53 Movies to Watch with Tweens & Young Teens

The younger sister of Sherlock Holmes has her own mysteries to solve in this charming and funny family movie on Netflix, perfect for tweens and older kids who are able to keep up with the plot twists and clues.

Alexandra F. said:  This is definitely one of the best family movies on Netflix right now! My teens and I loved it - it captured our attention from the moment it started to the very end, and was funny, charming, and so much fun to watch. And, the sequel is even better!

Alexandra F. said:  There is really nothing like watching this show live, but after having seen the musical my teens and I were really happy to be able to watch it over (and over) again whenever the bug would hit us without having to wait for a live performance!

Kim Dick Fuller said:  We showed our kids Napoleon Dynamite last night. Our kids thought it was funny. High School!

Guardians of the Galaxy is a seriously funny Marvel movie with big appeal for teens (and a great soundtrack), following a ragtag group of outlaws that unite to save the galaxy.

Alexandra F. said:  This space adventure is another story from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a more humorous spin than most other MCU films, and a seriously awesome 70s inspired soundtrack. This is a good movie for tweens that offers exciting action that is not too intense, funny jokes and banter, and an introduction to a pretty great era of music.

Amy S. said:  An inspiring movie about an amazing animal! Togo tells the true story of a champion dogsled trainer and his lead sled dog, Togo. Together, they lead a team of sled dogs across Alaska to deliver medicine to a small town that is suffering from a diphtheria outbreak. Compelling story, stunning visuals, and a dog who will win your heart—just be ready for a few tears!

A family favorite for many, the saga of Luke Skywalker now spans nine films, though opinions vary on whether Star Wars fans should start with the original Episode 4 or the more recent Episode 1.

Kelly R said:  My family has loved watching the Star Wars movies together since my kids were preschool-age, and at this point they have seen them all. We appreciate that they are exciting, funny, and action-filled without a lot of bad language, gore and adult situations.

Alexandra F. said:  This is the movie my tweens watch over and over and over again, and I am usually right there with them! We all love the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but this is everyone's favorite MCU movie, hands down. No need to watch the first two Thor movies either - you will be able to follow along with this action-packed, yet lighthearted and hilarious, superhero film about Thor trying to save his home planet from his evil half sister without the back story. As in many PG13 movies, watch out for a handful of references to adult situations, but these are pretty minimal.

Shang-Chi's father has conquered nations and lived many lifetimes of incredible violence with his legendary rings of power. Shang-Chi tries to escape this legacy, but is inevitably drawn back in, having to face his father and protect the world from some epic, mystical monsters while he's at it.

Alexandra F. said:  Our family loved this addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with absolutely riveting martial arts scenes, a great cast of characters, and beautiful, fantastical settings that were all the cooler for taking place alongside more relatable urban ones.

Alexandra F. said:  This is an epic adventure story that spans four action-packed movies. A team of superheroes including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk comes together to save the world - and the universe - from destruction again and again. Though there are plenty of intense battle scenes, the violence is not overly gory or graphic and the adult language and references fairly minimal.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a fun, action-packed fantasy adventure that follows a charming thief and his misfit crew as they embark on a quest to recover a lost relic and save their world. With humor, heart, and plenty of magic, it’s an entertaining ride for both longtime fans and newcomers.

Alexandra F. said:  We loved this new family movie based on the enormously popular role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons. And, we were totally able to follow along, even though none of us have ever played D&D. It was funny, light-hearted and had a great story and cast of characters. It's a fantasy adventure film so it features plenty of magical battles, sword fights, and a few surprises that might be bit scary for young kids (like a dead body suddenly popping up out of a grave), but overall I thought it was quite family friendly. Highly recommend, especially for tweens and up!

Alexandra F. said:  Johnny Depp is absolutely incredible as the quirky and hilarious Captain Jack Sparrow in this live action movie based on the iconic ride at the Disney parks. An epic adventure story featuring pirates, magic curses, and plenty of sword fights, this is a super fun and well-done film, and a favorite movie for my 13-year-old. There are a fair amount of violent and other gruesome scenes (think rotting, animated skeletons) that would probably make it too scary for many younger kids, but perfect for tweens and up. Though a bunch of sequels have been made, this first one is far and away the best.

Clue is a clever, quick-moving farce based on the classic murder-mystery board game. It follows the Clue characters (Mr. Green, Mrs. White, Col. Mustard, etc) over a hilarious evening as they try to uncover the murderer among them.

Alexandra F. said:  This has been one of our tweens' favorite 80s movies that we've shared with them yet. Watch out for lots of sexual innuendos and double entendres, but enjoy the witty dialogue and spectacular cast.

Mission: Impossible is an action-packed spy thriller that follows Ethan Hunt, a secret agent framed for betrayal, as he races to uncover the real mole and clear his name.

Alexandra F. said:  This iconic Tom Cruise action thriller was a huge hit when we watched it for family movie night with our 12 & 15-year-olds, and we soon made our way through all of the sequels. (The second was the only one that fell flat, the rest were all winners.) The action can be pretty intense, with explosions, knife fights, gunfire and the like, but the camera usually cuts away before the violence gets graphic, and the stunts are incredible. It'd be worth previewing with your kid in mind, but it's an awesome action movie for tweens and teens that parents will enjoy watching just as much.

Alexandra F. said:  Leonardo DiCaprio is a professional thief who steals valuable secrets by entering the subconscious of his subjects while they are dreaming. The plot for this movie is complex (and SO good!), but even my teen who is notorious for missing simple plot lines was able to follow along once we told her to pay close attention. It's such an original story, with riveting action scenes and cool stunts that don't really cross the line into being overly violent or graphic, and it was a great movie to watch with our 12 and 15-year-olds.

Alexandra F. said:  This murder mystery is phenomenal, and just so smart. We watched the movie with my 11-year-old and 13-year-old, and all of us really enjoyed it. It is a murder mystery, so beware of a scene where the victim's bloody body is found, and another where the camera cuts away as someone is about to slit their own throat. These scenes aside, it is not a violent movie, and is really about the mystery, showcasing clever writing and humor. There is a lot of cursing throughout, though if this is not a dealbreaker for your family, it is a great movie to watch with tweens and teens. The sequel is also phenomenal!