Need a bit of cheer on these drab winter days? Want to get out of the house but still go somewhere warm? Round up the kids and take them to the movies. There are so many family-friendly films in theaters these days, and tons more are coming throughout the rest of February and into March. (We couldn't resist giving a little sneak peek of what's to come this early spring at the bottom of the list, as well.)
The currently available and upcoming movies include sequels to beloved franchises, movies based on classic books, original tales, highly anticipated Disney films, and tons of creatures voiced by A-list actors. Most of them are rated PG, but there are a couple of PG-13 flicks for the older kids. There's basically a little something on this list for everyone.
Happy movie-watching!
'Playing With Fire'
'Frozen II'
Rated: PG
Released: November 22, 2019
The highly anticipated Disney sequel was a box-office smash, raking in over a billion dollars worldwide. It's not too late to see the tale, which follows Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf out of Arendelle as they try to figure out where Elsa's powers came from. The clock is ticking, as they need answers in time to save the whole kingdom from destruction.
Frozen II is still available to see in some theaters, so make it a family affair!
'Jumanji: The Next Level'
Rated: PG-13
Released: December 13, 2019
This is the follow-up to the 2017 movie Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. For the sequel, the group returns to the game to save someone, but the game has changed dramatically and they have more dangers to contend with than ever before. It again stars The Rock, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, and more.
'Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker'
Rated: PG-13
Released: December 20, 2019
Serving as the final chapter of the Star Wars saga, The Rise of Skywalker follows the surviving resistance members and the battle between the Jedi knights and the Sith lords. Although this is technically the last movie in the Skywalker tale, don't fret. This franchise is too big not to do more films about other parts of the universe. In fact, a new season of the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars is coming to Disney+ in late February.
'Cats'
Rated: PG
Released: December 20, 2019
Although Cats was widely panned, families can find out for themselves whether they like the motion-capture take on the beloved Broadway play. The film came out before Christmas, but it's still in theaters, with all its musical numbers and celebrity cameos. Among them are Taylor Swift, James Corden, Rebel Wilson, Jennifer Hudson, Judi Dench, and more.
'Little Women'
Rated: PG
Released: December 25, 2019
Little Women recently took home the Oscar for best costume design, but that's only one reason to check out this still-in-theaters film. Based on the beloved book of the same name, the movie stars Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, and more. So far it's been a hit with audiences and critics alike, scoring over 90% in both categories on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.
'Spies in Disguise'
Rated: PG
Released: December 25, 2019
Will Smith and Spider-Man's Tom Holland voice the characters in this charming animated film. It follows the adventures of a too-cool-for-school spy who is suddenly turned into a pigeon. From there, he has to count on a nerdy guy from the tech team to help him save the world … as a bird.
