch a nostalgic itch for Gen X-ers with HBO Max subscriptions. Harry Hamlin stars in the film that would feature the final work of the legendary Ray Harrhausen, the king of stop-motion visual effects, and loosely retells the myth of Perseus. The first Clash of the Titans was basically advertised as a family adventure film when it was released way back in 1981 and became a huge hit. You’ll shoot your eye out! Clash of the Titans Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, and Darren McGavin star in this sweet and hysterical story of an average American family around Christmas time. Bob Clark directed this 1983 slice of nostalgia that didn’t make much of an impact when it was released but became a massive hit in the eras of VHS and seasonal cable showing. It doesn’t have to be Christmas time to enjoy one of the most beloved holiday films in history. It’s not the best distillation of London but many of the themes remain and it might introduce the little ones to the work of a great writer. That means the kids in the family probably haven’t seen this adaptation of the Jack London classic of the same name starring Harrison Ford and a creepy CGI dog. One of the first films greatly impacted by the 2020 pandemic was this early-year release, largely ignored when theaters shut down at the beginning of the year. Disney+ may have a monopoly on streaming animation, but HBO Max has the Don Bluth movies about cute dogs! Beloved from the minute it was released, this is the story of a German Shepherd (voiced by Burt Reynolds), who leaves heaven to solve his murder but ends up befriending an adorable orphan.

English cartoon movies kids