50 Must Watch Movies For 9 - 12 Years Old Boys & Girls: Unleash Adventure

The pre-teen years are a magical time where adventure, imagination and growing up meet. Kids are gaining independence but still appreciate time with family. The ideal movies for this transitional period should stimulate their maturing minds while engaging their youthful spirit.

In this list, you'll find hilarious comedies, thrilling mysteries, inspiring biopics, fantastic adventures and meaningful dramas perfect for 9-12 year old boys and girls. From beloved classics to new favorites, these entertaining films provide laughs, life lessons, scares and everything in between. Grab some popcorn and get ready to unleash excitement!

50 Good Movies For 9-12 Year Olds

Before going into details of each movie separately, we have compiled a list of all 50 Must Watch Movies For 9 - 12 Years Old Boys & Girls in the following table. You can jump to any movie details by clicking its name from the following table.

Also Read: Must Watch Animation Movies on HBO Max

1 - My Girl (1991)

• All Cast: Anna Chlumsky (Vada Sultenfuss), Macaulay Culkin (Thomas J. Sennett), Dan Aykroyd (Harry Sultenfuss), Jamie Lee Curtis (Shelly DeVoto), Richard Masur (Phil Sultenfuss), Griffin Dunne (Mr. Bixler), Lukas Haas (Nick Zsigmond), Brittany Murphy (Allison), Welker White (Patti Dellabonte)
• Director: Howard Zieff
• Network: Columbia Pictures
• Release Date: November 27, 1991
• IMDb Rating: 6.9
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $15 million
• Revenue: $59.5 million
• Run Time: 99 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Sony LIV, YouTube Movies
• Synopsis: In the summer of 1972, young Vada faces turmoil after her best friend Thomas dies when she faces a tumultuous time after her mother passes away.

Also Read: Top 20 Disney Movies

2 - The Sandlot (1993)

• All Cast: Tom Guiry (Scotty Smalls), Mike Vitar (Benjamin 'Benny' Franklin Rodriguez), Patrick Renna (Hamilton 'Ham' Porter), Chauncey Leopardi (Michael 'squints' Palledorous), Marty York (Alan 'Yeah-Yeah' McClennan), Brandon Quintin Adams (Kenny DeNunez), Grant Gelt (Timmy Timmons), Victor DiMattia (Tommy 'Repeat' Timmons), Shane Obedzinski (Tommy 'Repeat' Timmons), Karen Allen (Scotty's Mom), Denis Leary (Bill)
• Director: David Mickey Evans
• Network: 20th Century Fox
• Release Date: April 7, 1993
• IMDb Rating: 7.8
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $7 million
• Revenue: $33 million
• Run Time: 101 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: In the summer of 1962, a shy new kid in town named Scotty joins the neighborhood baseball team and goes on a journey of self-discovery and adventure.

Also Read: DC Movies in Order

3 - Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

• All Cast: Dwayne Johnson (Dr. Smolder Bravestone), Jack Black (Professor Shelly Oberon), Kevin Hart (Franklin 'Moose' Finbar), Karen Gillan (Ruby Roundhouse), Nick Jonas (Jefferson 'seaplane' McDonough), Bobby Cannavale (Russell Van Pelt), Rhys Darby (Nigel Billingsley), Alex Wolff (Spencer Gilpin), Madison Iseman (Bethany Walker), Ser'Darius Blain (Anthony 'Fridge' Johnson), Morgan Turner (Martha Kaply), Mason Guccione (Young Alex Vreeke)
• Director: Jake Kasdan
• Network: Sony Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions
• Release Date: December 20, 2017
• IMDb Rating: 6.9
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG-13
• Budget: $90–150 million
• Revenue: $962.1 million
• Run Time: 119 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Sony LIV
• Synopsis: Four high school students get magically transported into the dangerous video game world of Jumanji and must complete the game as their avatars to escape.

Also Read: Pirates Of The Caribbean Movies In Order

4 - National Treasure (2004)

• All Cast: Nicolas Cage (Ben Gates), Diane Kruger (Abigail Chase), Justin Bartha (Riley Poole), Sean Bean (Mitch Wilkinson), Jon Voight (Patrick Gates), Harvey Keitel (Agent Peter Sadusky), Christopher Plummer (John Adams Gates)
• Director: Jon Turteltaub
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films
• Release Date: November 19, 2004
• IMDb Rating: 6.9
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $100 million
• Revenue: $347.5 million
• Run Time: 131 minutes
• Languages: English, Spanish, Latin
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Benjamin Franklin Gates seeks a war chest hidden by the Founding Fathers during the Revolutionary War using clues from mysterious treasure maps.

Also Read: Batman Movies In Order

5 - Enchanted (2007)

• All Cast: Amy Adams (Giselle), Patrick Dempsey (Robert Philip), James Marsden (Prince Edward), Timothy Spall (Nathaniel), Idina Menzel (Nancy Tremaine), Rachel Covey (Morgan Philip), Susan Sarandon (Queen Narissa)
• Director: Kevin Lima
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Barry Sonnenfeld Productions
• Release Date: November 21, 2007
• IMDb Rating: 7.0
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $85 million 
• Revenue: $340.5 million
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: A fairy tale princess is sent to modern day New York City by an evil queen, forcing her to navigate the realities of the real world.

