# Intelligent, thoughtful, challenging films for kids **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 8, 2016, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061 "2016-11-08T14:44:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/21 "2016-11-08T18:24:15Z")
Unforgiven 12 Angry Men Glengarry Glen Ross The Iceman Cometh A Few Good Men Rashomon Chinatown Brazil My Cousin Vinny All high-quality classics. Watched _12 Angry Men_ again just a few weeks ago and it’s still as good as it ever was. Included _My Cousin Vinny_ because it’s both extremely entertaining and a surprisingly accurate portrayal of courtroom proceedings, or so I’ve been told. I just like it, okay! ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/22 "2016-11-08T20:13:40Z")
1. Lots of fun and educational, too. Duck Soup. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/23 "2016-11-08T21:01:58Z")
There’s plenty of classic, wholesome children’s fare left untapped. Such as [The Adventures of Mark Twain!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Mark_Twain_(1985_film)) [Still as good](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqi5F5MqqTQ)as when they ran it on the Disney Channel! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/24 "2016-11-08T21:28:28Z")
After _The Great Escape_ you might watch _Chicken Run_ which parodies a few scenes but has a much happier ending. _Dark Crystal_ for the ethics and _Labyrinth_ for the logic puzzles might be fun. And an upvote for _Real Genius_ mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/25 "2016-11-08T21:54:21Z")
A lot of Terry Gilliam’s films are great but they should definately see the “Trilogy of Imagination” films. The battle between fantasy and what we perceive as reality through the eyes of a child “Time Bandits”, the eyes of a middle aged man “Brazil”, and they eyes of an old man “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen”. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/26 "2016-11-08T23:09:49Z")
I thought that The Book Thief did a good job handling themes of racism and human empathy, for a “kids movie”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NvlQEfGHZ6o/maxresdefault.jpg "The Book Thief Official Extended Trailer - Words Are Life (2013) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvlQEfGHZ6o) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/27 "2016-11-09T00:11:17Z")
If we want to compete for _bad parenting_ awards, I showed my daughters [Tucker and Dale versus Evil](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1465522/) when they were fairly young and they learned to love it. If you have never seen it, the movie is a great spoof on 1980’s style horror movies that also reverses the typical “villain versus victim” relationship and it is also a sweet love story by the end. However, it is also incredibly gory and violent (no sex or nudity though). The reason I showed it to them was they kept getting freaked out by by standard scary shows. I wanted to teach them how Hollywood special effects work and why the stories are just made-up scripts with ridiculous premises. It worked for the most part. We have watched Tucker and Dale several times now and they see the absurdity, comedy and genuine sweetness in it. That helped them learn not to squeal like their friends at every other scary movie or events like haunted houses. I also got them to watch Mean Girls and Heathers to prepare them for their teenage years but I am not sure that worked as well. My 10 year old daughter took those as inspirational stories and seems like she wants to shoot for the lead Heather role in a few years. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/28 "2016-11-09T00:37:49Z")
Wow! A bunch of great suggestions. Thanks to all. They have seen and loved Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Into the Woods (they really appreciated the flipping of the fairy-tales), Napoleon Dynamite and Groundhog Day. The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth went down OK, but not as well as I’d hoped. They liked Fantastic Mr Fox, so maybe some more Wes Anderson films would be good. The only other one I’ve seen is Moonrise Kingdom, but I agree that would be a good film to show them. I personally love The Unforgiven, but that will have to go on the waiting list along with films like Schindler’s List and Shawshank Redemption because of the savagery of some scenes. I think they’re probably ready for Blade Runner. I’ll look for Attack the Block, which I’ve been meaning to see myself. If it’s not too scary. For comparison, Aliens, one of my favorite films, will have to wait a little longer. Meanwhile, my boy has watched Blair Witch without me! I rented it in unfulfilled hopes of sharing time with his horror-movie-enthusiast older brother, but the young’un sneaked a view whilst he was off school recovering from a cold. About the only time I have to watch films is with the kids, so this was doubly disappointing. In regard to alien invasion movies, they really liked Mars Attacks. Also, since my boy really likes Simon Pegg, I’ve even shown them the highly inappropriate yet quite enjoyable Paul. A number of folks have recommended Brazil, which I’d like to see. But considering that my son found the cynicism and bleakness of a film like Bird Man a little disturbing, would it perhaps be too dark? Same concern for Eternal Sunshine, which I also haven’t yet seen, but have been deliberating on whether to watch with the kids. I liked 12 Monkeys, but it goes in the maybe box. I don’t want to show them bleak stuff unless there’s a valuable lesson to be gained or some other compelling merit. I would like to show them Citizen Kane, but I wonder if it will hold their interest. Same with 12 Angry Men, another personal favorite. I think the boy, in particular, might appreciate the Great Escape. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/29 "2016-11-09T01:20:57Z")
