The makeup of cinema’s landscape is constantly changing, a state of affairs that has never been more apparent than in the current age of social media, on-demand content, and streaming platforms. Movies have been largely dominated by blockbuster franchise offerings throughout the 21st century, with box office figures indicating that audiences are more likely to gravitate towards seeing the latest MCU installment, as opposed to sinking their teeth into an older classic film.

It’s a crying shame, because popular culture is littered with classic movies that even today’s kids should see at least once. Whether it’s a hilarious animated movie or one of cinema’s best feel-good stories from the 1980s, there’s an iconic entry that will cater to all ages. These movies’ status as classics is underlined by the fact that they retain the vast majority of their stellar original reputation more than two decades after they were released, rubber-stamping their credentials as timeless hits that everybody needs to experience at least once, irrespective of what generation they hail from.

10

Back To The Future (1985)

Directed By Robert Zemeckis

Widely regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made, 1985’s Back to the Future is one of cinema’s all-time classics. The movie follows Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly, a teenager who is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time-traveling contraption devised by Christopher Lloyd’s colorful mad scientist, Dr. Emmett Brown, and his desperate attempts to return to the future before he is wiped from existence.

One of the most influential and widely imitated films of all time, Back to the Future’s crowd-pleasing blend of action and humor makes for a timeless offering that appeals to audiences of all ages. Boasting a Rotten Tomato Tomatometer Score of 93%, the success of Zemeckis’ original outing spawned a further two films. However, while both sequels represent fine movies in their own right, the original still remains the trilogy’s golden standard, and an indispensable piece of cinema for even today’s youth.

9

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Directed By John Hughes

While it might give today’s kids some ill-conceived notions about the benefits of skipping school, 1986’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off still holds up today and makes for absolutely essential cinematic viewing. As life-affirming as it is lightheartedly whimsical, John Hughes’ timeless teen comedy has lost none of the inherent entertainment factor that garnered the movie classic status in the first instance.

A quality teen outing without the R-rating, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off isn’t Bambi, but doesn’t feature anything so outrageous that it couldn’t be deemed suitable for kids. The type of comfort viewing you whack on when you’ve had a bad day and need something to cheer you up, every movie fan should see Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at least once in their lifetime. It’s not a perfect piece of cinema, but Hughes’ film is such an irrepressibly upbeat outing that its more prevalent shortcomings are easy to gloss over.

8

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Directed By Steven Spielberg

Touted by many critics as a front-runner for Steven Spielberg’s best movie, 1982’s E.T. the Extraterrestrial is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time. Boasting a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Score of 99%, this uplifting tale follows Henry Thomas’ Elliot Taylor, a young boy who befriends the тιтular alien after he is marooned on Earth. Despite rapidly approaching the fiftieth anniversary of its release, Spielberg’s iconic sci-fi entry has aged like a fine wine, a family-favorite outing that never fails to evoke smiles and tears from all generations in equal measure.

Underlining why the movie is considered by many to be Spielberg’s magnum opus, the director’s beloved entry is loaded with many of cinema’s most stirring and iconic scenes, from the epic bike-ride through the sky to the heartbreaking farewell when E.T. returns to his people. A deeply moving tale capable of melting even the stoniest of hearts, E.T. the Extraterrestrial represents must-see viewing.

7

Spirited Away (2001)

Directed By Hayao Miyazaki

Viewed by many as legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s best movie, 2001’s Spirited Away blends beauty with fantasy to produce a timeless fairytale for the ages. One of the most visually arresting movies of all time, the gorgeously animated and hand-drawn Studio Ghibli production follows Chihiro, a young girl trapped in a mysterious realm who is attempting to return her parents to human form after they are turned into pigs.

A triumphant tour de force from one of the most talented filmmakers of all time, Spirited Away’s array of fantastical locations and ethereal characters are arguably tailor-made for younger audiences. Miyazaki keeps the story’s stakes just low enough for this to be a universally suitable movie, without ever removing them to the point that proceedings become dull. The end result is a movie of such brilliance that audiences of all ages have been blown away by its overarching quality for more than two decades.

6

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

Directed By Duwayne Dunham

A remake of 1963’s The Incredible Journey and a number that has consistently been tugging on audience’s heartstrings since debuting in 1993, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is the type of movie to elicit laughter and tears in equal measure. Chronicling three pets’ epic journey to reunite with their owners after mistakenly believing they have been abandoned, Duwayne Dunham’s adventure comedy features the all-star trio of Michael J. Fox, Sally Fields, and the late Don Ameche as the animals’ voices.

