The 9 Top Family-Friendly Movies of 2024

Villain-turned-superhero Gru goes into hiding with his family after an evil archenemy, Maxime, breaks out of prison and vows to get revenge. The movie's other storyline focuses on Gru's adorable toddler son, Gru Jr., who struggles to connect with his father. It's the fourth film in the Despicable Me franchise and follows Gru as he assumes a new identity as a solar panel salesman and settles into the quaint town of Mayflower. Despicable Me 4 is the funniest animated movie of the year and masterfully weaves positive themes of adoption, the joy of family, and the transformative power of second chances. Rated PG for action and rude humor. 

Photo Credit: ©Universal

Everyone's favorite lazy, lasagna-loving feline is back in this new animated adventure that brings Garfield's classic humor to a whole new generation. This 2024 film is both a backstory and a modern tale. We learn how Jon found Garfield. We also follow Garfield and Odie as they join Garfield's father in a covert operation that threatens their safety. It features the voices of Chris Pratt and Samuel L. Jackson and offers solid lessons about reconciliation, love, and new beginnings. The Garfield Movie lacks the laid-back charm of the classic cartoons. Still, most children will enjoy it. Rated PG for action/peril and mild thematic elements. 

Photo credit: ©Sony; used with permission.

A young boy armed with a magical crayon steps out of the pages of a storybook and into the real world, where he brings his imagination to life. Unfortunately, his innocent journey takes a turn when the crayon ends up in the wrong hands. Inspired by the beloved book by Crockett Johnson, this film is a fun tribute to the power of creativity and imagination. Zachary Levi (Shazam! and American Underdog) portrays the lead role. Rated PG for mild action and thematic elements.

Photo Credit: ©Sony/Harold and the Purple Crayon

A 13-year-old girl encounters new emotions as she enters puberty and heads off to hockey camp. It's the latest film in the Inside Out franchise and follows a young girl named Riley whose joy-filled life is suddenly complicated thanks to a range of new emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Boredom, among them. The film takes us inside the mind of Riley and her friends to give us an up-close look at her anthropomorphized feelings. It's an entertaining movie with solid messages about grace, patience, and being authentic. Rated PG for some thematic elements. 

Photo Credit: ©Disney/Pixar

A 12-year-old boy must fight for survival, all alone, after he gets separated from his party during a hike up Maine's Mount Katahdin. The film is based on the true story of Donn Fendler, who co-wrote a book of the same name recounting his harrowing experience of resilience after becoming lost for nine days in 1939 in the wilderness. The film celebrates the power of family as it encourages us to cherish our blessings and to treasure every moment. (At the beginning of the film, Donn and his workaholic father struggle to connect.) Rated PG for thematic elements, peril, language and some injury images.

Photo Credit: ©Balboa Productions

Mufasa rises from humble beginnings to become king of the Pride Lands. This Disney animated musical is the backstory to the classic story The Lion King and follows Mufasa as he forms a bond with his brother, Taka, and learns to be courageous and strong. It features the voices of Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, and Tiffany Boone as Sarabi. Rated PG for action/violence, peril and some thematic elements. 

Photo Credit: ©YouTube/Walt Disney Studios

An Illinois boy rises to stardom as a Hollywood actor before setting his sights on the White House. This faith-filled movie tells the story of America's 40th president, Ronald Reagan, from his time as a boy growing up in Dixon, Ill., to his time as a radio broadcaster and beyond. The heart of the film involves his time as president. Viewers experience the nuclear arms buildup, the Soviet's 1983 shooting down of a commercial aircraft, the negotiations with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and the Iran-Contra affair. Actor Dennis Quaid is as magnificent as Reagan. Rated PG-13 for violent content and smoking.  

Photo Credit: ©Reagan Move used with permission.

A smart young female meteorologist joins forces with a brash "tornado-wrangling" social media star to learn more about the science behind twisters. It's the sequel to the 1996 blockbuster Twister and gives us a new, ahem, twist to the popular story. This stand-alone film is set in Oklahoma and is filled with drama, intrigue, a little romance, and -- yes -- plenty of adrenaline. Thankfully, it avoids romanticizing tornadoes, instead showing the devastating destruction they leave behind. Rated PG-13 for intense action and peril, some language, and injury images. ClearPlay offers a filter. 

Photo Credit: ©Warner Bros.

A super-intelligent robot survives a shipwreck but then must learn to survive in the wild. This DreamWorks film is based on the popular Peter Brown book series of the same name and follows a robot named Roz who adopts a gosling named Brightbill and teaches it to fly. Wild Robot is a heartwarming tale that celebrates family, parenthood, and adoption as few films ever have. It's the best-animated movie of the year. Rated PG for action/peril and thematic elements. 

Photo Credit: ©Dream Works