Phoebe in Wonderland! Just a real treat of a movie with Felicity Huffman, Elle Fanning, and Patricia Clarkson. “Confounded by her clashes with the seemingly rule-obsessed world, a troubled young girl seeks enlightenment from her unconventional drama teacher.” ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/30 "2016-11-09T02:25:37Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > A number of folks have recommended Brazil, which I’d like to see. But considering that my son found the cynicism and bleakness of a film like Bird Man a little disturbing, would it perhaps be too dark? Heh. I was going to come into this thread to downvote _Brazil_ - it’s a fabulous movie and I adore it, but, people! the main character is\* tortured into insanity\* at the end of it! :eek: My suggestions: _Juno_ _The Sapphires_ _Bend it like Beckham_ _Bring it on_ …all a little chick-flicky, but intelligent non-sappy chick-flicky _Ruthless People_ _The Fugitive_ - although the first one does have a ‘police chief being blackmailed for seeing a prostitute’ subplot Possibly maybe _Room_? Or maybe not for a couple of years. It’s a wonderful movie, it has a (fairly) happy ending, I don’t think it deserves its R rating (which apparently it got for bad language) - but definitely deals with confronting themes. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/31 "2016-11-09T02:42:01Z")
This list is very old, from when I was homeschooling . . . my daughter is grown now. Geared for a highly intelligent, anxiously sensitive girl, so nothing scary, and nothing very sexy either. But you might find something anyway. The Addams Family The African Queen Beetlejuice The Best Years of Our Lives Billy Elliot Breaking Away Casablanca A Christmas Story Cold Comfort Farm Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Cyrano de Bergerac The Dish Driving Miss Daisy The Efficiency Expert Enchanted April Ever After Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control The Five Thousand Fingers of Dr. T Fly Away Home Hairspray Hamlet Il Postino The Inn of the Sixth Happiness The Iron Giant It’s A Wonderful Life Kikki’s Delivery Service The King of Masks Local Hero Lawrence of Arabia The Lord of the Rings Madeline The Maltese Falcon A Man For All Seasons Men In Black Microcosmos Moonstruck My Father’s Glory Mystery Men Nanook of the North Not One Less October Sky Pride and Predjudice The Princess Bride Quiz Show The Secret of Roan Inish The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao Seven Samurai Shall We Dance? Shrek Smoke Signals Some Like It Hot The Sound of Music Star Wars Straight Story Strictly Ballroom Tender Mercies To Kill A Mockingbird Twelve Angry Men Waking Ned Devine Wallace and Gromit The Winslow Boy The Wizard of Oz You Can’t Take It With You ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/32 "2016-11-09T16:47:00Z")
I don’t think these were mentioned: [ul] [li]Hoosiers[/li][li]Tootsie[/li][li]October Sky[/li][li]Jaws[/li][li]Rear Window[/li][li]Silkwood[/li][/ul] mmm ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/33 "2016-11-09T17:30:16Z")
_Finding Forrester_ _The Hunt for Red October_ _Scent of a Woman_ _Planes, Trains & Automobiles_ ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/34 "2016-11-09T18:12:36Z")
Forgot two. _Explorers_ _Field of Dreams_ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/35 "2016-11-09T18:39:27Z")
The Phantom Tollbooth. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/36 "2016-11-09T19:08:13Z")
_Hugo_’s a good one nobody’s mentioned. If nothing else, you’re getting them started on Martin Scorsese. I know they have a bad reputation but I really like _Jumanji_ and _Zathura_. _The Three Musketeers_ and _The Four Musketeers_ (the Richard Lester ones) _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_ (skip the remake) _Yellow Submarine_ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/37 "2016-11-09T20:23:35Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > _Hugo_’s a good one nobody’s mentioned. If nothing else, you’re getting them started on Martin Scorsese. > > I know they have a bad reputation but I really like _Jumanji_ and _Zathura_. > > _The Three Musketeers_ and _The Four Musketeers_ (the Richard Lester ones) > > _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_ (skip the remake) > > _Yellow Submarine_ Jumanji, yes, Zathura… not so much. Yes, fantastic! Nice pick. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/38 "2016-11-11T01:31:04Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > _Hugo_’s a good one nobody’s mentioned. If nothing else, you’re getting them started on Martin Scorsese. Hugo was gorgeous! Brazil is, I think, great for kids in high school (when I saw it and fell in love with it), but I wouldn’t show it to younger kids. It’s super-bleak. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/39 "2016-11-11T01:46:43Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Hugo was gorgeous! Brazil is, I think, great for kids in high school (when I saw it and fell in love with it), but I wouldn’t show it to younger kids. It’s super-bleak. The “love conquers all” edit isnt so bleak. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/40 "2016-11-11T02:22:45Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Unforgiven > 12 Angry Men > Glengarry Glen Ross > The Iceman Cometh > A Few Good Men > Rashomon > Chinatown > Brazil > My Cousin Vinny > > All high-quality classics. Watched _12 Angry Men_ again just a few weeks ago and it’s still as good as it ever was. > > Included _My Cousin Vinny_ because it’s both extremely entertaining and a surprisingly accurate portrayal of courtroom proceedings, or so I’ve been told. I just like it, okay! Chinatown, boring fore the age group. Brazil, boring for any group. Glengarry Glen Ross, a cautionary tale about where you end up if you plan your life only for the next 35 years. Many of them, only okay if one wants to ready his kids for eventual suicide. Let them be kids for a while longer. And make them become prescient enough to know what skills will still be viable long after you assume they will retire. Good luck with that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061.md?page=3)