movies – Movie Roar

Timeless, Adventurous, Stimulating Movies for Kids

*Well-made movies for kids will raise their emotional tone.*

Finding fun movies for kids to watch can sometimes be straightforward. Then there are times you need help choosing the perfect film. Here’s my list, which is worth sharing with your kids.

Exciting Movies for Kids

Finding simple, fun, and memorable holiday or seasonal movies for kids can be challenging. But look at these classics and pick a couple for the kids to watch. Some are old, and some are modern, but kids of all ages find them entertaining.

“Ferdinand” (2017)

In a classic story, Ferdinand is a massive bull with an even larger heart. People think he is a dangerous beast. He gets captured and taken away from his home. Set on returning to his family, he hooks up with a crazy team of characters. Together they go on a wild adventure.

Walt Disney’s “Peter Pan” (1953)

Walt Disney’s Peter Pan is one of the most timeless and adventurous movies ever on the silver screen. Kids can watch the story over and over because Peter Pan never grows old. He will always be a boy. The story teaches kids about friendship, responsibility, faith, and trust.

“Early Man” (2018)

Nothing could be more timeless than a movie about a prehistoric person. Award-winning claymation studio Aardman produced Early Man. They mastered claymation in film. Aardman made Shaun the Sheep, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and Chicken Run.

Early Man follows Dug, voiced by Eddie Redmayne. Dug is a caveman who has super-goofy friends. They brave their invaders by challenging them to a soccer game. It is the only way they can get their home back from Lord Nooth, voiced by Tom Hiddleston. Lord Nooth is the ruler of the Bronze Age City.

“Smurfs: The Lost Village” (2017)

Smurfs: The Lost Village is an animated movie.

Magical creatures occupy the forest, and the kids will find them fascinating. Smurfette and her pals must locate a secretive lost village ahead of the wicked wizard named Gargamel.

The movie is like a roller coaster ride, and the kids will enjoy the journey as the Smurfs face danger and experience plenty of action.

“The Little Prince” (2015)

The Little Prince is a timeless movie. The story subtly teaches kids about what is essential in life as a fable of loneliness, loss, friendship, and love.

I have to confess that the movie trailer is so charming and pleasing. Netflix is streaming some noteworthy movies, which are worth the subscription.

With the voice acting talents of Ralph Fiennes, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, and Rosario Dawson, The Lego Batman Movie is timeless. Kids can watch it repeatedly.

Chris McKay directed this super-silly movie, and it features one-liners and a visually gratifying story that is fun. The kids can play with the Legos before or after they watch the film. Parents, make sure you have your own set of Batman Legos.

“The Sandlot” (1993)

The Sandlot is a magical movie that kids will watch repeatedly. The story takes place during the 1960s when Scotty arrives in the neighborhood. Denis Leary and Karen Allen play with his parents. They are brilliant, helping Scotty come to terms with himself and trying to fit in with the other boys from the sandlot. He doesn’t know how to play baseball, but that’s about to change.

The movie follows Scotty and his friends as they spend a summer retrieving a baseball, facing crazy adventures and scary situations, and sharing a first kiss. All nine boys grow and become best friends. The movie is a fun and enchanting comedy.

“Frosty’s Winter Wonderland” (1976)

Though the story doesn’t seem like it’s for kids, they will still enjoy the animation and exaggerated characters. Even the adults will chuckle at the thought of Frosty the Snowman’s marriage being threatened by a jealous Jack Frost, voiced wickedly by Paul Frees.

The 1976 movie features two screen legends, Andy Griffith, best known as Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show, and Shelley Winters, who won two Oscars for A Patch of Blue and The Diary of Anne Frank. Griffith is the narrator, and Winters is the voice of Frosty’s wife.

“The Smurf’s Holiday Celebration” (2011)

The Smurfs are bound to put a smile on any kid’s face during the holiday season with The Smurf’s Holiday Celebration. They are so cute, but their stories are full of action. The creatures that threaten the lovable Smurfs might not make some of the youngest kids too happy. Though parents may want to keep a watchful eye, a happy ending will put a pleasant smile back on the kids’ faces.

