Thought provoking films for kids

kam3qnwvebf4jh

Watched The Truman Show at the weekend with my 8 year old daughter and she was absolutely mesmerised by it, so much so that she asked me to try and find other films like it.
Can anyone else think of any other intelligent and unoffensive films which I could show her and not just films aimed primarily at kids ?

foxyboxer

I'd recommend Pleasantville.

Along the same lines as The Truman Show. A fantasy about 2 teenagers who are transported into a 1950's sitcom, where a seemingly perfect world is not so perfect.

It's thought provoking and as far as I can recall it is rated for children.

promethius42

Although its not a film, maybe you could try her with an audio book or Orwell's Animal Farm, the themes it covers along with the way its told should keep her interested and not go above her head.

Beruthiel

promethius42 wrote: »

Although its not a film, maybe you could try her with an audio book or Orwell's Animal Farm

It can be found on film

oxygen

Wall-E and Up both while they are kindof aimed at kids are fairly thought provoking.

I couldnt get my niece to sit through them a year or so ago when she was four. I might try another go at it now.

krudler

foxyboxer wrote: »

I'd recommend Pleasantville.

Along the same lines as The Truman Show. A fantasy about 2 teenagers who are transported into a 1950's sitcom, where a seemingly perfect world is not so perfect.

It's thought provoking and as far as I can recall it is rated for children.

its not really for kids though, sexual liberation is one of the big themes in the movie, that and Joan Allen getting herself off in the bath..

ectoraige

I'd recommend Whale Rider, it should be both inspiring and thought provoking for your daughter, just don't be surprised if you end up a little teary-eyed.

foxyboxer

krudler wrote: »

its not really for kids though, sexual liberation is one of the big themes in the movie, that and Joan Allen getting herself off in the bath..

Agreed but it's not really explicit more implied.
Maybe 8 would be a bit young but it would be one to keep in mind.

Sleepy

9 was quite good and would be suitable for an 8 year old.

Titan AE could be another good one.

the purple tin

Rabbit Proof Fence is a good family flick.

old hippy

the purple tin wrote: »

Rabbit Proof Fence is a good family flick.

No it's not. It's brilliant but upsetting and deals with abuse of aborigines in 50s Australia - not suitable for kids.

johnny_ultimate

Hmm eight is pretty young - I'd say the likes of Pleasantville would be slightly more suited to kids that are a little older. I'd recommend watching it yourself, though: you might think its fine.

Studio Ghibli films are the obvious ones. They tend to be more fantastical, but films like My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Nausicca: Valley of the Winds have themes and characters that are very thought provoking and offbeat while remaining extremely family friendly. Princess Mononoke is great too, although again would recommend that one with parental advisory as it's a bit darker and more violent. Similarly, Grave of the Fireflies is a heartbreaking story of two kids caught up in World War 2. Tough stuff, and likely to leave child and parent alike in tears, but worth seeking out. A few other anime - like Millennium Actress or the Girl Who Leapt Through Time / Summer Wars - might also fit the bill, as would the Pixar films of course.

They might be a bit too action packed and complicated for an eight year-old, but Prestige and Inception have complex plotting and storytelling without all of the excess of other Hollywood films. They are somewhat violent and probably a little scary, though, but perhaps worth bearing in mind for somewhere along the line.

David Lynch's two 'normal' films The Elephant Man and The Straight Story are two intelligently plotted and family friendly films too. Could be worth investigating.

old hippy

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Hmm eight is pretty young - I'd say the likes of Pleasantville would be slightly more suited to kids that are a little older. I'd recommend watching it yourself, though: you might think its fine.

Studio Ghibli films are the obvious ones. They tend to be more fantastical, but films like My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Nausicca: Valley of the Winds have themes and characters that are very thought provoking and offbeat while remaining extremely family friendly. Princess Mononoke is great too, although again would recommend that one with parental advisory as it's a bit darker and more violent. Similarly, Grave of the Fireflies is a heartbreaking story of two kids caught up in World War 2. Tough stuff, and likely to leave child and parent alike in tears, but worth seeking out. A few other anime - like Millennium Actress - might also fit the bill, as would the Pixar films of course.

