This list is regularly updated as movies rotate on and off ofPrime Video.*New additions are indicated with an asterisk.
The selection of family films on Amazon Prime’s streaming service leaves a little something to be desired, but that just makes a guide like this even more useful! You have to dig through thetitles on Prime Videoto find something appropriate for everyone from kindergartener to great grandpa, but there are some titles worth a look, including some family classics that you may have forgotten.
The Bad Guys
Year:2022
Runtime:1h 40m
Director:Pierre Perifel
The 2022 film based on the graphic novels by Aaron Blabey was surprisingly clever and fun, making a fortune around the world while the pandemic was loosening the grip on when families felt safe going back to the theater. Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, and Craig Robinson lead an all-star voice cast in the tale of a group of animal criminals who pretend to go straight only to discover that their leader may not actually be pretending.
Cinderella
Year:2021
Runtime:1h 53m
Director:Kay Cannon
Another year, another Cinderella movie. The original one on Prime belongs to pop superstar Camila Cabello, who channeled her fame from the music world into this jukebox musical take on the classic tale. That means familiar hits, intertwined with a few original songs. It’s not the best Cinderella, but it’s not the worst either. Maybe it will be the shoe that fits you.
Early Man
Year:2018
Runtime:1h 28m
Director:Nick Park
Aardman is just the best. Still mostly known forWallace & Gromit(and maybe nowShaun the Sheep), the stop-motion masters have made other films too, including this 2018 release about a tribe of Stone Age people facing off against the future really when bronze-using invaders challenge them to a game of football. Nick Park directed this funny flick that may not be Aardman’s best, but minor Aardman is still a family film worth seeing.
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania
Year:2022
Runtime:1h 27m
Director:Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska
The massive blockbuster franchise ofHotel Transylvaniafilms took a surprising turn in early 2022 when the pandemic forced this once-Sony property into a Prime Video exclusive. Likely the final film in this four-movie series, this one sees Dracula (Adam Sandler) becoming a human as his son-in-law (Andy Samberg) becomes a monster. Of course, it’s about what’s on the inside that really counts. Everybody knows that.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Year:1946
Runtime:2h 10m
Director:Frank Capra
One of the most beloved films of all time doesn’t just have to be watched around the holidays. The lessons in this film about what people value in life could be appreciated any time of the year, as could one of the most iconic performances in film history from Jimmy Stewart.
Kicking & Screaming
Year:2005
Runtime:1h 35m
Director:Jesse Dylan
Will Ferrell stars in this goofy soccer comedy about a father and son—Robert Duvall plays dad—who end up coaching rival soccer teams. Is it a classic of family comedy in the 2000s? Not really, but the scary truth is that prime Ferrell is already starting to become something nostalgic, and this could be the gateway into his career for the little ones in your family.
*Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
Year:2004
Runtime:1h 47m
Director:Brad Silberling
Before the Netflix series, there was this adaptation of the first three novels by Lemony Snicket. Directed by Brad Silberling, Jim Carrey stars as Count Olaf, the villain of the piece, who terrorizes the Baudelaire family, including Klaus (Liam Aiken), Violet (Emily Browning), and Sunny (Kara and Shelby Hoffman). Visually inventive, it’s a better movie that you remember.
Megamind
Year:2010
Runtime:1h 35m
Director:Tom McGrath
A great voice cast does most of the work here in a film that skewers superhero tropes years before that became something that everybody does. Will Ferrell voices the title character, a supervillain who actually kills his nemesis, Metro Man (Brad Pitt). With no one to fight, the bad guy becomes the hero after he creates a new version of Metro Man that’s even worse than he is. It’s a little dated already but Ferrell, Pitt, and Tina Fey do a lot of heavy lifting.
Minions: The Rise of Gru
Year:2022
Runtime:1h 27m
Directors:Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson, Jonathan del Val
It’s the Minions world—we just live in it. Who could have guessed that the little yellow guys would become so massively popular for an entire generation? The last Minions movie made aninsaneamount of money, especially in the era when people claim the blockbuster is dead post-COVID. We’re talking almost a billion dollars. Will Summer 2024’sDespicable Me 4continue the Minion dominance? Probably.
Missing Link
Year:2019
Runtime:1h 34m
Director:Chris Butler
The genius behindParaNormanand his brilliant collaborators at LAIKA made this 2019 stop-motion fantasy film about a British explorer (Hugh Jackman) who partners with an actual Sasquatch (Zach Galifianakis) on an adventure across the Himalayas to get him back to his people. Visually inventive in a way that will be appealing to both kids and adults, this is easily one of the best family offerings on Amazon Prime.
My Spy
Year:2020
Runtime:1h 40m
Director:Peter Segal
Delayed and rescheduled because of the pandemic, this action-comedy landed exclusively on Prime Video in June 2020 to mixed reviews. It stars the reliable Dave Bautista as a CIA agent who gets trapped watching a precocious nine-year-old girl. A little violent for the real little ones, it’s worth a look just for Bautista. And there’s a sequel dropping in Summer 2024!
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Year:2022
Runtime:1h 37m
Director:Rob Minkoff, Mark Koetsier, Chris Bailey
A loose remake ofBlazing Saddles,this 2022 CGI animated film barely made any waves when it was released last Summer, but it’s not bad! Michael Cera, Ricky Gervais, Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Yeoh, and even Mel Brooks himself contribute voice work to the tale of a dog who becomes a samurai to help rescue a cat village from its awful owner.
*The Secret of Roan Inish
Year:1995
Runtime:1h 42m
Director:John Sayles
Take a break from the escapism and show your kids something culturally resonant and unforgettable in John Sayles’ version of a classic Irish legend. With breathtaking cinematography by Haskell Wexler, this is the story of a girl in Ireland who hears that her brother was swept away by a selkie when he was a baby. It’s a tale of magic and legends in a way that could only take place in Ireland.
Sounder
Year:1973
Runtime:1h 45m
Director:Martin Ritt
It may not be the kind of family film thatMinionsfans are looking for, but why not challenge your kids with something more grounded every now and then?Sounderis more than just the story of a dog. It’s a tale of the Deep South during the Great Depression, anchored by stunning performances from Paul Winfield and Cicely Tyson, both of whom earned Oscar nominations for their work here, and the movie was also nominated for Best Picture.
TMNT: Mutant Mayhem
Year:2023
Runtime:1h 39m
Director:Jeff Rowe, Kyler Spears
Heavily inspired by the recentSpider-versemovies, the latest adventure for the pizza-loving ninja turtles is arguably the best yet. Working more from the comic books than the goofy previous films, it’s a story of brotherhood and a tale of how outsiders respond to being outsiders by becoming heroes or villains. There will almost certainly be a sequel to this one, and it might even be better.
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