100 Best Family Movies to Watch on Disney+ in NZ Right Now

Best-Family-Movies-on-Disney-Plus

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Kiwis are you thinking about what can I watch on Disney plus in New Zealand for family movie night? Well, there are a lot of outstanding movie options out there in NZ. Today, we are here with the 100 family movie recommendations. Yes, you just heard it right. Just go through the article till the end to find your favorite.

The best family movies on Disney Plus in NZ are an excellent way to share memories with your loved ones. They can be watched together or separately, and they will always provide something for the entire family to enjoy. There’s nothing better than coming home after a long day of work and being able to watch a movie with someone you love! Here are some of our favorites for all the Kiwi’s:


What are the best Family movies on Disney Plus in NZ to Watch This Season?

Here are the Top 100 of the Best Family Movies on Disney Plus in NZ:


Monsters University (2013)

Monsters-University

Director: Dan Scanlon

Writer: Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird, and Dan Scanlon

Cast: Starring Billy Crystal (voice) and John Goodman (voice)

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY is the stunning prequel to Pixar’s 2001 classic MONSTER INC., which shows what life was like for James “Sully” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski when they first met.

Turning Red (2022)

Turning-Red

Director: Domee Shi
Writer: Domee Shi, Julia Cho, Sarah Streicher
Cast: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

The plot of Turning Red revolves around a thirteen-year-old girl who is a responsible daughter and hit puberty. Whenever, the emotions of excitement flow in her, she turns into a humungous red panda.
The writer has given light to the natural body cycle of a girl in the most beautiful way in this movie. It is the intelligent representation of girls’ puberty that they normally don’t discuss in person with anyone.

Pinocchio (2022)

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer: Robert Zemeckis, Chris Weitz, Carlo Collodi
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hanks, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth
IMDb Rating: 5.1/10

Taken adaption from the 1940 animated movie, Pinocchio, the same name, is a live-action movie.
Pinocchio is a puppet made from wood by a poor woodcarver, Geppetto. He lives in an Italian village and comes to life one day through the Blue Fairy’s magic. He then goes after to become a real boy, to fill his life with adventure. However, after leaving his father (Geppetto), Pinocchio’s life doesn’t get settled on something good.

Luca (2021)

Director: Enrico Casarosa
Writer: Enrico Casarosa, Jesse Andrews, Simon Stephenson
Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

It is a story of a human being sharing a close friendship with a sea monster disguised in a human shape on the Italian Riviera. Luca, a young boy enjoys pasta, countless scooter rides, and gelato on the Italian Riviera in summer.

During that time, he becomes best friends with a person on the seaside. But all the friendship bond is a threat to a secret. The person is not an actual human being but a monster who is from the ocean’s world.

Frozen 2 (2019)

Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Writer: Jennifer Lee, Hans Christian Andersen, Chris Buck
Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

The Snow Queen, Elsa holds a power to make ice and snow with the magic. Even with such an extraordinary gift and getting attention from Arendelle’s people, she always feels unsettled from inside. A strange feeling always disturbs her.
She also hears some mysterious sound, which lead her to travel to the dark and enchanted forests outside of her kingdom. Soon in her journey, the adventure becomes more into a self-discovery.

Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again (2022)

Director: Matt Danner, Justin Lovell
Writer: Ray DeLaurentis, William Schifrin, Milan Trenc
Cast: Joshua Bassett, Jamie Demetriou, Alice Isaaz
IMDb Rating: 5.0/10

It is an animated movie of the comedy genre written by Ray DeLaurentis and William Schifrin. From the series Night at the Museum, this is the fourth installment.

The plot spotlight Nick Daley, who is a night watchman at the American Museum of Natural History. He is aware of the situation that emerges when the night rises after the sun goes down. When Kahmunrah rises again and escapes, saving the museum is in Nick’s hands.


Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

CAPTAIN-AMERICA-THE-FIRST-AVENGER

Director: Joe Johnston

Writer: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely

Based on the Marvel comic-book series created by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Joe Simon

Cast: Starring Chris Evans (voice) as Steve Rogers/Captain America and Hugo Weaving (voice) as Red Skull.

IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER tells the story of a weak man transformed into the world’s first superhero, Captain America.


Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith (2005)

STAR-WARS-EPISODE-III-REVENGE-OF-THE-SITH

Director: George Lucas and Rick McCallum

Writer: George Lucas, Jonathan Hales, John Knoll, Matthew Stover & Drew Karpyshyn. Based on the novel “Star Wars” written by David Micheal Prowse

Cast: Starring Samuel L. Jackson (voice) as Mace Windu and Ian McDiarmid (voice) as Palpatine.

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

The epic conclusion of the prequel trilogy that reveals what has happened to Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, and Obi-Wan Kenobi after “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” left off.


Fantasia 2000 (2000)

Fantasia-2000

Director: Roy E. Disney and Don Hahn

Writer: Joe Ranft, Tom Sito & Bob Shaw

Cast: Featuring a cast of well-known actors such as Angela Lansbury, Mickey Rooney, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, and Kelsey Grammer

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

Fantasia is a movie about music, about the incredible power it has. This classic features animated interpretations of great works from classical music composers.


Miracle (2004)

Miracle

Director: Gavin O’Connor

Writer: Philip LaZebnik and Pat Conroy

Cast: Featuring a cast of actors such as Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Noah Emmerich, Emily Ann Lloyd & Jayce Bartok.

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

Based on the true story of Herb Brooks (Russell), who takes an unproven hockey team of college kids and turns them into a gold-medal winning team.


Star Wars: Episode VI-Return the Jedi (1983)

STAR-WARS-EPISODE-VI-RETURN-OF-THE-JEDI

Director: Richard Marquand

Writer: George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan

Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Billy Dee Williams.

IMDb Ratings: 8.3/10

In the final instalment of the original Star Wars trilogy Luke Skywalker (Hamill) is now grown up with a son named Ben (Williams). Luke returns to his father’s land, Darth Vader (Ford), and together with Ben, Princess Leia (Fisher), C-P30 & R-D20 destroy the Death Star II.


X-Men (2000)

X-MEN

Director: Bryan Singer

Writer: David Hayter and Scott Synder

Cast: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman & Halle Berry.

IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10

In the first X-Men film, Professor Xavier recruits four young mutants: Rogue, Cyclops, Beast, and Jean Grey. Xavier hopes to use their new powers for the betterment of mankind. Fighting against them is Magneto, a mutant who became disillusioned with humans after witnessing his family’s death during World War II.


Avatar (2009)

AVATAR

Director: James Cameron

Writer: James Cameron and Sara Thomas

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana & Sigourney Weaver.

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

A paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders or protecting the world he feels is his home. There he learns about the Na’vi people and becomes involved with a native girl who shows him how to connect with the planet.


Ant- Man (2015)

ANT-MAN

Director: Peyton Reed

Writer: Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish and Adam McKay from a story by Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish.

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and Michael Douglas.

IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength. Con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor Dr Hank Pym protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Including Scott’s own former protégée Darren Cross – a brilliant engineer who has become the world’s most feared supervillain.


The Book of Life (2014)

THE-BOOK-OF-LIFE

Director: Jorge Gutierrez.

Written and Produced by Guillermo del Toro, Jason Katz.

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Channing Tatum, Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana.

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

The Book of Life tells the story of Manolo (voiced as an adult by Diego Luna), a man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure spanning three fantastic worlds where he must face his greatest fears.


Hercules (1997)

Hercules

Director: Ron Clements, John Musker.

Written and Produced by Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff.

Cast: Tate Donovan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, Susan Egan.

IMDb Rating: 7.3/100

The film depicts the mythical adventures of Hercules during his youth as he trains to become a warrior hero in Ancient Greece while overcoming several obstacles at the hand of Hera, who is determined to prevent him from reaching his potential for her own selfish reasons.


The Rookie (2002)

THE-ROOKIE

Director: John Lee Hancock.

Writer: Michael Ritchie, David Mickey Evans.

Cast: Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez.

IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

Based on a true story of Jim Morris’s rookie season with the Texas Rangers major league baseball team, he overcame numerous obstacles to become one of the best pitchers ever.


Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

ROGUE-ONE-A-STAR-WARS-STORY

Director: Gareth Edwards.

Writer: Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, John Knoll and Gary Whitta

Cast: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna (voice), Ben Mendelsohn.

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

The story is set in the Star Wars universe when it’s under attack from an evil empire led by Darth Vader.


Disneynature: Born (2017)

DISNEY-NATURE-BORN-IN-CHINA

Director: David Douglas and Mark Linfield.

Writer: John Kitzmiller, Julie Rothman

Cast: Narrated by Samuel L Jackson.

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

A documentary about four animal babies born in China that have a chance of being the first pandas to be raised successfully in captivity – all against extraordinary odds.


THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE (2000)

THE-EMPEROR'S-NEW-GROOVE

Director: Mark Dindal.

Writer: David Reynolds and Ron Jinkins, Roger Allers

Cast: Voices of John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, David Spade.

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

A spoiled prince is turned into a llama as punishment for his selfish ways and must learn how to earn the love of his people.


The Princess and the Frog (2009)

THE-PRINCESS-AND-THE-FROG

Director: John Musker and Ron Clements.

Writer: Rob Edwards, Gary Trousdale, Dean DeBlois

Cast: Voices of Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David.

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

A beautiful girl named Tiana is turned into a frog in bayou country who must kiss a prince to be turned back into a human.


X2: X-Men United (2003)

X2-X-MEN-UNITED

Director: Bryan Singer.

Writer: David Hayter, Simon Kinberg, Zak Penn.

Cast: Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart.

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

A group of mutants comes together to stop a powerful mutant who intends to destroy the world and is not alone in their task with some help from the X-Men.


Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 (2017)

GUARDIANS-OF-THE-GALAXY

Director: James Gunn.

Writer: James Gunn, Nicole Perlman

Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista.

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage and unleash a new threat into the universe from a forgotten era.


Mulan (1998)

MULAN

Director: Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook.

Writer: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver

Cast: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy.

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

Mulan is an epic animated tale of a young woman who masquerades as a man to spare her elderly father from the death sentence he would otherwise face due to the ancient law that only allows one man to be called upon for military service per family.


Wreck-IT Ralph (2012)

WRECK-IT-RALPH

Director: Rich Moore

Writer: Jennifer Lee, Phil Johnston.

Cast: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman.

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

In a video game world ruled by an all-powerful “bad guy” known as King Candy of Sugar Rush, the ruler’s power is challenged when Ralph accidentally breaks his programming to be bad and goes on a quest to prove he’s nice enough to earn his place in the game.


The Peanuts Movie (2015)

THE-PEANUTS-MOVIE

Director: Steve Martino

Writer: Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz.

Cast: Peter Dinklage

IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

The Peanuts are a group of kids who live in the suburbs. When Snoopy enters his imagination and becomes a World War I Flying Ace, he’s able to save Woodstock from the Red Baron and his army.


Freaky Friday (2003)

FREAKY-FRIDAY

Director: Chris Columbus

Writer: Mary Rodgers

Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Goodman

IMDb Rating: 6.3/10

Unlike most family movies on Disney Plus, Freaky Friday is a movie that both children and adults can enjoy. The movie features an interesting plot revolving around two mothers who switch bodies after one mother wishes she could be the other for just one day.


Millions (2005)

MILLIONS

Director: Michael O’Connor

Writer: Angela Robinson, Darlene Hunt

Cast: Rick Fox, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Adrienne Bailon

Million is a movie deemed perfect for children in their pre-teen years because of the mature content. The movie follows a 12-year old boy named Jason who is convinced of an idea by his friend to steal money from the bank. To do so, he needs $100 and decides to go into business with him selling drugs.


Pete’s Dragon (2016)

PETE'S-DRAGON

Director: David Lowery

Writer: Toby Halbrooks, James DeWeerd

Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford

IMDb Rating: 6.7/10

PETE’S DRAGON is a movie that tells the story of an orphaned boy who lives in the forest with his friend Elliot. One day he meets Grace and Oona as they are camping out for their father to return with the family car. Pete, however, is shy and doesn’t want these two girls in his forest so their dad can find them.


