The Best Kids' Movies of 2020 to Watch on Family Movie Night
Catch up with one of these new family films.
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It was a strange year for movies. With cinemas opening and closing due to COVID-19 restrictions and a release schedule that kept shifting to match, it was hard to keep track of which movies actually came out this year. The good news: Plenty of great, family-friendly movies did make it out into the world, and many of them were available to watch at home at a faster clip. Here are best kids' movies of 2020, listed in the order of their release. (There are still a few to come, too!) Cozy up, break out the popcorn maker, and spend the rest of the winter catching up.
What were the trends for this year's children’s entertainment? First off, of course, there were a ton of Disney movies (which means brushing up on your Disney songs). Old-school adventure films and remakes of classics also came back in a big way, bringing along with them favorites names like Dr. Doolittle and a Holmes (but maybe not the Holmes you're thinking). Scooby Doo solved anther mystery — and you can even find out the origin of how he met Shaggy. And, of course, there are some big sequels planned, too, with new outings with Trolls, Croods and more.
Doolittle
Robert Downey, Jr. steps into the role of the famed doctor who can talk to animals — and it's nice to see him take off his Iron Man suit for a change. Animal voices come courtesy of everyone from Jon Cena and Selena Gomez to Octavia Spencer and Emma Thompson.
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Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made
Based on the book by Stephan Pastis, Timmy Failure follows an kid who fancies himself a deadpan, hard-boiled detective — but his most recent investigation spirals out of control. It's directed by Tom McCarthy, who made the Best Picture-winning movie Spotlight.
Sonic the Hedgehog
This movie was supposed to come out in 2019, but the studio pushed back the release date after it debuted its first trailers, and fans disapproved of Sonic's design. The new and improved Sonic came out just in time for Valentine's Day, with Jim Carrey taking on the role of the evil Dr. Robotnik.
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RELATED: All the Best Kids' Movies of 2019
The Call of the Wild
An adaptation of Jack London's classic, this movie features Harrison Ford and Karen Gillen in a tale of a dog stolen from his home in California and sold to freight haulers in the Yukon. We're in a Golden Age of movies for dog-lovers right now (remember A Dog's Purpose and A Dog's Journey?), so if your kid loves animals, make sure to put this one on the queue.
Onward
The first Disney movie of the year came from Pixar, and follows a pair of elf brothers who, still mourning the loss of their dad, venture into the world to see if they can still find some magic in it. Two Avengers, Chris Pratt (of Guardians of the Galaxy) and Tom Holland (of Spider-Man: Homecoming), play the mystical bros.
Stargirl
Based on the bestselling YA book by Jerry Spinelli, Stargirl follows a student who moves to the beat of her own drummer, and her effect on a square, rule-following classmate. It stars Grace VanderWaal, winner of the eleventh season of America's Got Talent.
Trolls World Tour
After the success of the 2016 Trolls and its spin-off Netflix series, why wouldn't they do another movie about the fuzzy, fabulous trolls? This time, Poppy and her friends travel to find different clans of trolls who play different styles of music. And not only do Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake return, but Kelly Clarkson and Chance the Rapper pop by to do some performing as well.
The Willougbys
Every few years, a movie comes out that fulfills the kid fantasy of getting rid of their parents. In The Willoughbys, a set of four siblings hatch a plan to send their parents on a dangerous trip and get rid of them forever. But is parent-free life all they envisioned? The movie is based on the book by Lois Lowry.
Scoob!
If you've been thinking "Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you?" since the Great Dane's last big-screen outing, wonder no more: Frank Welker still provides the voice of the mystery-solving pup, alongside Zac Efron (Fred), Gina Rodriguez (Velma), Will Forte (Shaggy) and Amanda Seyfried (Daphne). Some other Hanna-Barbera favorites may make an appearance as well.
Artemis Fowl
Based on the beloved book series by Eoin Colfer, the movie follows the adventures of a kid who's also a criminal mastermind. This time, he's off to find — and rob — a secret, hidden group of fairies. It's directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also did the first Thor movie.
The Secret Garden
The classic book gets another adaptation, starring Colin Firth as Lord Archibald Craven. It makes sense that it got another remake, since the story — about an orphaned girl who, after being sent to live with her uncle, discovers a secret garden on his estate — is always captivating.
The One and Only Ivan
Based on the Newbery-winning children’s novel by K. A. Applegate, the movie follows the friendship of a gorilla named Ivan and an elephant named Stella who want to escape from captivity in a local shopping center. Sam Rockwell and Angelina Jolie provide the voices of the mall-dwelling animals.
Phineas and Ferb: Candace Against the Universe
Phineas and Ferb haven't hit the big screen since 2011, but they returned in this straight-to-Disney+ feature film. In it, the long-suffering Candace gets abducted by aliens and taken to a planet where she's free from annoying little brothers. (Big sibs can relate.)
Enola Holmes
You've heard about all the exploits of Sherlock Holmes — but what about his little sister? In this movie, Enola goes on a search for her missing mother, running up against everything from viscounts on the lam to upstart suffragettes. The movie is based on the book series, and Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown steps into the role of Enola.
Mulan
In 2019, Disney released three live-action/CGI remakes of some of its classic animated films: Dumbo, Aladdin, and The Lion King — and they're not going to stop anytime soon. The Mulan remake stars actress Liu Yifei in the tale of the brave warrior who disguises herself as a man in order to join the army. The release had been delayed multiple times due to the coronavirus before going straight to Disney+ subscribers in September for a premium rental price. It joined the lineup of regular Disney+ offerings on December 4.
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Over the Moon
This magical adventure follows a girl named Fei Fei who builds her own rocket to travel to the moon to meet the moon goddess Chang'e and prove that her legend is true. On her voyage, she meets lots of magical creatures that make this movie amazing to look at.
Secret Society of Second-Born Royals
Few people know that, while they're not next in line for the throne, second-born royals have an important job to do — and have secret super powers to help them do it. This movie follows a new class of second-borns who have to use their newfound abilities to save their kingdoms.
A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting
For kids curious about entry-level horror, this movie, based on the book series, takes place on Halloween night and follows the adventures of a babysitter who has to rescue her charge from the boogeyman. She's joined by a secret society of monster-vanquishing babysitters.
The Witches
Anne Hathaway puts away her sunny smile when she steps into the role of the Grand High Witch in this Roald Dahl adaptation by Back to the Future director Robert Zemeckis. But can Hathaway live up to the Anjelica Huston version?
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
One of Netflix's new Christmas films, Jingle Jangle tells the story of a toymaker who is betrayed by his apprentice, inspiring his granddaughter to go on an adventure to help restore her grandfather's spirit decades later. The best part? It's a musical, with songs by John Legend and Philip Lawrence.
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