They might be a bit too action packed and complicated for an eight year-old, but Prestige and Inception have complex plotting and storytelling without all of the excess of other Hollywood films. They are somewhat violent and probably a little scary, though, but perhaps worth bearing in mind for somewhere along the line.

David Lynch's two 'normal' films The Elephant Man and The Straight Story are two intelligently plotted and family friendly films too. Could be worth investigating.

Agree on the Miyazaki stuff. Saw Elephant Man when I was 12 and that managed to give me nightmares

I saw The Phantom Tollbooth when I was around 2 and I think that's what gave me a lifelong appreciation of animation. It's quite a clever flick for its time and is educational without labouring the point, imho...

Morag

http://www.amightygirl.com/movies

johnny_ultimate

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Studio Ghibli films are the obvious ones. They tend to be more fantastical, but films like My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Nausicca: Valley of the Winds have themes and characters that are very thought provoking and offbeat while remaining extremely family friendly. Princess Mononoke is great too, although again would recommend that one with parental advisory as it's a bit darker and more violent. Similarly, Grave of the Fireflies is a heartbreaking story of two kids caught up in World War 2. Tough stuff, and likely to leave child and parent alike in tears, but worth seeking out. A few other anime - like Millennium Actress or the Girl Who Leapt Through Time / Summer Wars - might also fit the bill, as would the Pixar films of course.

Have to agree Studio Ghibli are a great choice, my favourite is "Spirited Away"
Also, how about more of a documentary-like style film, such as March of the Penguins or Project Nim(maybe a little too young for)

Sleepy

Studio Ghibli movies work for any age, my 3 year old is *mad* about Totoro and Ponyo (as is her mammy!).

March of the Penguins is a good suggestion, as would any of the Attenborough nature programs (Planet Earth and Blue Planet are particularly good if you have HD).

foxyboxer

How about Field of Dreams?

It's a family movie with the message of

'don't fall out with your father, you may never get to make your peace with him if he were to die in the meantime, unless he came back to play baseball with help from the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson

.

TheIrishGrover

I have to agree with Ghibli. I gave my nieces Totoro and Kiiki's Delivery Service when Spirited Away came out years ago. Just to let them know that there was more to cartoons than animals-on-a-mission. I wasn't sure how they'd like the films as, even Totoro, is quite different in tone from western animation. They loved them and the following year I gave them cuddly Totoro and Catbus toys from holidays. They had great fun crowing it over their friends when Totoro turned up in Toy Story 3 (Oh, I have that cuddly toy for yeeeeeeaaaarrrsss )

As for the reasons:

Well, for one thing, most Studio Ghibli films do not have an out-and-out "baddie" (Apart from Castle in The Sky I suppose). In Princess Mononoke the leader of the town (it's been years, can't remember her name) seems to be a straight up baddie with her town invading the forests but it also goes into how she is providing for her people and how they love her.

For another thing, the films are normally about empowerment (especially girls.) About learning to believe in yourself. Spirited Away, Laputa and the oscar winning Spirited Away. That sounds like they're awful preachy but they're not. They're never talked down to or given the whole "Don't let anyone put you down" speech. They are always fun and interesting. Never "worthy"

The story structure is often quite different from western animation. My neighbour Totoro has no bad guys at all: Just two girls moving to the countryside to prepare their house for their sick mother who befriend a (imaginary?) forest spirit. Nothing really happens in it but it's a wonderful film and it's no wonder Pixar etc are obsessed with it.

Spirited Away is also quite unusual in it's structure. Again, seemingly "bad guys" also have their side to a story and, while their are scary-ish elements it's quite different to western norms. But, again, it's all about a girl maturing from a sullen self-absorbed kid to a likeable, strong and independent young girl.