Onward (2020)

ONWARD

Director: Daniel Carberry, Marielle Heller

Writer: Jesse Andrews

CAST: Tom Holland, Julia Roberts

ONWARD is a movie about the journey of two boys living as foster brothers and best friends. When they are shuffled from one family to another to find new homes, these kids refuse to give up on their dream of finding a family that will be their forever home.


Sleeping Beauty (1959)

SLEEPING-BEAUTY

Director: Clyde Geronimi

Writer: Larry Morey, Erdman Penner

CAST: Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Barbara Luddy

This Disney classic tells the story of Princess Aurora, who is cursed to sleep for one hundred years after being given a spindle by an old hag. It’s up to Prince Phillip, with some help from the three good fairies and his horse, to save Aurora before she wakes up in a strange new world.


Tarzan (1999)

TARZAN

Director: Kevin Lima

Writers: Bob Tzudiker, Noni White

Cast: Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Glenn Close

Tarzan was raised in the jungle and is now living with two parents. When his family goes on a trip to England for work, he must live with Tarzan’s Aunt Jane and her three disruptive children. He has to adapt to a new life, find his place in this family, and deal with the world of man, which he comes across for the first time.


Bolt (2008)

BOLT

Director: Byron Howard

Writers: Chris Williams, Jennifer Lee

CAST: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman. A cute and energetic dog named Bolt is the star of a Hollywood action movie with all his scenes filmed in front of green screens on soundstage. When he finds out that his co-star, Penny, the female dog who plays his love interest in the movie, is being sent to Japan for a new film role and killed off in Bolt’s next scene so he won’t have any competition for her affection on set.


Big Hero 6 (2014)

BIG-HERO-6

Director: Don Hall and Chris Williams

Writer: John Lasseter, Dan Fogelman

CAST: Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit (voice), Jamie Chung (voice)

Big Hero 6 is a movie about a teen named Hiro Hamada. He is a genius, and after his brother, Tadashi, dies, he meets Baymax. They work together to find out who killed him.


Tangled (2010)

TANGLED

Directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard.

Written by Dan Fogelman, Robert Lence, Shane Morrissey, Ron Ripley.

Cast: Voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy

An intrepid bandit named Flynn is turned into a horse and must rescue his true love, Rapunzel, from her tower. Tangled has lessons about tit takes to give up on dreams and also about friendship.


Doctor Strange (2016)

DOCTOR-STRANGE

Director: Scott Derrickson

Writer: Jon Spaihts and C. Robert Cargill

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams (voice), Mads Mikkelsen (voice)

IMDb Rating: 8.3/10

Doctor Strange is about a doctor who can’t do surgery anymore because he went through an accident. However, he finds out that there’s something more to the world than he knows and then tries his best to save it.


Disneynature Bears (2014)

DISNEY-NATURE-BEARS

Director: Keith Scholey, Writer: Greg Matthews and Rupert Morell (book by), Voice Actors: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt.

The story of three bear siblings looking for a new home whose forest is being cut down. The bears must brave the unknown to find their own destiny in this world that has changed.


FROZEN (2013)

FROZEN

Director: Chris Buck, Writer: Jennifer Lee and Shane Morris (book by), Voice Actors: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel.

Elsa and Anna are sisters born into royalty in an icy land. Elsa has the power to make things cold but doesn’t know what to do with this power because it can be dangerous. When Elsa accidentally freezes Anna’s heart, the kingdom goes into a deep freeze, and it is up to Anna with her new powers as an ice skater to find her sister so she can break the icy spell on their land before everything is frozen for good.


Captain America: The Winner (2014)

CAPTAIN-AMERICA-THE-WINTER-SOLDIER

Director: Anthony and Joe Russo, Writer: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeeley (characters), Voice Actors: Chris Evans.

When Nick Fury recruits him to help save the world from HYDRA’s evil plans for dominance, Steve Rogers is living in Washington DC, but what if there are better evils out there waiting?


X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

X-MEN-DAYS-OF-FUTURE-PAST

Director: Bryan Singer, Writer: Simon Kinberg (characters), Cast: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy

In a dark future where mutants are hunted down and exterminated by robotic sentinels called “mutant detectors”, Professor Charles Xavier must go back in time to convince the X-Men of the past to join together to change history and prevent this horrible reality from ever happening.


