Best Family Movies & Shows on HBO Max

100 of the best-rated family picks on HBO Max: every one carries an all-ages official rating and passes our Parents' Guide. Updated 2026-10-12.

  1. Spirited Away 96% · 2001 · ages 6+
    A ten-year-old girl is stranded in a spirit bathhouse and has to work to save her parents. Miyazaki's film is full of strange, beautiful creatures and feels like a dream, but it's grounded in a child's courage.
  2. 2001: A Space Odyssey 94% · 1968 · ages 6+
    Kubrick's slow, silent, visually astonishing journey from the dawn of humanity to deep space, with HAL 9000 as one of cinema's great villains. It demands patience and explains little, which is its point.
  3. Planet Earth II 94% · 2016 · all ages
  4. Blue Planet II 94% · 2017 · all ages
  5. Castle in the Sky 93% · 1986 · ages 7+
    Miyazaki's rollicking sky-pirate adventure is full of invention, charm and heart. It's an easy place to start with Studio Ghibli, and the floating-castle finale is lovely.
  6. Planet Earth 93% · 2006 · all ages
  7. Howl's Moving Castle 92% · 2004 · ages 8+
    Miyazaki's gentle, beautiful fantasy about a young woman cursed to look old who finds a home in a moving castle. It is charming, strange and moving, though the plot wanders near the end.
  8. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 92% · 2023 · ages 7+
    A dazzling, ambitious sequel that pushes animation further than almost anything before it. The story is bigger and ends on a cliffhanger, so you need the first film and patience for the next.
  9. Life 92% · 2009 · all ages
  10. Frozen Planet 92% · 2011 · ages 5+
  11. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 91% · 2004 · ages 7+
    The best of the Harry Potter films, with a more grown-up tone, more creative look and a good mystery. It works well even if you've only seen one other film in the series.
  12. City Lights 91% · 1931 · all ages
  13. Villainous 91% · 2017 · ages 5+
  14. Your Name. 90% · 2016 · ages 8+
    A beautiful animated romance about two teenagers who swap bodies and gradually fall for one another across distance. Gorgeous visuals, a sweet love story and an emotional twist.
  15. Hidden Figures 90% · 2016 · ages 6+
    A warm, well-acted true story about three Black women whose maths skills helped launch NASA's space missions. It is crowd-pleasing and a bit tidy, but the lead trio and the story are well worth the time.
  16. Coraline 90% · 2009 · ages 8+
    Henry Selick's stop-motion fantasy about a bored girl who finds a too-perfect parallel home is creepy, inventive and kind to its heroine. It really is scary for younger kids.
  17. Casablanca 90% · 1943 · ages 8+
    In wartime Casablanca, a cynical bar owner meets the woman he loved just as she needs his help. It's romantic, funny and wise, with the sharpest dialogue of its era, and still one of the most enjoyable classic films.
  18. Modern Times 90% · 1936 · all ages
    Chaplin's Tramp battles factory life and the Depression in a mostly silent comedy. The gags still work, the romance is sweet, and it's short enough to watch even if you've never seen a silent film.
  19. When Marnie Was There 90% · 2014 · ages 8+
  20. My Neighbor Totoro 89% · 1988 · all ages
    Miyazaki's quiet story of two sisters and the forest spirits near their new home is gentle, calm and endlessly rewatchable. Nothing really threatens them, and that's the point: it's pure childhood wonder.
  21. Kiki's Delivery Service 89% · 1989 · all ages
    A young witch spends a year on her own in a seaside town, running a delivery business. It's a gentle, charming film about homesickness and losing confidence, and it treats its young heroine with respect.
  22. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind 89% · 1984 · ages 8+
    A young princess tries to stop a war between humans and a poisonous jungle full of giant insects. It's Miyazaki's early environmental epic, imaginative and humane, and the ideas still land.
  23. Singin' in the Rain 89% · 1952 · all ages
    A silent-film star and a chorus girl navigate Hollywood's switch to sound, with some of the best dance numbers ever filmed. It is joyful, funny and endlessly rewatchable. The title number is a high point of cinema.
