20 Best Family Movies on HBO Max

While there are a lot of serious movies geared toward adults on HBO Max, sometimes you just want something to watch with the family. Despite these movies being geared toward children, they are often packed with jokes for the adults that will go over the kids’ heads and keep everyone in the house entertained. They are also surprisingly good with well written scripts, fantastic animations, and heartfelt moments. There is a lot to choose from on the streaming service, so we have put together a list of the 20 best family movies on HBO Max. 

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20. The Wizard of Oz, (1939)

Perhaps one of the greatest movies of all time, The Wizard of Oz is beloved by families around the world. In the movie, a tornado hits a town in Kansas and a young girl named Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to a magical land called Oz. After an encounter with a witch, the pair set out along a yellow brick road to meet the Wizard in the Emerald City. Along the way, they meet a series of characters including a Scarecrow who wants a brain, a Tin Man who wants a heart, and a Lion who wants some courage. When they meet the wizard, he requests that the gang bring him the Wicked Witch of the West’s broom in exchange for their wishes being granted. 

19. Evan Almighty, (2007)

This was a favorite of mine when I was a child, and my brother still likes watching Evan Almighty to this day. In the funny film, newscaster Evan Baxter leaves Buffalo and moves to northern Virginia when he wins a seat in Congress. Everything seems to be going well until God throws a crisis in his way — The Lord wants him to build an ark and line up all the animals two-by-two in preparation for a flood.

18. Scooby-Doo, (2002)

Every child has probably seen the animated version of these five crime fighters, but have they seen the 2002 live action? Scooby-Doo: The Movie starts off with Mystery Inc. closing its doors two years previous, and each character we know so well are individually summoned to Spooky Island to investigate a series of paranormal incidents at the Spring Break hot spot. Zoinks!

17. The Book of Life, (2014)

Though I have not seen this movie, I’ve only heard great things about The Book of Life. In the film, we are situated in the Mexican town of San Angel where three friends, Maria, Joaquin, and Manolo have grown up together. Now adults, one thing still remains the same — Manolo and Joaquin both want to marry Maria. Unfortunately for them though, battling husband-and-wife deities have made a high-stakes wager on who will win.

16. The Tooth Fairy, (2010)

If your kids like Duane Johnson in his other films, you should definitely put The Tooth Fairy on the next time you have movie night. Hockey player Derek Thompson is a terror on the ice, earning the nickname “Tooth Fairy” by knocking out opponent’s choppers. When he dashes the dreams of a young fan though, he becomes a real life tooth fairy, and comes to terms with his new position, and the dreams he gave up so long ago.

15. Spirited Away, (2001)

A beautiful animated film from the legendary Studio Ghibli and director Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away follows a young girl who stumbles upon an abandoned amusement park. When her parents are transformed into pigs, she learns that the park is a resort for supernatural beings and she must navigate around them to free her parents. 

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14. Elf, (2003)

A quintessential Christmas movie, Elf still deserves it’s spot on our best family movies on HBO Max mostly because Will Ferrell’s performance is unforgettable. When Buddy was a toddler, he was accidentally transported to the North Pole and raised amongst the elves. When he becomes an adult, Buddy heads to New York in search of his father, who turns out to be a cynical businessman. The two must work together on their newfound connection, and the results are positively hilarious.

13. Horton Hears a Who, (2008)

I honestly loved Horton Hears a Who when I was little, and I still think it’s a great movie today. The transformed Dr. Seuss book has elephant Horton, who finds a speck of dust floating in the Jungle of Nool. Upon further inspection, he realizes there is a tiny city called Who-ville on the speck, and that he can hear them but cannot see the Whos. Horton then travels to find the best spot where Whoville can be safe, while trying to fight off those who don’t believe Who-ville is real.

12. Aliens in the Attic, (2009)

God, I almost forgot about this movie. Aliens in the Attic is not only hilarious, but it shows the funny dynamic between human and alien and how terrified we are of each other. A family vacation turns sour when an invading force of tiny aliens runs into the house with their spaceship, bent on conquering Earth. When the kids learn the aliens can only control adults, they make a plan to defeat the aliens once and for all.

11. Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb, (2014)

Our next choice in the best family movies on HBO Max list is part of a series, but is still worth watching. Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb follows Larry Daley, who is now the director of nighttime operations at the museum, and starts to notice that the exhibits are acting strangely. The Tablet, which magically brings the exhibits alive is failing, and its up to Larry and his son to save them.

10. The Lego Movie, (2014)

LEGO is perhaps the greatest toy ever created and the movie based on it is one of the best family movies on HBO Max. A LEGO figurine called Emmet is incorrectly recognized as “the special” who is a legend that is meant to save the world. He is sucked into a plot to stop an evil presence from destroying their world and tries his best despite his regular status. 

9. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, (1971)

One of my favorite Roald Dahl stories is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and I love all of the films that have been made from the book, including Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. A sweet boy has a dream of finding one of the five golden tickets hidden inside candy wrappers that will allow him to visit the eccentric and reclusive Willy Wonka’s factory. One after the other tickets are being found — will Charlie be able to get one too?

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8. Alvin and the Chipmunks, (2007)

ALVIN! There’s nothing better than having a movie night where you can laugh hysterically at the TV, and Alvin and the Chipmunks definitely delivers. When their tree is cut down and shipped to Los Angeles, talking chipmunks Alvin, Simon, and Theodore find a new home with songwriter Dave Seville. After a rough start, Dave warms up to the chipmunks and realizes their true talent. When he shows them to record executive Ian Hawke, he immediately signs them, and as they gain in popularity, their bonds will be tested.

7. Space Jam: A New Legacy, (2021)

Check out the newest addition to the Space Jam family! Space Jam: A New Legacy features superstar basketball player LeBron James. When his young son Dom and him get tripped in digital space by a rogue AI, the only way they can get home is by teaming up with the Looney Tunes gang for a high-stakes basketball game.

6. Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, (2005)

Dive into the world of Tim Burton in this classic spooky film. Victor and Victoria’s families have arranged their marriage, and while nervous Victor is practicing his lines for the wedding in a forest, he gets dragged down into the land of the dead. Emily, who who murdered, pulled him down in order to marry Victor. But, Victor must get back aboveground before Victoria marries the villainous Barkis Bittern.

5. The Lego Batman Movie, (2017)

Following up the LEGO movie is another great experience in the LEGO franchise that has shifted onto the screen, The Lego Batman Movie. When the Joker takes over the city of Gotham, Batman must drop his lone vigilante approach to team up with other heroes to stop the rampant rogues gallery in this hilarious adventure. 

4. DC League of Super Pets, (2022)

A new animated film has dropped into the world of DC, and it’s pretty cool. DC League of Super Pets starts with Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman being inseparable best friends. But, when the Man of Steel and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a ragtag group of animals to master newfound powers in order to save his owner.

3. The Goonies, (1985)

I absolutely adore this movie, and it’s perfect for those kids that love scavenger hunts. In The Goonies, a group of kids search for a hidden treasure in order to save their homes and towns from a property developing company which plans to build a country club. But, there are obstacles in the way of their prize, and some crooks who want the jewels just as much as the kids do.

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2. Wonder Woman, (2017)

Before becoming Wonder Woman, Diana was the princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. When she meets an American pilot who crash ands into their world, she realizes that there is a massive conflict in the world that she is convinced only she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside other men, she finally discovers her true destiny and powers.

1. Harry Potter Series, (2001-2010) / Best Family Movies on HBO Max

When an orphaned boy discovers that he is a wizard, he receives an invitation to a prestigious magical school called Hogwarts. Throughout an epic saga spanning eight movies, he faces off against an evil wizard named Voldemort who he has a mysterious bond with. 

So that we don’t fill this list with each Harry Potter movie listed as an entry, we have combined all of the Harry Potter series into one entry here. All of the Harry Potter movies will win over your family and it goes without saying. There’s magic, light-hearted and funny moments, and action-packed adventure.

Does HBO Max Have the Best Movies for Kids?

These top 20 best family movies on HBO Max go to show that HBO has a lot to offer for children in addition to the more mature TV and movies they are known for. They even have some of the most classic family movies ever like Matilda and The Wizard of Oz. If you already use this streaming platform, it’s a great bonus to have these options available. However, since it is not their main focus, we’d recommend exploring additional avenues for family TV like Disney+ or Amazon Kids+ to get the most out of your streaming platforms.