My job has a lot of great perks, but one of the things I love the most about what I do is the fact that I get to watch a lot of movies with my kids. Between going to early screenings, weekend openings, or catching stuff at home, my kids and I watched over two dozen movies from the 2025 release schedule, and they obviously have opinions about everything we saw.
Though we trudged through some not-so-good and downright awful movies that I’ll leave nameless, there were quite a few that they all enjoyed to varying degrees. From a certain 2025 Netflix movie that took (and continues to take) the world by storm to a new video game movie they’ve watched countless times to a supersized sequel starring a pack of anthropomorphic criminals, here are my kids' favorite movies of 2025…
KPop Demon Hunters
Truth be told, my kids were on their fifth or sixth watch when I finally sat down and experienced KPop Demon Hunters with them this summer. While I’ve only watched it all the way through just once, my 5-year-old daughter has watched Huntrix work on “Takedown” and Saja Boys sing “Soda Pop” more than any other movie this year.
This world-dominating animated film has taken hold of my kids and hasn’t let go, but I’m not mad. I, too, can’t get enough of the animation, the catchy songs, or the surprisingly deep story about charting your own path, not being afraid to be yourself, and the power of redemption.
A Minecraft Movie
Little did I know at the start of 2025, but watching A Minecraft Movie ended up being one of my favorite movie experiences of the year. That’s all thanks to checking out this over-the-top and exceptionally hilarious video game adaptation starring Jack Black. My 8-year-old son is OBSESSED with all things Minecraft, so I had a feeling he’d be going crazy yelling “Chicken Jockey” all spring and summer, but my daughters’ love of this movie was a genuine surprise.
There was a good stretch after A Minecraft Movie landed on HBO Max where I couldn’t walk through the house without hearing it on a TV, a phone, or the Google Hub in our kitchen that somehow works despite being dropped and covered in old cereal. Now they’re waiting for A Minecraft Sequel.
The Legend Of Ochi
If you were to approach me at the start of the year and tell me that The Legend of Ochi would end up being one of my kids’ favorite movies of the year, I’d say two things: Who are you, and what are you talking about? Well, this is what happened one late summer night when my wife was at an event, and my kids and I were looking for something to watch. I’m so glad we did.
This great A24 movie follows a young girl living on an island in the middle of the Black Sea as she meets and befriends an adorable creature while walking through the woods. It’s kind of like E.T. combined with Scandinavian folklore and is a feast for all the senses. Just watch out for that booger scene.
Lilo & Stitch
When I first heard about the Lilo & Stitch live-action remake, it wasn’t something I was bouncing off the walls to see. However, it was a different story for my kids, so I relented, and we finally watched it over the summer. Let me tell you, I don’t know who enjoyed this more: my kids or me.
The way director Dean Fleischer Camp brought this 2002 animated movie into three dimensions was nothing short of perfect. We laughed, we cried, we went back and watched a second time. This delightful story made for one of the most memorable and emotional family movie nights we had all year.
Dog Man
My son is a massive Dog Man fan, and he pretty much learned to read so he could dive into all the graphic novels. When he found out about a movie adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s hilarious and outrageous books, he made sure we were seeing this. And we did, and we enjoyed it thoroughly.
Going in, I thought my daughters wouldn’t be down with this animated adventure, but I was so wrong. Everyone in the house was going wild for Dog Man and his quest to save Ohkay City (and stay out of trouble), which is something I honestly didn’t see coming.
The Bad Guys 2
I took all three kids to an early Saturday morning screening of The Bad Guys 2, and we had such a good time that not even my constant sneezing could ruin it for us. This animated sequel, which dives into some heavy topics, had so much going for it, and my kids are still talking about it all these months later.
A lot of the jokes hit in this one, but my kids couldn’t get enough of a certain fart joke that I won’t ruin for anyone who hasn’t watched it yet. Just know this: farts in space!
In Your Dreams
KPop Demon Hunters wasn’t the only big Netflix movie my kids went crazy for this year, as In Your Dreams had them rolling when it dropped back in November. This fantastical and thoughtful movie about siblings being forced to work together to save their parents’ marriage just did so many things right. The emotional beats, the captivating action sequences, the unforgettable characters, there was so much.
They’ve watched this a few times since its debut, and I don’t think they’re quite done yet.
The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
After many years and many failed attempts, I finally got my kids into Looney Tunes with the help of The Day the Earth Blew Up earlier this year. This animated adventure film follows Daffy Duck and Porky Pig as they first try to save their home before saving the world, and it’s fun from start to finish.
If I planned on writing a list of the most random movie characters that brought seemingly endless amounts of joy to my life in 2025, Farmer Jim would be at the top of it, and it’s not even close. None of us could get enough of Daffy and Porky’s adoptive dad.
Elio
I took my kids to see Elio back in June, and as someone who grew up obsessed with Carl Sagan, this one was a hit. The movie was a bit of a box office bomb, but that doesn’t mean it was a bad movie. Quite the contrary, actually. This Pixar space adventure had my kids on the edge of their seats from start to finish, which doesn’t happen all the often.
They’ve since gone back and watched it a few times with our Disney+ subscription, though I still can’t get them into Carl Sagan. I guess Cosmos will have to wait…
Paddington In Peru
Though I only watched Paddington in Peru with my 9-year-old daughter, I would be remiss to leave this delightful little movie off this list. Years from now, I think I’ll still remember the moment my daughter picked up on an Indiana Jones reference in the middle of this family-friendly adventure film. It was like a dream come true…
This is barely scratching the surface of the cinematic journey my kids and I went on this year, and doesn’t include all the classics we discovered or rediscovered over the past 12 months. Before I wrap things up, I’ll leave you all with some unsolicited parenting advice: watch more movies with your kids. You’ll all love it.
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