Let's be honest - there's nothing quite like watching your kids completely lose it over a movie scene that has you cracking up too. You know that moment in Despicable Me when the Minions start their banana shenanigans, and suddenly your whole living room erupts in laughter? That's the sweet spot of family entertainment right there!
And since we're already talking about creating these perfect family movie moments, I've got a parent hack: Watch more comedy movies! In this post, I've rounded up 10 animated comedies that'll not only match that Despicable Me charm but also help your kids level up their English without them even noticing.
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Movies Like Despicable Me
Inside Out 2 (2024)
Just when Joy, Sadness, and the gang think they've got everything under control, boom! A whole new set of emotions crash the party, including the chaotic queen herself, Anxiety. It's like watching your own teenage years play out in the most entertaining way possible, complete with eye rolls, mood swings, and those awkward moments that'll make you laugh (or cringe) in recognition.
Inside Out 2 is perfect for helping kids grasp emotional vocabulary in English. As Riley navigates her teen years, the film naturally weaves in contemporary teen slang and expressions that'll help your kids sound more like native speakers.
Plus, the way each emotion speaks with its own distinct personality and vocabulary range makes it easier for young learners to pick up on different speaking styles and tones.
Turning Red (2024)
Meet Mei Lee, your typical 13-year-old who has one tiny not-so-typical problem: she turns into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited (which, let's face it, is pretty much all the time as a teen). Between dealing with her overprotective mom, crushing on boy bands, and trying to keep her fluffy alter ego under wraps, this movie serves up laugh-out-loud moments that'll have your whole family howling (or should we say... panda-ing?) with laughter.
The movie is packed with current tween, gen alpha slang, and teen lingo, giving kids a natural way to learn how young English speakers really talk. From school cafeteria chatter to friend group dynamics, the dialogue captures authentic North American youth culture perfectly.
The Garfield Movie (2024)
The world's most famous lasagna-loving cat is back in this all-new adventure, but this time he's got more than just Monday blues to deal with. When Garfield meets his long-lost father - a scruffy, street-smart cat named Vic - he's forced to leave his cozy life of naps and pasta to join a hilarious heist.
On the language learning front, The Garfield Movie shines as a fantastic tool for mastering comedic timing and witty banter in English. The clever wordplay and sarcastic humor (especially from Garfield himself) help kids understand how English speakers use irony and humor in everyday conversation.
The Boss Baby (2017)
Imagine finding out your new baby brother shows up wearing a suit, carrying a briefcase, and speaking with a CEO's swagger. That's exactly what 7-year-old Tim discovers in this hilarious take on sibling rivalry. The Boss Baby isn't your average drooling infant - he's actually a secret agent on a mission to stop an evil plot by the puppy industry.
The Boss Baby is a fantastic resource for picking up business and family-related English vocabulary in the most entertaining way possible. Kids will naturally absorb professional terms like "meeting," "deadline," and "management" while also learning everyday family words and phrases.
Finding Dory (2016)
Take a dive into the deep blue with Dory, everyone's favorite forgetful fish, as she sets out on a mission to find her long-lost family. This time, our blue tang friend isn't just a hilarious sidekick - she's the star of her own adventure that'll have you swimming through aquariums, touching tide pools, and escaping in a wild truck chase (yes, fish in a truck!).
The movie is brilliant for teaching kids how to follow and tell stories in English, as Dory's journey weaves together multiple plot threads that kids can easily track. The repetitive phrases (like Dory's "just keep swimming") help reinforce key expressions, while the diverse character accents expose children to different English pronunciations.
Plus, the movie's themes about overcoming challenges provide rich vocabulary around emotions, determination, and problem-solving.
The Secret Life Of Pets (2016)
Ever wondered what your pets really do when you're not home? The Secret Life of Pets spills all the hilarious tea on our furry friends' double lives. Here, you'll witness the rivalry between the main characters (Max and Duke) and how it quickly spirals into an epic adventure across New York City. Yep...an adventure involving a gang of abandoned pets, wild chases, and more animal hijinks!
From a language learning angle, this movie is perfect for building everyday vocabulary about pets, city life, and daily routines. What we love about this is that it exposes kids to various American accents and urban slang. Plus, since much of the dialogue revolves around common household situations and daily activities (just with a hilarious pet twist), children naturally pick up practical English phrases they can use in real life.
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Welcome to Hotel Transylvania, where Count Dracula isn't just a vampire - he's a single dad running a luxury hotel for monsters! Think five-star resort meets haunted house, where zombies are bellhops and skeletons are waiters.
Here, kids will naturally pick up sentence rhythm and pronunciation while laughing at the wordplay and puns. The hotel setting is also perfect for learning hospitality vocabulary and polite expressions - even if they're being used by werewolves and mummies! Plus, the mix of modern slang and classic monster movie talk helps children understand how English can be both formal and fun
WALL-E (2008)
Meet WALL-E, the last robot on Earth who spends his days turning mountains of trash into neat little cubes - not exactly a dream job, right? But everything changes when he meets EVE, a sleek, high-tech robot from space who has him head over "wheels" in love.
Since WALL-E and EVE speak mostly through robotic sounds and simple words, kids learn how meaning comes across through context and expression - a crucial skill in language learning.
Ratatouille (2007)
While most rats are happily digging through garbage, our little guy Remy has the palate of a food critic and the cooking skills to match. When he secretly teams up with Linguini, a clumsy garbage boy, they create a hilarious partnership that turns the culinary world upside down.
In this movie, your kids will learn a lot of kitchen terms, food names, and cooking verbs while watching Remy whip up his masterpieces. The French-meets-English setting also helps learners understand how English speakers pronounce foreign words and handle unfamiliar terms.
Chicken Little (2005)
After becoming the laughingstock of his town, this plucky little chicken is desperate to restore his reputation. But just when he's making a comeback through baseball (yes, a chicken playing baseball!), he discovers something way bigger than falling sky pieces: an alien invasion!
Kids will pick up classic expressions like "the sky is falling," "cry wolf," and "underdog" in their natural context. The small-town setting also provides plenty of everyday American English conversations, while the school scenes help children learn common playground and sports vocabulary.
Jonathan Del Prado
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And there we have it! As you can see, these animated comedies prove that learning English can be as enjoyable as watching Gru chase his minions around. But hey, why stop at English when there's a whole world of languages to explore?
Lingopie Team
Think of how fun it would be to watch your favorite shows while picking up new languages naturally - from understanding French comedies without subtitles to catching every joke in Spanish comedy shows. On Lingopie, you'll find yourself immersed in authentic content from around the world, where every binge session doubles as a language lesson.
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