
Top 10 Tween Movies with Positive Messages
By Movieguide® Contributor
It can be hard to find the perfect movie for your tween, right? Is it cool enough for them (not too childish)? Is it appropriate for them (not too mature)? There is no shortage of titles, from ENCANTO to OVERCOMER, and OUT OF MY MIND to PRINCESS DIARIES. We’ve got you covered with a round-up of our top ten movies with positive messages for tweens.


THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023)
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+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)Ariel, a beautiful mermaid, desperately wants to see what humans are like and is willing to do whatever it takes to find out in THE LITTLE MERMAID. THE LITTLE MERMAID has a moral worldview showing an evil witch who is seen as bad. Although this is the case, the movie does have some scary elements for younger children.
Full Review ⇾


ENCANTO
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+2 Moderately questionable elements.ENCANTO is a lively animated musical about a girl living in an isolated magical village in Colombia where everyone in her family has a magical gift but her, but she becomes the only one who can save her family from losing its magic. Beautifully produced, funny and heartwarming, ENCANTO sounds like it could be filled with witchcraft, but the movie explicitly states that family is the real magic and contains overt Christian references, themes, images, and symbolism, which form the backdrop to the story and plot.
Full Review ⇾


OVERCOMER
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+4 Biblical, usually Christian, worldview, with no questionable elements whatsoever.OVERCOMER is the heartwarming, often funny, poignant story of a young, new track star named Hannah who runs to Christ with the help of a basketball coach. OVERCOMER features a very strong Christian worldview and is filled with many touching, poignant moments.
Full Review ⇾


OUT OF MY MIND
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+3 Some minor questionable elements. (Media-wisdom is suggested to discuss.)OUT OF MY MIND on Disney+ highlights the abilities of those with disabilities as a young girl with cerebral palsy proves she’s just as capable as a normal girl. OUT OF MY MIND is a wonderful, uplifting movie stressing the inherent value all humans have along with the importance of a strong family and includes some prayers and positive references to God.
Full Review ⇾


SAVING BIKINI BOTTOM: THE SANDY CHEEKS MOVIE
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+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)SAVING BIKINI BOTTOM: THE SANDY CHEEKS MOVIE is an animated comedy on Netflix where Sandy Cheeks, the intrepid squirrel and marine biologist living on Bikini Bottom, and her friend, the eternally optimistic SpongeBob SquarePants, must rescue the inhabitants of Bikini Bottom from a crazed woman who wants to turn them into a line of cloned, cuddly living toys. SAVING BIKINI BOTTOM is typical SpongeBob, funny, absurd and silly, with a heartfelt theme about family saving family, but there are some slightly scary parts, such as a scene where Sandy’s Texas family helps her fight off a band of hungry rattlesnakes.
Full Review ⇾


INSIDE OUT
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+2 Moderately questionable elements.INSIDE OUT is an animated comedy about a young girl who has a wonderful life, until her family moves to San Francisco and her emotions get out of control. INSIDE OUT is a well-made, delightful movie with a great plot line, excellent animation and a strong moral worldview.
Full Review ⇾


THE GARFIELD MOVIE
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+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)THE GARFIELD MOVIE is an animated comedy that shows how Garfield became the gluttonous feline we all know and love and how an evil cat forces Garfield, his long-lost father and Odie the dog to heist some milk from a dairy farm. THE GARFIELD MOVIE is never boring and contains many heartwarming emotional moments and a very strong moral worldview about a father and son reconciliation, but some of the scary moments are a little too intense.
Full Review ⇾


THE PRINCESS DIARIES
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+3 Some minor questionable elements. (Media-wisdom is suggested to discuss.)THE PRINCESS DIARIES is a G-rated modern fairy tale about a teenage girl in San Francisco who finds out that she is heir to the throne of a small European nation. THE PRINCESS DIARIES is a wonderful, wholesome filmmaking gem, a movie that children and young teenagers should want to see over and over.
Full Review ⇾


CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET
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+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)In CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET on Netflix, Rocky the Rooster and his wife Ginger must save their daughter from becoming a chicken nugget on a farm that’s meant to fool naïve little chickens. CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET is a funny and exciting morality tale, with a strong message that children should obey their parents, but caution is advised for younger children because of some scary cartoon violence.
Full Review ⇾


TOY STORY 4
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+2 Moderately questionable elements.TOY STORY 4 is another breakthrough in great computer animation, and even greater storytelling, with a story about Woody needing to rescue a new friend who’s being held hostage in an antique shop. Filled with laughter, tears, thrills, and romance, TOY STORY 4 has a few scary scenes that merit caution for very young children.
Full Review ⇾

Watch THE VELVETEEN RABBIT →
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- Content: +3


Watch THE CHOSEN: EPISODE 2.5: Spirit →
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- Content: +3