Also Read: Best Funny Halloween Movies To Watch

6 - School of Rock (2003)

• All Cast: Jack Black (Dewey Finn), Joan Cusack (Rosalie Mullins), Mike White (Ned Schneebly), Sarah Silverman (Patty Di Marco), Miranda Cosgrove (Summer Hathaway), Joey Gaydos Jr. (Zack 'Zack-Attack' Mooneyham)
• Director: Richard Linklater
• Network: Paramount Pictures
• Release Date: October 3, 2003
• IMDb Rating: 7.1
• Country: USA, Germany
• Audience: PG-13
• Budget: $35 million
• Revenue: $131.3 million
• Run Time: 109 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Hulu
• Synopsis: Struggling rock singer Dewey Finn poses as a substitute teacher for extra cash but turns his class into a rock band to compete in a local Battle of the Bands contest.

Also Read: Best Comedy Movies Of All Time

7 - Shazam! (2019)

• All Cast: Zachary Levi (Shazam), Mark Strong (Dr. Thaddeus Sivana), Asher Angel (Billy Batson), Jack Dylan Grazer (Freddy Freeman), Djimon Hounsou (Wizard Shazam), Cooper Andrews (Victor Vasquez), Marta Milans (Rosa Vasquez), Grace Fulton (Mary Bromfield), Ian Chen (Eugene Choi), Jovan Armand (Pedro Peña), Faithe Herman (Darla Dudley), Adam Brody (Super Hero Freddy)
• Director: David F. Sandberg
• Network: New Line Cinema, DC Entertainment
• Release Date: April 5, 2019
• IMDb Rating: 7.0
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG-13
• Budget: $100 million 
• Revenue: $366 million
• Run Time: 132 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: HBO Max
• Synopsis: A 14-year-old foster kid named Billy Batson discovers he can transform into an adult superhero by saying Shazam and battles the evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.

Also Read: Top 20 Christmas Movies

8 - The Goonies (1985)

• All Cast: Sean Astin (Mikey), Josh Brolin (Brand), Jeff Cohen (Chunk), Corey Feldman (Mouth), Kerri Green (Andy), Martha Plimpton (Stef), Jonathan Ke Quan (Data), John Matuszak (Sloth), Robert Davi (Jake), Joe Pantoliano (Francis)
• Director: Richard Donner
• Network: Warner Bros., Amblin Entertainment
• Release Date: June 7, 1985
• IMDb Rating: 7.8
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $19 million 
• Revenue: $61.5 million
• Run Time: 114 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: HBO Max
• Synopsis: Mikey and his friends find a treasure map and set out on a life-changing adventure to find long-lost pirate treasure and save their homes from foreclosure.

Also Read: Best Time-Travel Movies

9 - Hidden Figures (2016)

• All Cast: Taraji P. Henson (Katherine Johnson), Octavia Spencer (Dorothy Vaughan), Janelle Monáe (Mary Jackson), Kevin Costner (Al Harrison), Kirsten Dunst (Vivian Mitchell), Jim Parsons (Paul Stafford), Mahershala Ali (Colonel Jim Johnson), Aldis Hodge (Levi Jackson), Glen Powell (John Glenn)
• Director: Theodore Melfi
• Network: Fox 2000 Pictures, Chernin Entertainment, Levantine Films
• Release Date: December 25, 2016
• IMDb Rating: 7.8
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $25 million 
• Revenue: $236 million
• Run Time: 127 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: The untold story of the brilliant African-American female mathematicians at NASA who helped pioneer space travel during the Space Race.

10 - Wonder (2017)

• All Cast: Jacob Tremblay (Auggie Pullman), Owen Wilson (Nate Pullman), Julia Roberts (Isabel Pullman), Izabela Vidovic (Via Pullman), Mandy Patinkin (Mr. Tushman), Daveed Diggs (Mr. Browne)
• Director: Stephen Chbosky
• Network: Lionsgate, Participant Media, Walden Media
• Release Date: November 17, 2017
• IMDb Rating: 8.0
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $20 million 
• Revenue: $306 million
• Run Time: 113 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• Synopsis: Young August Pullman deals with facial differences and with being mainstreamed into a conventional elementary school.

11 - Cinderella (2015)

• All Cast: Lily James (Cinderella), Cate Blanchett (Lady Tremaine), Richard Madden (Prince Charming), Helena Bonham Carter (Fairy Godmother), Nonso Anozie (Captain), Stellan Skarsgård (Grand Duke), Holliday Grainger (Anastasia), Sophie McShera (Drizella), Hayley Atwell (Cinderella's Mother), Ben Chaplin (Cinderella's Father)
• Director: Kenneth Branagh
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Allison Shearmur Productions
• Release Date: March 13, 2015
• IMDb Rating: 6.9
• Country: USA, UK
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $95 million 
• Revenue: $543.5 million
• Run Time: 105 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Ella lives under the tyranny of her wicked stepmother and stepsisters until she meets a prince who transforms her life through magic and love.

12 - Holes (2003)

• All Cast: Sigourney Weaver (The Warden), Jon Voight (Mr. Sir), Tim Blake Nelson (Dr. Pendanski), Shia LaBeouf (Stanley Yelnats IV), Khleo Thomas (Hector Zeroni), Brenden Jefferson (Rex X-Ray), Jake M. Smith (Squid), Byron Cotton (Caveman), Miguel Castro (Magnet), Max Kasch (Zigzag)
• Director: Andrew Davis
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Walden Media
• Release Date: April 18, 2003
• IMDb Rating: 7.0
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $20 million 
• Revenue: $71.4 million
• Run Time: 117 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Stanley Yelnats is sent to Camp Green Lake juvenile detention center where boys are forced to dig holes in a dried up lake bed and he works to uncover the warden's mysterious motives.

