Cool Movies For Families (Ultimate List!) You Forgot About Or Didn’t Know!

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Cool Movies

Searching for fabulously cool movies for the family?  I love a great story, but I have a strong conviction of keeping trashy media out of our home.  It’s harder than ever to find quality shows to share with the family but I’ve put together the ultimate cool movies list for my wifey friends that I hope will knock your socks off!

The ULTIMATE Cool Movies List for Families! Box of movie popcorn

We went without television for over a year and a half, but when my Father-in-Love had an extended stay with us, Superman asked me if I would turn the cable back on so that his Dad could watch Fox News and Westerns.  I did, but now Pops isn’t here all the time, so I’ve been teasing that I’m about to pull the plug again.

I’m not really teasing, though.  {Shhh!} 

Whether we do cut the cable or not, we always need family-friendly cool movies for Friday nights, don’t you?   

UPDATE 12/13/16:

I did pull the plug about a month ago, and oh my goodness, I could not be happier!  We don’t have to deal with as many commercials anymore and the few that we do have are not raunchy.  WooHoo!  I wrote all about how we are watching sports without cable (and everything else we want to).  I also created a family friendly TV shows list!!!

UPDATE 10/2/17:

Vidangel has made some changes since I wrote this article.  After choosing a prospective movie, you can watch the movie’s trailer.  If you are still interested, you can click on “filters” and see which things you can literally remove from the movies.  The categories are language, immodesty, nudity, violence, gore, and alcohol or drug use.  It goes into a lot of detail so you can make an informed decision.  It’s wonderful!  At that time, you can rent or buy!

ULTIMATE Cool Movies List!

Cool Movies to watch with the fam

Wholesome shows are hard to find but I’ve got an Ultimate Family Movies list below.  I know you’ll appreciate that each link Amazon link is clickable so you can have a great summary, movie trailer, and all the info you need to make the decision of what movies are right for your Lil family.  Movies that (I feel) need a little filtering were given a VidAngel link.

How does VidAngel work?

To get around the laws of altering movies, you must pay full price for each movie up front and then you’re able to filter out exactly what you want to while you “own” it.  The filter is super simple and gives you so much control:  language, immodesty, violence, crude remarks, inappropriate innuendos, anything!

These movies can be watched on Televisions, smartphones, devices, Roku, Wii, Apple TV, etc by streaming from Amazon, Netflix, VidAngel, and other amazing companies that I will be partnering with in the future to “take back our TVs.

If you have Amazon Prime, many of the movies below will be absolutely free.

I’m just beside myself with happiness, Y’all.  Let’s get on with the good stuff, shall we?!

The ULTIMATE Cool Movies List for Families! Movie popcorn and gummies candy

Ultimate Cool Movies List

Amazingly cool movies




Inspirational cool movies

More cool movies suggested by readers

cool Movies

I’ve tried my best to showcase the highest quality movies that your family (and mine) can enjoy.  Certain movies may not be suitable for your young people.  Be sure to do your research.   Enjoy!


Will any of these cool movies be on YOUR movie list this week?


ULTIMATE Cool Movies LIST FOR FAMILIES

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Shan

Published on HuffPost, Okefenokee Living Magazine, and more, Shan is a Family Travel Journalist with a passion for helping women lose the overwhelm of planning family-friendly trips in the south. She shares travel reviews & insider secrets that Women REALLY want to know about Georgia, Florida, & the Carolinas vacations.

☕️ It’s THE REAL DEAL around here ☕️

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95 Comments

  1. Leah Courtney
    April 29, 2016 / 1:29 pm

    There are some here I haven’t thought about it quite awhile.

  2. Mother of 3
    April 29, 2016 / 4:54 pm

    Great list! My kids adore most of these movies. They also love Blank Check and Heavyweights. We’re watching Voyage of the Dawn Treader right now.

  3. Lindsey
    May 3, 2016 / 11:50 am

    WOW! Fantastic list! So many classics. My favorites- The Little Princess, Ramona and Beezus, Homeward Bound and It’s a Wonderful Life. Absolutely timeless. Sharing on Twitter, Pinterest and StumbleUpon.

  4. Jamie
    May 4, 2016 / 11:41 pm

    Mr. Magoriums Wonder Emporium! This is me and my daughters favorite, definitely should be on the list. 🙂

  5. Shelly
    May 7, 2016 / 11:20 pm

    What an awesome list! We also happen to love Dinotopia and Journey 2- The Mysterious Island. Thanks for the links. Visiting from the Family, Friendship, and Faith blog hop!