“Twas the Night Before Christmas” (1974)

Twas the Night Before Christmas begins with the children of Junctionville’s letters to Santa Claus being returned unopened. So Santa didn’t read what they wanted for Christmas. Nobody knows why they didn’t get delivered. Alas, a bitter soul has angered Saint Nick by claiming Christmas is a myth.

The skeptical rodent, Albert Mouse, must be humored and turned around to believe in Santa. Following the story of Albert being persuaded to change his mind about Santa makes it fun for the kids because Santa returns to Junctionville.

The ending is charming and inspired by Clement Moore’s poem, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Joel Grey, George Gobel, Tammy Grimes, and John McGiver add their voices to the 1974 movie.

“Frozen” (2013)

Frozen is genuinely a timeless movie for all ages. “Let It Go” unleashes our desires to let our worries go. The song won an Oscar because it adds much to the fateful tale of two sisters longing for their rekindled relationship. The frozen spell keeps the movie suspended in time as a lovable snowman offers his charm. There is also a reindeer acting like a domesticated dog.

Kids can watch the movie repeatedly. It is so much fun for kids because most DVDs have a sing-along version with captions for each song’s lyrics. Frozen II, the sequel, is now available to stream and on Blu-ray or DVD.

“Love is putting someone else’s need before yours.” Olaf

Peanuts movies are timeless. They started in the 1970s with It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown, and There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown. They continued to the 1980s with It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown, and It’s an Adventure, Charlie Brown. The franchise has over 45 movies and counting. My favorite is A Boy Named Charlie Brown.

It’s a blast to watch Snoopy fly in his doghouse while dogfighting as the Red Baron, wearing legwarmers, and dancing to the current music. Kids never tire of such antics. They also like to wonder if Charlie Brown will succeed at his chosen goal, like winning the spelling bee or getting his first kiss.

I can’t go without mentioning all the quirky friends who support Charlie Brown, no matter how many times he fails. From Linus to Peppermint Patty, you can’t help but feel the love. These are such cherished characters and stories.

“Bernie the Dolphin” (2018)

Bernie the Dolphin isn’t a well-known kids’ movie like Disney movies, but it’s about two kids with a heart of gold.

Kevin and Holly spend a lot of time swimming and diving with Bernie. Bernie is a dolphin. He goes missing, and the two kids try to find him. While looking for Bernie, they discover a potential threat to baby sea turtles.

The kids’ goal is to stop the development and protect Bernie.

Disney Classics

Let’s not forget the Disney classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first animated feature film, and Peter Pan. Walt Disney worked with some of the best animators of the time. All these movies were pretty much hand-drawn. Though the adults will appreciate the artists’ talent, the antics and colorful characters will mesmerize the kids in each classic.

Kids Movies on Netflix and Amazon

You can catch some of these timeless movies on Netflix or Amazon. Even local libraries rent these movies on Blu-ray and DVD. Either way, it’s best to plan their movie night and let the kids join their friends and enjoy watching a fantastic film.

“Kung Fu Panda 4” Storyline

Mike Mitchell directs Kung Fu Panda 4. The story begins after three death-defying adventures, defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills; Po, the Dragon Warrior, played by Jack Black, is called upon by destiny to give it a rest. More specifically, he’s tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.

That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the Paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position.

Even worse, a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful sorceress, Chameleon, played by Viola Davis, is of a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po’s Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains Po has defeated into the spirit realm.

So, Po’s going to need some help. He finds it as a crafty, quick-witted thief, Zhen, played by Awkwafina, a corsac fox who gets under Po’s fur but whose skills will prove invaluable. This comedic odd-couple duo must cooperate to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon’s reptilian claws. In the process, Po will discover that heroes appear in the most unexpected places.

The supporting cast includes Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston and Ian McShane.

Movies directed by Mike Mitchell:

Surviving Christmas

Sky High

Shrek Forever After

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

Trolls

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

“The Tiger’s Apprentice” Images and Poster

Based on the popular children’s book series of the same name by Laurence Yep, The Tiger’s Apprentice follows Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee, voiced by Brandon Soo Hoo.

His life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians.

