A Glean movie guide
Real-World Magic: Best Live-Action Family Hits
No animation, just great stories.
Classic adventures and heartwarming stories featuring real actors, not cartoons.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Paddington
A charming and whimsical tale of a polite bear finding his place in London.
A young Peruvian bear travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven.
- 02
The Princess Bride
A timeless fantasy adventure filled with fencing, fighting, and true love.
In this enchantingly cracked fairy tale, the beautiful Princess Buttercup and the dashing Westley must overcome staggering odds to find happiness amid six-fingered swordsmen, murderous princes, Sicilians and rodents of unusual size. But even death can't stop these true lovebirds from triumphing.
- 03
Home Alone
A hilarious holiday classic about a resourceful boy defending his home from burglars.
Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister makes the most of the situation after his family unwittingly leaves him behind when they go on Christmas vacation. When thieves try to break into his home, he puts up a fight like no other.
- 04
Matilda
A magical story of an extraordinary girl who uses her wits and powers to overcome bullies.
Matilda Wormwood is an exquisite and intelligent little girl. Unfortunately, her parents, Harry and Zinnia, don’t agree. As time passes, she finally starts school and has a kind teacher, loyal friends, and a sadistic headmistress. As she becomes fed up with the constant cruelty, she discovers she has a special gift that she just might be able to use to outwit the unruly adults around her.
- 05
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
A touching sci-fi masterpiece about the bond between a lonely boy and a gentle alien.
An alien is left behind on Earth and saved by the 10-year-old Elliott who decides to keep him hidden in his home. While a task force hunts for the extra-terrestrial, Elliott, his brother, and his little sister Gertie form an emotional bond with their new friend, and try to help him find his way home.
- 06
The Wizard of Oz
An iconic musical journey through a vibrant land of magic and friendship.
Young Dorothy finds herself in a magical world where she makes friends with a lion, a scarecrow and a tin man as they make their way along the yellow brick road to talk with the Wizard and ask for the things they miss most in their lives. The Wicked Witch of the West is the only thing that could stop them.
- 07
Elf
A high-energy comedy about a human raised as an elf searching for his father in New York.
When young Buddy falls into Santa's gift sack on Christmas Eve, he's transported back to the North Pole and raised as a toy-making elf by Santa's helpers. But as he grows into adulthood, he can't shake the nagging feeling that he doesn't belong. Buddy vows to visit Manhattan and find his real dad, a workaholic.
- 08
The Muppets
A joyful musical adventure where fans help Kermit and friends save their legendary theater.
When Kermit the Frog and the Muppets learn that their beloved theater is slated for demolition, a sympathetic human, Gary, and his puppet brother, Walter, swoop in to help the gang put on a show and raise the $10 million they need to save the day.
- 09
Night at the Museum
A fast-paced fantasy where museum exhibits come to life after the sun goes down.
Chaos reigns at the natural history museum when night watchman Larry Daley accidentally stirs up an ancient curse, awakening Attila the Hun, an army of gladiators, a Tyrannosaurus rex and other exhibits.
- 10
The Parent Trap
A sweet and funny story of twin sisters plotting to reunite their divorced parents.
Hallie Parker and Annie James are identical twins who were separated at a young age due to their parents' divorce. Unbeknownst to their parents, the girls are sent to the same summer camp, where they meet, discover the truth about their relationship, and come up with a plan to switch places in an effort to reunite their mother and father.
- 11
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
A thrilling backyard adventure where ordinary insects become giant obstacles.
The scientist father of a teenage girl and boy accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.
- 12
The Sandlot
A nostalgic and heartwarming look at childhood friendship and the love of baseball.
During a summer of friendship and adventure, one boy becomes a part of the gang, nine boys become a team and their leader becomes a legend by confronting the terrifying mystery beyond the right field wall.