With the massive increase in digital effects, these technological advancements defined family movies in the 2010s, telling stories that weren't possible before. CGI brought beautiful imaginative worlds to life in landmark stories for children of all ages, with films like Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and the Paddington films showing what was possible.
This rise in digital effects also opened the doors for a wide variety of more interesting and nuanced family films to be made, resulting in a number of them being overlooked or forgotten. There were a surprisingly high amount of great engaging family films released during the 2010s that deserve their own time in the spotlight.
10 'Mr. Popper's Penguins' (2011)
A truly underrated family comedy from Jim Carrey's filmography, Mr. Popper's Penguins follows Carrey as he accidentally inherits six mischievous penguins. While initially annoyed with the inclusion of these penguins into his life, he slowly begins to see them as a part of the family, transforming his New York apartment into the perfect penguin habitat.
The biggest draw for Mr. Popper's Penguins is the surprising amount of heart and kindness present at its center. Seeing Carrey's character change and evolve over the course of the film to be a more caring and accepting father figure provides a respectable amount of nuance to this silly slapstick comedy. The set design and production design are also a key highlight, especially when the apartment is completely covered in snow, becoming a beautiful homemade winter wonderland.
9 'We Bought a Zoo' (2011)
The perfectly titled We Bought a Zoo sees a father of two, Ben (played by Matt Damon), searching for a new home for his family following the passing of his wife. His search leads him to what seems to be the perfect property, with the major stipulation that it happens to be a zoo. Despite his better judgment, Ben ends up purchasing the zoo and does all that he can to get the animal sanctuary back up and running.
We Bought a Zoo has a relatively simple premise, yet the true beauty and strengths of the film come from what is hidden underneath the surface. The way the film shows all members of this family change and interact both because of the loss of their mother, and the harsh change in location, adds a lot of powerful emotional resonance in the film. Despite these moments, the film also has an important lighter side, with great comedic back and forth between characters, and an underrated comedic performance from John Michael Higgins.
8 'Earth to Echo' (2014)
Earth to Echo is a modern, found footage take on the classic family film alien story akin to E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Starman. The film follows a group of young children, who when a construction project begins in their neighborhood, get wrapped up in a mystery where they find an alien in need at the center. The group of kids then come together to help the alien return home, and away from the clutches of the authorities.
While found footage is a filmmaking style most commonly associated with horror films, its implementation into this film adds a high level of realism and stakes that fits perfectly with the story told. This unique style helps set itself apart from other family films that have told similar stories, making perfect use of these filmmaking techniques when they were at the height of their popularity.
7 'The Christmas Chronicles' (2018)
The Christmas Chronicles is Netflix's attempt at providing a modern contemporary spin on the classic tales of Santa Claus and Christmas spirit. The movie follows siblings Kate and Teddy as they attempt to get video footage of Santa Claus to prove that he is real. Their quest ends up getting much more substantial results than expected, and the two end up having to help Santa when they accidentally cause his sleigh to crash.
Kurt Russell feels like the perfect fit for a modern-day Santa Claus, and he absolutely does the jolly man right in this film with his own signature flair added in. The Christmas Chronicles does what all great holiday family films are able to accomplish and has a resonating message about the power and comfort that the holiday spirit can provide. The film was even successful enough to warrant a sequel, The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two.
6 'Tomorrowland' (2015)
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Based on the futuristic Disney theme park area, Tomorrowland tells a story of a beautiful futuristic world run by the brightest and most optimistic minds of our world. When teenager Casey finds a pin that gives her a vision of this futuristic utopia, she embarks on a journey to find out the origins of the pin and reach this utopia herself.
While much more well-known for his works on animated classics such as The Incredibles and Ratatouille, Brad Bird proves his flexibility as a director with Tomorrowland. Bird's directing style is absolutely the highlight of the film, as his style and trademarks as a director work perfectly for the world of Tomorrowland, which is very centered in a 1950s vision of the future. Tomorrowland also features a still relevant message about the importance of optimism in the face of despair and destruction, and how the next generation plays a key part in it all.
