He found 2001: space odyssey kind of slow and tedious, and I have not introduced him to The Matrix etc., as I think it has some strong adult language and themes.
However, I would like him to be introduced to a world of movies beyond Star Wars and the Marvel Universe. What are some well-made science fiction movies appropriate for 12-year-olds?
Ex Machina - also great.
Her - different style, but still very good (also with recent LLM developments maybe closer than we think).
The Martian (not as good, but entertaining)
Also I know parents have their preferences, but 12 seems old enough for any of this (if they’re reading Asimov)
I was disappointed in interstellar (but it is a beautiful movie) just dumb in a lot of ways and the “but what above love” subplot really annoyed me.
I’d give gravity an honorable mention. The director’s other movie Children of Men is one of my favorites but doesn’t really qualify as scifi.
For shows, the expanse is probably the best recent thing.
I’m not sure if Super8 qualifies, but I think that’s a generally underrated movie.
Arrival and Children of men are also both in the rare category where the film is better than the source material.
I also forgot about district 9 which I haven’t seen in years, but remember being good.
Her is a good recommendation but I struggle to imagine a 12 year old identifying well with alienated-middle-aged-man-malaise ;) (although I loved Lost in Translation at 14 or so)
Arrival is a great recommendation. I had some quibbles with its science, but it’s good Sci Fi. Then he can introduce him to Ted Chiang’s other writing
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/parentalguide
I also seem to recall that Her was thematically aimed at adults.
Treasure Planet and Titan A.E. are also good animated movies, although Treasure Planet is more science-fantasy.
I'd also second Back to the Future, Contact, Interstellar, Gattaca, October Sky
I think some of the other ones like Oblivion, Contact, and Gattaca might be a bit too dry/subtle/pondering (depending on exactly how tedious he found 2001 to be).
So do most adults. That and bladerunner are probably the two slowest sci fi movies in the canon (i love them, but they are high effort watches). Maybe literally anything else.
That said, i'd suggest trying to find out what aspect of the books he reads that he likes and go from there. We all read books for different things, and it helps to know what parts the kid likes.
Maybe the expanse tv show is a safe bet (i thought it was better than the books, but that is just me)
If he really likes the unitended technical consequences aspect of asimov, primer might be good, although the plot is very complicated. Predestination is also good.
Silent Running: hold my beer.
(I say this with love for Silent Running and Blade Runner. I find 2001 to be the hardest one to watch.)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)
The War of the Worlds (1953)
Contact (1997)
Back To The Future (1995)
Logan's Run (1976)
Soylent Green (1973)
Solaris (1972)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
Tron (1982)
ET (1982)
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Apollo 13 (1995)
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
Armageddon (1998)
The Omega Man (1971)
The Quiet Earth (1985)
WarGames (1983)
When Worlds Collide (1951)
Independence Day (1996)
Earth vs. The Flying Saucers (1956)
The Thing from Another World (1951) -- "Keep watching the skies!"
Invaders from Mars (1953)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Rocketship X-M (1950); Osa Massen wow!
The Brain from Planet Arous (1957)
Finally two of the very best Disney comedies:
The Abscent-Minded Professor (1961); "Hey Neptune, why don't you just submerge!"
Son of Flubber (1963)
The Black Hole is a Disney movie.
How about some TV?
Classic: Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, need I mention, Star Trek?
Current: Lost in Space, …
(Yikes. If 2001 is slow and boring, Solaris (1972) is watching paint dry. Sheesh)
… age appropriate is difficult, ahaha. You could also try your local library, the might have DVDs of TV shows and staff usually have kids section, and classics separate.
In the book a team of international people are selected to go (rather than just one) and it ends with them doing science to gather evidence to prove their story (whereas the movie ends with an emotional speech about accepting her story “on faith”)
The book has a lot of characters with weak connections together. The movie has fewer characters, more strongly connected. I think it's one of the few cases where the movie is better than the book—they're still both excellent, however.
Depending on the 11-year-old, you might be able to make a case for Seth Macfarlane's The Orville, which can be a bit more hit-and-miss, but does have some truly excellent episodes, particularly in Season 3.
The newer Star Trek series coming out are probably too gritty if the parent is worried about age-appropriateness (I believe Picard has a TV-MA rating?) and unless you really like The Original Series, it's pretty noticeably a product of its age and I personally had trouble staying engaged by it when I was that age.
Oh man, have you rewatched it lately? I had very fond memories of 2001, like I’m sure many people here, but I watched it again and found it slow and tedious and then some. The first act with the apes and wailing operatic singing went on forever. The stuff on the moon is forgettable. I was really surprised to find out that everything I remember about the movie, where they’re near Jupiter, starts halfway through. The ending is so weird I’d forgotten most it that too. There’s no question about 2001’s influence and place in movie history, but by today’s film standards, for kids who are used to modern film, 2001 is harder to appreciate. Or I don’t know, I looked up the critical reception and maybe it was then too… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey_(film)#R...
