Need a bit of cheer on these drab winter days? Want to get out of the house but still go somewhere warm? Round up the kids and take them to the movies. There are so many family-friendly films in theaters these days, and tons more are coming throughout the rest of February and into March. (We couldn't resist giving a little sneak peek of what's to come this early spring at the bottom of the list, as well.)
The currently available and upcoming movies include sequels to beloved franchises, movies based on classic books, original tales, highly anticipated Disney films, and tons of creatures voiced by A-list actors. Most of them are rated PG, but there are a couple of PG-13 flicks for the older kids. There's basically a little something on this list for everyone.
Happy movie-watching!
'Playing With Fire'
Rated: PG
Released: November 8, 2019
John Cena and Keegan-Michael Key star in this comedy about a group of firefighters who are tasked with rescuing three siblings. But they may be in over their heads with this rambunctious bunch. Fans of The Pacifier with Vin Diesel will likely appreciate this movie that similarly draws on the juxtaposition of beefy men who are no match for children.
Playing With Fire is still in some theaters, so hurry!
'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood'
Rated: PG
Released: November 22, 2019
Tom Hanks didn't win the Oscar for portraying Mr. Rogers, but that doesn't mean this movie isn't worth a watch. It tells the true story of the friendship that grew between Mr. Rogers and a cynical journalist assigned to interview him. The journalist didn't believe anyone could really be as nice as Mr. Rogers was described, but he was pleasantly proved wrong.
This is a total feel-good film for the whole family to see.
'Frozen II'
Rated: PG
Released: November 22, 2019
The highly anticipated Disney sequel was a box-office smash, raking in over a billion dollars worldwide. It's not too late to see the tale, which follows Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf out of Arendelle as they try to figure out where Elsa's powers came from. The clock is ticking, as they need answers in time to save the whole kingdom from destruction.
Frozen II is still available to see in some theaters, so make it a family affair!
'Jumanji: The Next Level'
Rated: PG-13
Released: December 13, 2019
This is the follow-up to the 2017 movie Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. For the sequel, the group returns to the game to save someone, but the game has changed dramatically and they have more dangers to contend with than ever before. It again stars The Rock, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, and more.
'Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker'
Rated: PG-13
Released: December 20, 2019
Serving as the final chapter of the Star Wars saga, The Rise of Skywalker follows the surviving resistance members and the battle between the Jedi knights and the Sith lords. Although this is technically the last movie in the Skywalker tale, don't fret. This franchise is too big not to do more films about other parts of the universe. In fact, a new season of the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars is coming to Disney+ in late February.
'Cats'
Rated: PG
Released: December 20, 2019
Although Cats was widely panned, families can find out for themselves whether they like the motion-capture take on the beloved Broadway play. The film came out before Christmas, but it's still in theaters, with all its musical numbers and celebrity cameos. Among them are Taylor Swift, James Corden, Rebel Wilson, Jennifer Hudson, Judi Dench, and more.
'Little Women'
Rated: PG
Released: December 25, 2019
Little Women recently took home the Oscar for best costume design, but that's only one reason to check out this still-in-theaters film. Based on the beloved book of the same name, the movie stars Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, and more. So far it's been a hit with audiences and critics alike, scoring over 90% in both categories on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.
'Spies in Disguise'
Rated: PG
Released: December 25, 2019
Will Smith and Spider-Man's Tom Holland voice the characters in this charming animated film. It follows the adventures of a too-cool-for-school spy who is suddenly turned into a pigeon. From there, he has to count on a nerdy guy from the tech team to help him save the world … as a bird.
'Dolittle'
Rated: PG
Released: January 17, 2020
Starring Robert Downey Jr., this film reboots the classic tale of Dr. Dolittle, who could talk to animals. The movie has a star-studded voice cast playing the animals, including Selena Gomez, Emma Thompson, John Cena, Rami Malek, and more. It has been panned by critics, but it has a 76% score from regular audience members on Rotten Tomatoes.
