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The best family movies and shows on Criterion Channel right now

Right now the best family films and series on Criterion Channel in the United States are Flow (2024), Horrible Histories (2009) and The Red Balloon (1956). This is the top 10 streaming there today, ranked by how well rated each one is, how many people have rated it, and what people are watching now.

Updated November 12, 2026 · streaming in the United States

Pick three for meAllFilmsSeries

  1. 1. Flow2024

    Film · 1h 25mAdventure, Animation, Family★ 8.1

    A solitary cat, displaced by a great flood, finds refuge on a boat with various species and must navigate the challenges of adapting to a transformed world together.

    Stream onCriterion Channel

  2. 2. Horrible Histories2009

    Series · 11 seasonsFamily, Comedy★ 8.0

    Based on the best-selling children's books and liberally splattered with guts, blood and poo, a group of British comedians offer an anarchic and unconventional take on some of history's most gruesome and funny moments, with topics…

    Stream onPrime VideoCriterion ChannelAmazon MX Player (free)

  3. 3. The Red Balloon1956

    Film · 34mComedy, Drama, Family★ 7.7

    A young boy discovers a stray balloon, which seems to have a mind of its own, on the streets of Paris. The two become inseparable, yet the world’s harsh realities finally interfere.

    Stream onHBO MaxCriterion ChannelFlixFlingIndieFlix Shorts+3

  4. 4. Three Wishes for Cinderella1973

    Film · 1h 22mFantasy, Family, Romance★ 7.5

    Popelka, a resourceful and independent young girl, is a servant in her stepmother's house and confides in her closest friend the owl. When she comes across three magical acorns, she's granted a single wish for each one of them.

    Stream onCriterion Channel

  5. 5. Time Bandits1981

    Film · 1h 56mFamily, Fantasy, Science Fiction★ 6.6

    Young history buff Kevin can scarcely believe it when six dwarfs emerge from his closet one night. Former employees of the Supreme Being, they've purloined a map charting all of the holes in the fabric of time and are using it to steal…

    Stream onHBO MaxCriterion ChannelCinemax

  6. Which of these would you actually like?

    Rate a few films you've seen and every title gets a match score for your taste, with picks from friends who agree with you. Free, about three minutes.

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  7. 6. Good Morning1959

    Film · 1h 34mComedy, Family, Drama★ 7.7

    Two boys beg their parents for a television set, nagging them until all patience is lost. The parents order the boys to be quiet and the boys do exactly that--refusing to utter a word.

    Stream onHBO MaxCriterion ChannelPlex (free)

  8. 7. Welcome, or No Trespassing1964

    Film · 1h 13mComedy, Family★ 7.6

    Children rebel against the strict rules and regulations they face during their time in a Communist Young Pioneer camp.

    Stream onCriterion Channel

  9. 8. The White Balloon1995

    Film · 1h 25mDrama, Family★ 7.5

    Several people try to take advantage of a little girl's innocence to hustle money her mom gave to her to buy a goldfish with.

    Stream onCriterion Channel

  10. 9. A Sunday in the Country1984

    Film · 1h 34mDrama, Family★ 6.9

    In France, before WWI. As every Sunday, an old painter living in the country is visited by his son Gonzague, coming with his wife and his three children. Then his daugther Irene arrives.

    Stream onCriterion ChannelKanopy (free)Darkroom (free)

  11. 10. K-ON! The Movie2011

    Film · 1h 50mAnimation, Family, Adventure★ 8.0

    With graduation right around the corner, every member of the Light Music Club except for Azusa will be leaving for good. But the girls aren’t going to let something as silly as graduation tear them apart!

    Stream onCriterion ChannelHiDive

Questions

What are the best family films and series on Criterion Channel right now?
In the United States, as of November 12, 2026: Flow (2024), rated 8.1 out of 10 on TMDB, then Horrible Histories and The Red Balloon.
How is this list made?
Watchwalla asks TMDB for everything of this kind that streams in your country today, ranks it by rating (pulled toward the middle until enough people have rated a title), with a nudge for what's new and what people are watching now, and refreshes the list every day. Streaming availability comes from JustWatch, through TMDB.
Can it pick something for me?
Yes. The picker at watchwalla.com/tonight asks who's watching, how much time you have and what you're in the mood for, and gives three picks streaming where you are. Sign in and every title also gets a match score for your own taste.

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