Treasure Island - the Disney one, with Robert Newton
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Jaws
The War of the Worlds - either the 1953 or 2005 version - or both
If I show them the Matrix it will only be the first one. 2 and 3 are unnecessary and convoluted eye candy that I don’t feel the need to show and or explain to the kids.
As for Predator and Die Hard, they are truly great and I should add them to the list. Shaun of the Dead, maybe. Same goes for Attack the Block, although I may watch it first since I’ve never seen it myself.
All good and agreed on Matrix 2 and 3. AtBlock’s heroes are a gang of petty-thug teens, so there are plenty of drugs and profanity, but very funny and satisfying as an action movie.
The Last Starfighter.
There is an awful lot of adult language in Predator - Hawkins trying to get Billy to laugh at his off-colour jokes and Blaine with his foul-mouthed bagging on the other guys… not to mention Arnold’s famous opinion of the Predator’s facial aesthetic. You might want to add it to the list but wait a few years to share it with someone who is only ten this year.
My son’s name is Alex, and I tried to get him into this movie, thinking it would be a slaughter (That’s the spirit!), but he lost interest. Maybe I’ll try again some other time…
What about the Harry Potter movies? They’re exactly the right age.
The Gods Must Be Crazy but don’t bother after the second one, if even that.
Short Circuit and its sequel.
When they’re a bit older:
The original RoboCop trilogy followed by Chappie.
Secondhand Lions, Sandlot and Space Cowboys.
Avatar
Wallace and Grommit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Ratatouille
The Addams Family and Addams Family Values
Wayne’s World
Shrek
I don’t know what your rules are on adult content are, but Beavis and Butthead Do America is always a good one.