To ask for film help within the hour?

[Jones3A]

We need a film to watch this evening, me DH and DS. Rare treat as DD8 is out on a sleepover.

My son is 11, he's mature, and he's increasingly keen to watch more adult style films.

He's not easily spooked and not squeamish.

He's seen Shawshank, a few good men, the dark knight, Forrest gump and hacksaw ridge, recently. All with both of us there to talk through the themes and difficult subjects. Some I've slightly regretted after tbh (Shawshank).

DH and I have argued this week because of some of the increasingly adult suggestions of films they're making together, to watch next. I don't mind him watching some stuff that's pushing it a little, but he's only a kid, and there's no rush.

What can we watch tonight that's exciting/challenging enough that he feels it's grown up, without filling his 11yo brain with things he doesn't need to be worrying about yet?

Thanks so very much again to everyone who took the time to post. Not only have you given us an idea for tonight - we're going Interstellar - but I'm saving this thread for future reference. Brilliant ideas.
I can appreciate how well pretty much everyone understood the brief in that so many of the films you've recommended we've already seen.
Life of Pi, Catch me if you can, the martian, pursuit of happiness, titanic, the matrix, mission impossible, dune 1&2... Stand by me is next on the list, and Jaws maybe ...

Hope you enjoy your evening film! :) 👍👍

My 11 year old girl watched Alien at this age, still one of our top ten. Amazing female role model and the aliens are fantasy so it involves a suspension of disbelief unlike more realistic films. But I get it depends on the child!

Oh that's a great shout, I love that film too!

Thanks for the thread, going to add some of these to my to watch list 🙂

No-one else's are quite as daft as yours.

Woman of the Hour. It's a great film that highlights misogyny, and isn't too graphic. There are scenes that include murder and talk of women in a derogatory way. It's set in the 70s and the cinematography is beautiful and stars the gorgeous Anna Kendrick. Failing that, Lost Boys.

I don't have kids so ignore any suggestions that might be inappropriate. It's also over an hour since you asked.

It’s tricky to suggest because kids (and adults) are scared of some things and fine with others. I cheerfully watched Silence Of The Lambs age 12 but Signs which is a 12 scared the ever living shit out of me. I don’t believe in aliens but films about them give me the willies.

DS2 and I are working our way through the Bond films, we started with the Brosnan era though because anything before that makes him snort with derision.

I totally agree, it's so subjective, my son watched things like war films that are harrowing without flinching, but we had to turn off titanic, when he realised steerage were trapped, signs when he saw the figure on the roof, E.T. when he was dying....

ET is harrowing, but also in my top ten. I watched Terminator on repeat when I was 11.

Can I just say to poster suggesting The Green Mile, I watched it when I was fifteen, and cried myself literally sick. Was absolutely inconsolable at the end. There is no way it’s suitable for an 11 year old.

That said. I made the MAJOR mistake of watching Marley and Me with my 8 year old. Had never seen it before. Thought it was a comedy. And it was. It was funny.
Until the fucking end when my dog loving 8 year old had his own Green Mile experience.

I now use Common Sense media before every film we watch.

Do you and your son enjoy things based on true stories @Jones3A

@FloatyBoaty I'd say that both the Green Mile and Marley and Me are both totally appropriate for an 11 year old, but like you say, it is subjective. Just because a film makes you weep (and both of them certainly did for me) doesn't mean it isn't appropriate.

Watership Down and Neverending Story broke my heart.

Agree, nothing wrong with a bit of trauma via a television screen, ET is harrowing as are Watership Down, Neverending Story, Bambi, Fox and the Hound. Still glad I watched them as a child. It’s a bit different to recommending Requiem for a Dream or something!

I mean…. I’m not sure I’d agree that a family film about a beloved dog that dies of old age at the end after a long and happy life, based on the jolly japes of a newspaper columnists dog, is the QUITE the same as a Stephen King adaptation about a man wrongfully imprisoned and executed for the rape and murder of two children…Which goes via the torture of death row prisoners including breaking their fingers, killing their pets, and then killing a man via electrocution without first wetting the sponge, so that he dies painfully, gruesomely and slowly - all shown on screen…. but if you think that’s suitable for an 11 year old, crack on.

@FloatyBoaty no I'm not suggesting that at all. Like you said, it is subjective. You do paint The Green Mile the horror that it isn't though. If that's your take, that is cool, but don't forget about the kind magic.

I thought I was watching a cute dog film when I put on 8 Below for me and the kids. At the end, I don’t know who of us was more traumatised 😂. My dd still reminds me years later!

Im not arguing in bad faith here - I’m genuinely interested in your perspective… but do you really think it’s okay to show kids deeply unsuitable material, as long as it’s balanced out with kind, nice things? Do you think 11 year old brains are equipped to prioritise remembering those quite sophisticated thematic connections, over the more shocking, visually striking scenes? Because I don’t, but I’m interested to hear what you think.

I'm still traumatised by Lassie come home.

I watched Marley and Me at work with colleagues. I was trying to do silent crying, you know when you hold your breath, and then all of a sudden I had to do a massive intake of breath and just carried on crying. Marley and Me fucked me over more than A Nightmare on Elm Street ever did.

I def felt like I’d fucked up with that one. Why it’s a PG I will never understand.

When I went to see the Bucket List at the cinema, I cried so hard a man in front came to check if I was okay (was trying to be silent but did the gasp …) in the end I had to just leave the cinema. 😂 for the fucking BUCKET LIST.

@FloatyBoaty I do not think kids should be shown deeply unsuitable material at all, and as you say, that is subjective. I don't think there is anything unsuitable about The Green Mile, other than an opportunity to talk about why killing animals for fun isn't acceptable and that the death penalty certainly isn't. Whilst it is uncomfortable, it certainly isn't graphic.

I accidentally stumbled in on my parents watching The Shining when I was a kid, my mum was mortified. It was the scene where the twins are stood there one minute and then next they are butchered meat.

It wasn't discussed further apart from my mum checking in.

I agree; it's as though people are just blurting out their favorite films without actually pondering the OPs question.

I mean, how many 10-year-olds want to watch a film about Julia Child?!

We've just watched The Greatest Beer Run Ever on Apple TV. Enjoyable, emotional & true story x

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