Films are always marketed toward a certain audience. For example, animated films are usually marketed for children and adults end up seeing them anyway because their kids might like them. However, there are some children’s films that stand the test of time because they work very well for adults too. So, although they are animated, it doesn’t necessarily mean the film is only for kids, as they’re actually the best movies for kids and adults.
From themes about family to various sexual innuendos, there’s a chance that there are jokes and lines that kids won’t get. Fortunately, with the adult themes, these films make it easy to watch with the whole family.There’s no shortage of movies made for young viewers that also appeal to more mature audiences, as more and more studios and creative visionaries are pushing the line to create daring and in-depth experiences for children.
15’Scooby-Doo' (2002)
Directed by Raja Gosnell
With 2002’sScooby-Doo, the gang packed up the Mystery Machine and made their way from cartoon to live-action. This time, Shaggy, Velma, Fred, Daphne, and Scooby were in a world created byJames Gunn, that had them figure out how to make their comeback after disbanding. While the cast and characters ofScooby-Dooare iconic for being child-friendly characters,this film takes a more satirical and parody-centric approach to the characters that make the film a perfect fit for adults.
Gunn’s signature writing style inScooby-Doois filled with adult jokes that are not caught until later on. Giving a fun and raunchy theme to theScooby-Doofranchise has let the film and its sequel be as timeless, though, perhaps not as beloved, as the original cartoon.
Scooby-Doo
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14’Hocus Pocus' (1993)
Directed by Kenny Ortega
Salem, Massachusetts is home to the history of witch trials and the Sanderson Sisters.Hocus Pocusdepicts the return of those magical sisters. When a virgin lights the Black Flame candle, Winifred, Mary, and Sarah return to eat children and maintain their youth. It soon becomes up to a trio of children to put a stop to the witches' reign of terror before they completely take over the world and become unstoppable in their youth.
After being adisappointing box office flop,Hocus Pocusfound its calling as a cult classic, becomingone of the most defining and beloved comedy movies of the 90sthat is rewatched by many audiences every Halloween. Part of why it was able to attain such a powerful legacy as a modern-day Halloween classic is its more adult-oriented style of humor and charm. Now the film is old enough for adults to reminisce over their childhood, and now they can introduce their kids to its 2022 sequel,Hocus Pocus 2.
Hocus Pocus
13’Mrs. Doubtfire' (1993)
Directed by Chris Columbus
When Daniel (Robin Williams) loses custody of his children, he pretends to be a housekeeper and nanny as “Mrs. Doubtfire.” The kids eventually learn that Daniel is pretending to be an older woman, and they help him in his journey to obtaining a new job and joint custody. Fortunately, Mrs. Doubtfire gives him not only a job but his kids back. While certain aspects of the film haven’t aged as gracefully over 30 years, it cannot be denied that the film is still an iconic family romp that is filled to the brim with winks and nods to adults in the audience.
Robin Williams is a comic legendary for his work not only for children but for adults as well, so it would only make senseMrs. Doubtfirefinds a balance and has humor for both children and adults. Even besides the humor, however, Daniel’s struggle for custody is the part that most kids won’t understand but will warm an adult’s heart, helping it continuously be considered a comedy classic after all of these years.
Mrs. Doubtfire
12’Rango' (2011)
Directed by Gore Verbinski
Rangowas an animated film that took someone’s pet chameleon on the Western adventure of his life. Disguising himself as “Rango,” this chameleon (Johnny Depp) becomes the new sheriff of a town called Dirt. When he discovers that there is a drought that needs to be fixed, he scrounges together a posse to travel off into the desert and uncover the mystery and culprit behind the town’s dwindling water supply. While Rango is certainly still a family movie at its core, the mixture of beautiful animation and darker plot points make it a kids movie that adults enjoy just as much as kids.
Rangonot only is afilm that viewers didn’t realize was a Western, but it also genuinely mimics those of old,meaning not only the action that comes with it, but references and callbacks that adults will truly appreciate. There are a couple of innuendos that are blink-and-miss, but overall the most adult theme is the greed that shows in the mayor, acting as a terrifying parallel for corruption and deceit among those in positions of power.
11’The Lego Movie' (2014)
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
When Lord Business threatens to use the “kragle” to destroy the world, there’s a prophecy that The Special will find the Piece of Resistance and stop the end of the Lego World. When Emmet Brickowski (Chris Pratt) discovers the Piece of Resistance, it’s believed that he will be the one to save the world. To those who haven’t seen the film, it’s difficult to imagineThe Lego Movieas anything more than a color-coated cash grab for children, yet the love and passion that the film has for creativity and conformism easily make it a brilliant watch for adults.
