15 Best Non-Disney Family Movies for Movie Night

By Vlad Zakh · August 24, 2026

United States Family for the whole family feel good family night

Disney dominates most family movie night lists, yet some of the best family films come from everywhere else, and they hold up just as well. Because of Winn-Dixie is a quieter, sweeter film that deserves more attention, Charlotte’s Web (2006) is a gentle, well-made adaptation, The Goonies is pure 80s adventure and still a blast, and Paddington is warm and funny without talking down to anyone. How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The NeverEnding Story, Matilda and The Sandlot round out the list.

Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)

01

Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)

IMDb ★ 6.4 RT 55% Metacritic 54

A lonely girl's stray dog helps her make friends across a whole small Southern town.

Directed by Wayne Wang · 1h 46m · Rated PG

2 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Charlotte's Web (2006)

02

Charlotte's Web (2006)

IMDb ★ 6.3 RT 79% Metacritic 68

A barnyard spider spins words into her web to save a pig from the dinner table.

Directed by Gary Winick · 1h 37m · Rated G

10 wins & 11 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Wonder Project Amazon Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Goonies (1985)

03

The Goonies (1985)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 77% Metacritic 62

A group of kids follows an old pirate map hoping to save their neighbourhood from foreclosure.

Directed by Richard Donner · 1h 54m · Rated PG

4 wins & 7 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Paddington (2014)

04

Paddington (2014)

IMDb ★ 7.3 Metacritic 77

A polite bear from Peru is taken in by a London family after arriving with nowhere else to go.

Directed by Paul King · 1h 35m · Rated PG

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards4 wins & 7 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Britbox Apple TV channel, Angel Studios, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Wonder Project Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

05

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 99% Metacritic 75

A young Viking befriends the very dragon he was raised to hate and kill.

Directed by Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders · 1h 38m · Rated PG

Nominated for 2 Oscars25 wins & 63 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

06

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 87% Metacritic 74

An overweight, unlikely panda is chosen as the prophesied hero of martial arts legend.

Directed by Mark Osborne & John Stevenson · 1h 30m · Rated PG

Nominated for 1 Oscar15 wins & 39 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Shrek (2001)

07

Shrek (2001)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 89% Metacritic 84

A grumpy ogre's swamp is invaded by fairy-tale refugees, forcing him into an unlikely rescue mission.

Directed by Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson · 1h 30m · Rated PG

Won 1 Oscar40 wins & 60 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

08

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 80% Metacritic 65

An orphaned boy discovers he's a wizard destined for a war he doesn't yet understand.

Directed by Chris Columbus · 2h 32m · Rated PG

Nominated for 3 Oscars20 wins & 75 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium, HBO Max, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

09

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

IMDb ★ 7.3 RT 84% Metacritic 49

A bullied boy reads himself into a fantasy world that is literally dying from the loss of human imagination.

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen · 1h 41m · Rated PG

6 wins & 10 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Philo · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Matilda (1996)

10

Matilda (1996)

IMDb ★ 7.0 RT 89% Metacritic 72

A neglected, telekinetic girl finally finds an ally in her kind-hearted teacher.

Directed by Danny DeVito · 1h 38m · Rated PG

3 wins & 7 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Sandlot (1993)

11

The Sandlot (1993)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 66% Metacritic 55

A group of neighbourhood kids spend one perfect summer defined entirely by baseball.

Directed by David Mickey Evans · 1h 41m · Rated PG

2 wins & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus, Hulu, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

12

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 99% Metacritic 92

A boy hides a stranded alien from the government while trying to help it phone home.

Directed by Steven Spielberg · 1h 55m · Rated PG

Won 4 Oscars52 wins & 39 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Iron Giant (1999)

13

The Iron Giant (1999)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 96% Metacritic 85

A young boy befriends a giant alien robot and has to protect it from a paranoid government agent.

Directed by Brad Bird · 1h 26m · Rated PG

Won 1 BAFTA Award20 wins & 18 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Babe (1995)

14

Babe (1995)

IMDb ★ 6.9 RT 98% Metacritic 83

A piglet raised among sheepdogs sets out to prove he can herd sheep just as well.

Directed by Chris Noonan · 1h 32m · Rated G

Won 1 Oscar20 wins & 26 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Paddington 2 (2017)

15

Paddington 2 (2017)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 99% Metacritic 88

A wrongly imprisoned Paddington charms an entire prison while his family works to clear his name.

Directed by Paul King · 1h 44m · Rated PG

Nominated for 3 BAFTA Awards15 wins & 50 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.