13 - A League of Their Own (1992)

• All Cast: Tom Hanks (Jimmy Dugan), Geena Davis (Dottie Hinson), Lori Petty (Kit Keller), Madonna (Mae Mordabito), Rosie O'Donnell (Doris Murphy), Jon Lovitz (Ernie Capadino), David Strathairn (Ira Lowenstein), Garry Marshall (Walter Harvey), Bill Pullman (Bob Hinson), Penny Marshall (Doris)
• Director: Penny Marshall
• Network: Columbia Pictures, Geena Davis Productions
• Release Date: July 1, 1992
• IMDb Rating: 7.3
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $40 million 
• Revenue: $132.4 million
• Run Time: 128 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
• Synopsis: Two sisters join the first female professional baseball league and struggle to help it succeed amidst their own growing rivalry.

14 - The Karate Kid (1984)

• All Cast: Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso), Noriyuki Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi), Elisabeth Shue (Ali Mills), William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence), Martin Kove (John Kreese), Randee Heller (Lucille La Russo), Chad McQueen (Dutch), Tony O'Dell (Jimmy), Ron Thomas (Bobby)
• Director: John G. Avildsen
• Network: Columbia Pictures, Delphi Productions
• Release Date: June 22, 1984
• IMDb Rating: 7.3
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $8 million 
• Revenue: $90.8 million
• Run Time: 127 minutes
• Languages: English, Japanese
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• Synopsis: Daniel moves to Southern California and faces bullying from karate students until Mr. Miyagi teaches him self-defense through martial arts training and life lessons.

15 - E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

• All Cast: Dee Wallace (Mary), Henry Thomas (Elliott), Peter Coyote (Keys), Robert MacNaughton (Michael), Drew Barrymore (Gertie), K. C. Martel (Greg), Sean Frye (Steve), C. Thomas Howell (Tyler), David M. O'Dell (Sam), Richard Swingler (Science Teacher)
• Director: Steven Spielberg
• Network: Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
• Release Date: June 11, 1982
• IMDb Rating: 7.8
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $10.5 million 
• Revenue: $792.9 million
• Run Time: 115 minutes
• Languages: English, Spanish
• Where to Watch: MAX GO
• Synopsis: A friendly alien is accidentally stranded on Earth and must rely on the help of a young boy named Elliott and his siblings to find a way back home.

16 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

• All Cast: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick), Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid), Warwick Davis (Filius Flitwick), Richard Griffiths (Vernon Dursley), Richard Harris (Albus Dumbledore), Ian Hart (Professor Quirrell), John Hurt (Mr. Ollivander)
• Director: Chris Columbus
• Network: Warner Bros. Pictures
• Release Date: November 16, 2001
• IMDb Rating: 7.6
• Country: UK, USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $125 million 
• Revenue: $974.8 million
• Run Time: 152 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: HBO Max
• Synopsis: On his 11th birthday, orphan Harry Potter discovers he is a wizard and is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

17 - Back to the Future (1985)

• All Cast: Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown), Lea Thompson (Lorraine Baines), Crispin Glover (George McFly), Thomas F. Wilson (Biff Tannen), Claudia Wells (Jennifer Parker), James Tolkan (Mr. Strickland), Marc McClure (Dave McFly), Wendie Jo Sperber (Linda McFly), George DiCenzo (Sam Baines)
• Director: Robert Zemeckis
• Network: Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
• Release Date: July 3, 1985
• IMDb Rating: 8.5
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $19 million
• Revenue: $381.1 million
• Run Time: 116 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• Synopsis: Marty McFly travels back in time using an eccentric scientist's time machine and accidentally prevents his parents from meeting, putting his own existence at risk.

18 - Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

• All Cast: Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller), Alan Ruck (Cameron Frye), Mia Sara (Sloane Peterson), Jeffrey Jones (Ed Rooney), Jennifer Grey (Jeanie Bueller), Cindy Pickett (Katie Bueller), Lyman Ward (Tom Bueller), Edie McClurg (Grace), Charlie Sheen (Boy in Police Station), Ben Stein (Economics Teacher)
• Director: John Hughes
• Network: Paramount Pictures
• Release Date: June 11, 1986
• IMDb Rating: 7.8
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG-13
• Budget: $6 million 
• Revenue: $70.1 million
• Run Time: 103 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
• Synopsis: Ferris Bueller decides to skip school for a day in Chicago with his girlfriend and best friend, creatively avoiding being caught by school officials and his parents.

19 - Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

• All Cast: Carrie Coon (Callie), Finn Wolfhard (Trevor), Mckenna Grace (Phoebe), Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz), Paul Rudd (Gary Grooberson), Bokeem Woodbine (Sheriff Domingo), Logan Kim (Podcast), Celeste O'Connor (Lucky), Bill Murray (Dr. Peter Venkman)
• Director: Jason Reitman
• Network: Columbia Pictures, Ghost Corps
• Release Date: November 11, 2021
• IMDb Rating: 7.1
• Country: USA, Canada
• Audience: PG-13
• Budget: $75 million Revenue: $204.3 million
• Run Time: 124 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• Synopsis: When a single mom and her two kids move to a new town, they soon discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and their grandfather's legacy.

