NAKM: September 15, 2025

Family Films Rule the (Box Office) World

The summer box office disappointed studios, which expected a rise in ticket sales compared to last year. The thing is, the $3.67 billion dollars earned from May first through labor day is just $10 million less than last year.

Family films could have easily filled that void. Why didn’t Netflix give KPop Demon Hunters a wide theater release. The hit streamer earned $18 million in theaters in just two days during its limited sing-along release. And wow did major studios drop the ball by passing on Sketch — one of the best family films of the last decade. A little marketing push could’ve delivered a box office win. It’s especially surprising because family films carried the box office this summer.

1. Lilo & Stitch — $423,379,409

2. Superman — $351,814,671

3. Jurassic World: Rebirth — $338,310,765

4. The Fantastic Four: First Steps — $266,407,834

5. How to Train Your Dragon — $262,942,665

6. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning — $197,413,515

7. Thunderbolts — $190,274,328

8. F1: The Movie — $188,242,104

9. Final Destination: Bloodlines — $138,130,814

10. Weapons — $135,282,388

11. Sinners — $131,849,791

12. Freakier Friday — $82,688,742

13. The Bad Guys 2 — $74,707,825

14. Elio — $72,976,995

15. 28 Years Later — $70,367,300

16. From the World of John Wick: Ballerina — $58,051,327

17. Karate Kid: Legends — $52,547,391

18. The Naked Gun — $51,329,028

19. A Minecraft Movie — $39,439,716

20. Materialists — $36,503,614

Studios need family films. We drive the box office. Which means studios will have a packed lineup this fall, right?

Well…

Later this month, Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie should attract younger audiences… and no one else. Avatar: The Way of the Water and Tron: Ares are coming this October. Zootopia 2 and the Wicked: For Good arrive in time for Thanksgiving. They could all aim for the billion dollar benchmark. But that’s not a lot of variety.

Studios are getting a little boost from new revenue source that is great news for families: Anniversary rereleases. Jaws earned almost 10-million dollars for its 50th anniversary release in August. Studios see that value. More film classics are now headed to theaters this fall, including Toy Story, Sound of Music, and Back to the Future — all celebrating anniversaries with re-releases. There’re more than a hundred years of films that could keep theaters packed if this trend continues.

Packed theaters mean studios can take more chances, giving us more films like Sketch and KPop Demon Hunters, which were passion products by talented but unknown filmmakers. If I had to rewrite my 95 Best Family Films (updated to 100) for movie website SlashFilm, these two films would easily make it.

When family films are good, we’re all present and paying attention — we are connecting from the couch or theater seating. As I said in the last edition, when that happens, you bond and parent (active verb) during those films in ways you don’t realize.

Two films are coming that could be the new Sketch — fantastic family films that came and went as you blinked. Don’t miss them. The films are a little more mature than Sketch, but look like fun genre flicks.

Xeno is about a girl who meets a scary-looking alien. They bond. Adventure ensues. I imagine she learns about herself and helps save the world in some way. That one hits theaters September 19th.

Good Boy is about a dog that senses something supernatural in his new home. He has to figure out how to stop this presence from hurting his human. The first in an apparent new subgenre called Lassie-Geist.

Yes, Xeno and Good Boy are PG-13. Not for the youngest crowds, probably. But great for kids who are ready to move beyond mediocre live-action remakes of animated classics.

In my recommendations below, I’ll list three similar films, which were likely ahead of their time because studios or audiences couldn’t wrap their noggins around them. All three later found a following on cable, at the video store, or thanks to streaming — and are now considered classics.

Brendan

My Pint-Sized Review of Bad Guys 2

Sam Rockwell is a wildly talented actor. It doesn’t matter what role he’s playing — he pops on screen — from a seemingly expendable crewmember in Galaxy Quest to George Dubya Bush in Vice. Rockwell has been nominated for 112 awards (a real number) in film, television, and on stage — and won more than a third of them.

Yet, his role as Wolf in The Bad Guys franchise may be what he’s remembered for. I can’t think of many times an actor has owned an animated character like Rockwell owns Wolf. His enormous personality and confident delivery drive the story, force other actors to make decisions about who they are, make the fantastical accessible, and ground the other characters’ eccentricities. He is at the center of a complicated wheel of storytelling that somehow stays on track.

The Bad Guys 2 could easily become a tangled web of twists and fakes and misdirection. It doesn’t. Because the film is so well grounded, all of the surprises are fun to see unfold and retold. 