I have made the mistake of showing my kids films that I loved from my childhood way too many times. It has backfired and made my kids not want to watch movies with me, and most of the time they’re right and the films I loved just aren’t that good by today’s standards. My youngest is also afraid of watching space movies, especially with me, because I liked a lot of them and maybe started trying to show him when we was too young. The quality of films and shows has gone up, though, and my kids helped me see it. Once I completely stopped pushing the movies I liked, the kids started sometimes finding them on their own, but they also show me movies they live that I wouldn’t have considered. It is also surprising how often movies I like haven’t aged well in terms of social dynamics, my kids are fairly sensitive to mildly racist or sexist dialogue, and there’s more than we remember from movies made in the 70s-90s.
Sci fi movies my kids have loved: Villeneuve’s Dune, The Last Mimzy, A Wrinkle in Time (non-Disney version), Tomorrowland, Cowboy Bebop (anime), Interstellar, Arrival, FLCL, Donnie Darko, Inception, Blade Runner 2049, WarGames, Serial Experiments Lain (warning heavy death themes) … Will add more as I remember
Depending on the individual and their patience, Primer (2004) might also be a great fit. The pace is a bid subdued but thematically, it's mind bending. I don't think it includes anything particularly awkward as an early scifi movie to watch together with your own child. I would probably start with one of the spectacles from the above picks, though.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Limitless (2011)
Looper (2012)
Upgrade (2018)
Source Code (2011)
District 9 (2009)
Black Mirror S3E2: "Playtest", S4E1: "USS Callister"
The 7 minute YouTube video "Slaughterbots"[1]
The YouTube series The Backrooms[2]
If you are worried about your son hearing swear words and seeing blood, and not just whether or not he will be able to understand/appreciate the movie, then you probably want to wait with a couple of those.
And then I would also agree with those here that mention Inception, Interstellar, Back to the Future, The Martian, Men in Black, Minority Report, The Terminator, Terminator 2, and The Expanse. I also don't think he should have much of a problem following along with The Matrix.
[1]: https://youtu.be/O-2tpwW0kmU [2]: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVAh-MgDVqvDUEq6qDXqORBio...
Edit: At the same time I feel like these suggestions (including the R-rated ones) are all wonderfully simple, understandable, yet though-provoking and constantly entertaining. Perfect for anyone that finds 2001 to be a slow and tedious movie. I would really want to trust that it's safe for anyone to watch these as long as they have an adult next to them, and someone they can talk about the movie with after.
One of the main traits of good Sci-Fi in my opinion is that it leaves you with questions like these to ponder.
Gattaca - interesting take on genetics/DNA discrimination
Europa - hard science fiction, maybe a bit slow for a 12 year old
The Net - older movie but the concept of digital exile resonates today
City of Ember - post apocalyptic civilization that lives deep underground
First Man - dramatization of Neil Armstrong and the first moon landing (not realy "fiction")
Arrival - first contact situation, tastefully done
Contact - another first contact situation that explores how politics, skepticism, and fanaticism react
The Martian - easily as fun as the book
The Prestige - competing magicians in an industrial age setting
The Hunger Games - extreme class divide in a future setting
Jurassic Park - the original not the sequels
Stargate - wormhole travel to another planet (be careful with the TV shows though, SG1 on streaming has full frontal nudity and "not ok" scenes which were obviously not on the broadcast version and a total shock when we watched it as a family)
District 9 - has some graphic gore and language, so it might be 14+, but is an interesting look at aliens as refugees
Contagion - a look at how a pandemic could play out. Premiered before COVID.
The Maze Runner - interesting setting and look at group dynamics
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids - fun setting
The Village - scary movie with a sci fi twist
Galaxy Quest - comedy
Short Circuit - old movie that deals with AI sentience
Innerspace - another old one, but has some fun concepts
I was 11 when "Logan's Run" came out. Yes it's kinda loaded with 70's sex tropes for the first act, but it's also equal parts goofy and a really good film.
The original "The Day The Earth Stood Still" holds up.
"A Boy and His Dog" is a bit crude here and there, but might resonate with a 12yo.
"Quatermass and the Pit" (aka "Five Million Years to Earth") is both intense and fairly tame.
A lot of old TV series hold up - Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, UFO, Space 1999, Star Trek TOS, etc all have some excellent episodes.
I absolutely love "Dark City" and "12 Monkeys" but I'm not sure they'd have held my interest at 12.
Doctor Who, both old and new are excellent. Though I'm partial to the Tom Baker era.
The Stargate franchise is pretty good.
"Moon" (2009) is a bit cerebral but a good SF story.
Gattaca, Moon, Gravity, Contact, Space Camp, Andromeda Strain, the original Westworld (1973), the first two Star Trek movies, the STTNG TV series, Another Earth (2011, PG-13), The Man from Earth, Fantastic Voyage, War of the Worlds (1953), The Day the Earth Stood Still, Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Of course all kids are different. I always loved the Back to The Future movies from a young age. Moon is also harder fare while being less violent than The Matrix.
You might also enjoy watching the modern Doctor Who together? Or Star Trek?
As for more books, maybe introduce him to Hitchhikers Guide?