  24. Young Sheldon 89% · 2017 · ages 8+
    A warm, gentle family sitcom about a very bright, very awkward kid growing up in Texas. It is cosy and easy, and works as pure comfort viewing even if you have never watched The Big Bang Theory.
  25. Wolf Children 89% · 2012 · ages 8+
  26. Whisper of the Heart 89% · 1995 · all ages
  27. A Trip to the Moon 89% · 1902 · all ages
  28. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya 89% · 2013 · ages 8+
  29. Solaris 89% · 1972 · ages 8+
  30. MythBusters 89% · 2003 · ages 8+
  31. From the Earth to the Moon 89% · 1998 · ages 8+
  32. Africa 89% · 2013 · all ages
  33. Ponyo 88% · 2008 · all ages
    Miyazaki's gentle fairy tale about a fish who wants to be human. It's simple, beautifully hand-drawn and ideal for young children, though it has less depth than his best.
  34. Adventure Time 88% · 2010 · ages 5+
    A weird, inventive cartoon about a boy and his shape-shifting dog in a post-apocalyptic fairy-tale world. It starts as silly kids' stuff and becomes surprisingly moving and strange over its run.
  35. Batman: The Animated Series 88% · 1992 · ages 6+
  36. Millennium Actress 88% · 2002 · Rated PG
  37. The Circus 88% · 1928 · all ages
  38. The Young Girls of Rochefort 88% · 1967 · all ages
  39. How the Universe Works 88% · 2010 · Rated TV-PG
  40. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 87% · 2001 · ages 6+
    A charming family fantasy that sets up Hogwarts and its characters well. It's a bit stiff as a film, but the world is a joy and it's a good first step into a long series.
  41. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 87% · 2002 · ages 7+
    The second Harry Potter film is a more mystery-driven, spookier follow-up with a fun cast. It runs long and feels a little by-the-book, but it's warm, inventive and good for younger viewers.
  42. The Greatest Showman 87% · 2017 · ages 8+
    A feel-good musical about P.T. Barnum with big song-and-dance numbers and a likeable Hugh Jackman. The story plays fast and loose with history and it is shallow, but the songs are catchy and viewers love it.
  43. The Wizard of Oz 87% · 1939 · all ages
    Dorothy is swept to a colourful land where she and three odd friends seek the Wizard. It's a joyful, inventive classic with unforgettable songs, and it holds up for children and adults who haven't seen it yet.
  44. Porco Rosso 87% · 1992 · Rated PG
    A former fighter pilot, now cursed to live as a pig, flies against sky pirates in 1930s Italy. It's a lighter, quieter Miyazaki, with beautiful flying scenes and a melancholy streak.
  45. The Secret World of Arrietty 87% · 2010 · Rated G
    A gentle Studio Ghibli-linked story about a tiny girl whose family secretly lives under a house floor. It's quiet, pretty and sweet rather than exciting, which suits younger viewers and anyone who enjoys small-scale wonder.
  46. Stagecoach 87% · 1939 · ages 8+
  47. Limelight 87% · 1952 · all ages
  48. Justice League 87% · 2001 · ages 7+
  49. Something the Lord Made 87% · 2004 · ages 8+
  50. Craig of the Creek 87% · 2018 · ages 5+
  51. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 86% · 2009 · ages 9+
    A quieter, slower Harry Potter film, more about secrets, teenage crushes and a looming threat than spectacle. It works as a setup for the finale, and its mood suits fans.
  52. Corpse Bride 86% · 2005 · ages 6+
    A short, sweet and macabre stop-motion romance with a good look and a lovely sense of humour. The songs are less memorable than in The Nightmare Before Christmas, but it is charming.
  53. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 86% · 1971 · all ages
    Gene Wilder's unpredictable Wonka, a golden ticket hunt and strange, slightly sinister factory rooms still work on both kids and adults. It's sweet, odd and darker than you remember.
  54. Kubo and the Two Strings 86% · 2016 · ages 6+
    A boy with a magic instrument and origami goes on a quest through feudal Japan. The stop-motion is superb to look at, the story is moving and darker than most family films, and it's thoughtful.