Despite Lego being a physical toy, projects likeThe Lego Movietook the toy to new heights and proved that a masterpiece of filmmaking could come from any concept or property. The film finds the perfect balance between appealing to children and appealing to adults with its deeper themes, colorful and exciting action, and beautiful style of animation that has now become iconic. This film takes the Lego characters to the real world to help a son reconcile with his father,making it perfect for parents and kids alike to watch.
The Lego Movie
10’Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio' (2022)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
From the masterful director ofThe Shape of WaterandPan’s Labyrinth,Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchiorevamps the classic children’s tale with del Toro’s signature gothic stylings and darker themes. The film places the classic characters and story on the backdrop of 1920s Italy during the rise of fascism under Mussolini, seeing Pinocchio’s struggles as a wooden boy in this dark world. Aside from its setting and more creative renditions of characters and the concepts of life and death, the film’s story closely parallels other versions ofPinocchio.
Despite its darker and clearly adult-leaning themes and messages,Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchiokeeps itself contained as a family film and experience at its core, making it a highly engaging experience for kids and adults alike. This beautiful balance of childlike wonder, imagination, and creativity with Guillermo’s talent for beautifully gothic worlds immediately made the film a smash hit among critics and audiences. It still stands out as one of thebest animated films in recent memory, even earning an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
9’Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' (1988)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Melding the “toon” world and the real world together,Who Framed Roger Rabbit?takes audiences on a wild whodunnit. It’s not Roger Rabbit, although all signs point to him, the detective on the case is set to solve the mystery. In the search to find the clues and culprit behind the murder, it doesn’t take long before an array of dangerous mobsters owned by the real culprit attempt to stop detective Eddie Valiant’s (Bob Hoskins) work dead in its tracks.
Besides the violent nature of a crime fiction story, this film has several adult themes.With blackmail, murder, and cheating all wrapped into almost two hours, there’s no wayWho Framed Roger Rabbit?is solely a children’s film. At the same time however, this beautiful balance of a dark and gritty crime adventure focused around a multitude of iconic and memorable cartoon characters from across the medium’s history is exactly what has made the film such an iconic experience for over 35 years.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
8’Shrek' (2001)
Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
TheShrekseries is iconic for its story overall. Based onShrek!ByWilliam Steig,Shrektells the story of an ogre who falls in love with a princess who is cursed. Themovies and specials in theShrekseriesexpand Steig’s world into a DreamWorks universe with a plethora of wacky characters. While the series would eventually become more and more oriented for children with each subsequent release, it’s hard to deny with the original context in which it was released, thatShrekis aimed at adult audiences as much as it is for children.
Shrekis full of pop culture references and sexual innuendos that audiences don’t catch until they’re older. A large portion of why the film is as raunchy and reference-heavy as it is is that it’s a direct parody of fairy tale stories and the culture surrounding animated Disney films during the 90s. At nearly every corner, the film is poking fun at conventions of fairy tale stories as well as taking jabs at Disney themselves, while at the same time keeping these adult in-jokes subtle enough to still make it work wonders for children.
7’Fantastic Mr. Fox' (2009)
Directed by Wes Anderson
Fantastic Mr. Fox, adapted from aRoald Dahlstory, focuses on a family of foxes who try to make their way aboveground when Mr. Fox’s (George Clooney) antics get him in trouble with the local farmers. While Wes Anderson is more commonly known as his work directing charming comedies for adults, his first foray into animation with Fantastic Mr. Fox was a massive hit among audiences and critics worldwide. While it distinctly has more childlike wonder and charm compared to his adult-oriented works, his signature style of writing for adults still finds itself shining through in the film.
While seen as a kid’s movie, the themes in this film make it more adult. Mr. Fox breaks a promise to his wife and has to figure out how to lead her and the children out of the mess he created – because adults can learn from their mistakes too. The animation is also a beautiful display of stop-motion that still holds up to this day, and adults will not have difficulties at all finding joyous wonder and love painstakingly crafted into each frame of the film.
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
6’The Princess Bride' (1987)
Directed by Rob Reiner
The Princess Bridefollows the duo ofButtercup (Robin Wright) and Westley (Cary Elwes), who are deeply in love until Westley leaves to make enough money to marry her. After being separated for a long time, they are finally reunited when he must save Buttercup from an arranged marriage, in the process having to face off against murderous princes, massive rodents, and conniving foes. Or at least that’s what someone’s grandfather tells in the story of his grandson.
As a fantasy comedy,The Princess Bridehas plenty of modern-day humor, which means the adult themes come through loud and clear. While kids might laugh at the physical comedy, adults know that the humor ofThe Princess Bridelives in the dialogue as the film shines as one of the most prominent and beloved examples of a kids' movie with adult humor. This renowned classic is now considered among thebest fantasy movies of all time.