    • Shan
      Author
      May 12, 2016 / 11:20 pm

      Great suggestions! Thank you so much.

  6. Hil
    May 9, 2016 / 3:01 pm

    Meet me in Saint Louis is a personal favourite. All the musicals, Sound of Music, The Music Man, Hello Dolly, Pollyanna, those would be my favourites!

    You should link up over at #bloggerspotlight!

    • Shan
      Author
      May 12, 2016 / 11:16 pm

      Thank you so much. Your suggestions are great. We love movie night!

      blessings,
      Shan

    • Shan
      Author
      May 12, 2016 / 11:18 pm

      Love it!

      blessings,
      Shan

  7. Rachel @ Smart Mom Smart Ideas
    May 12, 2016 / 9:58 pm

    We love movie night at our house. This is a great reference list. Some of our favorites include the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Mummy trilogy, Star Wars. Thanks for sharing at Mom-to-Mom Mondays.

    • Shan
      Author
      May 12, 2016 / 11:04 pm

      Movie night is so fun for us too. Thanks for your suggestions – those are great!

      blessings,
      Shan

  8. Dana
    May 13, 2016 / 3:42 pm

    Thanks for the great list! There are definitely some to add to the list. I think Lemonade Mouth (which is also a book) would be fun for families with older kids. The soundtrack also has some wonderful songs kids will like.

  9. Genna
    May 15, 2016 / 10:11 am

    We recently watched Night at the Museum (well, all of them!) The boys loved them. They’re currently living through some kind of Spongebob thing now, so looks like we might have to endure that for a while!

  10. Leigh
    May 16, 2016 / 4:12 pm

    This is a helpful list! It’s getting harder and harder to find “safe” things to watch as a family.
    Blessings, Leigh

  11. Khrista
    June 10, 2016 / 7:00 am

    Great list of movies. We have a family movie night every week so this list will definitely come in handy!

    • Shan
      Author
      June 10, 2016 / 8:10 am

      That’s awesome, Khrista. I’m sure your family will remember the fun times for years to come. I’m so thankful that this was helpful. Check back because I’m adding new movies often from suggestions of readers.

      blessings,
      Shan

  12. Crystal
    July 27, 2016 / 9:29 am

    You have listed off a bunch of good movies to ensure we watch. I love War Room!

  13. Tianna
    July 27, 2016 / 11:11 am

    so many great films! I used to be so obsessed with Little Women and the Secret Garden! those were favorites of mine as a kid 😀 thanks for sharing these!

  14. Jennifer Dodrill @ All-In-One-Mom
    July 27, 2016 / 2:58 pm

    I love your roundup of movies! My girls and I have gone to our downtown old theater and watched Gone With the Wind on the BIG screen! It was amazing. They’re teens and it’s definitely for that age group and up, but what a great movie!

  15. Raquel
    August 25, 2016 / 1:22 pm

    Great ideas!! Some we have watched and some of these are going on the list!!! Movie night every Friday night here!!! Also, we LOVE vidangel!!! We have used it a lot and are very pleased! Highly recommend it!! Thanks girl!

    • Shan
      Author
      August 25, 2016 / 9:45 pm

      Thanks, Raquel!!! Yay – so glad you’d already found it. It’s amazing! Thanks so much for adding your thoughts.

      blessings,
      Shan

  16. Scott LaPierre
    October 18, 2016 / 12:37 am

    Shan,
    Thanks for the thorough list. We’ve really loved Vidangel too!

    For a while we also tried Pure Flix.

  17. Harmony, Momma To Go
    December 15, 2016 / 7:06 am

    Great list as we are transitioning out of cartoon movies but want to keep it appropriate for kids!

  18. David
    December 15, 2016 / 7:28 am

    Great list! I’ll definitely use it now as the holiday season is approaching and it’s time to spend more time with the family! 🙂

  19. Carrie
    December 15, 2016 / 7:31 am

    This is perfect timing right before the holidays when we will have some time to watch movies together! Totally forgot about Indiana Jones – this was one of my faves!

  20. Samantha
    December 15, 2016 / 10:20 am

    Amazing list! There are so many movies on here that I’ve never seen, but I’ve heard so many people say they’re the best. I need to add these to my list!

