# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/41 "2016-11-11T02:55:57Z")
What about the Miyazaki movies? I’ll try to check in with my wife, 18 year old (screen studies major at Temple), and 16 year old to see what they suggest. ---
**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, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/42 "2016-11-11T03:15:35Z")
A tall fellow, who is an anime friend of Thing 2, dressed up as No-Face, from Swept Away, for the company Halloween dress-up. Just lurking, but our HR lady was showing a prospect around, wasn’t looking where she was going, bumped into him, and almost died. There might’ve been five of us who got it. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/43 "2016-11-11T03:27:57Z")
Some movies I enjoyed when I was a preteen or in my teens (but aren’t as depressing as Falling Down, [Little Boy Blue](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119547/combined), [The Ice Storm](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119349/combined), The Professional, Strange Days, Kids, or 12 Monkeys): Empire Records Legends of the Fall [The Wizard](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098663/combined) (not of Oz) Gettysburg Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Princess Mononoke Beetlejuice [Foxfire](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116353/combined) Clerks/Mallrats Legend Young Guns Dead Poets Society Who Framed Roger Rabbit [Hamlet](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099726/combined) Fried Green Tomatoes Innerspace Mermaids Peggy Sue Got Married Posse True Lies My Girl Fern Gully Much Ado About Nothing Sleepy Hollow Jurassic Park Maverick Clueless Stargate ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/44 "2016-11-11T15:43:21Z")
Challenging?? Bless The Beasts And Children. The Bad Seed. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/45 "2016-11-11T20:37:07Z")
The Flight of Dragons was a silly, fun, animated fantasy movie with a fantastic ending. It also features James Earl Jones as the villain. Highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/46 "2016-11-11T23:07:57Z")
If they seemed to like Shyamalan, how about _Unbreakable_? Not as good as _The Sixth Sense_, but better than _The Village_. _The Time Traveler’s Wife_ or _Time After Time_ might keep their minds working. I always liked time travel paradoxes when I was a kid, and a lot of kids I’ve known get into them too. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/47 "2016-11-11T23:12:14Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > The Cube!? I think not. That’s a bit beyond the pale. I agree. That was a couple of hours of my life I could have put to better use. (But wasn’t the title just _Cube_? Or am I thinking of a different film?) ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/48 "2016-11-11T23:19:12Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > The Holy Grail is a definite possibly! I kind of really want to show them the Life of Brian, but because of the full frontal nudity . . . maybe not yet. MP&tHG may not have nudity, but be prepared in case they have questions about [this scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtcSYPjJbgg). ---
**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 12, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/49 "2016-11-12T00:15:55Z")
I thought you meant [this.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dOOTKA0aGI0) ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/50 "2016-11-12T02:00:02Z")
My daughter took AP World History last year. Her teacher had never seen Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. We gave him a copy and he immediately made it part of his post AP test material (when it doesn’t matter). Netflixing The West Wing at about that age is good thoughtful screen time if you are interested in a different format and they enjoy snappy dialog. Pirates of the Caribbean - they are young enough to have missed it when it was released - and its a really tight well written movie (the sequels all suck - but the first one is masterful). ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/51 "2016-11-12T03:36:44Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > 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”. That’s what I came in to say. Good call. _Three Amigos_ is kinda fun. And pretty kid-friendly. _Super Troopers_ is also kind of fun, but maybe just for the older kid. I’d hate for you to have to explain what a “mustache ride” is to an 11-year old. Its nice you spend time with your kids. Mine hates me. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/52 "2016-11-13T16:34:58Z")
> [@howye](#): > > The one kid is on a quest to view everything mentioned in Ready Player One. He found Wargames surprisingly entertaining. I did not think it would hold up very well. I just rewatched it for the first time in…probably 20 years. It really does hold up amazingly well. It’s still arguably the most realistic depiction of hacking in mainstream movies. You have Matthew Broderick at the height of his precocious charming period, Barry Corbin chewing the scenery with extra ham and cheese, and a surprisingly relevant look at nuclear politics and war. Plus, just about any young man is going to be happy to watch Ally Sheedy because…well, that should be obvious. I also finally understood the reference to sensimilla and Thia stick in the opening scene. The last time I saw it I thought they were actually taking about cooking. Actually, that entire first scene is really stunning. “Skybird, this is Dropkick…” Chilling. I have to agree with Real Genius, though there is a fair-amount of off-color comedy if you are worried about that. Val Kilmer was so damned talented, William Atherton playing the asshole authority figure that he always did so well, actual smart science comedy. Great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/53 "2016-11-13T17:13:36Z")
Two Irish ones about silkies: The Secret of Roan Inish The Song of the Sea (animated - excellent) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/54 "2016-11-13T17:22:21Z")
Moonrise Kingdom Very funny and very quirky, with Bill Murray - set in an idealized 1960s America. Two kids run away from home together. Trailer [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_eOI3AamSm8/maxresdefault.jpg "Moonrise Kingdom - Official Trailer [HD]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eOI3AamSm8) ---
