Frozen

I know, I know, you can probably quote this movie by heart. However, before you reject it, recognize that the reason you know it so well is because it's amazing! Besides, kids like watching things over and over. Think about how many times you watched Goonies or Freaky Friday as a kid. Frozen tells the Norwegian folk tale of two sisters that grow up with one having ice powers. True to Disney's form, you get some hilarious comic relief in the form of the talking snowman, Olaf. That comedy doesn't take away from how special the story is in that it shows true sibling love.

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*All ages

Eight Below

A science expedition into Antarctica gets cut short due to a pending storm. The humans get taken away to safety, but the eight sled dogs get left behind. It's a tale of survival as the eight struggle on their own. It's also a tale of friendship because the dogs' owner, Paul Walker, does everything in his power to get back to them to help.

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*All ages

Funny Farm

Chevy Chase is at his comedic best in this fun story set in snow-covered Vermont. The town he and his wife unsuspectingly move to looks like it should be a town out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Unfortunately for he and his wife, the town is anything but. Filled with weird characters and luck that goes from bad to worse, you'll enjoy watching Chase battle through the weirdness.

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*Older kids and up

Ice Age

Sequel after sequel have not been quite as good as the original, but there have been enough Ice Age movies that you could do a binge watch marathon. In this original, different animals come together through necessity and desperation as their environment starts changing drastically. These animals wouldn't normally blend. However, the cool part of the movie is that they do blend, showing that friends and family can be anyone and come from anywhere.

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*All ages

Cool Runnings

When you first hear that Jamaicans had a bobsled team in this Disney sports movie based on a true story, you will likely think it's odd that islanders decided to jump into a snow event. Sure, it is weird. However, the strength of will and the tenacity of the team prove that people can try hard and be whatever they set their mind to be.

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*All ages

The Thing

Revered by many as one of the greatest horror movies of all time, this creature feature is John Carpenter's 2nd entry in this list. Regular co-collaborator Kurt Russell stars in a movie that keeps you guessing who's who since the alien bad guy can look like anyone or anything it wants! Carpenter continues his ability to slow build the creepy tonality of his movies and purposely makes everything in this movie feel claustrophobic to add to the scares. What causes that claustrophobic feeling? The fact that the protagonists are all trapped in a snow-covered, Antarctic research facility through the whole ordeal.

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*Older kids and teens

The Big Miracle

In a movie inspired by a true story, whales are trapped below the ice in a small northern, arctic Alaska town. The town as well as the media, Greenpeace, and even Russia come together to make a miracle happen and save the whales. It's a wonderfully heartwarming movie in true family movie fashion.

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*Older kids and up

Grumpy Old Men

The stars of the famous "Odd Couple" movie return together to the big screen to bring this hilarious movie about bickering old guys that fight and prank each other for years without realizing they're really each other's best friend. Set in Wabasha, Minnesota with a winter backdrop, the antics of Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon will have you laughing out loud and being thankful that no one has a lifelong grudge against you. Be sure to check out Grumpier Old Men as well as their mix of camaraderie and antagonism continues.

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*Older kids and up

White Fang

Jack London's classic novel about a wild wolf-dog that slowly gets domesticated comes to life in this 1991 movie starring Ethan Hawke. Taking place in the Yukon territory during the Klondike gold rush, you watch as the dog goes through different experiences, most of which aren't good situations for him to be in. The story, overall, is heartwarming and fun to watch. However, parts can be tense.

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*Older kids and up

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Chronicles of Narnia presents another binge-watching opportunity as it has multiple sequels. Young siblings are transported to a magical world, Narnia, through a portal inside an old wardrobe. This magical world has a battle raging between forces of good, lead by Aslan the lion, and evil, lead by the White Witch (think Elsa from Frozen if she went full villain). 

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*Older kids and up

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Mr. Popper, played by Jim Carrey, is a business man above all else. He's so focused on his job that he pushed his wife away and doesn't have the best relationship with his kids. Things change, though, when he inherits penguins from his father. When the birds arrive, all of Popper's perfectly laid plans fall apart.

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*All ages

Mighty Ducks

After being charged with drunk driving, Emilio Estevez gets sentenced to community service by way of coaching a pee wee hockey team of misfits.  Naturally, Emilio's character has a hockey past he'd not care to remember. He works through his issues as the misfits work through theirs, forming a team along the way.  The feel good Disney movie spawned 2 sequels as well.

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*All ages

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Jack Frost

This fun family movie starts with rather a tragic story for a kids' film. Michael Keaton is a musician that is on tour so much he doesn't have a lot of time for his wife and kid. Then, he dies in an accident. A year later, his son is still mourning which magically brings Keaton back to life as a talking snowman. With a second chance to be a good dad, Keaton does all he can with the time he has.

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*All ages

Snow Day

Chevy Chase's 2nd entry in this list...combined with Christmas Vacation could very well make him the king of winter comedies! In this one, he's a weatherman during a snowstorm, but the focus is a bit more on his children who are out of school for a snow day.

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*All ages

Happy Feet

Happy Feet is an adorable animated movie about being different. Elijah Wood's character, Mumble, can't sing. In this story, singing is how penguins find their lifelong soul mates. If not allowed to be different, Mumble would be in trouble. Luckily, differences are a good thing and often something to celebrate. So, while Mumble can't sing, he sure can dance!

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*All ages

Snow Dogs

Similar to Jim Carrey's inheritance in Popper's Penguins, Cuba Gooding Jr. inherits a team of sled dogs in this movie. When he goes to get them, though, he finds the dogs don't think he's up to the task of running a sled dog team.

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*All ages

Iron Will

Another sled dog movie gets added to the list. This one may be the best of the bunch, it's really hard to pick. In this Disney true story movie, a young guy joins the great sled dog race, the Iditarod, to prove himself after his father passes away. Faced with obstacles the entire way, both from nature and from his opponents, Will proves his strength of spirit through perseverance. It's a great message to kids that they can do anything they want as long as they try hard.

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*Older kids and up

Vertical Limit

Vertical Limit is a mostly forgotten Chris O'Donnell action movie from 2000. However, it does a great job of showing man vs nature as he and his team of climbers head up Mount Everest to save his sister. The movie has action that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I included it in this list to mix up the snow genres a bit and to display the man vs nature aspect. It was either this or Alive, and though Alive is amazing...you know...cannibalism.

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*Older kids and up

The Shining

Cabin fever is displayed at its worst in Stephen King's classic starring Jack Nicholson. Jack gets signed up to be the caretaker of a large hotel during its off season through the winter. Unfortunately for him, the hotel is haunted. The Shining continues to prove itself as one of the scarier movies of all time and has iconically made people suspicious of identical twins ever since! The chase scene through the snow-covered hedge maze is epic and iconic itself.

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*Teens