5 'The House with a Clock in Its Walls' (2018)
The House with a Clock in Its Walls tells the story of Lewis, a ten-year-old boy who was recently orphaned and is sent to live with his Uncle Jonathan. Lewis soon learns that his uncle is actually a warlock, and begins learning the ins and outs of magic under the wing of his uncle. This starts to go awry however when Lewis accidentally unleashes an unstoppable evil, and it's up to him and his new family to stop it.
While director Eli Roth is much more well known for his work in horror films, his style blends perfectly into the dark yet charming story seen in The House with a Clock in Its Walls. It also helps that the film has great supporting performances from both Jack Black and Cate Blanchett, whose performances both provide a great mix of gothic intrigue and family movie charm.
4 'The Kid Who Would Be King' (2019)
The Kid Who Would Be King is a modern-day rendition and retelling of the classic tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the round table. The film follows a young boy named Alex who finds and unearths the magical sword of Excalibur, and is thrust upon a quest to defeat the evil enchantress Morgana and save the world. Alex unites with a team consisting of friends, enemies, and even the legendary wizard Merlin on their quest to become true knights.
More than any other retelling of the classic Arthurian tales, The Kid Who Would Be King perfectly translates and understands the important themes of solidarity and resilience in the face of despair. The film is also filled with the perfect amount of childlike wonder and imagination, with a number of set pieces that can perfectly bring out one's inner child. Although it still views its characters and world through a serious and mature lens, perfectly being able to balance these otherworldly concepts with realistic youth struggles and inner turmoils
3 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules' (2011)
The second installment of the live-action Diary of a Wimpy Kid trilogy, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules follows Greg's continuing struggles connecting with his older brother, Rodrick. As their mother continues to force them to bond, the two are suddenly forced to look out for one another following a party gone wrong in order to save each other from getting grounded.
While the original Diary of a Wimpy Kid film gets the most attention out of the trilogy of films, this underrated sequel truly encapsulates the best that the entire trilogy has to offer. It features some of the best character work and development in the series, as we see genuine development and self-improvement from just about every character in the main cast. The film also features amazing comedic performances from Devon Bostick as Rodrick and Steve Zahn as Frank Heffley, who are both much more prominent in this film than in the previous.
2 'Mirror Mirror' (2012)
A modern live-action retelling of the classic tale of Snow White, Mirror Mirror shows the kingdom in ruin after a series of greedy decisions done by the evil queen (played by Julia Roberts). Things start to go wrong for the queen following the arrival of a prince (played by Armie Hammer) who, instead of taking a liking to her, finds himself falling in love with Snow White (played by Lily Collins).
Especially with the massive amount of live-action remakes and retellings of classic fairy tale stories, it's surprising just how much Mirror Mirror holds up over a decade after its release. It's a film that instead of strictly following the story of the original, uses the original story as a basis to tell its own memorable, engaging, and comedic story featuring these iconic characters. The comedic focus especially does a lot to the overall experience of the film, providing much-needed levity and originality at a time when these remakes were getting more and more serious in nature.
1 'Dora and the Lost City of Gold' (2019)
The live-action adaptation of the classic Nickelodeon children's cartoon, Dora and the Lost City of Gold sees Dora out of her element and forced to attend a normal high school. While initially struggling to fit in with her peers, she is suddenly kidnapped and transported to the jungle with a group of her classmates. This unexpected group must now work together in order to both save Dora's parents and uncover the fabled lost city of gold.
Dora and the Lost City of Gold only uses its source material as a stepping stone for its own ambitious family adventure film, a decision that surprisingly works heavily in its favor. The film comes across as a strange, beautiful love letter to the millennials and Gen Z viewers who have both recollections of the series as a child, as well as have grown up with more varied tastes. There's a constant tone of self-awareness that perpetuates in the film, creating a style that works perfectly for a concept as absurd as a live-action Dora the Explorer.