It’s fun because, despite being somewhat of an anything-goes cartoon, The Bad Guys 2 has rules that every character must follow — rules about relationships, storytelling, and physics. The film will stretch to your limit of disbelief but never go beyond. It’s because the established rules make you believe there will be consequences for breaking them, whether it’s being a bad friend, making bad decisions, or being a bad driver.

Consequences are at the heart of the film. When you’re good at being bad, going straight can be difficult. But there are also rewards.

The Bad Guys 2 isn’t going to change your life. Its morals are basic, as are some of its laughs and stunts. Individually, they may not stand out. But assembled, the components of this movie all connect to make this sequel worthy of your next family film night.

Sip a bourbon. Numb your brain a tad. You’ll laugh with your kids. You’ll enjoy the complex twists and turns. You’ll even tolerate the non-complex fart jokes.

In theaters: Now

Rating: PG (Me: 5+)

Directors: Pierre Perifel, JP Sans

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Mark Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos

Run time: 1h 44m

Post-credits scenes: The mid-credits scene might be setting up something for the future. The post-credits scene is skippable — it’s just a recall to a quick joke made earlier in the film.

Bathroom breaks: According to RunPee…

• 26:25 During the ring fights

• 50:00 During the wedding scene

Sequel? Not yet confirmed, but the first two films are box office successes — and the franchise is based on a book series with a wealth of content to tap into. I’d say to expect a sequel.

If you liked The Bad Guys 2, check out these films:

• The Bad Guys (2022) (5+)

• Now You See Me (2013) (8+)

• Ocean’s Eleven (2001) (9+)

• Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) (6+)

• A Cat in Paris (2010) (4+)

Oops, I Summoned a Monster

Check out my latest YouTube video breaking down five films (not for all ages) where the kids screw up and summon a dark entity while their parents are away. In the end, they must face their fears to protect themselves and the people they care about. I’m talking spiteful witches, vengeful dark spirits, and hordes of stop-motion demons.

Fresh Cuts

The latest family films to hit all screens. Not all are winners. Watch at your own risk!

In Theaters 📽️

• (Sep. 18) NOAH — Live! (one week event)

• (Sep. 19) Apollo 13 (1995 rerelease) (8+)

• (Sep. 19) The Senior

• (Sep. 19) The Summer Book

• (Sep. 19) Xeno

• (Sep. 19) Brownsville Bred

• (Sep. 26) Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie

• (Sep. 26) Spider-Man (2002 rerelease) (7+)

• (Sep. 26) Wildfire: The Legend of the Cherokee Ghost Horse

• (Sep. 27) Spider-Man 2 (2004 rerelease) (7+)

• (Sep. 28) Spider-Man 3 (2007 rerelease) (7+)

• (Sep. 28) The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2002 rerelease) (6+)

On Disc 📀

• (Sep. 23) 28 Years Later (2025) (12+)

• (Sep. 23) Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires (2025) (10+)

• (Sep. 23) Flow (2025) (4+)

• (Sep. 23) M3GAN 2.0 (2025) (10+)

• (Sep. 23) Superman (2025) (6+)

My Honest Reaction to the New Arco Trailer

In my latest Podcast, I react to the new trailer for Arco — which made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May — and will be released in the United States in November. Listen and you’ll see what surprises me about this trailer.

News You Can Use (and Sometimes Booze)

• AI: OpenAI is backing its first full-length animated content, Critterz, a $30 million experiment that’s supposed to prove AI can cheapen the moviemaking experience. The film blends traditional artistry with AI models like GPT-5 — but what does it bleed? Whose actual art does it butcher and patchwork together like Frankenstein? The content is being created by the former chief creative officer of Topgolf (not a joke!). He aims for a Cannes 2026 debut but I imagine there could be some legal troubles that get in its way. Because his “creations” are essentially theft. GPT 5 estimates the power needed to create the content is similar to the juice needed to power 10-20 homes for a year.

• Disney: Walt Disney Pictures has revealed its next big feature: Hexed. The film, about a boy who discovers he has magic powers, is set for a late 2026 release. It’s the only new property WDP has announced that’s not under the Pixar umbrella. Disney will have a busy 2026 with a live-action Moana film, Toy Story 5, Avengers: Doomsday, and The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda — I mean Grogu.

• Superman: In a Threads chat, James Gunn confirms Superman will return to the big screen in 2027. It appears Lex and Lois will be back as well. Gunn also said the R-Rated DC films and shows will enhance your experience, but they’re not critical to seeing the main arc of the DCU.

