The Billboard Family Hits of the Week compiles what’s new and worth your family’s time in music, movies, TV, books, games and more. Forget the mind-numbing scrolling and searching “what to watch for family movie night” … again. The best in family entertainment each week is all in one place, in this handy guide. Isn’t it satisfying to cross something off your list?
2025 has begun, and with it comes a fresh slate of music, movies, TV, live entertainment and more to look forward to.
If you’re in the New York City area, or trying to pull off a quick winter family getaway some time in the coming weeks, look into the city’s Broadway Week, running from Jan. 21 to Feb. 9. During that time period, you might be able to catch one of more than two dozen Broadway shows at a great discount. Tickets for select dates and show times are available in a 2-for-1 offer — and if you’d prefer to spend a little more for more premium seats, there’s a discount code for that, too. Read on for details, and for Broadway show recommendations suitable for kids and teens.
Not looking to leave your cozy home any time soon? Make the most of these long winter nights and tune into some critically-acclaimed animated films that are now streaming.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which premiered at AFI Fest in 2024 and aired on BBC on Christmas Day, was just released in the U.S. on Netflix. If you’re unfamiliar with previous Wallace & Gromit films, we’ll walk you through which (if any) you need to check out before seeing the new installment in the claymation comedy franchise. Flow, the Golden Globe-winning animated feature that follows its cat protagonist through a survival adventure, is also streaming now, after a Cannes premiere and a limited theatrical release in 2024.
Find out more about this week’s top picks in the Billboard Family Hits of the Week:
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Find 2-for-1 Broadway Tickets in NYC’s Broadway Week Promotion
Broadway Week in NYC is an annual ticket promotion that basically offers the chance to get Broadway tickets for half price (when you buy a pair), or the opportunity to get an upgraded seat location at a discounted price. If Broadway’s been on your family’s wish list, this could be a good time to make a trip to the city. Tickets for 2025 just went on sale and are available here.
The discount code to buy two tickets for the price of one is: BWAYWK25
The discount code to buy “better seat locations” at $138.50 per ticket is: BWAYUP25
Discounted tickets were made available for the following Broadway shows: & Juliet, Aladdin, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, The Book of Mormon, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, Chicago, Cult of Love, Death Becomes Her, English, Eureka Day, The Great Gatsby, Gypsy, Hadestown, Hamilton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hell’s Kitchen, Left on Tenth, The Lion King, Maybe Happy Ending, MJ, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Oh, Mary!, Redwood, Romeo + Juliet, Six the Musical, Sunset Blvd and Wicked.
For elementary school-aged kids and older: Wicked is the obvious go-to right now, but seemingly too popular — I looked for tickets for my own kid at on-sale, and didn’t find anything that worked for us. They sold out quickly. The Lion King is a great choice for most families; Aladdin is also available. Both Disney productions suggest they’re best for ages 6 and up. It’s generally recommended to wait until kids are at least 4 to sit through any Broadway musical, in respect of the performers (and other patrons who paid to see the show without interruptions), but 6 is a better bet.
For tweens and up: Consider Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (this one is not a musical, and it’s a long show, but it’s a must-see for lovers of the Harry Potter series), Hadestown (especially for kids interested in Greek mythology) and Six the Musical.
For teens and older: Whether they love a good Broadway musical or find the idea of a Broadway musical cringe, Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler starring in Romeo + Juliet — with music by Jack Antonoff — might pique their interest. Other shows to look into that teens will likely enjoy: Maybe Happy Ending and The Great Gatsby.
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Stream ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ on Netflix
We stumbled upon this new-to-streaming animated film on our most recent family movie night, and it had the whole family laughing.
Released on Netflix on Jan. 3, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl involves a vengeful character from the pair’s past. Although there are several shorts, plus an earlier feature film, in the main series of this stop-motion franchise, there’s only one you really need to see before Vengeance Most Fowl: the short The Wrong Trousers, which is currently streaming on Prime. At just 30 minutes, it’s an entertaining pre-show that will set everyone up to appreciate Vengeance Most Fowl more.
Before making it to Netflix, the film — directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, and produced by Aardman Animations and the BBC in association with Netflix — was first shown in October at AFI Fest in Los Angeles. It’s been nominated for a number of awards, including a Golden Globe. Though it didn’t win that one, it took home the award for best animated feature at the Capri Hollywood International Film Festival.
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Watch Golden Globe Winner ‘Flow’ on Demand
Flow is the film that was honored with the award for best motion picture – animated at the Golden Globes over the weekend. It had some big competition in the category. In addition to Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, the feature was up against Inside Out 2, Moana 2, The Wild Robot and Memoir of a Snail.
Using a photorealistic style of animation, this visual adventure is about a cat who finds itself in the path of a catastrophic flood that leaves it figuring out how to survive: by banding with strangers (other animals) in the wake of natural disaster.
Flow‘s first screening was at Cannes in 2024, and in the U.S. it had a limited theatrical release in November/December. As of Jan. 7, the Gints Zilbalodis-directed film is available to rent or purchase on demand. Stream it at home on Prime Video, Apple TV+ or Fandango at Home.