Well, it’s February again, that month of Super Bowls, sweet valentines and Groundhog Day. This year, however, it looks like the streaming services have really kept their heads buried when it comes to streaming sweet family friendly movies for you and the kids to gobble up. But don’t worry, we here at Plugged In won’t leave you stranded in an empty entertainment burrow for six more weeks of winter.
Let’s see what fun we can dig up.
There are a few older movie entries to enjoy if you’re in the mood to be kooky, swashbuckling or mysterious.
Hulu offers a pair of zany Jerry Lewis pics this month, for instance, both from 1960.
The Bellboy (NR, 1960) Produced, written, directed and starring Jerry Lewis, this pic is comprised of a series of scenes and skits in a luxurious hotel full of famous people. Mute bellboy Jerry causes havoc with all his clumsy mistakes. This is an almost silent movie-like classic that the tykes will chortle over.
Cinderfella (NR, 1960) Yep, it’s a Cinderella spoof with Jerry Lewis as the wacky star. Cinderfella gets a chance to outshine his wicked stepmother and stepbrothers thanks to the magical help of his fairy godfather (played by an equally wacky Ed Wynn).
Then over at HBO Max you can poke around and find:
Captain Blood (NR, 1935) This pic takes place in the 1600s and deals with slavery and high-seas piracy. Those feel like pretty dark topics, but in truth this is the lush swashbuckling adventure that launched Errol Flynn into swing-from-the-mainsail derring-do history. Olivia de Havilland and Basil Rathbone round out the all-star cast.
Murder on the Orient Express (PG, 1974) It’s December of 1935 and the famous French detective Hercule Poirot is on vacation. But when his train is stopped by deep snow, the master sleuth is called upon to solve a murder that occurred in his car the night before. Another all-star cast populates this pic, including Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery and Ingrid Bergman (who won an Oscar for her work here). This one may not be very kid-focused, but grown-ups won’t want to leave their seats in the main car.
And while Mom and Dad enjoy that trip on the Orient Express, the kids could slip over to Amazon Prime and binge on the original series of …
Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000 -2003, TV-Y) Based on a popular children’s book series; this show features the adventures of … a giant red dog who just wants to have fun. (Don’t confuse this for the new Clifford series, also on Amazon Prime. Both are sweet and mostly problem free, but the newer show does have a few more muddy footpaws to deal with.)
OK, that may seem like slim pickins when it comes to newly released family friendly fare, but we’re not done yet. Let’s toss out the “newly released” part and just find some good stuff you can watch with the fam.
And over at Disney+ you can find all of the following, right now.
The Greatest Showman (PG, 2017) A sweeping musical based (loosely) on the life of the great showman P.T. Barnum. It stars the likes of Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and Michelle Williams. In this version of Barnum’s life, as our reviewer Kristin Smith wrote, “all individuals have value, family is esteemed highly, and fidelity is shown to be the bedrock of marriage.”
Ramona and Beezus (G, 2010) Ramona Quimby is a plucky youngster with a boundless imagination and an irrepressible sense of fun and mischief. And that combo keeps her big sister, Beezus, on her toes as the two girls work together to save the day. A “funny and endearing” pic.
Mary Poppins Returns (PG, 2018) Now grown-up Michael Banks learns that his house will be repossessed in five days unless he can pay back a loan. And good old Mary Poppins flies back in via her trusty umbrella to help the kids set things right. Smith wrote, “Mary’s new story teaches us, as she did nearly 60 years ago, that life is what you fill it with.”
Hidden Figures (PG, 2017) Back in 1962, when astronaut John Glenn was launched into orbit, there were three brilliant but unsung African-American women at NASA who served as a brain-trust behind it all. Our review declared, “Hidden Figures inspires as it entertains.”
Mulan (PG-13, 2020) The classic Disney animation about a Chinese girl who masquerades as a boy to save her hobbled father is transformed into a live-action drama. The movie’s no musical this go-round, and we find a lot more battling peril and chi-driven magic. But it’s still an adventure that (as I said in my review) states “that the traits of honor, strength and leadership are every bit as woven into the fabric of a woman as they are of a man.”
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe (TV-G, 2020) After sister, Candace, is abducted by aliens, Phineas and Ferb embark on a journey to rescue her from her captors. Our reviewer Emily Clark was charmed by the film. “Candace and her siblings band together, serve justice to the alien invaders and save the world. As Candace says, ‘It’s amazing how an afternoon of blasting aliens, foiling villains, and sipping smoothies can really change your perspective.’”
Christopher Robin (PG, 2018) A grown up Christopher Robin needs a helpful reminder from Winnie the Pooh and friends that life isn’t all hustle, bustle and shuffle. “Sometimes the most important way to spend one’s time is to do nothing important at all … with the ones we cherish most,” wrote our reviewer Paul Asay. Watching this movie together might be a nice start.
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! (G, 2008) Horton the inquisitive elephant finds a speck of dust floating in the Jungle of Nool. And upon investigation he discovers the tiny city of Who-ville and its residents. He can’t see those teeny-tiny residents, but his big old ears can hear ‘em. “Moviegoers looking for a Sunday school take-home lesson all spelled out and labeled with circles and arrows won’t find it here,” wrote Plugged In’s Lindy Keffer. “But they will be given a chance to engage in meaningful discussion about both faith and responsibility—all because of a lumpy and lovable elephant.”
So, there ya go, a nice list of pics to cuddle up with before or after handing out those chocolates and candied hearts. And, of course, if you want more details, click those links to the full Plugged In reviews.
4 Responses
-Surely this question has been asked before, but why do you not show Pugged In’s ratings anymore? (I am not referring to the movie ratings). It was so helpful. I would only peruse through the movies with 4-5 plugs. Now I have to read all the summaries to know if it’s worth watching. Very time consuming. I certainly appreciate this website. Thank you!
-They wrote an article a while back explaining that the plugs didn’t seem to be as helpful as PluggedIn had intended them to be. I think one of the reasons was that families have different “area standards.” Was that missing half plug for violence? Was it for language? Sexual innuendo? It could matter. For example, Pixar’s Brave had 4 or 4.5 stars, and my family was disgusted when we watched it. On the other hand, the second Hobbit film had 2.5 stars, and my family loves it. We dislike innuendo (as in Brave). We tolerate (possibly enjoy) fantasy-based violence, even if it pushes its PG-13 rating. The plugs simply don’t always work as a quick check.
-I miss the plugs a little honestly. There were a nice way to get a feel of how appropriate a movie was. I didn’t always agree with the ratings, but they were still nice.
-This is helpful. I’d love it even more if you could write about shows that you recommend. Like a “Plugged in Top 10.” I would love to be able to come here and find a new show, rather than clicking through all the reviews to see which ones you recommend.
Thank you for all you do!