Published: July 13, 2023
Top 10 Family Movies Celebrating Adoption and Foster Care
By Movieguide® Contributor
Many Christian families are answering God’s call on their lives to become foster parents or adopt a child into their family. While it can be an adjustment for all involved, these inspiring films celebrate adoption and foster families. From Tigger searching for his kind to an adorable alien far from his galaxy, these characters find their place in a new home.
THE TIGGER MOVIE
Moviegoers of all ages can return with Christopher Robin to the Hundred Acre Wood in Walt Disney’s animated work, THE TIGGER MOVIE. This time the focus is on Tigger, the boisterous, bouncy feline from the Hundred Acre Wood. He is sad that he doesn’t have any other tiggers to go bouncing with him. His friends go out of their way to help him, but their efforts fail. Finally, a test of their friendship shows everyone what true caring means. It contains a strong moral worldview with Christian elements of caring, sacrifice & friendship. THE TIGGER MOVIE is an animated feature that the whole family can enjoy.
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STUART LITTLE
In STUART LITTLE, a human family in New York City adopts a little white mouse named Stuart, who has trouble fitting in despite his big courageous heart. The parents’ human son initially shuns the new addition to the family, but the two become close friends during a toy boat race in Central Park. Things get a little hairy for Stuart when a group of alley cats decides to “scratch him out.” The movie features a strong moral worldview about supporting & looking out for family members. There are only a couple of minor problems in the story. The pro-family message could have been stronger, without very mild politically correct elements. STUART LITTLE is a nutty fairy tale for the whole family to enjoy.
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MEET THE ROBINSONS
MEET THE ROBINSONS tugs at the heartstrings and tickles the funnybone. The story opens with a baby left at an orphanage. Years later, the orphan, a boy genius named Lewis, decides that he’ll never be adopted. He builds a machine to explore his memories so he can remember his mother and possibly find her. At this moment, Wilbur Robinson shows up from the future to tell Lewis that the villainous Bowler Hat Guy has come from the future to steal his machine. It contains a very strong moral worldview with great moral and redemptive elements. MEET THE ROBINSONS is a fun movie for the 7+ crowd.
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LILO & STITCH
Disney’s animated comedy, LILO & STITCH, is a delightful discovery. Lilo’s parents died in a car accident, and her older sister, Nani is raising her in Hawaii. #626, an illegal life form created by an evil scientist in a distant galaxy, crash lands in Hawaii. Posing as a puppy, #626 is grabbed up by Lilo. Hilarious antics ensue as Nani and Lilo try to teach him how to fit in. LILO & STITCH has a strong moral worldview stressing the value of family, yet contains light, comic references to evolution and voodoo.
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ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (1934)
The 1934 version of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES opens with Matthew Culbert coming to the train station to pick up a boy he and his sister Marilla had agreed to adopt (in part to help with farm work). To his surprise, the orphanage sent a very talkative and imaginative girl named Anne Shirley. On bringing her home, Marilla wants her returned to the orphanage, but Anne wins their hearts with her wildly spunky and imaginative character. ANNE OF GREEN GABLES has a strong, Christian moral worldview with themes of love and forgiveness.
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TARZAN
Walt Disney Pictures’ TARZAN is the first animated feature to focus on the legendary jungle hero. Using a “deep canvas,” 3-D effect where Tarzan swings, skids and flips through the jungle as the camera zooms in and around the landscape, this mostly moral story has some mild action violence and some political correctness which calls for parents to spend a media-wise moment with their children if they allow their children see it. Unlike some other recent Disney animated movies, TARZAN doesn’t have New Age religion, ancestral worship, talking trees, or revisionist history.
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DESPICABLE ME 2
DESPICABLE ME 2 is another hilarious, heartfelt outing with Gru, his adorable adopted daughters, and their little, yellow minion helpers. A new villain has stolen a new secret formula that converts sweet little animals into horrible monsters. A secret international organization can’t stop the new villain, so they recruit Gru. After all, who can stop a villain better than another villain? It contains a very strong moral worldview about doing the right thing, caring for others, protecting your family, being loyal, standing for the truth, protecting your children, and some Christian, redemptive elements.
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KUNG FU PANDA 2
KUNG FU PANDA 2 opens with Po the chubby panda now living his dream as the Dragon Warrior. Po protects the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, the Furious Five. Po’s awesome new life is threatened, however, by the emergence of Lord Shen, who’s been gathering metal in all the villages to make a bunch of cannons and take over China. It’s up to Po and the Furious Five to journey across China to face Lord Shen and vanquish him.
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EARTH TO ECHO
EARTH TO ECHO is a rousing science fiction tale about three 13-year-old friends, Tuck, Munch and Alex. They try to have one last adventure before each of their families has to move under government orders so a highway can be built through their neighborhood. Each of their cell phones starts getting mysterious images onscreen that turn out to be maps. The signal appears to be from the desert 20 miles away. The boys decide to investigate. They find government men with flashlights searching the area. They find the source of the signal, a little robot-like alien they name Echo. The boys decide to help the alien get back home.
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INSTANT FAMILY
INSTANT FAMILY stars Mark Wahlberg as a housing contractor named Pete, who buys shoddy homes and works with his wife, Ellie, to flip them. They finally realize they might want children after years of denying it. They decide to adopt, with Ellie exploring foster care sites. Working through two social workers, they join a support group designed to teach them about the difficulties inherent in adopting foster kids. They pick a pretty but feisty 15-year-old girl named Lizzy, only to find she has a younger brother and sister she can’t abandon. The children turn Pete and Ellie’s life upside down.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
