Ages 6+ | DreamWorks | Streaming on Peacock

This is the one everyone's been talking about, and the hype is justified. A robot named Roz crash-lands on an island and has to learn to survive by raising an orphaned gosling. Sounds precious, right? It is, but it's also genuinely funny in that dry, observational way that hits different than typical kids' movie humor.

Why it works: The comedy comes from Roz's literal interpretation of everything (very WALL-E energy) combined with sarcastic forest animals who are deeply skeptical of this metal intruder. Lupita Nyong'o's voice work is perfect—she plays Roz with just enough robotic stiffness that when emotional moments hit, they land hard.

Parent bonus: The animation is stunning, the themes about chosen family are beautiful without being preachy, and there's a possum character who steals every scene. My screening had kids laughing at the physical comedy while parents were cracking up at the deadpan dialogue.

Heads up: There are some genuinely tense predator-prey moments and themes about death/loss that might be heavy for sensitive younger kids, but it's handled thoughtfully.

Ages 5+ | Illumination | Streaming on Peacock

Illumination (the Minions studio) finally made a movie that doesn't feel like it was written by a committee trying to sell toys. It's about an overprotective duck dad who has to lead his family on their first migration to Jamaica.

Why it works: The fish-out-of-water (or duck-out-of-pond?) premise gives you classic road trip comedy structure. The jokes are actually clever—there's a chef character in New York who's obsessed with duck à l'orange that had my whole theater dying. It's not trying to be Pixar-level profound, it just wants to be funny and sweet, and it succeeds.

Parent bonus: It's 90 minutes. Bless them for respecting our time. Also, the dad's anxiety about everything is very relatable if you've ever catastrophized about a family vacation.

Ages 5+ | Disney | Disney+

Disney's 100th anniversary movie got weirdly mixed reviews, but here's the thing: it's actually fun if you go in knowing it's a love letter to Disney itself. It's about a girl named Asha who challenges the kingdom's wish-granting king when she realizes he's been hoarding people's dreams.

Why it works: The humor is more meta than typical Disney—lots of winks at Disney tropes and musical conventions. The villain is genuinely funny in a theatrical, over-the-top way (Chris Pine clearly having a blast). And the songs, while not Encanto-level earworms, are catchy enough.

Parent bonus: If you grew up on Disney, you'll catch approximately 100 Easter eggs and references. Also, the animation style is this cool hybrid of 2D and 3D that's really beautiful.

Real talk: It's not top-tier Disney. The plot is a bit predictable and the pacing drags in the middle. But for a family movie night? It delivers laughs and heart without making you check your watch.

Ages 10+ | Warner Bros | Max

Yes, the Barbie movie. No, it's not just for girls. No, it's not inappropriate for kids (mostly). This is Greta Gerwig making a comedy about existential dread, patriarchy, and what it means to be human, all wrapped in hot pink packaging.

Why it works: The comedy is so layered. Kids laugh at the visual gags and Ryan Gosling's himbo Ken energy. Tweens and teens get the jokes about social media and beauty standards. Parents are losing it at the Proust references and the absolutely perfect satire of corporate culture.

Parent bonus: This movie is funnier than most adult comedies. The "I'm Just Ken" musical number is legitimately one of the best comedy sequences in years. Also, it's a genuine conversation starter about gender roles and identity that doesn't feel like homework.

Age note: The PG-13 rating is mostly for thematic elements and some innuendo that'll go over younger kids' heads. There's a joke about "beach" that sounds like another word, some references to body image and sexuality, and general themes that work better for 10+. But every family is different—read more about the specific content.

Ages 7+ | DreamWorks | Peacock

This sequel to a Shrek spinoff has no business being this good. Puss discovers he's on his ninth and final life, has a full-blown panic attack, and has to go on a quest to restore his lives while dealing with his own mortality.

Why it works: The action sequences are incredible (the animation style is this gorgeous comic book-inspired look), but the comedy comes from Puss's ego being completely deflated. Antonio Banderas is hilarious as a swashbuckling cat having an existential crisis. Plus, there's a therapy dog character who is the most wholesome thing ever.

Parent bonus: The movie actually deals with anxiety and panic attacks in a way that's both funny and respectful. The villain (Death, literally) is genuinely menacing in a way that makes the stakes feel real. It's got the irreverent DreamWorks humor but with actual emotional depth.

Content note: Some scary moments—Death is designed to be genuinely frightening, and there are intense action sequences. It earned its PG rating.

Ages 10+ | Paramount | Paramount+

You don't need to know anything about D&D to enjoy this. It's basically a heist comedy with magic, dragons, and Chris Pine playing a bard who's terrible at plans but great at talking his way out of trouble.

