The Best Family Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (January 2023)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982): A Boy and His Alien

In this classic story about a boy and his alien, Elliot (Henry Thomas) and his sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore) befriend an extra-terrestrial who wants to go home.

For more than four decades now, Steven Spielberg's masterpiece continues captivating new generations.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014): Double the Dragons, Double the Fun

Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is no longer a boy and doesn't feel ready to take on the responsibilities of being a chief. So instead, he sets off on another adventure with his dragon Toothless, but their journey takes a few unexpected turns.

Conceived as the middle movie in a trilogy, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is not just a rehash of the original. It even takes inspiration from one of the most popular sequels of all time, The Empire Strikes Backs.

Troop Zero (2019): Best Underdog Scout Revenge Story

This Amazon Original movie tells the story of Christmas Flint (Mckenna Grace), a young girl growing up in rural 1970s Georgia. Shut out of the local Birdie Scout group, she rallies a group of fellow misfits to create their own troop and compete for the chance to have their voices transmitted into space by NASA.

Though it deals with some heavy themes and emotions, Troop Zero is a fun comedy with an uplifting message that the whole family can enjoy.

Wonderstruck (2017): An Imaginative and Emotional Adventure

Wonderstruck is a tale of two children from two different time periods who both wish for a different life. While the film's unconventional structure might be too confusing for younger viewers, it's filled with beautiful visuals and lovely performances.

The Adventures of Mark Twain (1985): The Beloved Author's Stories Come to (Animated) Life

Dissatisfied with the current state of humanity, author Mark Twain sets off in a hot-air balloon to chase down Halley's Comet along with some of his famous characters—Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher, and Huck Finn. Sure, the film's plot doesn't make much sense on paper, but The Adventures of Mark Twain is an imaginative claymation film filled with dry humor.

Arthur Christmas (2011): An Unlikely Holiday Hero

When an aging Santa slips up and forgets one kid on Christmas, his son Arthur Claus (James McAvoy) steps up to save the holiday. With its techy twist on Santa's backstory, Arthur Christmas is a hidden gem that needs to be seen if it slipped your radar when it came out over a decade ago.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (2021): A Film Adaptation of the Hit Musical

Based on the hit musical, Everybody's Talking About Jamie is about a blue-collar kid who dreams of becoming a drag queen. But, he must contend with an unsupportive father and career advisors, as well as ignorant classmates. Luckily, he has a supportive mom and a mentor, drag legend Miss Loco Chanelle (a scene-stealing Richard E. Grant), who believes in him. Based on true events, the film is a sweet lesson in acceptance.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022): A Surprise Sequel That Surpasses the Original

The first Sonic movie drew a lot of scrutiny from fans of the franchise, but the sequel shut them all up with its superior action, animation, and humor. When Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) recruits Knuckles the Echidna to help him steal the Chaos Emerald, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) teams up with Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) to beat the badniks back to the mushroom planet.

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989)—A Fun Fantasy About Dreams and Reality

This 1980s animated film is about a little boy who visits a magical place called Slumberland in his dreams. But there's another land, called Nightmareland, and things get dangerous when the boy discovers it. Although it's a kid flick, some scenes can be a little dark for the youngest viewers.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022)—The Final Chapter of the Popular Spooky Series

The fourth and final installment in the popular Hotel Transylvania franchise, Transformania sees Drac and his monster buddies turned into humans by Van Helsing's Monsterfication Ray, while their human pal Johnny is turned into a monster. Now, they need to team up to find a cure before the change becomes permanent.