Most family-oriented cartoon movies are suitable for children. The "Toy Story" series, "Cars," "Finding Nemo," "Madagascar" and "Ice Age" are all kid-approved and genuinely funny. "Up," "The Lion King" and "James and the Giant Peach" are great kid-friendly movies that deal with real-life issues such as the loss of a loved one or neglect. Disney, Pixar, Nickelodeon and DreamWorks (among others) have produced thousands of appropriate animated films and are good places to look first.
For kids with a wild imagination, rent an old classic or a new blockbuster. "E.T.," the "Lord of the Rings" series, the "Harry Potter" series, "Swiss Family Robinson," "Star Wars" and "Where the Wild Things Are" are just a few family favorites.
Many action movies are rated PG-13, but that doesn't mean they are necessarily inappropriate for younger kids. "Transformers," "Rocky," "Ghostbusters," "Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark," the Spiderman series" and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series are all action-packed yet appropriate and entertaining for children.