AttackChimp wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2025 12:36 pm Godzilla Minus One. Seriously.

i raise

I Walked with a Zombie
Carnival of Souls
The Haunting
Hausu
Pontypool
Lake Mungo
Skinimarink
Thelma
The Innocents (1961)
The Innocents (2021)

You can also introduce kids of that age to Mystery Science Theater 3000.

https://www.youtube.com/@MST3K

Hits the dorky spot.

Aside from the quality yucks, you can learn a lot about good cinema by watching bad cinema.

Wood Goblin wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 5:36 pm When our kids were that age, more or less, during the Covid lockdown, we did a big cinema project, wherein we made a list of 30-some movies and watched them over time.

the great Walter Chaw did this too. i saved all his writeups in this google doc

they were Patreon exclusives, some of them seem to be available publicly now... but it's cool to have them in a dedicated place.
my kid is 6 now btw, so i still have some waiting to do

losthighway wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:17 am Also would consider cherry picking the more accessible, least brutal Bergman film(s).

I'd have to rewatch but my first ideas would be Seventh Seal, or Fanny and Alexander.

When I was 14 or so my dad sat me down for a TCM marathon of The Seventh Seal (OH HEY THAT'S WHERE THEY GOT THAT BIT IN BILL AND TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY WHOA) and The Seven Samurai and they both blew my mind. Granted I'd already seen a lot of "cult" indie & horror films by that point (most Kubrick, Evil Deads, Drugstore Cowboy/My Own Private Idaho, Apocalypse Now, Dawn of the Dead, etc) but those were definitely the two that really made me want to go deeper into movies and specific directors.

Wizard of Oz is a great introduction for kids to Cinema.

One is a bit spoiled these days with decent versions of just about most things being available on home video.
However, one thing I think I might recommend to see something in a proper cinema....preferably projected from 35mm or 70mm.
Right now in Chicago, Gene Siskel is playing Rashomon, and Music Box will be playing Starship Troopers(!) in 35mm. It's a different experience altogether, and gets them out of the Netflix mindset of endless streaming of "content", and injects a little magic into it somehow.

zorg wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:22 pm Wizard of Oz is a great introduction for kids to Cinema.

In the same vein, Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Every time my one kid and I sit down for a "real" (not Star Wars/Marvel/Batman/etc.) movie, he always tells me he loves it/best thing ever. I'm not sure if he's just humoring me or what but I'm glad he's got the attention span for both.

Last summer we all saw Rear Window at the sold out Music Box in Chicago. It was great. I mean, the sold-out crappy seats part was not great, but I had not seen the movie in decades. The style, lighting and shot framing are just remarkable. Not a cinephile or anything so probably not using the right terms.

zorg wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:22 pm Music Box will be playing Starship Troopers(!) in 35mm.

I would love to see that but I know my tolerance for a midnight screening at the Music Box is -1. I first saw this 20 years ago or so and I remember at the time finding it unbelievable that people didn't get that it was satire when it came out. I mean, it's broad and blunt, but an absolute hoot.

Carl wrote: Fri Feb 07, 2025 2:39 pm At that age, I'd be curious to see which Hitchcock films resonate. Maybe don't start with Vertigo, but the pacing and humor of several of his films might work for your kids...

Thinking of possible Hitchcock films got me wondering if "Rope" would be a good pick.