5 fantastic children’s movies to stream now
This month’s picks include a space adventure from Richard Linklater and two critically acclaimed tales from Pixar. parents leave. Terry Crews plays Commander Melanoff, a loving, lonely bloke who owns a candy factory.
Based on a book by Lois Lowry, “The Willoughbys” is an imaginative story about chosen families that understands that every child is deserving of love. Cory Evans and Rob Lodermeier co-directed with Pearn, and Mark Stanleigh co-wrote the script. (Watch it on Netflix.) get his big break, but his dreams are dashed when he falls into a maintenance hole in the street. He ends up in the Great Before, the place souls pass through when they’re coming and going from life on Earth. He meets 22 (Tina Fey), a ghostlike blob inhabiting this strange in-between place. Despite the efforts of past mentors like Mother Teresa and Gandhi, 22 has resisted finding a passion for life on Earth. Joe and 22 end up bonding in unexpected ways and helping each other discover what truly matters to each of them.
Yes, it seems heavy, but directors Pete Docter (“Inside Out” and “Up”) and Kemp Powers (who wrote “One Night in Miami” and later co-directed “Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse”) manage to keep things light enough for little ones while giving adults plenty to think about (and cry over). Docter and Powers co-wrote the script with
Mike Jones. (Watch Disney+.) it on
and befriend a local girl named Giulia (Emma Berman), who convinces them to enter a triathlon where the three sports are swimming, biking and eating a ton of pasta.
This Oscar nominee from Pixar doesn’t possess the depth and nuance of “Soul,” but the bold landscapes and the picturesque Italian fishing village should offer youngsters plenty of visual stimuli. Along the way, Luca learns about confidence, independence and friendship. This was the first feature for director Enrico Casarosa (his animated short “La Luna” was an Oscar nominee), who also wrote the screenplay. (Watch it on Disney+.)