An outing that strikes a tender chord with anybody who has ever found themselves contemplating separation from a beloved pet, Homeward Bound’s blend of innocent charm and uplifting optimism makes for relentlessly cheering viewing. While this is an offering that will primarily resonate best with younger children, even fully grown adults will find it difficult to stop themselves from bawling their eyes out by the time that Chance, Sᴀssy, and Shadow have reunited with their owners.

5

The Goonies (1985)

Directed By Richard Donner

Chronicling the hunt for One-Eyed Willy’s trove of pirate gold, 1985’s The Goonies is one of cinema’s most widely adored adventure comedies. Richard Donner’s offering channels Steven Spielberg’s heavy influence to knockout results onscreen. While this an outing that is tailor-made for young audiences, The Goonies’ relentless pacing and adventurous central premise still make for thoroughly entertaining viewing for viewers who are older than the film’s target demographic.

Featuring baby-faced future A-Listers in the vein of Sean Astin and Josh Brolin among The Goonies’ cast, this high-energy adventure brings every child’s favorite imaginary treasure hunt to life onscreen in thoroughly crowd-pleasing fashion. Donner’s film is one of those numbers that you’ll rarely find a person saying a bad thing about, a status quo that points to the movie’s timeless overall quality and universal appeal.

4

Home Alone (1990)

Directed By Chris Columbus

One of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, 1990’s Home Alone is an absolutely indispensable entry for the holiday season. The iconic comedy stars ten-year-old Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McAllister, a young boy forced to stave off a home invasion from Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern’s buffoonish burglars, after he is accidentally left behind by his family when they leave the country on vacation.

An absolutely shriek-worthy entry, Home Alone’s distinctly 1990s aura arguably isn’t the most relatable kids’ vibe as of 2025. However, the film’s legendary array of homemade booby traps make for absolutely sidesplitting viewing, no matter how many times one has seen an iron land on Marv’s head or witnessed Harry take a paint-can to the chops. On paper, Home Alone should make for an absolutely brutal watch, but the movie’s slapstick is so flawlessly executed that viewers are usually too busy howling with laughter to consider the actual consequences of Kevin’s brutality.

3

Shrek (2001)

Directed By Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson

Featuring a killer soundtrack to back up one of the greatest animated movies of all time, 2001’s Shrek gleefully subverts every fairytale in the book in subtly adult fashion against the backdrop of a movie that you can still take kids of all ages to see. Chronicling the eponymous ogre’s attempts to rescue a princess from a fire-breathing dragon in exchange for the return of his beloved swamp, Shrek received universal acclaim from fans and critics alike.

This classic entry was literally tailor-made to cater to viewers of all ages, with carefully selected winks at the more mature sections of the audience dotted throughout the movie’s kid-friendly wider backdrop. As self-aware as it is sidesplitting, the original entry represents the golden standard for the long-running and wildly successful franchise. The closest thing to a universally beloved entry that cinema has to offer for audiences of all ages, no budding movie connoisseur’s repertoire would be complete without at least one Shrek viewing.

2

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)

Directed By Mel Stuart

The finest live-action version of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is the best Willy Wonka movie by a considerable stretch. Mel Stuart’s beloved original adaptation still makes for good old-fashioned family fun more than half a century after its initial release, even if there is a slight chance that the movie’s notorious borderline-hallucinogenic boat sequence might scare your kids silly in the process.

However, fear not; much like the array of darkly comical fates that befall the movie’s ghastly ticket winners, it’s only temporary. Rounding out Stuart’s visually arresting depiction of the chocolate factory with a number of memorable, sing-along musical numbers, this classic number has influenced a horde of imitations and parodies. Even the kids of today will likely be familiar with the iconic enduring meme, Condescending Wonka, depicting Gene Wilder’s charge with a patronizing smirk and caption.

1

Toy Story (1995)

Directed By John Lᴀsseter

Spawning a wildly successful animated franchise that appears set to continue with the announcement of the upcoming Toy Story 5, 1995’s Toy Story still remains the best entry in the long-running series to introduce young fans to. Depicting a world where toys come to life when humans aren’t present, the beloved adventure comedy is perhaps the quintessential example of a movie that is suitable for all ages, but is still capable of making grown adults weep profusely.

Toy Story’s superb animation has stood the test of time, holding up to this day with barely a hitch, while featuring knockout voice-over performances from Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as the iconic pairing of Woody and Buzz Lightyear, respectively. Boasting a stellar score from Randy Newman, John Lᴀsseter’s movie also holds the prestigious accolade of a flawless 100% Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Score, highlighting this heartwarming entry’s status as a classic that everybody should watch at least once.