  21. Hetal
    December 15, 2016 / 1:54 pm

    oh man so many movies I grew up! Thanks for the reminder– perfect for today’s rainy day in!

  22. Jen
    December 15, 2016 / 2:57 pm

    This is a great list and perfect timing for all the cold weather we’ve been having!

  23. Leighann
    December 15, 2016 / 3:58 pm

    I love this list! I often want to go back and watch movies from my childhood and can’t even remember them all! Lassie is a great one, especially because we have a collie!

  24. Kathryn | Fashionably Frank
    December 15, 2016 / 9:39 pm

    These are great classics to keep in mind for family movie night! Thanks for the roundup! 🙂

    xo Kathryn

  25. Cheryl
    December 15, 2016 / 11:38 pm

    We have Friday movie night, and it’s always interesting to find one that fits everyone. My youngest is 7, the oldest 17. This is a good list to look at. I’ve not tried VidAngel before. Thanks for explaining how it works.

  26. shalama
    December 16, 2016 / 12:57 am

    there are quite a few good ones on here i have seen and would agree are great family mobies.

  27. Cait Weingartner
    December 16, 2016 / 12:04 pm

    Wow! There are so many great movies on this list. I love how you’ve chosen such a nice combination of old and newer films. A great way to introduce little ones to the classics of the past!

  28. Lauren
    December 16, 2016 / 3:38 pm

    I had no idea you could get movies free on Amazon Prime!!

  29. Shannon
    December 19, 2016 / 1:21 am

    This is such a great list!

  30. Lori
    December 20, 2016 / 1:05 pm

    Great List. We LOVE movies. Thanks for sharing!

  31. Susan
    December 22, 2016 / 9:02 pm

    What a great collection of movies for the family. The Sound of Music is one of my top 3 favorite movies. Congrats, you’re featured this week at the #ThisIsHowWeRoll Link Party.

  32. Brit Strawbridge
    March 9, 2017 / 7:54 am

    Oh such a great list!! I will be coming back to this! Little Rascals just came on Netflix and I was so happy! My son loves it! & Pride and Prejudice is my all-time favourite move <3 So many good ones! Thank you for sharing!

  33. Maritza | Maritza Lisa
    March 9, 2017 / 8:51 am

    I love this list – I can watch the Sound of Music over and over…

  34. Belle
    March 9, 2017 / 8:54 am

    This is such a great list! I’ve seen some of them and love them! I’m bookmarking this for future use!

    Belle |

  35. Kiley
    March 9, 2017 / 9:54 am

    What a great list! My kids just watched the original ‘Parent Trap’ (its on Netflix right now) and it brought back such wonderful memories for me. I love great movies that I can sit and watch with my family.

  36. Ayanna
    March 9, 2017 / 11:58 am

    Great list! A lot of oldie but goodies.

  37. Bonnie
    March 9, 2017 / 1:36 pm

    This is a great list! We are watching the series When calls the Heart right. NOw- which I believe is part of the Love Comes Softly-verse

  38. Sarah | Digital Motherhood
    March 9, 2017 / 2:47 pm

    Some really good suggestions here, will come back to this list when we’re struggling to find things to watch!

  39. Ali B
    March 9, 2017 / 3:31 pm

    We are always looking for good family friendly movies. We enjoy having family movie night, but get tired of the ones we already own. Thanks for the suggestion!

  40. anne @onedeterminedlife
    March 9, 2017 / 3:41 pm

    My daughter (who is soon 8) just told me this morning that she feels too old for the shows she is allowed to watch. So, I am looking for new content. This list has given me great ideas.

  41. Brooke
    March 9, 2017 / 3:53 pm

    Great list! Thanks so much for sharing it. There are a few i haven’t seen and will add to our must watch list.

  42. Dara
    March 9, 2017 / 4:06 pm

    What a great list! We have seen and enjoy many of these such as Mary Poppins, Annie, and the American Girl movies.

  43. candy
    March 9, 2017 / 4:14 pm

    Parent Trap is a all time favorite and yes the 1961 version is the best. Going to have to re-watch some of these we have forgotten about.

  44. Sara Brunsvold
    March 9, 2017 / 4:49 pm

    Many of my favorites on this list!