Henry Golding as Hu (Tiger) and Brandon Soo Hoo as Tom in *The Tiger’s Apprentice*, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Paramount+.

With guidance from a mythical tiger named Hu, voiced by Henry Golding, Tom trains to take on Loo, voiced by Michelle Yeoh. Loo is a force that is as powerful as a Guardian but has evil intentions to use magic to destroy humanity.

To fight against Loo, Tom must reunite all twelve Zodiac animal warriors and master his own newly discovered powers.

Other voice actors include Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Bowen Yang, Leah Lewis, Kheng Hua Tan, Sherry Cola, Deborah S. Craig, Jo Koy, Greta Lee, Diana Lee Inosanto, Patrick Gallagher, and Poppy Liu.

“PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie” Trailer, Clips, Featurettes, and Poster

Directed by Cal Brunker, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie follows what happens when a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City. It gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The MIGHTY PUPS!

For Skye, the smallest member of the team, her new powers are a dream come true. But things become worse when the pups’ archrival Humdinger breaks out of jail and teams up with Victoria Vance. Victoria is a meteor-obsessed mad scientist who wants to steal the superpowers and turn herself and Humdinger into supervillains.

With the fate of Adventure City hanging in the balance, the Mighty Pups have to stop the supervillains before it’s too late, and Skye will need to learn that even the tiniest pup can make the biggest difference.

Featuring the voices of McKenna Grace, Taraji P. Henson, Marsai Martin, Christian Convery, Kim Kardashian and Chris Rock makes it impressive.

Bestseller “Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made” Streams on Disney

Streams on Disney, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

Directed by Tom McCarthy, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made streams on Disney. The story comes from the bestseller of the same title by Stephan Pastis, who co-wrote the screenplay with McCarthy. Timmy Failure is a unique young boy, played by Winslow Fegley, with a polar bear as his assistant. Producer Jim Whitaker had this to say about Fegley, “He’s the one who was able to play Timmy from just the point of view of being himself and, at the same time, not understand there’s a hint of irony in any of the humor that’s played. He plays it straight, uniquely, and as a result of that, brilliantly.”

“Right off the bat, Winslow had a quality and look that felt right,” says director McCarthy. “He just had a really good command of [the] language, and for a young actor, he has a lot of poise and a tremendous amount of presence. And he has a quality that no matter what he’s still somewhat accessible, and Timmy can be the kind of character that pushes people away. Timmy’s a different kid, he doesn’t have a lot of friends, and he’s a tough kid to get close to, so you need someone who can play both sides of that.”

British actress Ophelia Lovibond plays Patty Failure, a single mom struggling to survive economically while raising her son Timmy. “The script is unlike anything else I’d read, and even though it was described as being for children, I genuinely enjoyed it…it really made me laugh,” says Lovibond. “The character of Timmy is so unusual…he just captures your imagination.”

“Patty is a hardworking hipster who’s trying to hold together a household, several jobs, and at the same time be able to allow for this very different kid to be who he is,” adds Whitaker. “Ophelia has done a beautiful job with the role. She’s a Brit undercover who looks and acts like she’s from Portland.”

To get into character, Lovibond dyed her hair purple and wore fake tattoos. “Each tattoo has a story behind it,” she says, “like one hasn’t been colored in because she got it and then Timmy came along, and she had no money to have it finished.”

Timmy’s teacher and nemesis, Mr. Crocus, played by Wallace Shawn. “He plays this curmudgeonly, angry, not-willing-to-smile, absolutely going to persecute this unique kid into submission, until he ultimately discovers that Timmy’s going to get the better of him, and is really funny,” says Whitaker.

Says Shawn, “My character represents society and authority in the movie, but Timmy believes himself to be a detective, not a student in the 5th grade, so he is not afraid of Mr. Crocus’ threats, so Mr. Crocus is, in a way, powerless.”

Craig Robinson plays Mr. Jenkins, a laid-back guidance counselor at Timmy’s school. “Mr. Jenkins really cares about his students,” says Pastis, “sort of the opposite of Crocus. He wants to find out what makes these kids tick and get to them that way. For Timmy, he realizes it’s the detective-agency stuff, so he takes that path.”