Isle of Dogs (2018)

ISLE-OF-DOGS

Director: Wes Anderson, Writer: Wes Anderson (characters), Voice Actors: Bryan Cranston.

A dog flu virus sweeps the world and infects all but one of Japan’s canines, who now must make their way to Trash Island until a cure is found. The story follows Atari Kobayashi as he searches for his lost dog, Spots.


Captain America: Civil War (2016)

CAPTAIN-AMERICA-CIVIL-WAR

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo (characters), Cast: Chris Evans

After the events of Age of Ultron, The Avengers have torn apart when Tony Stark and Steve Rogers finally clash.


Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

STAR-WARS-THE-LAST-JEDI

Director: Rian Johnson, Writer: Rian Johnson (characters), Cast: Daisy Ridley

With the Resistance on the brink of defeat and Leia’s life in danger, Luke Skywalker receives one last chance to make things right. This movie has a lot of lessons about persistence and patience.


Splash (1984)

SPLASH

Director: Ron Howard, Writer: Leslie Dixon (characters), Cast: Tom Hanks

In this adaptation of the popular children’s book by Hans Christian Andersen, a young boy acquires an unusual friend – one that he can’t touch. This movie is best for kids over the age of 12 looking to explore their emotions and take a deep dive into their own minds.


Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)

EVER AFTER - A CINDERELLA STORY

Director: Andy Tennant, Writer: Melissa Rosenberg (characters), Cast: Drew Barrymore

This live-action adaptation of the Cinderella tale is told from a new perspective – her stepsister Anastasia. This movie teaches kids how to be kind and understanding even when others act selfish or mean. It’s one of the best action movies to stream on Disney+ in New Zealand.


WINNIE THE POOH (2011)

WINNIE-THE-POOH

Director: Steve Hickner, Writer: Stephen A. Hovey (characters), Cast: Jim Cummings

This animated film is a re-imagining of the classic story written by British author A.A. Milne follows Pooh as he finds his friends captured after being turned into animals in an evil scheme to find a treasure. This movie is best for kids aged three to six looking for an entertaining and imaginative story from their favourite childhood characters.


MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS (2012)

MARVEL'S-THE-AVENGERS

Director: Joss Whedon, Writers: Stan Lee (comic book), Jack Kirby (comic book), Larry Lieber(comic book) Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans

This is a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name and tells how they all work together to defeat Loki, who has been wreaking havoc after stealing a powerful artifact. To have a thorough grasp of Marvel, watch marvel movies in order of release date in NZ.


STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE (1977)

STAR-WARS-EPISODE-IV-A-NEW-HOPE

Director: George Lucas, Writer and Cast: The film’s cast includes Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa.

This is the first instalment in the Star Wars franchise and focuses on a group of rebels who have been fighting against an oppressive Galactic Empire. A boy named Luke Skywalker has been sent by his uncle to deliver the droid R-D20 but is captured and forced into a giant battle station where he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi. The two team up with Han Solo and Chewbacca in an attempt to save Princess Leia from the evil clutches of Darth Vader.


GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)

GUARDIANS-OF-THE-GALAXY-2014

Director: James Gunn, Writer and Cast: The film’s cast includes Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Vin Diesel as Groot.

The Guardians of the Galaxy are a fictional team of superheroes in comic books published by Marvel Comics. This movie centres around five intergalactic criminals drafted by the Marvel Universe’s governing body, the Nova Corps, to form a team that must stop Ronan from destroying Xandar.


DISNEYNATURE MONKEY KINGDOM (2015)

DISNEY-NATURE-MONKEY-KINGDOM

Director: Mark Linfield, Writer and Cast: The film’s cast includes Morgan Freeman as Narrator.

An animated feature that takes viewers on a destination-based journey to the heart of wild Asia with one of the most adored animals on earth—The Monkey. Elephant herds in Sri Lanka, giant pandas in China, sloth bears in India, and orangutans in Borneo are just a few of the many animal subjects.


THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989)

THE-LITTLE-MERMAID

Director: Ron Clements, Writer, and Cast: The film’s cast includes Jodi Benson as Ariel.

This animated adventure tells the classic story of a little mermaid who trades her tail for legs so that she can experience life on land with the dashing Prince Eric in this 1989 Disney masterpiece. A tale filled with music, romance, and good humor, the movie introduces an impetuous mermaid who longs for freedom and independence. Ariel trades her tail to marry a man she doesn’t know so that she can be with Prince Eric on land.


THE LION KING (1994)

THE-LION-KING

Directed by Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff.

Written by Linda Woolverton, Jonathan Roberts.

CAST: Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons.

The circle of life is dramatized with animation in this Disney classic as Simba, a lion cub is born and grows up to become king.


FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)

FANTASTIC-MR-FOX

Director: Wes Anderson, Writer, and Cast: The film’s cast includes George Clooney as Mr Fox

Based on the book by Roald Dahl, Fantastic Mr Fox follows two narratives at once. A family of foxes live together in their home with various animals like chickens for dinner (the wild side) and another where the same animals are chased down and killed by three farmers (the domestic side).


THOR: RAGNAROK (2017)

THOR-RAGNAROK

Director: Taika Waititi Writer: Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett. Idris Elba

In this sequel to 2011’s Thor and 2013’s Thor the Dark World, things have changed for both God of Thunder and Asgard. Thor’s brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is the ruler of Asgard, and Thor has been banished to Earth with no memory of who he was or his purpose. When a threat from beyond their world strikes at the heart of both Asgard and Earth in Hela, Goddess of Death, played by Cate Blanchett, Thor must return and take his rightful place as a god.


STAR WARS: EPISODE VII – THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015)

STAR-WARS-EPISODE-VII-THE-FORCE-AWAKENS

Director: J.J. Abrams Writer: Lawrence Kasdan, John Williams Cast: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher

In the aftermath of Star Wars Episode VI – Return of Jedi (1983), Luke Skywalker has vanished, and a new threat to the galaxy emerges in the form of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who is aided by the Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis)


STAR WARS: EPISODE V – THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)

STAR-WARS-EPISODE-V-THE-EMPIRE-STRIKES-BACK

Director: Irvin Kershner Writer: Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan Cast: Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill

When Darth Vader (Ian McDiarmid) and the Imperial Forces are sweeping across the galaxy with their new Death Star to take out rebellion forces led by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is missing and presumed dead. The rebel alliance must use all of their strength to avoid being annihilated by the Empire.


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)

BEAUTY-AND-THE-BEAST

Director: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise Writer: Linda Woolverton Cast: Paige O’Hara and Robby Benson.

The selfish Prince Adam (Robby Benson) is turned into a beast by an enchantress as punishment for his cold-heartedness. No longer content to live alone in his enchanted castle, the Beast (Robby Benson) decided to find a wife.


QUEEN OF KATWE (2016)

QUEEN-OF-KATWE

Director: Mira Nair Writer: William Nicholson and Elizabeth Winthrop Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo.

The true story of a young girl from the poverty-stricken slums of rural Uganda discovered by an American coach dreams of turning her into the next world chess champion.


IRON MAN (2008)

IRON-MAN

Director: Jon Favreau Writer: Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard.

When the world’s most powerful billionaire is held hostage by a terrorist, he is forced to construct the most powerful weapon on Earth.


RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON (2021)

RAYA-AND-THE-LAST-DRAGON

Director: John Ross

Writer: Robert D. Cardona

CAST: Dakota Fanning, Salma Hayek, Linda Lavin, James Franco (voice) and more!

A teenage girl discovers a mythical creature with the power to bring her family back together in this deeply moving animated adventure based on the book by R.A. Montgomery and Amy Moore-Benson. This movie is full of magic and adventure, a story for the whole family.


FINDING DORY (2016)

FINDING-DORY

Director: Andrew Stanton

Writer: Lindsey Collins (screenplay), Victoria Strouse, Bob Peterson (story)

CAST: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, and more!