  45. Justine Guest
    March 9, 2017 / 6:53 pm

    I always get stuck – I can’t remember movies. There’s some on there I have noted for future viewing pleasure. Thanks – great list!

  46. Nicole Banuelos
    March 9, 2017 / 6:53 pm

    These are some great movie suggestions. The Parent Trap is by far one of my favorites!

  47. Corey | The Nostalgia Diaries
    March 9, 2017 / 11:46 pm

    What an awesome list! I’m bookmarking this for whenever I can’t think of a good movie to watch!

  48. Cait Weingartner
    March 10, 2017 / 3:14 am

    This is such a great list of movies. I love how you’ve selected quite a few old classics too. It’s so important to introduce new generations to these wonderful old films!

  49. Kirsty
    March 10, 2017 / 6:03 am

    Great list! I recently watched Freaky Friday with my 10 year old son. When it first started he groaned about it but ended up loving it. I enjoy re-watching movies I watched as a child with my own children.

  50. Kelly
    March 10, 2017 / 6:54 am

    What a great idea! There are so many movies from my childhood that I start to watch with my kiddos and then realize “OH NO!”, this will be a great tool for us to try 🙂

  51. Katie
    March 10, 2017 / 8:09 am

    This is a great list!

  52. Sharon Chen
    March 10, 2017 / 11:40 am

    I remember some of these movies and I agree with your choice of Parent Trap version 😀 I will bingewatch when I have free time!

  53. Veronika Sykorova
    March 10, 2017 / 3:51 pm

    oh I used to love Lassie come home as a kid!

  54. Dearlyndsey
    March 11, 2017 / 11:35 am

    These are great suggestions. I think I will have to make a tradition and set a movie night. I love some of the movies that you have stated and some I have never watched. I love the variety you have on this list.

  55. Harmony, Momma To Go
    March 15, 2017 / 9:38 pm

    Ive seen alot of these, but not all! Great list! We are so behind the times, I have no streaming, no netflix!

  56. Giustina
    April 5, 2017 / 7:18 am

    I love your list of family movies! We have a pretty large movie collection & while we don’t have children of our own yet, we have 11 nieces & nephews all under the age of 10. Although I should admit that I love kids movies! <3
    ps. Thanks for your tips about VidAngel! I'm going to have to look into it! 🙂

  57. candy
    April 5, 2017 / 7:55 am

    Always a fun evening to pick out a classic movie we just watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Have to have some fun snacks.

  58. Karen
    April 5, 2017 / 9:00 am

    LOVE this list! Always looking for good movies for my 3 boys!

  59. Jeni
    April 5, 2017 / 10:30 am

    Oh my goodness I love so many of these! My husband is from the UK, though, and has not seen a lot fo them. When I was on maternity leave I made him suffer through The Parent Trap, lol. I do not think that one will make his favorites list. Luckily, though, Meet Me in St Louis has!

  60. Malissa // Quotation Re:Marks
    April 5, 2017 / 10:36 am

    Oh man, I think about getting rid of cable sometimes! It’s always good to hear about people who did it and are having no problems adjusting/ This is also a really great list – saw some of my favorites on there, for sure! 🙂

  61. Joline
    April 5, 2017 / 10:47 am

    This is a pretty extensive list! I’m all over sci-fi and action/adventure but who can resist Mary Poppins and Sound of Music? Julie Andrews!

  62. Jen
    April 5, 2017 / 12:19 pm

    What a list! We are always searching for a great Friday family movie…will be using your list! Thanks!

  63. Jennifer Dunham
    April 5, 2017 / 12:47 pm

    This list gave me a chuckle! I haven’t watched some of these movies in ages! I guess it is time for family movie night 🙂

  64. Kaitlynn
    April 5, 2017 / 2:29 pm

    Awesome list of movie ideas! I watched all the Homeward Bound movies so many times as a kid that I can still remember everything that happens. Another great one is Daddy Day Care. Thanks for sharing!!

  65. Julie Torres
    April 5, 2017 / 2:37 pm

    First hear of VidAngel, will check it out, great movie list!

  66. brittany
    April 5, 2017 / 4:04 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this vidangel service!! We have a four year old who is obsessed with superheroes and transformers and I’ve always wanted something that would help me to filter those movies to accommodate his age and maturity level!