“I love that he’s the one that keeps it real with Timmy,” says Robinson. “He’s the one that says, ‘You don’t have to be like everyone else,’ and that’s why I wanted this role. It’s also a departure from what I normally do, but it’s special to be the person who believes in our hero and gets him to the next level.”

Kyle Bornheimer plays Crispin, Patty Failure’s earnest yet misguided boyfriend, and a parking enforcement officer, which Timmy sees as an unambitious career path. “Timmy tends not to be very trustful of new adults in his life,” says Pastis. “He also sees him as an intruder, because Timmy lives alone with his mom, and he doesn’t like someone else coming over to their house.”

Crispin is the one character who changed the most significantly from the book to the screen. “In the book, he’s a pretty bad character through and through,” says Pastis. “But not this, Crispin. This Crispin is rather sweet and endearing.”

For Bornheimer, playing the role of Crispin was a no-brainer. “My kids are big fans of these books, so it was a chance for me to play a role that my kids could see,” he says. “And then the character himself was just this fun, kind of pure-of-heart but a little bit of a bull in a china shop…a character too good to pass up.”

“Crispin ends up getting in Timmy’s heart because he really believes in him,” says Whitaker. “There’s a great scene in the movie where Timmy is forced to ask Crispin to help him find a 1,500-pound polar bear and Crispin just says, ‘Cool, let’s go.'”

Kei plays Timmy’s best friend, Rollo Tookus, but they’re more like frenemies because they don’t get along with each other all that well. “Rollo is a little anxious because he obsesses about his grade point average as he wants to get into Stanford when he gets older,” says Pastis. “A lot of the semester is spent on group tests, and Timmy is in Rollo’s group, so he’s scared to death Timmy will tank his GPA, which he will. So I think they’re friends because for Rollo, Timmy’s kind of exciting…even though he might not admit it.”

Chloe Coleman plays an animal activist classmate of Timmy’s, Molly Moskins. Molly is in love with him, but Timmy barely knows she’s alive. “That’s the relationship. It’s funny because she keeps flirting, and Timmy doesn’t know what that is. He just thinks that’s odd behavior,” says Pastis.

Ai-Chan Carrier is Corrina Corrina, a pleasant and upbeat student who is well-liked at Timmy’s school. Timmy, however, is convinced she is in cahoots with the Russians and plans to destroy his detective agency.

All in all, Timmy is a quirky, deadpan 5th grader from Portland who, along with a 1,500-pound polar bear named Total, operates Total Failure Inc., a detective agency. Somewhat of an outsider at his elementary school, Timmy is clueless but confident and wants to see his detective agency become the best in the world. But first, he must navigate the world of adults around him. As mentioned early, they include his mother Patty, her boyfriend Crispin, his teacher and nemesis Mr. Crocus, and Mr. Jenkins, a school-mandated guidance counselor. Failure journeys with Total and figures out what it means to be “normal” when you know deep down inside you’re different.

“Norm of the North: Keys To the Kingdom” Trailer and Poster

Co-directed by Tim Maltby and Richard Finn, Norm of the North: Keys of the Kingdom follows Norm, voiced by Andy Toth, the newly crowned polar bear king of the Arctic. With such a prestigious title, he travels to New York to accept the key to the city.

For some reason, Norm goes from hero to villain when he’s framed for a crime he didn’t commit. While he is trying to clear his good name, back in the Arctic, a vicious bottled-water company has moved in and is starting to steal the ice.

Norm must rely on his friends, both old and new, to clear his good name and help save his kingdom in a winner take all hockey match. The movie is perfect for kids because it is Dove Family-Approved for all ages.

The other voice actors include Cole Howard, Maya Kay, Jennifer Cameron, Alan Marriott, and Brian Drummond.

“Bernie the Dolphin” Trailer and Poster

Directed by Kirk Harris, Bernie the Dolphin follows Kevin and Holly, played by Logan Allen and Lola Sultan. They love splashing and playing with their dolphin friend Bernie and his family.

But when Bernie goes missing, the kids go looking for him. While searching, they discover a real estate development plan that threatens the baby sea turtles on their favorite beach. Both kids try to stop the developers as they race to save Bernie.

