Family viewing means something that keeps both children and adults interested. Below are seven animated films that have long been considered classics, from hand-drawn to fully computer-animated. For each one: what it is about, who made it and what it is known for.
Facts come from Wikipedia pages checked on October 14, 2026. We don’t make up age ratings: before watching, check the age rating in your country and the description on the service where you are watching.
The Lion King
A young lion, Simba, exiled from the kingdom after his father’s death, has to decide whether to return. The plot is partly inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and the songs were written by Elton John and Tim Rice. According to Wikipedia, the film became the highest-grossing film of 1994 over its run ($763 million), won two Oscars and a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and remains the highest-grossing traditionally animated film. It was also the best-selling film on home video: according to Wikipedia, more than 55 million copies were sold.
Who it’s for: for those who love animated musicals with a serious story.
The Lion KingCartoon · 1994 · animationWhere to watch and the card →Toy Story
In a world where toys come to life, cowboy Woody fears losing his place as the favorite toy of the boy Andy when Andy receives the space ranger Buzz Lightyear. It is the first feature film made entirely with computer animation, and Pixar’s first feature film. The script was written by Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow. The premiere took place on November 19, 1995; the film grossed more than $363 million and became the year’s second-highest-grossing film.
Who it’s for: for the youngest viewers and for those who want to see where computer animation began.
Toy StoryCartoon · 1995 · adventureWhere to watch and the card →Spirited Away
A girl named Chihiro and her parents wander into a world of spirits, and she takes a job at the bathhouse of the witch Yubaba in order to free herself and her parents. The animation was produced by Studio Ghibli. In Japan the film was released on July 20, 2001, and for 19 years it remained the highest-grossing film in the country’s history. In 2002 it shared the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, and became the first hand-drawn non-English-language film to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
Who it’s for: for those who love fairy-tale worlds and are ready for a longer film (124 minutes).
Spirited AwayCartoon · 2001 · adventureWhere to watch and the card →Shrek
The grumpy ogre Shrek finds that his swamp has been overrun by fairy-tale creatures exiled by the ruler, Lord Farquaad, and agrees to rescue the princess Fiona for him; the chatty Donkey follows close behind. The film loosely follows William Steig’s 1990 children’s book Shrek! and parodies fairy tales and other animated films. In 2001 it competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, became the first winner of the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and grossed $494.3 million. The American Film Institute included it in its top ten films of 2001, the first time that had happened for an animated film.
Who it’s for: for those who love jokes and parodies of familiar fairy tales.
ShrekCartoon · 2001 · adventureWhere to watch and the card →WALL-E
In 2805 a lonely robot cleans up an abandoned Earth until he meets a robot named EVE, who has been sent from the spaceship Axiom. He sets off after her across the galaxy. The first part has almost no dialogue: the characters communicate through body language and robotic sounds. The film grossed $532 million and won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and in 2021 it was added to the United States National Film Registry.
Who it’s for: for those who enjoy a quiet story without long conversations.
WALL-ECartoon · 2008 · adventureWhere to watch and the card →Up
The elderly widower Carl Fredricksen ties a multitude of helium balloons to his house and flies to Venezuela to keep a promise to his late wife; a young scout, Russell, ends up with him. The film received five Oscar nominations and won two, and it became the second animated film in history to be nominated for Best Picture, after Beauty and the Beast (1991). It is Pixar’s first 3D film; the music was written by Michael Giacchino, and the film grossed $735 million.
Who it’s for: for those who love touching stories with humor.
UpCartoon · 2009 · adventureWhere to watch and the card →Coco
A twelve-year-old Mexican boy, Miguel, dreams of becoming a musician, even though music has been banned in his family. He accidentally enters the Land of the Dead and searches there for his great-great-grandfather, a musician. The idea for the film was inspired by the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead. According to Wikipedia, Coco is the first film with a nine-figure budget in which all the main roles were voiced by Latin American actors; it grossed more than $823 million and won two Oscars.
Who it’s for: for those who love music and stories about family ties.
CocoCartoon · 2017 · animationWhere to watch and the card →How to choose a film for a free evening
The simplest guide is running time. The table lists all seven films from shortest to longest.
| Film | Year | Running time |
|---|---|---|
| Toy Story | 1995 | 81 min |
| The Lion King | 1994 | 88 min |
| Shrek | 2001 | 90 min |
| Up | 2009 | 96 min |
| WALL-E | 2008 | 98 min |
| Coco | 2017 | 105 min |
| Spirited Away | 2001 | 124 min |
If you want music, take a look at The Lion King, with songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, and at Coco, where music sits at the heart of the story. And when the kids are asleep and you want science fiction for adults, read our overview of classic science fiction worth knowing.
Tip. Watch together and don’t rush. After the film, talk about what you saw: in Coco it’s family and memory, in Up it’s promises, and in Spirited Away it’s responsibility and growing up.
Frequently asked questions
Which film should I start with if the kids are still little?
The shortest films in the selection are Toy Story (81 minutes), The Lion King (88) and Shrek (90). But we don’t list age ratings: check them separately for your country and service.
Were all these films made by one studio?
No. Toy Story, WALL-E, Up and Coco were made by Pixar for Walt Disney Pictures; The Lion King by Walt Disney Feature Animation; Shrek by DreamWorks; and Spirited Away by the Japanese studio Ghibli.
Which of these films are based on literature?
According to Wikipedia, Shrek loosely follows William Steig’s 1990 children’s book, and the plot of The Lion King is partly inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Do these films have sequels?
Yes. According to Wikipedia, Shrek has three sequels (2004, 2007 and 2010), and a fifth film is in development; The Lion King received two direct-to-video sequels, TV series and a photorealistic remake; Up was followed by the short series Dug Days on Disney+, and the sequel Coco 2 is scheduled for November 21, 2029.
Where can I watch these films?
Streaming catalogs change, so we don’t list them. Check the audio language and subtitles in the film’s description on the service, as they can differ from country to country. Each film’s card on our site has a “Where to watch” block.
Sources
- The Lion King (Wikipedia)
- Toy Story (Wikipedia)
- Spirited Away (Wikipedia)
- Shrek (Wikipedia)
- Coco (2017 film) (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against live Wikipedia pages on October 14, 2026.
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