**Author:** ![Tara57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Tara57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tara57)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/55 "2016-11-13T17:26:02Z")
Baz Luhrmann’s version of Romeo and Juliet West Side Story Catch Me if You Can That Thing You Do ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/56 "2016-11-13T18:09:26Z")
You son loves Science Fiction - He may very well like Dark Star (1974) by John Carpenter. It’s a kind of black comedy SF, but very thought-provoking, and even moving in parts. The standard trailer is really bad, and doesn’t do any justice to the movie, but here’s the first 5 minutes - I think it will get you hooked! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/q2DpG6NnXBM/hqdefault.jpg "Dark Star Intro") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2DpG6NnXBM) ---
**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 14, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/57 "2016-11-14T16:30:50Z")
Thanks all the same, **GreenWyvern** , but my unfavorable view of [\*Dark Star \*](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=795920)is documented in this forum. (I can understand the appeal, and agree it has some good aspects, but generally, not by cuppa tea, and I’m sure the kids would be bored out of their skulls.) > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Challenging?? > > Bless The Beasts And Children. > The Bad Seed. I honestly found \*Bless The Beasts And Children \*embarrasingly cloying when I saw it as a teenager. \*The Bad Seed \*looks like it might be worth hunting for, but it sure looks creepy. Not too disturbing, I hope? > [@Cartoonacy](#): > > If they seemed to like Shyamalan, how about _Unbreakable_? Been toying over this one. It’s got a lot of what they like, including Samuel L. Jackson, but the brief kidnap-murder-rapist part might be a tad disturbing. > [@](#): > > MP&tHG may not have nudity, but be prepared in case they have questions about [this scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtcSYPjJbgg). That is precisely the scene that has kept me from showing it to them yet.😉 Some other movies mentioned above that the kids have seen and enjoyed: _The Rear Window_ (Kept them both quite engaged.) _Hugo_ (Agreed, this movie meets all the criteria.) _Groundhog Day_ (Was glad to finally see this earlier this year.) _Pirates of the Caribbean_ (Liked all three, but haven’t bothered to show them 4, because why bother.) A couple of folks have recommended _Jumanji_. From seeing just parts of it on TV, I’d gotten the impression it was just a zany Robin Williams comedy, but I might have to give it another chance. And sorry,\*\* Little Nemo\*\*, the kids much preferred the remake of _Willy Wonka/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_. (On the bright side, they did prefer the original \*Ghost Busters \*to the remake.) Anyway, thank you all for some great suggestions. Went to the rental store today and got the following: _Time Bandits Moonrise Kingdom The Great Escape Mary and Max Attack the Block TokyoGodfathers_ This will take us several weeks to get through, but it should provide us with some quality viewing and give us a lot to talk about. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061/58 "2016-11-16T16:41:58Z")
I see that anime is acceptable (even applauded!), **Not Carlson** , and it looks like you’ve already covered Studio Ghibli, so here are my (additional) suggestions: [ul][li]_ **Patlabor** _ - In the near future, when heavy work and military operations involve 30-foot tall robots called labors, someone is inevitably going to turn them to criminal purposes. That’s why there are Patlabor (“Patrol” + “Labor”), the Mobile Police, with their own police labors, to combat them. The first movie is a fantastic detective yarn, full of intricacies and cleverness, with just enough giant robot action to keep the story moving at an acceptable pace.[_] **Summer Wars** - Young genius mathematician Kenji Koiso is temporarily hired away from his job as a software tech at Oz, the global on-line virtual supercommunity, by his classmate Natsuki Shinohara. She (secretly) intends to present him as her fiancé to her grandmother during the latter’s 90th birthday celebration. At the same time, Kenji may have accidentally exposed Oz’s security system for takeover by “Love Machine”, an experimental artificial intelligence. Can Kenji and the combined attendees of the birthday celebration defeat Love Machine before it does something really nasty? If you’re not cheering (Koi-Koi!) for the Jinouchi Clan by the end, something is wrong with you. I should warn you that there is a little bit of adult language involved, but it’s less vulgar than the original Ghostbusters (something my children also waited to see) if you need a point of reference.[_]_ **Lupin III and the Catle of Cagliostro** _ - Hayao Miyazaki had a big hand in the feature-length movie about the grandson of the fictional French cat-burglar, and it shows in all the best ways. Lupin and his gang travel to the tiny European principality of Cagliostro, seeking to uncover the secret behind one of the world’s most notorious currency counterfeiters. They end up trying to rescue the country’s young heir from marriage to the domineering Count instead! This is my favourite animated movie of all time - one of those films I could watch any time it comes on. [\*]_ **Robot Carnival** _ – When it was released, _Robot Carnival_ was a pretty big deal as a monumental collaborative effort. It’s a collection of short stories – most of which have no dialogue at all - that involve robots one way or another. Each story is presented in a different style by various famed animators and character designers, including Katsuhiro Otomo (_Akira_), Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (_Neon Genesis Evangelion_), and Hiroyuki Kitazume (_Mobile Suit Gundam_).[/ul][/li]For live-action movies… any chance you could get your hands on _**[The Last Flight of Noah’s Ark?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Flight_of_Noah%27s_Ark)**_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-thoughtful-challenging-films-for-kids/771061.md?page=2)