Dory is a wide-eyed, blue tang fish who suffers from memory loss every ten seconds or so. The one thing she can remember is that she somehow became separated from her parents as a child. So with help from Nemo and Marlin, Dory embarks on an epic adventure to find them.


AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019)

AVENGERS-ENDGAME

Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo

Written by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely

CAST: Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman.

The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.


BLACK IS KING (2020)

BLACK-IS-KING

Director: Pepe Larraz;

Writer: Gregory Langston III, Ericka Washburn (co-writer);

CAST: Ashley Blaine Featherson, Dennis Haysbert

In a black kingdom ruled by a cruel queen who has outlawed emotions, a benevolent king returns and forms an uneasy truce with the queen.


ALADDIN (1992)

ALADDIN

Director: Ron Clements, John Musker;

Writer: Linda Woolverton (screenplay);

CAST: Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Jonathan Freeman

A street urchin named Aladdin is granted three wishes by a magical Genie who has been imprisoned in a lamp. So, with the help of his friend Genies and Princess Jasmine, Aladdin embarks on an incredible adventure to defeat the ruthless Jafar and win his love.


THE STRAIGHT STORY (1999)

THE-STRAIGHT-STORY

Director: David Lynch;

Writer(s): John Roach (screenplay);

CAST: Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek

In 1973 Wisconsin, Alvin Straight Jr. and his daughter Rose took a trip of over 200 miles to visit her mother in Winfree, Texas, riding on an old lawnmower.


THE MUPPETS (2011)

THE-MUPPETS

Director: James Bobin;

Writers(s): Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller;

CAST: Ricky Gervais

A family who can’t find the perfect Christmas gift for their son turns to The Muppets, and Kermit is happy to help.


MOANA (2016)

MOANA

Director: Ron Clements, John Musker;

Writer(s): Jared Bush (story), Lin-Manuel Miranda (lyrics);

CAST: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

This epic movie about humanity’s last daughter’s adventurous spirit sets out to restore peace to her island home. She does so with the help of a demi-god named Maui, who is not without his own flaws. This movie has some amazing music and teaches kids about the importance of family.


SOUL (2020)

SOUL

Director: Charlie Lightening

Writer(s): Damon Ryder-Curenton (story)

A young boy with a special gift is taken to an elite boarding school. He soon discovers that he has the power of astral projection and uses it to help his friends in need.


RATATOUILLE (2007)

RATATOUILLE

Director: Angus MacLane

Writer(s) (screenplay): John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton

CAST: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack

The animated short tells the story of what happens when Buzz Lightyear and his friends find themselves lost in a spooky house on Halloween. This movie has important lessons for kids to learn about the importance of being themselves and not trying to be someone they’re not.


BLACK PANTHER (2018)

BLACK-PANTHER

Director: Ryan Coogler

Writer(s) (screenplay): Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole

CAST: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o

Prince T’challa of Wakanda must rise to claim his rightful place as king and protector in this Marvel superhero film. A former king is thrown down, and a new power rises up to take his place in this movie, filled with adventure and suspense.


WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (1988)

WHO-FRAMED-ROGER-RABBIT

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Writer(s): Ron W. Miller, Gary K. Wolf

CAST: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy

Based on the book from 1981 by Gary K. Wolf and directed by Robert Zemeckis in 1988, this film is about a toon rabbit named Roger Rabbit accused of murder. The film follows a detective as he unravels the mystery about who framed Roger Rabbit and how they did it in this comedic thriller set against a classic 1940’s era American backdrop.


FREE SOLO (2018)

FREE-SOLO

Director: Terry Jones

Writer(s): Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle; Michael Palin

CAST: Graham Chapman, Carol Cleveland, John Cleese

This 1975 film is an adaptation of the medieval legend about King Arthur and his knights. In this story, a brave knight sets out on a quest to find the Holy Grail.


THE INCREDIBLES (2004)

THE-INCREDIBLES

Directed by Brad Bird.

Written by Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava, Robert Clement, Ian La Frenais.

CAST: Ellen Parr (voice), Craig T Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L Jackson.

When a new villain begins to threaten the world, a family of superheroes comes together to defeat him.


