The dog days of summer are coming to an end, and chances are your family vacations, summer camps, and other activities have already winded down. Now comes the end-of-the-summer lull, or as some would call it, the calm before the storm. If you're sitting at home trying to figure out how to keep these last couple of weeks interesting for everyone, here are 21 back-to-school movies we recommend watching together as a family before the school bell rings.
1. Fat Albert - An obese boy named Fat Albert and his friends Rudy, Mushmouth, Bill, Dumb Donald, Russell, and Weird Harold, pulls into trouble when they "fall" out of their TV world into the real world, where Fat Albert tries to help a young girl, Doris, make friends.
2. High School Musical - Polar opposites, Troy and Gabriella try out for the school musical. After Troy Bolton, the star athlete at a small-town high school, falls for nerdy beauty Gabriella Montez, the two must struggle to make it to auditions while also meeting their existing obligations to the basketball team and the academic decathlon.
3. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - Based on the best-selling book, the movie follows the exploits of Alexander as he experiences the most terrible and horrible day of his young life and wonders if bad things only happen to him. But he discovers he's not alone when his other family members live through their own terrible -- and hilarious -- day.
4. The Peanuts Movie - Charlie Brown becomes smitten with his new red-haired neighbor in this fun-filled animated tale.
5. The Adams Family (2019) - The eccentrically macabre family moves to a bland suburb where Wednesday Addams’ friendship with the daughter of a hostile and conformist local reality show host exacerbates conflict between the families.
6. Hairspray - In 1962 Baltimore, chunky Tracy Turnblad dreams to land a gig on the see-and-be-seen TV teen-scene hit The Corny Collins Show, win the heart of the nicest and cutest boy in school, and strike a blow for civil rights. And whaddaya know – it all comes true! Fun musical hits and a load of comedy packed within this one!
7. Bigger Fatter Liar - Kevin, a young tech genius, uses his smarts to slack off and create video games. When he realizes a major game executive has stolen his idea, Kevin and his best friend, Becca, set out to get revenge.
8. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library - When twelve lucky kids win an invitation into legendary gamemaker Lemoncello's extraordinary, high-tech library, they have no idea what's in store. By navigating an elaborate scavenger hunt, they must compete to be the first to find their way out.
9. The Mixed Up Middle School Mysteries - If it's a middle school puzzle you need cracked, look no further than the sports shed where the Junior Eye Detective Agency's got you covered. Everett, Alyssa, and Riley explore the ins and outs of their bizarre middle school.
10. Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse – This movie introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.
11. Monsters University – The movie tells the story of how Mike and Sulley first met at Monsters University’s "School of Scaring". When they first met, they were rivals who both dreamt of being the scariest monsters on campus. However, when their overly competitive nature winds up getting them both kicked out of the school's elite Scaring Program, they have no choice but to pair up with a gang of misfit monster outcasts to have any hope of setting things right.
12. Ramona and Beezus - Ramona Quimby's vivid imagination, boundless energy, and accident-prone antics keep everyone she meets on their toes. But her irrepressible sense of fun, adventure, and mischief come in handy when she puts her mind to helping save her family's home.
13. Dora and the Lost City of Gold - Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle, nothing prepared Dora for her most dangerous adventure yet - high school. Enjoy her adventures in school and her quest for a Lost City along with a group of teens and Boots the monkey.
14. Barbie Princess Charm School - Barbie stars as Blair, a kind-hearted girl who is chosen to attend Princess Charm School. In this magical place, she makes new friends and discovers that there's a princess in every girl!
15. Diary of a Wimpy Kid - A live-action adaptation of Jeff Kinney's best-selling illustrated novel, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID chronicles the adventures of skinny "middle child" Greg Heffley over the course of a school year, as told through his diary and hand-drawn cartoons.
16. Big Hero 6 - A genius teen inventor loses his invention and brother - together with his brother's nerd-hero friends and the balloon-like robot Baymax, he's out to solve the mystery! Winner of Best Animated Feature Film Oscar.
17. Matilda the Musical - An extraordinary girl with a sharp mind and vivid imagination takes a daring stand to change her story -- with miraculous results.
18. Onward - elf brothers, Ian (voice of Tom Holland) and Barley (voice of Chris Pratt), get to spend a day with their late dad and go on a quest aboard Barley’s epic van Guinevere. When their mom Laurel (voice of Julia Louis-Dreyfus) realizes her sons are gone, she teams up with The Manticore (voice of Octavia Spencer) to find them.
19.Napoleon Dynamite - A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home.
20. Inside Out - When her family moves across the country, tween Riley Anderson's animated emotions get carried away - quite literally - on a fantastical journey through her mind. Oscar winner for Best Animated Feature.
21. Turning Red - Mei tries to balance friends, family, and an uncontrollable ability to poof into a giant red panda. Some flashing lights sequences or patterns may affect photosensitive viewers.