  67. Melissa @ Disco Bumblebee
    April 5, 2017 / 4:16 pm

    This is a great list! I am always needing movie suggestions for our family nights, and there are some great ones that I hadn’t thought of here. Thank you 🙂

  68. Ashley
    April 5, 2017 / 5:27 pm

    A great list!! lots of movies I haven’t seen in a long time and that i’m sure my kids would LOVE!!

  69. jessica
    April 5, 2017 / 7:46 pm

    such a great list! My kid is still little but i’m sure he’ll love these in a bit.

  70. cara
    April 5, 2017 / 7:51 pm

    Such great ideas! I love the original parent trap and would love to watch it soon!

  71. Danielle
    April 5, 2017 / 9:08 pm

    Wow! That is a great list of movies! I’ve heard of Vidangel, but haven’t used it yet. I may need to check it out.

  72. Rachel
    April 5, 2017 / 10:09 pm

    So many great movies! Always looking for new ones to check out!

  73. Flo
    April 5, 2017 / 11:49 pm

    Great list! A lot of my faves are listed

  74. Barb
    April 6, 2017 / 12:09 am

    Mary Poppins is a favorite in our house and pretty much any Disney movie. Lately, we have all been pretty obsessed with Moana. Even my husband is into it. LOL
    xoxo Barb

  75. Kimberly @ Berly's Kitchen
    April 6, 2017 / 8:34 pm

    This is a great list of movies! We’ve watched several of these at my house. I’ve never heard of VidAngel. That sounds like an interesting service.

  76. Shobika
    April 7, 2017 / 10:40 am

    This is such an awesome list!! I’m so glad I came across this because everytime we want to do a family movie night, we end up spending at least an hour looking for a good movie to watch haha. Plus, so many of my favourites are already on this list!

  77. Edith
    April 7, 2017 / 12:00 pm

    Connecting from Christian Blogger Community Linkup. I absolutely love this post. You compiled a great list. There’s so much stuff out there that is very unwholesome. God bless you!

    • Shan
      Author
      April 7, 2017 / 12:11 pm

      Edith! You made my week. I appreciate your kind words! Unnecessary trash in media is a conviction for me and honestly, a thorn in my side. I thought a list might be needed for other families besides ours! 😉

  78. Breyona Sharpnack
    April 8, 2017 / 9:43 pm

    The parent trap is one of my favorite movies and cheaper by the dozen is a super cute movie as well. This is a great list of movies.

  79. Sara @ The Holy Mess
    April 18, 2017 / 3:03 pm

    Thanks for a great list of movies! My cousin writes about movies on my blog as well and I haven’t found too many other women who have blogs about movies — it’s fun to find another. 🙂 I love your list. We love our family movie nights and we watched SING the other night. It’s not on Netflix yet but it’s definitely a great family movie.

  80. Ruthie
    May 30, 2017 / 11:58 am

    Love this list!! Friday night is movie night and we are always looking for new ideas for movies!

  81. Kuleigh
    May 30, 2017 / 1:25 pm

    I came here for the movie list but was pleased to find your rave review of asking TV! We pay entirely too much for cable that we don’t watch and our plan only includes maybe 10 channels! I’ve been wanting to rewatch some classic Disney movies! Saving this list for later as we will be having more date nights in!

  82. hal
    May 30, 2017 / 2:47 pm

    looking for good movies to watch with the kids this summer on rainy days – i forgot about Mary Poppins -that one is so perfect!

  83. Michelle
    May 30, 2017 / 2:58 pm

    I love your thorough list, you have some of my favorites listed. 🙂

  84. Mis'
    May 30, 2017 / 7:56 pm

    GET OUT!!! This is an amazing list!! We don’t have satellite TV either. We do Netflix, HULU, and Amazon Video. We love it!

    • Shan
      Author
      May 30, 2017 / 8:03 pm

      thank you!!!

  85. David
    May 30, 2017 / 10:27 pm

    Always a fan of the Indiana Jones movies! I wouldn’t mind sitting the kids down and making them watch Mary Poppins. Think the world needs more good wholesome musicals.
    Cheers

  86. Kendel
    May 31, 2017 / 1:27 am

    Such a good list! I forgot that some of these movies existed! Eragon used to be my favourite film. I absolutely loooooved the books as well!

  87. Mama Munchkin
    May 31, 2017 / 12:12 pm

    Fabulous list and perfect for our summer family movie nights. Thank you

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