20 - Gremlins (1984)

• All Cast: Zach Galligan (Billy Peltzer), Phoebe Cates (Kate Beringer), Hoyt Axton (Randall Peltzer), Frances Lee McCain (Lynn Peltzer), Polly Holliday (Mrs. Deagle), Judge Reinhold (Gerald), Keye Luke (Mr. Wing), John Louie (Chinese Boy), Scott Brady (Sheriff Frank), Corey Feldman (Pete Fountaine)
• Director: Joe Dante
• Network: Warner Bros., Amblin Entertainment
• Release Date: June 8, 1984
• IMDb Rating: 7.3
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $11 million 
• Revenue: $153.1 million
• Run Time: 106 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: HBO Max
• Synopsis: A young man inadvertently breaks the rules concerning care of a strange creature, unleashing monstrous mischief on a small town over Christmas.

21 - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

• All Cast: Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), Jake Johnson (Peter B. Parker), Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy), Mahershala Ali (Aaron Davis), Brian Tyree Henry (Jefferson Davis), Lily Tomlin (May Parker), Luna Lauren Velez (Rio Morales), John Mulaney (Peter Porker), Kimiko Glenn (Peni Parker), Nicolas Cage (Peter Parker)
• Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
• Network: Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation
• Release Date: December 14, 2018
• IMDb Rating: 8.4
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $90 million 
• Revenue: $375.5 million
• Run Time: 117 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• Synopsis: Miles Morales becomes the Spider-Man of his universe and crosses paths with other Spider-People from different dimensions to stop Kingpin and his super collider.

22 - Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

• All Cast: Josh Hutcherson (Jesse Aarons), AnnaSophia Robb (Leslie Burke), Zooey Deschanel (Ms. Edmunds), Robert Patrick (Jack Aarons), Bailee Madison (May Belle Aarons), Kate Butler (Grandma Burke), Devon Wood (Brenda Aarons), Emma Fenton (Ellie Aarons), Grace Brannigan (Judy Burke), Latham Gaines (Bill Burke)
• Director: Gábor Csupó
• Network: Walden Media, Walt Disney Pictures
• Release Date: February 16, 2007
• IMDb Rating: 7.1
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $20 million 
• Revenue: $137.5 million
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Jess Aarons and new neighbor Leslie Burke create a magical fantasy world called Terabithia in the woods, but their friendship is tested after a tragedy.

23 - Little Women (2019)

• All Cast: Saoirse Ronan (Jo March), Emma Watson (Meg March), Florence Pugh (Amy March), Eliza Scanlen (Beth March), Timothée Chalamet (Theodore 'Laurie' Laurence), Laura Dern (Marmee), Meryl Streep (Aunt March), James Norton (John Brooke), Louis Garrel (Friedrich Bhaer), Bob Odenkirk (Mr. March)
• Director: Greta Gerwig
• Network: Columbia Pictures, Regency Enterprises
• Release Date: December 25, 2019
• IMDb Rating: 7.8
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $40 million 
• Revenue: $218.8 million
• Run Time: 135 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Starz
• Synopsis: The lives of the four March sisters living in New England during the 19th century from young adulthood to marriage and womanhood.

24 - Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

• All Cast: Chris Pratt (Peter Quill), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Vin Diesel (Groot), Lee Pace (Ronan), Michael Rooker (Yondu), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Djimon Hounsou (Korath), John C. Reilly (Rhomann Dey)
• Director: James Gunn
• Network: Marvel Studios
• Release Date: July 21, 2014
• IMDb Rating: 8.0
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG-13
• Budget: $232.3 million 
• Revenue: $773.3 million
• Run Time: 121 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: A group of intergalactic misfits must come together as a team to stop a cosmic force of epic destruction in this Marvel superhero adventure.

25 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

• All Cast: Tilda Swinton (White Witch), Georgie Henley (Lucy Pevensie), Skandar Keynes (Edmund Pevensie), William Moseley (Peter Pevensie), Anna Popplewell (Susan Pevensie), James McAvoy (Mr. Tumnus), Ray Winstone (Mr. Beaver), Dawn French (Mrs. Beaver), Liam Neeson (Aslan), Rupert Everett (Fox)
• Director: Andrew Adamson
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Walden Media
• Release Date: December 9, 2005
• IMDb Rating: 6.9
• Country: USA, UK
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $180 million 
• Revenue: $745 million
• Run Time: 143 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Four children enter the magical world of Narnia through a wardrobe, where they join the lion Aslan to fulfill a prophecy and defeat the evil White Witch.

26 - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

• All Cast: Johnny Depp (Jack Sparrow), Orlando Bloom (Will Turner), Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Swann), Geoffrey Rush (Barbossa), Jack Davenport (Norrington), Kevin McNally (Gibbs), Zoe Saldana (Anamaria), Jonathan Pryce (Governor Weatherby Swann), Lee Arenberg (Pintel), Mackenzie Crook (Ragetti)
• Director: Gore Verbinski
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films
• Release Date: July 9, 2003
• IMDb Rating: 8.0
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG-13
• Budget: $140 million
• Revenue: $654.3 million
• Run Time: 143 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow to save his love Elizabeth Swann from cursed pirates led by Captain Barbossa.