• Bourbon: Frank August’s Small Batch just snagged “World’s Best Bourbon” with a 98-point score — pretty good for a label born in 2022. It costs $77 plus shipping to land a bottle. The first review at Total Wine is titled “Hidden Gem.” Not anymore, buddy.

Papa Do Preach!

Let’s Get Rec’d!

Check my list before you wreck yourself next family film night.

Keepin’ It Real

Academy Award-winning editor and sound mixer Walter Murch directed just one film: Return to Oz. It’s a dark reimagining of the second book in the Frank Baum series. Shortly after Murch helped Coppola make sense of Apocalypse Now with his editing work, Disney greenlit Murch’s dream project. But after delays and issues on the set of Oz, the studio almost backed away from the film — until Steven Spielberg and George Lucas stepped in to back him. Helps to have friends in high places, right? 

Problems included coldness on the set — so cold at times child actress Fairuza Balk would cry from the pain. That coldness comes across on screen. Critics and audiences at the time wanted another bright and shiny Wizard of Oz. But Return to Oz was more inline with the books than the family film classic. The dark edge and tone are why this film continues to find an audience 40 years after release. It’s classic kindertrauma — almost gateway horror — with creatures and characters whose frightful designs likely made more than Fairuza cry. Even if your young one is a fan of the original film, Return to Oz may be a little too much for them. It’s unsettling and can be off-putting. But it’s also wildly creative, taking you into a fantasy world created with animatronics, prosthetics, acrobats, and puppeteers. You can stream Return to Oz on Disney+.

Surprise! — It’s Not Terrible

If you Google the words failure and Treasure Planet, you’ll see about 74 articles talking about one of Disney’s greatest box office flops. But it’s only a flop at the box office. The animated film mixes traditional 2D art with 3D computer graphics. It’s a treasure to behold. Beyond that, there’s a decent story based on the classic Treasure Island. Though it won’t grip you, it’s enough to keep your interest in between the creative action sequences and the beautiful world that exists off-deck. Under the deck, there’s a story with heart — about a castaway kid connecting with the ship’s cyborg captain. Treasure Planet is not a Disney classic. But it is worthy of your next family film night — and is eye candy enough to distract your kids from Kpop Demon Hunters — for one night.

Kickin’ It Old School

In 1981, critic Gene Siskel said he hated the break-neck pace of Time Bandits. I think that’s what makes it a great family film. Kids won’t be bored. You’re constantly ripped from one moment in history to another as an evil interdimensional wizard chases a suburban child rag-tag group of time-traveling map thieves. Sounds like a tough pitch, right? It was. Studios wouldn’t finance the film. You know who stepped in? An M-Fin’ Beatle. George Harrison dropped $5 million for his friend Terry Gilliam (of Monty Python fame) to create his first family film, though even Harrison struggled with Gilliam’s execution of his vision.

In the end, the evidence of that vision is plainly on screen. Time Bandits is a mad-cap, time traveling caper packed with meticulous details of history and mythology. Like the kid swept from his bed, you’re swept into the adventure, which is at times dark and grimy — but also funny and inventive. Time Bandits is streaming on HBO Max.

For Your Eyes Only

What to watch after THEY go to bed.

Brazil (1985)

If you want a film that studios dragged their heels on — look no further than Brazil. Writer-Director Terry Gilliam started working on it before Time Bandits. The film hit theaters four years later. The full film landed in Europe first, in early 1985. Universal Pictures, however, refused to release it in the U.S. and actually started working on a secretly version of the film, being edited behind Gilliam’s back. Then, to Universal’s surprise, the LA Film Critics Association awarded it with Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Film. Universal decided on a limited release, just to make it available for Oscar contention.

Gilliam later called his experience a “total reliving of the film.” Brazil is an absurdist, dark comedy reflection of bureaucratic societies, filled with retro-futuristic ideas and designs. Universal was right about one thing: It ends on a down note. But that’s what really drives home the terror of living in a world where the system always wins.

You can rent Brazil on the usual streamers. But if you get a chance to see this one in theater, on film, don’t hesitate. It’s a spectacle and a defiant middle finger to studio bureaucrats who stand in the way of art.

The Man Behind the Mask

Thanks for reading and subscribing!

I am a former television news journalist who now writes about movies, parenting, and tech online (and occasionally on paper). My number one job, though, is making sure my girls grow up with steady heads on their shoulders. I think our shared movie nights have a positive impact on their self-esteem and develop an awareness of the world around them. I relish every night — except for maybe Baby Geniuses. I got through that one with my good friend George Dickel.

Brendan Knapp