Kiki's Delivery Service is about a girl witch going through her rights-of-passage and learning to trust in herself.

Again, these sound all educational and worthy (ie. BORING to a young kid) but they're great fun, in general suitable for all (Although you might want to preview Princess Mononoke yourself and Graveyard of the Fireflies is one of the most heartbreaking movie's you'll see, animated or not) and interesting to all. If nothing else, it's worth showing her these movies if only to show that there's more to "Kids cartoons" than talking animals (Although they are present ) and beating up the bad guy.

You can get them easily enough in HMV on DVD. Most Ghibli DVDs have both subtitled and dubbed options

banjobongo

Bridge to Terabithia

handsomecake

requiem for a dream: if your chislers still want to do a bit of chinawhite after watching that film,no parenting in the world will help them.
theyll be mentally scarred but they wont end up junkies.every cloud......

Sleepy

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

I have to agree with Ghibli. I gave my nieces Totoro and Kiiki's Delivery Service when Spirited Away came out years ago. Just to let them know that there was more to cartoons than animals-on-a-mission. I wasn't sure how they'd like the films as, even Totoro, is quite different in tone from western animation. They loved them and the following year I gave them cuddly Totoro and Catbus toys from holidays. They had great fun crowing it over their friends when Totoro turned up in Toy Story 3 (Oh, I have that cuddly toy for yeeeeeeaaaarrrsss )

As for the reasons:

Well, for one thing, most Studio Ghibli films do not have an out-and-out "baddie" (Apart from Castle in The Sky I suppose). In Princess Mononoke the leader of the town (it's been years, can't remember her name) seems to be a straight up baddie with her town invading the forests but it also goes into how she is providing for her people and how they love her.

For another thing, the films are normally about empowerment (especially girls.) About learning to believe in yourself. Spirited Away, Laputa and the oscar winning Spirited Away. That sounds like they're awful preachy but they're not. They're never talked down to or given the whole "Don't let anyone put you down" speech. They are always fun and interesting. Never "worthy"

The story structure is often quite different from western animation. My neighbour Totoro has no bad guys at all: Just two girls moving to the countryside to prepare their house for their sick mother who befriend a (imaginary?) forest spirit. Nothing really happens in it but it's a wonderful film and it's no wonder Pixar etc are obsessed with it.

Spirited Away is also quite unusual in it's structure. Again, seemingly "bad guys" also have their side to a story and, while their are scary-ish elements it's quite different to western norms. But, again, it's all about a girl maturing from a sullen self-absorbed kid to a likeable, strong and independent young girl.

Kiki's Delivery Service is about a girl witch going through her rights-of-passage and learning to trust in herself.

Again, these sound all educational and worthy (ie. BORING to a young kid) but they're great fun, in general suitable for all (Although you might want to preview Princess Mononoke yourself and Graveyard of the Fireflies is one of the most heartbreaking movie's you'll see, animated or not) and interesting to all. If nothing else, it's worth showing her these movies if only to show that there's more to "Kids cartoons" than talking animals (Although they are present ) and beating up the bad guy.

You can get them easily enough in HMV on DVD. Most Ghibli DVDs have both subtitled and dubbed options

I'd add "Porco Rosso" to the suggested Ghibli films for anyone with little boys: a flying pig in a bright red tri-plane, what more could you want from a movie?!

And my daughter's current favourite: "Ponyo on the Cliffs by the Sea" is just beautiful in it's simplicity.

Their latest "The Secret World of Arrietty" is based on "The Borrowers" too!

(for those not familiar with Ghibli, you might find it encouraging that the likes of Liam Neeson, Billy Crystal, Mark Strong, Billy Bob Thornton, Christian Bale, Kirsten Dunst, Anna Paquin and Patrick Stewart have all provided voices for the English dubs)

johnny_ultimate

Their latest film From Up On Poppy Hill should be out in cinemas soon, and it's a joy. There's one or two... odd moments in it, but overall I can't imagine many kids or adults resisting its nostalgic charms. A simple but endlessly endearing film, although a harder sell than some of their more fantastical works. Still, would highly recommend it in the OP's criteria!

