Animal Companion Family backdrop

Animal Companion Family movies

Family movies where a pet is central, driven by loyalty, caretaking, home life, and the human-animal bond.

Pete's Dragon

31. Pete's Dragon

Adventure Family Fantasy Adventure Epic Animal Companion Family
6.7

20161h 43min

United States

Director: David Lowery

For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace, who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales... until she meets Pete, a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott. And from Pete's descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham's stories. With the help of Natalie, an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon.

Themes

Belonging and chosen family, Trust between humans and nature, Guardianship and risk, Outsiders and integration, Survival and adaptation, Bridging worlds

Available on

Disney Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Kung Fu Panda 2

32. Kung Fu Panda 2

Animation Family Comedy Family Animation Buddy Comedy
7.3

20111h 31min

United States

Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Po and his friends fight to stop a peacock villain from conquering China with a deadly new weapon, but first the Dragon Warrior must come to terms with his past.

Themes

Power and responsibility, Teamwork under pressure, Mentors and doubt, Heritage and destiny, Belief over fear, Past betrayal and trust

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
HBO Max
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Finding Nemo

33. Finding Nemo

Animation Family Family Animation Animal Companion Family
8.2

20031h 40min

United States

Director: Andrew Stanton

Nemo, an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken from his Great Barrier Reef home to a dentist's office aquarium. It's up to his worrisome father Marlin and a friendly but forgetful fish Dory to bring Nemo home -- meeting vegetarian sharks, surfer dude turtles, hypnotic jellyfish, hungry seagulls, and more along the way.

Themes

Parent child relationship under pressure, Great barrier reef journey, Short-term memory loss, Fish tank captivity, Teamwork and trust, Harbor escape tension

Available on

Disney Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Good Dinosaur

34. The Good Dinosaur

Adventure Animation Family Adventure Epic Family Animation
6.7

20151h 33min

United States

Director: Peter Sohn

An epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.

Themes

Loss and resilience, Found family bonds, Fear of inadequacy, Protective duty versus independence, Growth through adversity, Inter-species friendship

Available on

Disney Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Secret Life of Pets

35. The Secret Life of Pets

Family Comedy Adventure Animation Animal Companion Family
6.5

20161h 26min

United States

Director: Chris Renaud

The quiet life of a terrier named Max is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.

Themes

Belonging and loyalty, Deception and alliance, Human-animal boundaries, Abandonment and attachment, Urban risk and resilience, Group dynamics and leadership

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Winnie the Pooh

36. Winnie the Pooh

Animation Family Comedy Adventure Family Animation
7.1

20111h 3min

United States

Director: Don Hall

During an ordinary day in Hundred Acre Wood, Winnie the Pooh sets out to find some honey. Misinterpreting a note from Christopher Robin, Owl convinces Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, and Eeyore that their young friend has been captured by a creature named "Backson" and they set out to rescue him.

Themes

Group solidarity under pressure, Honey as motivation, Note misread, Small acts of bravery, Playful collaboration, Uncertainty and fear

Available on

Disney Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Max

37. Max

Adventure Drama Family Animal Companion Family Family Drama
6.6

20151h 51min

United States

Director: Boaz Yakin

A dog that helped soldiers in Afghanistan returns to the U.S. and is adopted by his handler's family after suffering a traumatic experience.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Duty versus family, Grief and coping, Risk and rescue, Trauma and reintegration, Illicit dealings

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
fuboTV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

A young boy and his dog, who happens to have a genius-level IQ, spring into action when their time-machine is stolen and moments in history begin to be changed.

Themes

Time travel ethics, Intergenerational bonds, Adoption and belonging, Roles and identity, Parenting under scrutiny, History invading daily life

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Frankenweenie

39. Frankenweenie

Animation Comedy Family Stop-Motion Animation Dark Comedy
6.9

20121h 27min

United States

Director: Tim Burton

Young Victor just wants his best friend Sparky back, so he secretly brings his dead dog to life in the attic — but once Sparky bolts into the neighborhood and the other kids start copying Victor’s experiment, the whole town’s quiet little world twists into something monstrous.

Themes

Isolation and belonging, Authority and accountability, Fear of the unfamiliar, Consequences of tinkering, Peer influence and imitation, Communal heroism and revival

Available on

Disney Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

We Bought a Zoo

40. We Bought a Zoo

Drama Comedy Family Parody Animal Companion Family
7.0

20112h 4min

United States

Director: Cameron Crowe

Benjamin has lost his wife and, in a bid to start his life over, purchases a large house that has a zoo – welcome news for his daughter, but his son is not happy about it. The zoo is in need of renovation and Benjamin sets about the work with the head keeper and the rest of the staff, but, the zoo soon runs into financial trouble.

Themes

Grief and renewal, Generational tension, Financial strain, Family resilience, Caretaking of animals, Community effort

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.