27 - Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

• All Cast: Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Efren Ramirez (Pedro), Tina Majorino (Deb), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico), Aaron Ruell (Kip), Diedrich Bader (Rex), Haylie Duff (Summer Wheatley), Trevor Snarr (Don), Shondrella Avery (LaFawnduh Lucas), Sandy Martin (Grandma Dynamite)
• Director: Jared Hess
• Network: Paramount Pictures, MTV Films
• Release Date: June 11, 2004
• IMDb Rating: 6.9
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $400,000 
• Revenue: $46.1 million
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Hulu
• Synopsis: An awkward, eccentric teenager named Napoleon Dynamite helps his new friend run for high school president while dealing with struggles at home and school.

28 - Pitch Perfect (2012)

• All Cast: Anna Kendrick (Beca), Brittany Snow (Chloe), Rebel Wilson (Fat Amy), Anna Camp (Aubrey), Skylar Astin (Jesse), Ben Platt (Benji), Adam DeVine (Bumper), Alexis Knapp (Stacie), Ester Dean (Cynthia Rose), Hana Mae Lee (Lilly)
• Director: Jason Moore
• Network: Gold Circle Films, Brownstone Productions
• Release Date: September 28, 2012
• IMDb Rating: 7.2
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG-13
• Budget: $17 million 
• Revenue: $115.4 million
• Run Time: 112 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• Synopsis: College student Beca joins an all-girls a cappella group where she clashes with the traditional leader Chloe but helps them advance to competitive singing.

29 - Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

• All Cast: John C. Reilly (Ralph), Sarah Silverman (Vanellope), Gal Gadot (Shank), Taraji P. Henson (Yesss), Jack McBrayer (Felix), Jane Lynch (Calhoun), Alan Tudyk (KnowsMore), Alfred Molina (Double Dan), Ed O'Neill (Mr. Litwak), Sean Giambrone (Eboy)
• Director: Rich Moore, Phil Johnston
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Release Date: November 21, 2018
• IMDb Rating: 7.0
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $175 million 
• Revenue: $529 million
• Run Time: 112 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Video game bad guy Ralph and his friend Vanellope von Schweetz leave the arcade and journey into the expansive universe of the internet.

30 - Emperor's New Groove (2000)

• All Cast: David Spade (Kuzco), John Goodman (Pacha), Eartha Kitt (Yzma), Patrick Warburton (Kronk), Wendie Malick (Chicha), Kellyann Kelso (Chaca), Eli Russell Linnetz (Tipo), Bob Bergen (Bucky the Squirrel)
• Director: Mark Dindal
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Release Date: December 15, 2000
• IMDb Rating: 7.4
• Country: USA
• Audience: G
• Budget: $100 million 
• Revenue: $169.3 million
• Run Time: 78 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: After being transformed into a llama, self-centered Incan emperor Kuzco must team up with peasant Pacha to return to his kingdom and foil evil advisor Yzma's plans.

31 - Kung Fu Panda (2008)

• All Cast: Jack Black (Po), Dustin Hoffman (Shifu), Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Ian McShane (Tai Lung), Jackie Chan (Monkey), Seth Rogen (Mantis), Lucy Liu (Viper), David Cross (Crane), Randall Duk Kim (Oogway), Dan Fogler (Zeng)
• Director: John Stevenson, Mark Osborne
• Network: DreamWorks Animation
• Release Date: June 6, 2008
• IMDb Rating: 7.5
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $130 million 
• Revenue: $631.7 million
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Languages: English, Mandarin
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• Synopsis: Po the panda is chosen as the legendary Dragon Warrior, much to the chagrin of the powerful kung fu warriors, but he trains hard to fulfill his destiny and defeat Tai Lung.

32 - Finding Nemo (2003)

• All Cast: Albert Brooks (Marlin), Ellen DeGeneres (Dory), Alexander Gould (Nemo), Willem Dafoe (Gill), Brad Garrett (Bloat), Allison Janney (Peach), Austin Pendleton (Gurgle), Stephen Root (Bubbles), Vicki Lewis (Deb/Flo), Joe Ranft (Jacques)
• Director: Andrew Stanton
• Network: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
• Release Date: May 30, 2003
• IMDb Rating: 8.1
• Country: USA
• Audience: G
• Budget: $94 million 
• Revenue: $940.3 million
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: After his son gets captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, timid clownfish Marlin embarks on a daring rescue mission across the ocean.

33 - The Breakfast Club (1985)

• All Cast: Emilio Estevez (Andrew Clark), Paul Gleason (Richard Vernon), Anthony Michael Hall (Brian Johnson), John Kapelos (Carl Reed), Judd Nelson (John Bender), Molly Ringwald (Claire Standish), Ally Sheedy (Allison Reynolds), John Hughes (Brian's Dad)
• Director: John Hughes
• Network: Universal Pictures, A&M Films
• Release Date: February 15, 1985
• IMDb Rating: 7.8
• Country: USA
• Audience: R
• Budget: $1 million 
• Revenue: $51.5 million
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
• Synopsis: Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal, finding unexpected bonds.

34 - The Lion King (1994)

• All Cast: Matthew Broderick (Adult Simba), Jeremy Irons (Scar), James Earl Jones (Mufasa), Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Young Simba), Moira Kelly (Nala), Nathan Lane (Timon), Ernie Sabella (Pumbaa), Robert Guillaume (Rafiki), Rowan Atkinson (Zazu), Whoopi Goldberg (Shenzi)
• Director: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Release Date: June 24, 1994
• IMDb Rating: 8.5
• Country: USA
• Audience: G
• Budget: $45 million 
• Revenue: $968.5 million
• Run Time: 89 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Lion prince Simba flees his kingdom after his father's murder but must rediscover his courage to face his evil uncle and reclaim his rightful throne.

