Need a kid-friendly movie? Don’t overlook the distinguishing feature

Last fall, I was writing a review of a new release from Hallmark called Mysterious Passage Cases: Death Is Listening. I loved how fun and weirdly funny it was. I also realized that my kids should have watched it with me. The film aired on the Hallmark Mystery Channel, a horror franchise Hallmark channelAnd honestly, it’s one of the best family movies out there. However, I don’t think most parents looking for PG-rated entertainment consider Hallmark when looking for new things to watch with their kids.

It’s true that Hallmark is positioned as a “cozy romance” brand — I’ve watched dozens and dozens of Hallmark movies and most of them fall into that category — but the company also produces great mystery adventure movies. It’s perfect for kids who may be too young to watch extensively.

Hallmark is famous for the unspoken rule that its movies don’t include sex, drugs, politics, or violence, and while that may result in the occasional bland movie or one that’s too cheerful for its own good, it also ensures there’s nothing you wouldn’t want your kids to see or hear. No swearing, no abusing others, no bad behavior – even when characters are in danger, the situations aren’t scary and are always resolved by the next commercial break. As someone who lives on food, water, and sarcasm, I can find the lack of sarcasm in most Hallmark movies annoying. But there’s nothing wrong with the next generation growing up without Snark, I guess.

The Cases of Mystery Lane: Death Is Listening was a really funny take on a serial mystery, like Murder, She Wrote, but with lower stakes and a higher twist score. Death Is Listening is the sequel to Cases of Mystery Lane, starring two Hallmark regulars, Paul Campbell and Amy Garcia, as a husband and wife team – whose last name is Case, and they live in Mystery Lane – who are amateur detectives who love investigating local crimes. Unlike some Hallmark movies, this one was full of jokes and silliness, something not always found in all Hallmark movies, as well as a really fun mystery plot.

There are plenty of movies like this that make for great family viewing as well. I enjoyed it Mystery Island seriesThe film’s events revolve around a mysterious murder party on a private island where someone ends up dying, and… Christmas missiona holiday adventure film starring Hallmark queen Lacey Chabert. She plays an archaeologist who possesses a map that leads to a treasure that her mother spent her life trying to find.

Sure, these look familiar, a little too Knives Out: Glass Onion or Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, respectively, but that’s about it: If your kids are too young for the density, language, or plot of a theatrical release like that, Hallmark has toned it down so that it’s a decent — and still fun — knockoff suitable for all Ages. (There are a few other favorites that are great fun for kids and are all currently streaming on Hallmark Plus and Pandemonium: Santa class, Holiday crushers, Holiday Landing: A Presidential Love Story and Brothers, Inc Although this is a purely subjective list, I have impeccable taste in movies, so I can, and should, be trusted.)

I’ve spent hours of my life browsing platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus looking for something my kids might like (and I can afford, too). Although there are a lot of great TV shows for kids, it can sometimes be difficult to measure movies. Older stuff can have problematic content that you might not want to turn into a teachable moment, and some stuff is too mature for younger kids. There are many reasons why a movie might not be appropriate or ideal for your family, but as a general rule, there’s not much to be offensive about when it comes to Hallmark. Yes, sometimes the term “Hallmark movie” comes with a stigma or preconceived notions – I get that, but trust me on this. The suggestions on this list may change your mind and give you something your whole family can enjoy.

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