What is your Emoji reaction to the fact that 2017's The Emoji Movie has been Netflix's top movies in the US for the last couple of days? This despite the fact that the movie has a 6% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and only a slightly 36% positive rating from general audiences.
The Emoji Movie landed on Netflix on Thursday, August 8, as part of what's new on Netflix in August and quickly rose up the viewing charts to where it has started the week of August 12 as the most-watched movie in the US. The movie follows Gene, an Emoji that has the ability to show a multitude of expressions, which makes him an outlier in the city of Textopolis. So he tries to figure out how he can fix that and attempt to become "normal." The voice cast for The Emoji Movie includes TJ Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, Maya Rudolph, Jennifer Coolidge, Christina Aguilera, Sofia Vergara, Sean Hayes and Patrick Stewart.
Admittedly, I haven't seen The Emoji Movie, as a talking poop Emoji voiced by Sir Patrick Stewart wasn't enough of a draw to overcome the bashing that critics gave it. But it is surprising to see it reach the heights it has on Netflix based on its reputation. There may a trend though, as half of the US's top 10 movies on August 13 are kid/family-friendly movies; in addition to The Emoji Movie there's Trolls: Band Together, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, Dr. Seuss' The Lorax and Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat. Perhaps in these last days of summer kids are bingeing what they can before they head back to school and do homework.
Whatever the case may be, there are a handful of family-friendly movies that I would recommend if you and/or your kids have already watched The Emoji Movie or any of the others currently in the top 10 that I can personally recommend.
First up is an all-time classic, Matilda. To be clear this is the 1996 version of Roald Dahl's story starring Mara Wilson and Danny DeVito, not the musical that came out in 2022. Matilda is such a wholesome watch and is a peak 1990s kids movie. With so many of us 1990s kids now parents, what better time to share with your own youngster a movie you have fond memories of.
Back on the animated front, The LEGO Movie is a blast to watch. No one knew what to expect when they were making a movie about LEGOs, but what we got was one of the most original and hilarious movies in recent memory. Crazy to think this movie is already 10 years old, but that means a whole new generation can now discover it.
Another throwback to when I was a kid that is ripe for sharing with youngsters today is The Road to El Dorado. Often forgotten because Disney was such a powerhouse in the late 1990s/early 2000s, The Road to El Dorado is fantastic, featuring gorgeous animation, a great voice cast that includes Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh and Rosie Perez and original songs from Elton John.
Finally, Netflix has its own original movie that you won't be in danger of losing access to, The Mitchells vs the Machines. This is a hyperactive animated family adventure, but one that has a powerful message about family and accepting each other.
To watch any of these movies on Netflix, you must have a subscription to the streaming service. Also check out our full list of the best Netflix movies.
