Wondering which movies you should take your kids to see this year? Thankfully, there are plenty of family-friendly, heartwarming flicks hitting the big screen this year. Your kids are guaranteed to love them, but the films are intelligent and soulful enough that adults can enjoy them too. Here are three you should take your entire family to see.
1.) LEGO Movie
Since their initial creation in Denmark in 1949, Legos have become an internationally loved and acclaimed toy brand. (They were even inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in New York!) Manufactured by a privately owned company called The Lego Group, the interlocking toys have inspired imagination and ingenuity in children and adults alike who enjoy using them to create vehicles, buildings, houses, and even working robots. The Lego empire has expanded to games, competitions, and six themed amusement parks. Historically, Lego has rejected pitches from Hollywood studios who wanted to make a Lego-based movie. Within the last couple of years, however, they gave producer Dan Lin and his Warner Brothers-based production company Lin Pictures permission to create an animated children’s film based on the beloved toy. The film, which hits theaters February 7, 2014, revolves around an ordinary Lego mini figure who joins a quest to stop an evil Lego villain from gluing the entire universe together. Filled with Lego’s signature quirky humor and voiced by Chris Pratt, Morgan Freeman, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, and more, this is sure to be a family-friendly film that parents and kids alike will enjoy. TIME magazine even listed this as one of their top recommended films for 2014, so you won’t want to miss it!
2.) Mr. Peabody and Sherman
This DreamWorks Animation film is based off the 1960s animated television series The Rocky and Bullwinkle show. The plot revolves around a talking dog named Mr. Peabody, who is the smartest being in the world, and his adopted boy Sherman. After Sherman has a skirmish with his classmate Penny Peterson, the adoption agency informs Peabody that they will reclaim Sherman if any more incidents occur. In an attempt to calm the situation, Mr. Peabody invites the Petersons over for dinner. After Sherman shows Penny a time traveling machine, however, the two get sucked into an inter-dimensional adventure throughout all of history. The two must band together to remedy the situation before the space-time continuum is irreparably destroyed. Take your family to see this humorous, sweet story on March 7—they’re sure to love it!
3.) Annie
This modern retelling of the classic Annie tale stars Beasts of the Southern Wild breakout star Quvenzhané Wallis in the titular role. Jamie Foxx stars as a wealthy businessman who comes to her aid when she is trapped in an orphanage run by the mean Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz).The musical drama is set in modern New York City and brings the timeless story to life for a new audience and age. The film is directed by Will Gluck and produced by Will Smith and Jay-Z. It is scheduled to be released on December 19, 2014. Kids are sure to love this inspirational film, and adults will enjoy a modern retelling of an old favorite.
Ivy McDowell blogs about fashion and entertainment. She heartily believes, as author C.S. Lewis once wrote, that “A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.”