This movie is for kids, but parents can watch it, too, if they have the patience for the story’s silliness. The film also stars Kevin Sorbo and Patrick Muldoon.

Alpha and Omega: Dingo Digs

Directed by Tim Maltby and written by Tom Kane, the wolf pack is back in action as a fun and entertaining story for young kids in Alpha and Omega: Dino Digs.

This is the sixth installment of the Alpha & Omega franchise, and some of the scenes are funny and cute with a wonderful musical score. The animation is of poor quality and blurry at times. Still, the 47-minute movie will entertain the kids.

The movie starts with a “65 million years ago…” and we watch to cartoonish dinosaurs facing the destruction of their civilization. We then cut to and follow Humphrey and Kate with their three pops when they are forced to find a new location for their den.

Their new place has kind of a unique name – wolf-burbia, a nice play on the word “suburbia.” While they are moving into their new grounds, they discover Amy, an affable dinosaur who is unfamiliar with the new world. The scene where they meet Amy is really cool to watch and each facial expression will engage your kids.

Amy is a friendly raptor that magically comes to life when she is uncovered during a big dig. The pups and their forest friends show Amy the wonders of their new world and must work together and try to stop the diggers from unearthing the dangerous T-Rex before it is too late.

The movie is great for kids, teaching life lessons about being a good friend, helping your friends, and confronting and solving problems.

The trailer for the movie is no longer available at my YouTube Channel. The above link to the movie takes you to Amazon where the trailer is still live. Parents can view it and see if the movie is appropriate for their kids.

“Hatched” Fun Adventure for Kids

Directed by Xu Kerr, Hatched is billed as an animated adventure featuring the voices of Jeff Foxworthy (The Smurfs) and Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings). The movie is about farmyard animals that are crazy and silly for kids to enjoy. I have to say, the characters are out-of-this-world, and take a look at their names.

Hatched has many chickens in the movie, so the DVD can be popped into the player for Easter or Spring Break. The film is part of a planned trilogy with playfully named characters like Cluck Norris, voiced by Astin, and Charlie Horse, voiced by Foxworthy.

We follow Cluck Norris as he handles mishaps with young chicks destined to learn how to fly. Chickpea, Tiny SchwarzHENegger, Meryl Cheep and Angelina Poultrie are the crazy farmyard animals that help get the youngsters flying.

Everyone sees that the chickens really can fly, but when their tiny alien pal, Magic, is in danger, the young chicks join the efforts of their animal neighbors to save their home and their friend from the villains. The villains aren’t scary, so the kids shouldn’t get too scared while watching this silly animated movie. The chicks become heroes and learn the meaning of friendship.

All in all, let the kids watch the movie because the parents might get bored with all the silly farm animals’ quirky situations. The clever names based on current movie stars will go over the kids’ heads, but at least the parents can chuckle or two when they hear them.

“The Giant King”

Directed by Prapas Cholsaranont, The Giant King is a pretty simple and easy story for kids to follow. RAM is the creator of all robots and thus controls them. Pinky, voiced by Bella Thorne, is sent by RAM to terminate the giant robot Zork, voiced by Russell Peters, given that he is broken. Zork doesn’t want to fight, so when Pinky seizes Zork, a huge explosion occurs and buries them both for many years, until a junk robot, voiced by Nathan Barnatt, unearths them.

A robot battle happens, and a thousand years later, the two sworn enemies, Zork and Pinky, wake up chained together with no recollection of who they are or how they wound up together. They decide to search for answers and begin wandering the barren wasteland. They are in search of RAM, the creator of all robots, making new friends and a few enemies along the way. But when their memories are restored, and they discover they are true enemies and your RAM really is, their newfound friendship is tested by the deep-rooted battle of long ago. RAM shows up and decides to destroy them both, but their wacky friends decide to help them stop RAM.

The Giant King is a truly wonderful animated movie, with its charm and silly characters. The robots teach worthwhile lessons about helping your friends, never forsaking your dreams, never backing down to peer pressure, and never buckling under adversity.

The movie originated from Thailand, where it received seven nominations, and was translated for American distribution with English voice casting. It is a wholesome, family movie.