Surreal, serious and surprisingly subversive, some of Rango’s subtleties may go over younger viewers’ heads, but Gore Verbinski’s gorgeous animation and Hans Zimmer’s hilariously silly score makes for a bizarre, post-modern Western that is packed full of ideas and laughs. This polished sci-fi adventure about a young girl making friends with a robot is a fun, thoughtful teen animation. It’s when you stop noticing the action set pieces are made out of clay that you realise just how superb it is. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-RabbitĬan your favourite stop-motion duo work as a feature-length film? By heck, they can: Aardman’s 85-minute adventure is full of visual slapstick, verbal wit and endless puns, not to mention Ralph Fiennes in his first truly comedic role – and, of course, a giant monster rabbit. The improvised hijinks from the young performers prompted the director to return for multiple sequels, but the real sparkle and shine is in this cute original. “Things are really coooool in Nazareth…” Martin Freeman stars in Debbie Isitt’s charming comedy about a grumpy teacher put in charge of his primary school’s nativity. This animated sequel is a laugh-out-loud fest of purest awesome. It brims with ideas and will cause you to wonder once more.” Read our full review.įree Willy with dragons? Any excuse to relive this charming story of friendship and flying is one to grab with both wings. Perhaps this melancholy is what deterred distributors from releasing it in cinemas, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from showing it to their children. There are no cheap gags, no lame pop culture jokes.As the film heads towards a conclusion, ideas of coping with loss are woven into the thematic tapestry. “Netflix’s animated take on the classic novel uses the strange allegorical story to allow its audience – both young and old – to celebrate, wholeheartedly, the power of imagination… It may seem strange to have a children’s film this philosophical. The script may not hold up to much scrutiny, but pre-Captain America Joe Johnston’s sense of adventure and spectacle keep you transfixed. What happens when Jumanji gets into full swing – CGI monsters, shouting children, general pandemonium – is equally so. Loved the stage show? Then now’s the perfect time to revisit Danny DeVito’s pitch-perfect screen adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic tale.īoard games are enjoying something of a renaissance at the moment, but back in 1995, the idea of someone playing something other than Monopoly was breathtaking. Mark Rylance lends his dulcet tones to Steven Spielberg’s utterly charming adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic kids’ book. Netflix’s gorgeously old-fashioned animation is simple and sweet enough to charm the stockings off the humbuggiest of viewers. Struggling to find something to see with your littl ‘uns or don’t fancy the trek to the cinema? We round up the best children’s and family flicks on Netflix UK: Klaus