35 - An American in Paris (1951)

• All Cast: Gene Kelly (Jerry Mulligan), Leslie Caron (Lise Bouvier), Oscar Levant (Adam Cook), Georges Guétary (Henri Baurel), Nina Foch (Milo Roberts), Sir Cedric Hardwicke (Crawford), Stuart Whitman (Slim Gaffigan), Ann Codee (Olga), O. E. Hasse (Franz), Harriet Ames (Mrs. Baurel)
• Director: Vincente Minnelli
• Network: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
• Release Date: October 4, 1951
• IMDb Rating: 7.2
• Country: USA
• Audience: G
• Budget: $2.73 million 
• Revenue: $4.5 million
• Run Time: 113 minutes
• Languages: English, French
• Where to Watch: HBO Max
• Synopsis: Three friends struggle to find work in Paris, but are distracted by women as they try to make their names as painters, singers and dancers.

36 - Bringing Up Baby (1938)

• All Cast: Katharine Hepburn (Susan Vance), Cary Grant (David Huxley), Charlie Ruggles (Major Horace Applegate), Walter Catlett (Constable Slocum), Barry Fitzgerald (Mr. Gogarty), Mary Robson (Aunt Elizabeth Random), Fritz Feld (Dr. Lehman), Virginia Walker (Alice Swallow), May Beatty (Mrs. McGlenhari), Leona Roberts (Mrs. Grunion)
• Director: Howard Hawks
• Network: RKO Radio Pictures
• Release Date: February 18, 1938
• IMDb Rating: 7.8
• Country: USA
• Audience: Approved
• Budget: $1.25 million 
• Revenue: $1.6 million
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: TCM, Amazon Prime Video
• Synopsis: A zany heiress upends the life of a mild-mannered paleontologist as he tries to secure a donation for his museum and she tries to win his affections.

37 - Fly Away Home (1996)

• All Cast: Jeff Daniels (Thomas Alden), Anna Paquin (Amy Alden), Dana Delany (Susan Barnes), Terry Kinney (Jack Thomas), Holter Graham (David Alden), Jeremy Ratchford (Glen Seifert), David Hemblen (Arnie Barnes), Michael J. Reynolds (Barry Stritch), Deborah Verginella (Jane Rothwell Alden), Nora Ballard (Ellie Marshall)
• Director: Carroll Ballard
• Network: Columbia Pictures, Alliance Communications
• Release Date: September 13, 1996
• IMDb Rating: 6.9
• Country: USA, Canada
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $22 million 
• Revenue: $30.6 million
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, iTunes
• Synopsis: A 13-year-old girl moves to the country after her mother dies and bonds with a flock of orphaned Canada geese that she teaches to migrate.

38 - The NeverEnding Story (1984)

• All Cast: Barret Oliver (Bastian), Gerald McRaney (Bastian's Father), Noah Hathaway (Atreyu), Tami Stronach (The Childlike Empress), Moses Gunn (Cairon), Patricia Hayes (Urgl), Sydney Bromley (Engywook), Tony Robinson (Rockbiter), Deep Roy (Teeny Weeny), Falk Hentschel (Ivy)
• Director: Wolfgang Petersen
• Network: Neue Constantin Film, Warner Bros. Pictures
• Release Date: April 6, 1984
• IMDb Rating: 7.4
• Country: West Germany, USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $22 million 
• Revenue: $100 million
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• Languages: English, German
• Where to Watch: HBO Max
• Synopsis: A troubled boy dives into a wondrous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book to save it from destruction and heal his own life.

39 - The Prince of Egypt (1998)

• All Cast: Val Kilmer (Moses), Ralph Fiennes (Rameses), Michelle Pfeiffer (Tzipporah), Sandra Bullock (Miriam), Jeff Goldblum (Aaron), Danny Glover (Jethro), Patrick Stewart (Seti), Helen Mirren (The Queen), Steve Martin (Hotep), Martin Short (Huy)
• Director: Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, Simon Wells
• Network: DreamWorks Animation
• Release Date: December 18, 1998
• IMDb Rating: 7.2
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $70 million 
• Revenue: $219.7 million
• Run Time: 99 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Hulu
• Synopsis: An Egyptian prince learns of his true heritage as a Hebrew and, with his brother Moses, embarks on a quest to free his people from slavery.

40 - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

• All Cast: Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka), Jack Albertson (Grandpa Joe), Peter Ostrum (Charlie Bucket), Roy Kinnear (Mr. Salt), Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt), Leonard Stone (Mr. Beauregarde), Denise Nickerson (Violet Beauregarde), Nora Denney (Mrs. Teevee), Paris Themmen (Mike Teevee), Ursula Reit (Mrs. Gloop)
• Director: Mel Stuart
• Network: Paramount Pictures, The Wolper Organization
• Release Date: June 30, 1971
• IMDb Rating: 7.8
• Country: USA
• Audience: G
• Budget: $3 million 
• Revenue: $4 million
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: HBO Max
• Synopsis: Eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka holds a contest offering a tour of his chocolate factory and a lifetime supply of candy to winners.

