Mars Needs Moms

Mars Needs Moms (2011) is Simon Wells' family animated adventure, and you can watch it online on iFILM. Nine-year-old Milo thinks his mom is just a nag who ruins broccoli and bedtime, until aliens haul her off the planet.

One night Milo watches a Martian ship lift his mother into the sky and barely manages to stow away after her. On the red planet he learns the truth: the Martians snatch Earth moms to drain their parenting know-how, and the women don't get to come back. Milo has only hours to reach her. Along the way he teams up with Gribble, a grown earthling stranded on Mars since his own childhood, and Ki, a curious local who's quietly fed up with the rules.

The film uses the same performance-capture approach as The Polar Express, with Joan Cusack voicing the mom. It's a simple story about a kid finally figuring out why a mother matters, an easy pick for a movie night with younger children. Stream Mars Needs Moms (2011) online on iFILM.