5 fantasy families that bond on the big screen

“How to Train Your Dragon 2” opens this weekend with at least one new addition to the Viking family we all love, Hiccup’s mom. Isn’t it great to see families bonding on the big screen? I sure think so, and this reminds me of a few other fantasy/science fiction families on the big screen.

The Robinsons — “Lost in Space”

Every family has their challenges, and the Robinsons are no exception. When the whole family is sent into space charged with the task of saving humanity, things immediately go terribly wrong, thanks to the evil Dr. Smith.

This is one of those movies that has a little bit of everything. There’s romance between the oldest daughter and the captain of the ship (played by the charismatic Matt LeBlanc), exciting time and space travel, alien creatures and some pretty great moments between the family members, especially John and his son, Will.

Even though they are traveling through space, it’s easy to see just how similar the Robinsons are to any other family.

“Lost in Space” is rated appropriate for ages 11+ and 100 percent worth your time.

Lewis and the Robinsons — “Meet the Robinsons”

Maybe it’s a Robinson gene, but this Robinson family can’t seem to stay out of trouble either.

Lewis is a genius orphan who is whisked away in a time machine by Wilbur Robinson to stop the bad guy in a bowler hat and his army of mini bowler hats.

Now, if you think your family is strange, you haven’t met these Robinsons. But even with their bizarre behavior, you’re guaranteed to fall in love with every member of the family. In fact, this movie will point out that all of those quirky things that you might think are crazy are exactly what make your family special and better than any other family in the world.

“Meet the Robinsons” has a worth your time rating of 88 percent and age rating of 4+.

The Szalinskis — “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”

When the Szalinski teenagers and a couple of neighbors stumble upon their father’s twitchy shrinking machine, an adventure of giant proportions begins. It’s hard to say which is scarier, the giant insects in the backyard or the teens’ mother when she finds out her kids are the size of fleas.

Like many movies starring Rick Moranis, “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” is full of silly slapstick comedy you can’t resist giggling at despite yourself, and it’s obvious that the Szalinskis are one of the most loving families on the big screen.

With a 100 percent worth your time rating and appropriate for ages 6+, “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” is sure to leave a smile on your kids’ faces.

The McFlys — “Back to the Future”

Before you go ahead and sit down to enjoy this movie with the whole family, you might want to screen it with the big kids first, especially for colorful language.

With that said, the trilogy has something fun for every member of your family.

Marty McFly goes back in time in Doc’s modified DeLorean to make sure his parents fall in love at the high-school dance. Going back to 1955, Marty realizes teenagers aren’t that different than his 1985 friends. He even gives his parents a taste of the future through rock and roll.

Seeing a different side of his parents as teenagers, Marty learns to appreciate them even more. It’s a lesson most kids could learn, right moms and dads?

“Back to the Future” is 94 percent worth your time and rated for kids 10+.

Annie and Hogarth Hughes — “The Iron Giant”

Even though this family is a little bit smaller than other families here, the Hughes in “The Iron Giant” have just as much heart.

Annie (voiced by Jennifer Aniston) is a single mom doing her best to raise her 9-year-old son, Hogarth. An adorable kid with an unfortunate name, Hogarth discovers a giant alien robot and also catches the attention of a paranoid government agency bent on destroying the Iron Giant.

Even though he came from outer space, the Iron Giant quickly becomes part of Hogarth’s family, proving once again that families come in all shapes and sizes.

“The Iron Giant” has an Ok.com rating of 6+ and 100 percent worth your time.