41 - Matilda (1996)

• All Cast: Mara Wilson (Matilda), Danny DeVito (Harry Wormwood), Rhea Perlman (Zinnia Wormwood), Embeth Davidtz (Miss Jennifer Honey), Pam Ferris (Agatha Trunchbull), Paul Reubens (FBI Agent Bob), Tracey Walter (FBI Agent Bill), Kiami Davael (Lavender), Kira Spencer Hesser (Hortensia), Jimmy Karz (Bruce Bogtrotter)
• Director: Danny DeVito
• Network: TriStar Pictures, Jersey Films
• Release Date: August 2, 1996
• IMDb Rating: 7.0
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $36 million 
• Revenue: $33 million
• Run Time: 98 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: HBO Max
• Synopsis: A gifted child with horrible parents and a mean school director discovers she possesses telekinetic powers and uses them to deal with the villains in her life.

42 - Children of Heaven (1997)

• All Cast: Mohammad Amir Naji (Ali), Amir Farrokh Hashemian (Zahra), Bahare Seddiqi (Mother), Nafise Jafar-Mohammadi (Father), Kamal Mirkarimi (Grandfather), Behzad Rafi' (Boy Washing Potatoes), Fereshte Sarabandi (The Blind Girl)
• Director: Majid Majidi
• Network: Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children & Young Adults
• Release Date: September 12, 1997
• IMDb Rating: 8.3
• Country: Iran
• Budget: $500,000 
• Revenue: $9.2 million
• Run Time: 89 minutes
• Languages: Persian
• Where to Watch: Curiosity Stream, Amazon Prime Video
• Synopsis: A brother and sister share one pair of shoes, promising to take turns wearing them to school until the girl loses them.

43 - Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

• All Cast: Cary Grant (Mortimer Brewster), Josephine Hull (Abby Brewster), Jean Adair (Martha Brewster), Raymond Massey (Jonathan Brewster), Peter Lorre (Dr. Einstein), James Gleason (Lt. Rooney), Edward McNamara (Sgt. Brophy), Edward Everett Horton (Mr. Witherspoon), John Alexander (Teddy Brewster), Priscilla Lyon (Elaine Harper)
• Director: Frank Capra
• Network: Warner Bros. Pictures
• Release Date: September 23, 1944
• IMDb Rating: 8.0
• Country: USA
• Budget: $1.2 million
• Revenue: $3.2 million
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
• Synopsis: A drama critic learns his sweet little old aunts secretly murder lonely men with poisoned elderberry wine so they can bury them in the cellar.

44 - Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

• All Cast: Keanu Reeves (Ted Theodore Logan), Alex Winter (Bill S. Preston, Esq.), George Carlin (Rufus), Terry Camilleri (Napoleon), Dan Shor (Billy the Kid), Tony Steedman (Socrates), Rod Loomis (Sigmund Freud), Al Leong (Genghis Khan), Jane Wiedlin (Joan of Arc), Robert V. Barron (Abraham Lincoln)
• Director: Stephen Herek
• Network: De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
• Release Date: February 17, 1989
• IMDb Rating: 7.0
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $10 million 
• Revenue: $40.5 million
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: HBO Max
• Synopsis: Slacker friends Bill and Ted go on a time-traveling adventure using a phone booth to learn history and pass their class to avoid flunking out of school.

45 - Sense and Sensibility (1995)

• All Cast: Emma Thompson (Elinor Dashwood), Kate Winslet (Marianne Dashwood), Hugh Grant (Edward Ferrars), Alan Rickman (Colonel Brandon), Greg Wise (John Willoughby), Gemma Jones (Mrs. Dashwood), Elizabeth Spriggs (Mrs. Jennings), Imogen Stubbs (Lucy Steele), Harriet Walter (Fanny Dashwood), James Fleet (John Dashwood)
• Director: Ang Lee
• Network: Columbia Pictures
• Release Date: December 13, 1995
• IMDb Rating: 7.6
• Country: UK, USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $16 million 
• Revenue: $135.5 million
• Run Time: 136 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, iTunes
• Synopsis: After their father dies, three sisters try to balance sense and sensibility in their romantic misadventures while dealing with their reduced financial means.

46 - 13 Going on 30 (2004)

• All Cast: Jennifer Garner (Jenna Rink), Christa B. Allen (Young Jenna), Mark Ruffalo (Matt Flamhaff), Judy Greer (Lucy Wyman) andy Serkis (Richard Kneeland), Kathy Baker (Bev Rink), Phil Reeves (Wayne Rink), Marcia DeBonis (Arlene), Brittany Wilson (Stacy), Sam Ball (Dancer)
• Director: Gary Winick
• Network: Revolution Studios, Bona Fide Productions
• Release Date: April 23, 2004
• IMDb Rating: 6.2
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG-13
• Budget: $37 million 
• Revenue: $96.5 million
• Run Time: 98 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Starz
• Synopsis: On the brink of becoming a woman, a 13-year-old girl makes a wish to transform into a 30-year-old and quickly grapples with adulthood overnight.

