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Our 25 Favorite Family Films

Spanning seven decades of movie-making, these are the bona fide classic family movies your parents were eager to share with you, the iconic films from your earliest big-screen outings, and the newer soon-to-be-classics you and your kids can experience together for the first time.

The Goonies: 1985; How much preteen-perfect adventure can you fit into one movie? Pirates, gangsters, wacky inventions, and deadly booby traps—no wonder it was a favorite of its generation.

Babe: 1995; This gentle film proves you don't need explosions, chase scenes, or bathroom humor to make a thoroughly entertaining kid flick. Plus, it's got one of the cutest protagonists ever.

The Sound of Music: 1965; It's got one of the all-time classic soundtracks—songs that parents will be able to sing along with and that kids will quickly catch on to. This is why Julie Andrews is still so popular today.

Singin' in the Rain: 1952; Vibrant in both color and spirit, this is one of the best of the old Hollywood musicals. The dance sequences still outshine anything kids will see today.

Finding Nemo: 2003; Bonds of family and friendship are celebrated with sophisticated writing and breathtaking visuals. This is possibly the best film from Pixar, the most lauded animation studio of the modern era.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory: 1971; Equal parts dreamy and creepy, this morality tale is a frequent visitor to the personal top-ten lists of today's parents. Its darker side paved the way for modern kid-hits like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Toy Story: 1995; This was the first true CGI classic. And although computer animation has come a long way in the decade since its release, few children's films have equaled it in depth of character.

Spirited Away: 2001; One of the best animated films out of Japan, this Oscar winner provides loads of heart-pounding adventure in a surreal and stunningly beautiful fantasy world.

Mary Poppins: 1964; You've got one hit song after another, dance numbers that make kids want to stand up and join in, and—yes—Julie Andrews again. And in the end, it's all a celebration of the joy of being a child.

March of the Penguins: 2005; Kids will see that the real world can be more amazing and dramatic than the fantasy of film. The story is so suspenseful, and so heartwarming, it's hard to believe it wasn't scripted.

The Princess Bride: 1987; Full of romance and swashbuckling, this is the movie that reminds adults and older kids why they used to love fairy tales. And of course, younger children will be just as enthralled.

E.T.: 1982; For a time, the ugly-cute alien protagonist of this film was the poster boy for childhood wonder. It's the ultimate happy-ending tearjerker. Plus, it's got flying bicycles!

The Wizard of Oz: 1939; You don't get any more classic than this. The tropes and motifs of this film laid the groundwork for almost every fantasy film that followed. And miraculously, the 68-year-old special effects still seem magical.