Why it works: The cast has incredible chemistry and they're all clearly having fun. The humor is character-driven rather than relying on CGI spectacle (though the spectacle is great too). There's a sequence involving a "speak with dead" spell that's one of the funniest things I've seen in a family movie.

Parent bonus: It's genuinely funny without being crude. The action is exciting without being graphic. And if you have a kid who's into Minecraft or fantasy worlds, this is a great gateway to that genre in movie form.

Age note: PG-13 for fantasy violence and some mild language. The violence is more "people get knocked around by magic" than graphic, but there are some intense battles.

If you've already burned through the new releases, these slightly older options are still worth queuing up:

The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Ages 8+, Netflix) - Robot apocalypse meets family road trip. Chaotic in the best way, with humor that works for both Gen Z kids and their millennial parents trying to understand what "cringe" means now.

Luca (Ages 6+, Disney+) - Pixar's love letter to Italian summers and childhood friendship. Lighter on the emotional devastation than most Pixar, heavier on the charm and gentle humor.

Encanto (Ages 5+, Disney+) - If somehow you haven't watched this 47 times already. The comedy comes from the chaotic family dynamics (very "We Don't Talk About Bruno" energy throughout), and the songs are still absolute bangers.

Turning Red (Ages 9+, Disney+) - Pixar's puberty metaphor about a girl who turns into a giant red panda when she gets emotional. The humor is very specific to that tween experience of being embarrassed by everything, especially your mom.

The Sea Beast (Ages 8+, Netflix) - Gorgeous animation, adventure story about sea monster hunters, with enough swashbuckling humor to keep it light despite some intense action sequences.

Real talk: live-action family comedies are harder to find right now. The genre has mostly moved to streaming, and a lot of what's out there is... not great. But here are the exceptions:

Haunted Mansion (2023) (Ages 10+, Disney+) - Way better than it needed to be. LaKeith Stanfield and the ensemble cast bring genuine comedy chops to what could've been just a theme park cash-grab. Some scary moments but mostly played for laughs.

Clifford the Big Red Dog (Ages 5+, Paramount+) - Is it silly? Absolutely. But it commits to the bit of "what if a dog was building-sized" and the physical comedy actually works. Jack Whitehall is charming, and it's sweet without being saccharine.

Ages 5-7: Stick with Migration, Wish, Encanto, and Luca. These have the clearest narratives, gentlest humor, and minimal scary moments.

Ages 8-10: The Wild Robot, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, and Turning Red all work well. They have more complex themes and some intense moments, but the humor helps balance it.

Ages 11+: Everything on this list works, including Barbie and Dungeons & Dragons. These older kids will catch more of the layered jokes and can handle the PG-13 content.

The sibling sweet spot: If you've got a wide age range (like a 6-year-old and a 12-year-old), The Wild Robot and Migration are your best bets. They work across ages without anyone feeling too young or too old for the content.

Bathroom humor levels: Most of these lean away from the gross-out comedy that dominated kids' movies in the 2000s. Migration has some bird poop jokes, but it's pretty minimal across the board.

Scary moments: The Wild Robot and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish both have genuinely tense sequences. If your kid gets scared easily, maybe preview first or be ready to fast-forward through a scene or two.

Emotional content: Several of these deal with heavier themes (death, loss, anxiety, identity) but use humor to make them accessible. The Wild Robot made multiple parents in my screening cry, but in that good cathartic way.

Rewatchability factor: Encanto, Barbie, and Puss in Boots all have high rewatch value—you'll catch new jokes and details. Migration and Wish are solid for one or two watches but might not have the same staying power.

The best family comedies right now are the ones that respect everyone in the room. They don't talk down to kids or bore parents. They find humor in character and situation rather than just noise and chaos. And they trust that families can handle stories with real stakes and emotions alongside the laughs.

The Wild Robot is probably the strongest overall pick right now—it's beautiful, funny, and emotionally resonant without being manipulative. But honestly, you can't go wrong with any of the movies on this list.

The real win is getting everyone off their individual screens and onto the couch together, sharing an experience that gives you something to talk about afterward. Whether that's debating Ken's character arc in Barbie or imitating the possum from The Wild Robot, you're building those shared reference points that become family culture.

And if the movie doesn't land? That's okay too. Sometimes the comedy is trying to figure out together why a movie with a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes just isn't clicking for your crew. There's no perfect movie, just like there's no perfect family movie night. The goal is just showing up and trying.

Next steps: Pick one from the list based on your kids' ages, make some popcorn, and commit to actually watching it with them instead of scrolling your phone. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy it—and how much they enjoy having you actually present for it.

Want more recommendations? Check out our guides on best animated movies for kids, family-friendly action movies, or movies that make you cry in a good way.