Cinema covers a range of genres intended for all ages, but one of the most significant and entertaining is the family genre itself. These movies are designed to be child-friendly, but many also appeal to parents through exploration of themes and stories that highlight the importance of parenthood, love and learning. For this reason, these films maintain the love and respect of people across multiple generations, and some even appeal more to adults than to kids

Family movies are a treasured form of entertainment, thanks to their ability to unite generations around shared values, concerns and emotions. In fact, many of cinema's most emotional, touching and heartwarming moments come from these films.

10 Hook Is The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis Movie

Steven Spielberg's Hook centers around Peter Pan, who is now a family man and lawyer too distracted by work to give his kids the attention they need. In a bid to bring his old enemy back to Neverland, Captain Hook kidnaps Pan's children, taking them back to his ship in the hopes of reigniting his old rivalry. However, having lost his memory of his adventures, the older Pan struggles to stand up to the captain, and is forced to work with the adversarial Lost Boys to get in shape.

Hook is a fun return to Neverland, but it's ultimately Dustin Hoffman's performance as Captain Hook that makes it worth watching. His arc is that of a bored, despondent villain experiencing a mid-life crisis, who is driven by a need for adventure to come back to his life. With Peter driven by the desire to save his kids, he becomes a better, more attentive father along the way, and comes out changed for the better by his adventure.

9 Jack Frost Is A Tale Of Loss And Fatherhood

Jack Frost opens with its titular character, Jack, performing a Christmas music gig as his son, Charlie, waits for him to come home. However, when he takes a last-minute gig, the boy is left saddened by his dad's absence. After a change of heart, Jack races home to see his family for the holiday but tragically dies in a car crash. One year later, the man is miraculously brought back in the form of a snowman and seizes the opportunity to make amends with Charlie.

Jack Frost, true to the themes of '90s family movies, is a story about the importance of fatherhood and family in general, with Jack making up for lost time by being the father Charlie deserved. While the movie can be a bit cheesy in some scenes, it's a heartwarming Christmas story with one of its decade's biggest tearjerker moments. Seeing Charlie and Jack enjoy precious time together while knowing the latter's time is limited makes for a truly bittersweet family film.

8 Jumanji Must Be Played To The End

Jumanji begins with the story of Alan Parrish, a young boy in a small New Hampshire town. From his strict, disciplinarian, wealthy father to local bullies, Alan is something of an outcast. When he finds a mysterious board game, he takes it home and invites a girl, Sarah, to play it with him. However, when they begin rolling their dice, it's revealed the game has very real consequences, and Alan is trapped inside until someone else rolls a five or eight. Shortly after, Sarah is chased away by a swarm of bats, and the game goes undisturbed for almost thirty years.

Jumanji is a fun fantasy adventure movie that brings to life the perils of its game, following two siblings in the 1990s who inadvertently rescue Alan from the jungle. The film follows the two kids as they work with Alan and Sarah, now adults, to try and beat the game and set things right. The film, despite its fantastical fun, hits some emotional notes, most notably when Alan returns to the past and is able to make amends with his father.

7 Beethoven Revolves Around The Love A Dog Brings To A Family

Beethoven begins when the attempted theft of a group of dogs ends with a couple of the pups breaking free, with the St. Bernard, Beethoven, seeking shelter with the Newton family. Despite some reluctance from the patriarch, George, the family takes the dog in, and he grows into a beloved member of the family. However, as Beethoven earns the affection of the rest of the family, George grows jealous. When an evil scientist, Dr Varnick, attempts to trick the family into handing the dog over for his experiments, they come together to rescue their pet.

Beethoven is a heartfelt family comedy about the joy and love that pets bring people, with Beethoven serving as a friend to every member of the Newton family. The film has a wonderful innocence to it, with the Newtons representing the best that family can be, with even the frustrated George being motivated by love and doing what's right. Although the film is written with kids in mind, it isn't infantilizing, and there's plenty to the story parents can relate to.

6 The Lion King Was An Instant Classic

The Lion King is set in an animal kingdom in Africa, ruled over by the fearsome and wise Lion King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi. When the couple have a son, Simba, Mufasa's brother, Scar, plots their downfall, working with hyenas in an attempt to kill the king and his cub. When he successfully kills Mufasa, Scar is able to convince Simba to leave the kingdom, allowing himself to become king. When a grown Simba returns, he seeks justice against his evil uncle, and begins his quest to reclaim the throne.

The Lion King rightly earned its instant classic status, thanks to its exploration of themes of responsibility, loyalty and kinship, which are important traits for anyone to learn. The movie has been treasured by every generation since its release, with many '90s kids looking back on it with fond nostalgia. Despite a live action remake, the original 1994 version remains king for its emotional story and timeless themes.

5 The Iron Giant Became A Cult Classic

The Iron Giant follows a young boy, Hogarth, who discovers a crash-landed alien robot, dubbed the Iron Giant. After initially running from the robot, Hogarth realizes the being's innocent, harmless intent, and befriends him. Seeking the help of the owner of a local junkyard, the boy tries to hide the giant from prying eyes, but he soon becomes the target of the US military.

The Iron Giant was a box office flop when it came out, but it has since earned a status as one of the decade's hidden gems, and is looked back on as a brilliant animated story with heart. The movie is carried by the Giant, who develops a sense of humanity as the film progresses, refusing to be used as a weapon.

4 Home Alone Combines Family Comedy With Slapstick

Home Alone tells the story of Kevin McCallister, a young boy from a wealthy suburban home who, after a squabble, is mistakenly left behind when his family goes on vacation to Paris. Left to fend for himself until his parents can get home, Kevin becomes the target of a pair of petty thieves, the Wet Bandits. Using a combination of old movies, elaborate rigging and his own wits, the young boy tries to convince the crooks that the family is home, hoping to spare his home from their crimes.

Home Alone is the quintessential Christmas comedy, one that highlights the importance of family while also delivering some fun slapstick comedy. The entire sequence of Kevin deploying his traps against the Wet Bandits stands out as one of the funniest moments of '90s cinema. As a festive tradition, Home Alone reached a level of cultural significance few family films do, becoming a true cultural touchstone.

3 Back To The Future III Was The Perfect Conclusion

The Back to the Future trilogy follows the adventures of Marty McFly and Emmet "Doc" Brown in the latter's DeLorean time machine. Beginning with Marty traveling back to the '50s in an attempt to convince a younger Doc to help send him back, the second film concludes with Doc himself being trapped in the past. In a bid to rescue him, Marty travels back to 1885, where his scientist friend is stuck living in the Old West. When he arrives, he becomes the target of a local outlaw, Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen.

Back to the Future III is a brilliant end to one of the greatest time-travel stories, as well as a window into Westerns for fans not familiar with the genre. As Doc falls in love with a woman, Clara, Marty finds it increasingly difficult to persuade him to come back to 1985 with him. Not only is the third movie a brilliant family film, it works as both a Western and a science-fiction story, appealing to a variety of film fans.