Supermensch

Does anyone else think of a film, then instantly remember an inappropriate scene?

Anyway, +1 for My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away.

2001:A Space Odyssey is a very thought provoking film, though it can be a bit hard going.
And D.O.A. I think I watched this on Film4 one night when I couldn't get to sleep. Quite old, but pretty good. Synopsis is here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042369/ . It might be a bit violent at points. You can watch it for free as it's public domain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fMDJ6pwSfo

old hippy

handsomecake wrote: »

requiem for a dream: if your chislers still want to do a bit of chinawhite after watching that film,no parenting in the world will help them.
theyll be mentally scarred but they wont end up junkies.every cloud......

Nothing like mentally abusing your kids, eh? :rolleyes:

kam3qnwvebf4jh

Some very good suggestions here. Should have mentioned that she has seen all the ghibli ones except mononoke. Her favourite is The Cat Returns.
A space Odyssey was the first one to spring to my mind as well this morning when I started to think about it. Might tee that one up this weekend. I like the Inception suggestion too , even just to see how long she can stick with it.
I wonder would A.I be a step too far for her yet with its themes of abandonment ?

quickbeam

Groundhog Day...?

Definitely thought provoking (as well as funny). Nothing too unsuitable in it - a bit of "making out" that adults will know led to sex but not so obvious to a kid.

TheIrishGrover

Sleepy wrote: »

I'd add "Porco Rosso" to the suggested Ghibli films for anyone with little boys: a flying pig in a bright red tri-plane, what more could you want from a movie?!

And my daughter's current favourite: "Ponyo on the Cliffs by the Sea" is just beautiful in it's simplicity.

...........)

Porco's probably my favourite after Totoro (Yes, even above Spirited Away) It's just extremely funny. From the pirates "kidnapping" the girls to the grannies building the plane

johnny_ultimate wrote:

Their latest film From Up On Poppy Hill should be out in cinemas soon, and it's a joy. There's one or two... odd moments in it, but overall I can't imagine many kids or adults resisting its nostalgic charms. A simple but endlessly endearing film, although a harder sell than some of their more fantastical works. Still, would highly recommend it in the OP's criteria!

I was wondering if it was ever going to come. I was going to buy the storyboard book in the museum but gave it a skip as they are quite expensive. I like the look of it. Seems kind of like Whispers of The Heart on tone and style

TheIrishGrover

If she wants to have fun watching a kids film that's not all tame and safe then check out "The Goonies". While the fashions hve changed of course it does hold up. My nephew loved it when he watched it a couple of years ago at the age of 10

OldeCinemaSoz

The original THE HAUNTING is a great way to
introduce a younger viewer to the scary movie...



Nothing much goes on but they'd be talking about it for ages.

Sleepy

Yep, our little fella loves the Goonies. Quite a few movies from our own childhoods have been given a run through in our house! The Last Unicorn was a recent favourite of my daughter, not sure that it's overly thought-provoking though!

Nervous Wreck

I'd recommend Little Miss Sunshine if it could hold her attention. My 8 year old nephew couldn't sit through it if he were tied down but he couldn't sit through The Truman Show either. LMS has a great story, inoffensively told and with a great moral.

Sleepy

Uhm, not sure I'd want a young daughter copying the stripper routine in it...

There's also a language issue where the young lad breaks his vow of silence by roaring fvck...

prospect

Phenomenon

Edward Scissorhands

the purple tin

Wolves of Willoughby Chase.

KenSwee

Any of the old Basil Rathbourne Sherlock Holmes films. Great stories and easy to follow. I used to love them as a kid.

BO-JANGLES

Stand by me, For some, it's the last real taste of innocence, and the first real taste of life. But for everyone, it's the time that memories are made of..

and


Big Fish, A son tries to learn more about his dying father by reliving stories and myths he told about his life.