'Sonic the Hedgehog'
Rated: PG
Hits Theaters: February 14, 2020
Sonic was originally supposed to come out last year, but when the trailer dropped and the internet widely critiqued the animation style, the studio pushed the release date to redo ample portions of the film's animation. The general consensus on the new trailer seems to be that the production team made the right choice to delay. Now it comes out in mid-February.
'First Lady'
Rated: PG
Hits Theaters: February 14
What happens if a woman decides to run for first lady? That's what happens in this movie, when the president dies and his widow decides to team up with his vice president to get her position as first lady back. But when a prince she knew growing up returns (now a king), she'll be forced to decide if she wants to rule a kingdom or lead a nation.
'Emma'
Rated: PG
Hits Theaters: February 21, 2020
Jane Austen's literary classic Emma is being remade. The story was previously turned into a movie in 1996 starring Gwyneth Paltrow. The 2020 version, which drops later this month, stars up-and-comer Anya Taylor-Joy. Viewers may know her from the TV shows Peaky Blinders or Atlantis.
'The Call of the Wild'
Rated: PG
Hits Theaters: February 21, 2020
Based on the book of the same name, The Call of the Wild stars Harrison Ford, but it's mostly a tale about a big-hearted dog named Buck who joins the Alaskan dog sled team for the post office in the 1890s. Along the way, he experiences adventures of a lifetime with his human companion, John Thornton, played by Ford.
'Onward'
Rated: PG
Hits Theaters: March 6, 2020
The latest Pixar movie is about two teenage brothers (who are also elves) who set out to see if magic still exists in the modern-day world. The main characters are voiced by Parks and Recreation alum Chris Pratt and Spider-Man star Tom Holland. Other voice actors joining them include Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer, and Ali Wong.
'My Spy'
Rated: PG-13
Hits Theaters: March 13, 2020
Like Playing With Fire, this movie takes a cynical CIA agent and pairs him with a super smart 9-year-old girl. Hollywood loves this kind of combo. My Spy follows the agent as he goes undercover to keep tabs on the girl's family, and quickly gets more than he bargained for when the precocious child demands he teach her to be a spy too.
'I Still Believe'
Rated: PG
Hits Theaters: March 13, 2020
This young romance movie has a positive message. It's based on the true story of Christian singer Jeremy Camp's own road to love. The cast will be familiar to many, because it stars KJ Apa from Riverdale as Jeremy Camp, alongside Girlboss' Britt Robertson, and Manifest's Melissa Roxburgh. Singer Shania Twain will play Jeremy's mother.
(Honorable Mention) 'Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna'
Rated: Not Yet Rated
Hits Theaters: March 25, 2020
Technically, this film comes out this spring, but so many kids are going to want to see it, we wanted to get it on the radar early. The movie is a continuation of the popular '90s animated series that followed kids living in a world of digital monsters, but think more Pokémon-style monsters than scary ones.
(Honorable Mention) 'Mulan'
Rated: Not Yet Rated
Hits Theaters: March 27, 2020
Another highly anticipated spring film is Mulan, the live-action take on Disney's animated tale. The story line is roughly the same, with a young Chinese girl pretending to be a male soldier so she can help her father avoid the draft. Soon, she finds herself tasked with saving all of China.
(Honorable Mention) 'Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway'
Rated: Not Yet Rated
Hits Theaters: April 3, 2020
This spring, the sequel to Peter Rabbit hits theaters. In the follow-up, Peter finds his mischievous reputation precedes him, but he soon finds himself among others who appreciate his gift for causing chaos. That is, until his family comes looking for him. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway again stars James Corden, Margot Robbie, and Elizabeth Debicki in the voice cast.
(Honorable Mention) 'The Secret Garden'
Rated: Not Yet Rated
Hits Theaters: April 17, 2020
The Secret Garden novel has been turned into a movie many times before — in 1919, 1949, 1987, and 1993. The 2020 version follows a similar storyline: a young orphaned girl who finds a magical secret garden on her uncle's land. Colin Firth plays the uncle and Dixie Egerickx plays the orphaned Mary Lennox.
