Five Kids’ Movies to Check Out In the First Half of 2017

Every year film companies throw a lot of love – and money – at the lucrative kids’ market. 2017 is no exception, with an interesting mix of 3D- and CGI-animation, and live-action remakes of Disney classics set to get younger folk into cinemas. Characters and ideas from the 1980s and 1990s are given modern-day reboots, while lauded actors aplenty are lending their voices to lead characters. Here are five films to take your kids to in the first half of 2017 (we’ll return in June with another five for the back half of the year).

Ballerina
The first big kids’ movie of the year. An orphan with dreams of becoming a ballerina gets an unlikely opportunity to audition for the school of Paris Opera Ballet. With teen sensation Ellie Fanning voicing the main character, Ballerina is yet another one for the little princesses in our lives.
Bonus for dads: Weeks – probably months – of watching your little girl attempt the pulsating moves.
Australian release date: January 12.

The LEGO Batman Movie
If you thought Batman had run out of legs, then think again; he’s now the major player in this spin-off to the original 3D-animated Lego Movie. This one features Dick Grayson as Batman’s – and John Wayne’s – adopted son. Fun for Lego fans and DC Comics nuts alike; heaven if your kids love both.
Bonus for dads: Lego. We haven’t really grown out of it, have we?
Australian release date: February 8.

Power Rangers
The 1990s resurgence continues in this CGI-heavy revamp of the limp 1995 film of the same name. Five teenagers with super powers are tasked with saving the world from an alien threat. The monsters have menace, and Kanye West soundtracks the trailer, so expect a PG rating.
Bonus for dads: Bryan Cranston. It’ll be hard to dislodge Walter White from your brain, but here he plays Rangers mentor, Zordon.
Australian release date: March 23.

Beauty and the Beast
One of umpteen live-action remakes of Disney animation classics being rolled out, this one has a lot to live up to – particularly musically – but with The Beast looking very, well, beastly (in a suave sort of Chewbacca-ish way), and Emma Watson wowing with her vocal range, this shapes as a monster hit.
Bonus for dads: Emma Watson. You can only hear her, but… you know what I mean.
Australian release date: March 23.

Despicable Me 3
One word: Minions. A hugely successful stand-alone film and merchandise cash-cow. And they’re why the kids’ll keep coming. The premise? It hardly seems to matter, but Steve Carrell’s Gru faces off against a supervillain called Balthazar Bratt, an ‘80s-child star who has become obsessed with a character he played as a kid.
Bonus for dads: Inevitable ‘80s pop-culture references. South Park co-creator Trey Parker is voicing Bratt.
Australian release date: June 15.