A Glean movie guide
Real-World Magic: Live-Action Family Hits
No cartoons, just great movies.
Great stories for the whole family that trade animation for live-action adventure.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Paddington
A charming bear finds a home and a family in this modern masterpiece of kindness.
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 fairy tale filled with fencing, fighting, true love, and miracles.
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
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
A touching story of friendship between a lonely boy and a gentle visitor from another world.
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.
- 04
The Parent Trap
Identical twins swap places in a clever scheme to bring their long-separated parents back together.
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.
- 05
Matilda
A brilliant young girl uses her extraordinary mind and powers to overcome her neglectful surroundings.
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.
- 06
The Muppets
A joyful, music-filled quest to save a legendary theater with the help of some iconic puppet friends.
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.
- 07
Home Alone
A resourceful boy defends his house from burglars with a series of ingenious and hilarious traps.
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.
- 08
Elf
A human raised at the North Pole brings his infectious holiday spirit to a cynical New York City.
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.
- 09
The Goonies
A group of young friends embarks on a thrilling underground treasure hunt to save their neighborhood.
Young teen Mikey Walsh and his friends set off on a quest to find Pirate One-Eyed Willie's treasure in hopes of saving their homes from demolition. However, on their quest to find the treasure, they run into a family of recently escaped criminals, determined to capture the kids and reach the treasure first.
- 10
Wonder
An inspiring look at kindness and courage as a boy with facial differences enters a mainstream school.
The story of August Pullman – a boy with facial differences – who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.
- 11
Night at the Museum
History comes to life in a spectacular way when a museum guard discovers a magical ancient tablet.
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.
- 12
Babe
A polite little pig defies the odds to become a champion sheep-herder with the help of a kind farmer.
Babe is a little pig who doesn't quite know his place in the world. With a bunch of odd friends, like Ferdinand the duck who thinks he is a rooster and Fly the dog he calls mum, Babe realises that he has the makings to become the greatest sheep pig of all time, and Farmer Hoggett knows it. With the help of the sheep dogs, Babe learns that a pig can be anything that he wants to be.