  55. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm 86% · 1993 · ages 8+
  56. Justice League Unlimited 86% · 2004 · Rated TV-Y7
  57. Belle 86% · 2021 · ages 8+
  58. Batman Beyond 86% · 1999 · ages 5+
  59. Adventure Time: Distant Lands 86% · 2020 · ages 8+
  60. My Adventures with Superman 86% · 2023 · ages 8+
  61. How It's Made 86% · 2001 · all ages
  62. Selena 85% · 1997 · ages 8+
  63. Summer Wars 85% · 2009 · ages 8+
  64. My Dinner with Andre 85% · 1981 · Rated PG
  65. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie 85% · 2024 · ages 6+
  66. Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage 85% · 2024 · ages 8+
  67. Life of Pi 84% · 2012 · ages 8+
    A boy stranded on a lifeboat with a tiger. It's visually gorgeous and thoughtful, with a story about faith that you may or may not buy, but it's well worth seeing.
  68. Beetlejuice 84% · 1988 · ages 8+
    Tim Burton's afterlife comedy is weird, messy and inventive, with Michael Keaton as a grubby, manic ghost for hire. The effects are handmade and charming, and it's more fun than scary.
  69. From Up on Poppy Hill 84% · 2011 · ages 6+
  70. Only Yesterday 84% · 1991 · ages 6+
  71. Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans 84% · 2019 · ages 5+
  72. The Batman 84% · 2004 · ages 5+
  73. F for Fake 84% · 1973 · ages 8+
  74. When We Were Kings 84% · 1996 · Rated PG
  75. The Lego Batman Movie 83% · 2017 · ages 6+
    A fast, silly and surprisingly smart take on Batman, with a lonely hero who has to learn to live with a family. The jokes come constantly and many land. Kids and adults will have fun.
  76. Buena Vista Social Club 83% · 1999 · Rated G
  77. Batman: The Brave and the Bold 83% · 2008 · ages 6+
  78. Despicable Me 82% · 2010 · all ages
    A funny, warm family cartoon about a supervillain whose plans are undone by three adopted girls. It's silly in a good way, and has more heart than you'd expect.
  79. Paddington 2 82% · 2017 · all ages
  80. 5 Centimeters per Second 82% · 2007 · ages 8+
  81. A Hard Day's Night 82% · 1964 · all ages
  82. Babette's Feast 82% · 1987 · ages 5+
  83. Looney Tunes Cartoons 82% · 2020 · all ages
  84. Superman 81% · 1978 · ages 8+
    The original big-screen Superman still has a sense of wonder, and Christopher Reeve is perfect in the role. It's slower than modern superhero films and its tone is old-fashioned, but it's warm and sincere.
  85. Ferdinand 81% · 2017 · all ages
    A gentle, funny animated film about a huge bull who just wants to smell flowers. It's sweet and kind, with a good message and plenty of jokes for kids, though it's somewhat predictable.
  86. Pom Poko 81% · 1994 · ages 5+
  87. Superman: The Animated Series 81% · 1996 · ages 5+
  88. Godzilla vs. Biollante 81% · 1989 · ages 8+
  89. Poltergeist 80% · 1982 · ages 8+
    A suburban family's home is invaded by ghosts in this ghost story from the early 1980s. It's more spooky fun than deep film, but the special effects are inventive and the scares work well, if you can ignore the dated bits.
  90. The Cat Returns 80% · 2002 · all ages
  91. DC League of Super-Pets 80% · 2022 · ages 5+
  92. Picnic at Hanging Rock 80% · 1975 · ages 8+
  93. Children Who Chase Lost Voices 80% · 2011 · ages 8+
  94. Watership Down 80% · 1978 · ages 8+
  95. Wonka 79% · 2023 · ages 6+
    A young Willy Wonka arrives in a European city with a dream of selling chocolate. It's a sweet, inventive musical with a generous heart and plenty of charm, and it's made for families.
  96. Grey Gardens 79% · 1976 · ages 8+
  97. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 78% · 2005 · ages 6+
    A bright, odd and often funny take on the Roald Dahl story, with Johnny Depp playing the candy maker as a strange loner. The production design is lavish, but the tone can feel off-putting.
  98. ParaNorman 78% · 2012 · ages 8+
  99. Scoob! 78% · 2020 · ages 5+
  100. Shaun the Sheep Movie 78% · 2015 · all ages

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