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Top 10 Lists September 3, 2026

7 Family Movies That Put Character Ahead of the Trophy

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: A replica of Lightning McQueen from the movie Cars drives the track during previews for the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on February 04, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Winning feels good, but character matters more. These seven family movies remind us that true success isn’t found in trophies, applause or coming out on top. They celebrate perseverance, humility, courage and doing what’s right, reflecting the biblical truth that God cares more about the heart than worldly success.

1

CARS

Family Family · G

CARS, Pixar and Disney's new computer-animated movie, is a feast for the eyes and the heart. In the story, hotshot rookie racecar, Lightning McQueen, has his sights on winning the Piston Cup in a three-way race between two rivals. A series of…

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2

GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE

Discernment Animated/Comedy · PG

GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE is an animated adventure from Germany dubbed into English. A mouse named Edda lives in an amusement park and dreams of becoming a professional car racer in the Grand Prix like her idol Ed. Edda finally gets that…

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3

TURBO

Family Comedy · PG

TURBO is a super-charged animated comedy, with loads of hi-octane fun, about a little garden snail with big dreams. Turbo the snail is obsessed with racecar driving. He wants to go fast like his heroes at the Indy 500. His brother, Chet,…

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4

PLANES

Family Comedy · PG

PLANES is another animated movie set in the world of the Pixar movie CARS, where planes, cars, boats, and blimps live and occupy the earth. Dusty Crophopper is a small crop-dusting plane with dreams of competing in a famous aerial race. When…

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5

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY

Family Comedy · G

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY is the new animated family comedy from Pixar and Disney. The story follows our old friends, Mike and Sulley, as they meet for the first time while trying to become scarers at college. Sulley is the opposite of Mike. He’s…

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6

CARS 3

Family Animated/Comedy · G

CARS 3 opens with our hero, Lightning McQueen, finding it harder and harder to stay in the number one spot. Lightning McQueen is used to winning, but one day, a new car named Jackson Storm races and beats him. When this starts…

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7

SURF’S UP

Family Animated Comedy · PG

SURF’S UP is a well-made, entertaining, animated family movie featuring a small penguin named Cody who wants to be a star surfer like his hero Big Z. Mikey, a surfing talent scout, comes looking for competitors for the Big Z memorial surfing…

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