Published: August 21, 2023
10 Exciting Family Movies For Animal Lovers
The Bible says in Job 12:10, “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” Celebrating God’s creation is a wonderful way to honor Him. This Movieguide® list features movies with animal lovers in mind. From a talking pig to a culinary rat, these entertaining family movies celebrate God’s creatures, no matter how small.
MADAGASCAR
MADAGASCAR is a fun family movie about a kooky band of zoo animals. Marty the zebra, Alex the Lion, Gloria the hippo and Melman the giraffe are shipped to Africa after animal rights activists convince the zoo to do so. Their crates break free during the voyage, and the animals find themselves stranded on the island of Madagascar. It’s an adorable animated film with a very strong moral worldview extolling friendship and loyalty. Parents should know there is cartoon violence and light language. Animal lovers and kids ages 7+ will love MADAGASCAR.
Full Review ⇾
BABE
Kids who like animal movies will enjoy watching BABE. The plot centers around a piglet who learns to herd sheep with the guidance of Farmer Hogget. It’s a charming story (with talking animals) set on a rural England farm. The film contains a strong moral worldview focusing on loving your neighbor. Parents should know there is light profanity and mild violence but nothing too salacious. Movieguide® suggests caution for kids under 6. BABE is the perfect movie for all animal lovers that the whole family can enjoy.
Full Review ⇾
FINDING DORY
FINDING DORI is the follow-up film to the beloved animated movie FINDING NEMO. This time the plot centers around the absent-minded fish Dory, who embarks on a journey to find her long-lost parents. Marlin and Nemo join her in the search and learn lessons about the true meaning of family. It’s a delightful movie with a very strong moral worldview and only a few scenes with light cartoon violence. Best of all, FINDING DORY gives kids a glimpse of ocean life, making it a fantastic watch for curious 6+ kids.
Full Review ⇾
CHARLOTTE'S WEB
CHARLOTTES’ WEB is a live-action movie based on E.B. White’s classic children’s book. A young farm girl named Fern rescues a little pig that she dubs Wilbur. Her father plans to kill Wilbur since he is the runt of the litter. When Wilbur gets too big, Fern keeps him at her uncle’s farm, where he makes friends with a spider named Charlotte. CHARLOTTE’s WEB has an extremely moral worldview that teaches the power of friendship and is safe for the whole family to view.
Full Review ⇾
SING
If your child loves animals and enjoys music, then the animated musical SING will be right up their alley. Buster Moon is a koala who devises a singing contest to pay for his failing theater. The contestants’ dreams are dashed when a mistake leads them to believe they can win $100,000 instead of $1000. The movie has a strong moral worldview extolling the advantages of hard work. Parents should know there is cartoon peril. Movieguide® suggests caution for young kids due to some questionable moments. Kids 7+ will love singing along with the anthropomorphic characters.
Full Review ⇾
THE LION KING
THE LION KING is a Disney-animated musical featuring fun songs and beautiful animation. It tells the story of Simba, a lion cub whose the rightful heir to the throne of Pride Rock. Yet, his bitter Uncle Scar aims to claim the throne himself. It has a strong moral, redemptive worldview with themes of good vs. evil. Parents should know there is cartoon jeopardy and some scary scenes, so use caution with young children. THE LION KING is a thrilling romp for kids 6 and up.
Full Review ⇾
BOLT
BOLT is about a dog in a superhero show on TV who thinks he truly possesses superpowers. Bolt remains on the set to shelter his belief that he’s a super dog. One day, the shooting goes awry. Trying to save his TV companion, Penny, Bolt accidentally gets shipped to New York City. He teams up with a cat named Mittens and a hamster named Rhino to fight real danger, including escaping animal control to return to Hollywood. BOLT has a strong moral worldview and is a fun adventure for the 5+ crowd.
Full Review ⇾
BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE
BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE is a charming movie based on the novel by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. It follows a girl named Opal, whose father is a new preacher in an unfamiliar town. In answer to her prayer, a mischievous dog she befriends at the grocery store helps her make new friends. While the film has Christian themes of love and forgiveness, there are romantic “follow your heart” messages. There’s also light violence and language. Despite a few biblical missteps, it’s a sweet story about the difference one girl can make in her community with the help of God’s love.
Full Review ⇾
RATATOUILLE
RATATOUILLE is a charming animated feature about a gifted rat who aspires to be a chef. He teams up with a young garbage boy at a famous restaurant in Paris to conquer the culinary world. The film features light Christian references and has a strong moral worldview. It has plenty of cartoon violence, light peril and mild language, so RATATOUILLE is more appropriate for kids 7 and up. Movieguide® suggests caution for young children as some scenes may be scary. Otherwise, it’s a savory story the entire family can take a bite of.
Full Review ⇾
EVAN ALMIGHTY
EVAN ALMIGHTY is a cute film about Evan Baxter (from BRUCE ALMIGHTY), who moves his family to Washington D.C. as a newly elected Congressmen. Things take a turn when God appears, instructing Evan to build an ark. The movie includes scriptural references but isn’t 100% biblically sound, so parents may want to have a follow-up conversation. It wouldn’t be a story about an ark without several scenes with adorable animals. There is light profanity and comic violence. EVAN ALMIGHTY is an exciting option for parents, tweens and teens.
Full Review ⇾
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.