COCO (2017)

COCO

Director: Lee Unkrich

Writer: Adrian Molina, Matthew Aldrich

CAST:(voice): Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt; Renée Victor (narrator)

This 2017 Disney Pixar movie is about a young boy who sets out to find his family history. He does this by entering the dead land, a world where he finds his family and other people from different cultures.


SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)

SNOW-WHITE-AND-THE-SEVEN-DWARFS

Director: David Hand

Writer(s): Otto Englander, Richard Rickard, Larry Morey

CAST: Adriana Caselotti (voice of Snow White), Harry Stockwell (voice of Prince Charming)

This Disney animated film tells the story of a beautiful princess taken into exile by an evil queen and has to escape from her and the queen’s huntsman.


HAMILTON (2020)

HAMILTON

Director: Thomas Kail

Writer(s): Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alex Lacamoire (Book), Jeffrey Seller, Jill Furmanovskiy

CAST: Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Christopher Jackson

HAMILTON is a musical about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The show explores our country’s origins from a non-traditional perspective. This show will be an emotional and educational experience for everyone who sees it.


ZOOTOPIA (2016)

ZOOTOPIA

Director: Byron Howard, Rich Moore

Writer(s): Jared Bush

CAST: Ginnifer Goodwin, Idris Elba, Jason Bateman

ZOOTOPIA tells a story about an animal-human hybrid named Judy Hopps. She wants to become a police officer in the animal world, but she needs to prove herself first. The movie has a great plot and will teach kids about diversity in the workplace as well as teamwork.


TOY STORY 3 (2010)

TOY-STORY-3

Director: Lee Unkrich

Writers: Michael Arndt, John Lasseter

CAST: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack

TOY STORY is a series of movies about toys that come to life. Toy Story 3 focuses on Woody and Buzz Lightyear, who are thrown out of their owner’s home. Woody must find a way to save the toys from being destroyed by taking them to a daycare centre while Buzz goes to find his way back to Andy.


INSIDE OUT (2015)

INSIDE-OUT

Director: Pete Docter

Writers: Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve

CAST: Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Phyllis Smith

Inside Out tells the story of Riley’s life inside her head. The movie has many emotional moments that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. It follows the emotions of Joy, Sadness, Fear, and Disgust as they try to help Riley adjust to her new life in Minnesota.


FINDING NEMO (2003)

FINDING-NEMO

Director: Andrew Stanton

Writers: Bob Peterson, David Reynolds

CAST: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould

Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney. To find his way home, Nemo must learn how the seagulls fly from land into the sea while finding a friend in Dory. This movie is great for kids of all ages and adults alike because it is incredibly fun and has teachable lessons about friendship and the dangers of overprotective parenting.


TOY STORY (1995)

TOY STORY

Directed by John Lasseter.

Written by Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton.

CAST: Tom Hanks as Woody the cowboy; Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear the space ranger action figure who’s a space ranger; Wallace Shawn as Rex the dinosaur who’s a T. rex toy and more.

This particular version of Toy Story is the original and offers an interesting look at why some toys are favourites. In addition, the movie offers valuable lessons about friendship, loyalty and what it means to be a kid.


TOY STORY 2 (1999)

TOY STORY 2

Director: John Lasseter

Writers: Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton

CAST: Tom Hanks (voices of), Tim Allen (voices of)

Toy Story is an animated movie about toys that come to life when humans are not around. The sequel takes place as Andy’s family prepares for a movie, and the toys have to find a new home. Buzz Lightyear takes the lead and is determined to bring them all together safely, but Woody’s old habits get in the way of that goal. An entertaining story full of humor and heartwarming moments, Toy Story, offers something for everyone!


The Disney Channel in NZ has a wide variety of family-friendly movies that are perfect for date night, anytime you need to relax, or even if you’re just looking for something new. If you haven’t seen any of these romantic films yet, don’t miss out! Sign up now and watch them all on the go with your loved ones. Which movie would be your favorite?

 

Ellison Shirley

Dive into the world of TV, sports, and cinema with Ellison Shirley, your guide to the latest in entertainment. From gripping sports matches to blockbuster movies, Ellison's insights illuminate the screen, making your favorite shows and events come alive. Discover the thrill of the small screen and the big game through her expert eyes.

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