47 - Night at the Museum (2006)

• All Cast: Ben Stiller (Larry Daley), Carla Gugino (Rebecca Hutman), Dick Van Dyke (Cecil Fredericks), Mickey Rooney (Gus), Bill Cobbs (Reginald), Jake Cherry (Nicky Daley), Ricky Gervais (Dr. McPhee), Robin Williams (Teddy Roosevelt), Steve Coogan (Octavius), Kim Raver (Erica Daley)
• Director: Shawn Levy
• Network: 20th Century Fox, 1492 Pictures
• Release Date: December 22, 2006
• IMDb Rating: 6.5
• Country: USA, UK
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $110 million 
• Revenue: $574.5 million
• Run Time: 108 minutes
• Languages: English, Hebrew, Italian
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: A night security guard at the Museum of Natural History discovers that exhibits come to life at night due to an ancient Egyptian curse.

48 - The Parent Trap (1998)

• All Cast: Lindsay Lohan (Hallie Parker / Annie James), Dennis Quaid (Nick Parker), Natasha Richardson (Elizabeth James), Elaine Hendrix (Meredith Blake), Lisa Ann Walter (Chessy), Simon Kunz (Martin), Polly Holliday (Marva Kulp Sr.), Maggie Wheeler (Marva Kulp Jr.), Ronnie Stevens (Chuck), Joanna Barnes (Vicki Blake)
• Director: Nancy Meyers
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures
• Release Date: July 20, 1998
• IMDb Rating: 6.6
• Country: USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $28 million Revenue: $92 million
• Run Time: 128 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Separated twin sisters Annie and Hallie unexpectedly meet each other at summer camp and hatch a plan to reunite their divorced parents.

49 - The Princess Diaries (2001)

• All Cast: Anne Hathaway (Mia Thermopolis), Julie Andrews (Clarisse Renaldi), Héctor Elizondo (Joe), Heather Matarazzo (Lilly Moscovitz), Robert Schwartzman (Michael Moscovitz), Erik von Detten (Josh Bryant), Patrick John Flueger (Jeremiah Hart), Sean O'Bryan (Patrick O'Connell), Sandra Oh (Vice Principal Gupta), Larry Miller (Paolo Putti)
• Director: Garry Marshall
• Network: Walt Disney Pictures, Whitaker Entertainment
• Release Date: August 3, 2001
• IMDb Rating: 6.4
• Country: USA
• Audience: G
• Budget: $26 million 
• Revenue: $165.3 million
• Run Time: 115 minutes
• Languages: English, French
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• Synopsis: Teenager Mia Thermopolis learns she is heir to the throne of fictional European kingdom Genovia and struggles with princess lessons from her estranged grandmother.

50 - Goosebumps (2015)

• All Cast: Jack Black (R.L. Stine), Dylan Minnette (Zach), Odeya Rush (Hannah), Amy Ryan (Gale), Ryan Lee (Champ), Jillian Bell (Lorraine), Ken Marino (Coach Carr), Halston Sage (Taylor), Amanda Lund (Officer Stevens), Timothy Simons (Officer Brooks)
• Director: Rob Letterman
• Network: Columbia Pictures, Original Film, Scholastic Entertainment
• Release Date: October 16, 2015
• IMDb Rating: 6.3
• Country: Australia, USA
• Audience: PG
• Budget: $58 million 
• Revenue: $150.2 million
• Run Time: 103 minutes
• Languages: English
• Where to Watch: Netflix
• Synopsis: A teenager teams up with Goosebumps author R.L. Stine's daughter must trap the monsters from the fictional stories that are set free in real life.

DPM Top Picks

1. The Sandlot - This ultimate kids sports comedy never gets old thanks to its entertaining story about boys bonding through baseball one unforgettable summer.
2. The Goonies - Full of adventure, humor and friendship, this beloved 1980s classic about kids hunting for pirate treasure inspires imagination and the thrill of exploration.
3. School of Rock - Jack Black shines in this hit musical comedy about an unconventional substitute teacher motivating his students through the power of rock music.

Final Verdict

The 9 to 12 age presents a wealth of movies that can entertain, educate, uplift and inspire. Films provide a bridge as kids develop more sophisticated tastes but still cling to childlike joys. Comedies, adventures, dramas - the possibilities suit any mood or interest to enjoy a memorable movie night. Whatever they choose, the best films meet pre-teens in the middle with stories to make them laugh, gasp and feel understood.

FAQs

Q: What movies should I watch as a 10 year old?

Great movies for 10 year olds include School of Rock, The Karate Kid, The Goonies, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, The Parent Trap, Matilda, Home Alone, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and more fantastic options.

Q: What are some good movies for 12 year old girls?

Excellent movie picks for 12 year old girls include Mean Girls, The Parent Trap, School of Rock, Matilda, The Princess Diaries, Enchanted, Clueless, Little Women, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Bridge to Terabithia.

Q: What are the good movies for 9-12 year olds on Netflix?

Top movies on Netflix for ages 9-12 include The NeverEnding Story, Bridge to Terabithia, Coco, Matilda, The Little Rascals, Spy Kids, Despicable Me, The Karate Kid and good Adam Sandler comedies like The Waterboy.

Q: What are the best movies for twins?

Fun movie picks for twins include The Parent Trap (original or Lindsay Lohan remake), Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen movies like Double Double Toil and Trouble, It Takes Two, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Twitches, Freaky Friday.

Q: What are good adventure movies for ages 9-12?

Exciting adventure films for 9-12 year olds include the Indiana Jones series, Jumanji films, Back to the Future trilogy, The Goonies, Jurassic Park, Star Wars original trilogy, Harry Potter films, The Chronicles of Narnia series and more.