The Time Machine starring Rod Taylor is a charming film from Nineteen Sixty based on the HG Wells book of the same name from 1895. Might not be a bad idea for your 12 year old to read the book too, only perhaps after watching the movie.
Click through to the list of movies and then add a genre filter for sci-fi. You can further filter by rating, popularity or maturity level as desired. Enjoy!
https://www.movienight.tips/movies.php?m=1&start=1980&end=19...
See also: Star Trek the next generation (series)
- Ender’s game
- Space between us
Also:
- Ready player one (book is way better, but nonetheless)
*Batteries Not Included
Back to the Future trilogy
Flight of the Navigator
The Last Starfighter
Honey, I shrunk the kids
Short Circuit 1 and 2
Teen Wolf
Ghostbusters 1 and 2
Big
InnerSpace
Gremlins 1 and 2
The Iron Giant
Little Shop of Horrors
Willow
Labyrinth
The Dark Crystal
Enemy Mine
Cocoon
But um.... Teen Wolf? The best I can say is Michael J. Fox did the best he could with it.
I think maybe Tron and The Black Hole would slot nicely into your list.
The Expanse show/books are great
I’m waiting til 13 for Akira
Mine is 11 and matrix, terminator, back to the future, arrival were all too slow. He liked the Jurassic Park books but the movie was “too hokey.”
1984 Nausicaä — The original version released in Japan. The version released to the US market is unkind to the original. The hound dog face mask seen in the anime was appropriate for surviving the pandemic.
A bit too early, IMO, a not because Major's tits, but because besides a nice artwork it would be a dull, slow, non-sensical film with 99% of the plot over the head because 11 y/o doesn't know yet and doesn't know how to process that.
But while we are here, I would advise Violet Evergarden then, it's rough sometimes, but for a kid who already seen GitS I doubt it would be a problem. It's very beautiful both visually and story wise. And watch past the credits, ffs.
The basic premise is based on James Cameron having a fever dream after all, and it shows in all the best ways when the concept isn't overdeveloped into a family comedy drama like T2. T2 is great, massive cinema in its own right but I feel the entire Terminator concept, time travel and all, falls apart the more you think about it. A dusky, gritty, fast-paced thriller is a better avenue for the concept.
T1's run time is also admirably brief, at just over 90 minutes.
edit: Adult themes is here meant in non sexual manner. Still, I've removed two suggestions that in hindsight would not be good for someone his age to watch.
edit2: Re-reading OP I now realize I misread it. Matrix was not shown because of adult themes. Some in this list still fit, but most will involve themes perhaps outside the scope of what OP is seeking. All of them are great however and deal with some aspect of humanity I would think a young viewer would benefit from seeing.
Top of my mind (and in no specific order) would be:
- Dark City
- The Thirteenth Floor
- City of the Lost Children
- Tron (original and maybe new one)
- Interstellar
- Inception
- Her (very relevant to our times)
- Dune (2021 version)
- Brazil
- The Martian
- Children of Men
- Edge of Tomorrow (most like Marvelverse on this list but still very good)
- Moon
- Twelve Monkeys
- Upgrade
- The Fifth Element
- Contact
- Okja
- District 9
- Predestination (very relevant to our times)
- Serenity (but might need some prep from the tv show before watching)
- World on a Wire
- The Abyss
- Minority Report (very relevant in our times)
- The Fly
- Equilibrium
- Strange Days
- The Andromeda Strain (relevant after Covid)
- eXistenZ (trippy but I loved it when it came out and was only around your sons age)
- In Time (interesting class dynamics on display)
- Enemy Mine
- Franklyn (some interesting takes on mental illness)
- The Arrival
I read just the opposite. "Strange Days", as one example on your list, is not one I would recommend for a 12 year old.
These should all be suited to a 12 years old, though of course it is up to you:
Back to the future (1, 2 and 3), Time after Time (1979), Gattaca
At 12, I found most horror movies silly or disgusting rather than horrifying. But ALIEN and ALIENS are both great. A few scenes from THE TERMINATOR were disturbing, but it's a good story and TERMINATOR 2 is very good. PREDATOR wasn't for me at 12, but certainly was at 14.
THE TRUMAN SHOW, THE MARTIAN, BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, THE INVENTION OF LYING are all well-made, entertaining, and should be thought-provoking.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.
Time After Time.
Those are all rated PG so should be reasonably OK for a 12 year old.
The last star fighter
-
Maybe stuff like:
The Time Travelers Wife
Raised by Wolves
Gattica
12 Monkeys
Coherence
Solaris
Artificial Intelligence
Donnie Darko
Minority Report
Needle In A Timestack
Pandorum
Synchronic
It isn't an action movie but might be right up the alley of a kid who reads Asimov, at least it would have been up my alley as a kid when I was reading Asimov.
Edit: and to be clear i say that as someone who loves bladerunner. But its a very artsy movie, and it would take a really dedicated 12 year old to appreciate. Not to mention if you think the matrix is not age appropriate...
* Event Horizon * Terminator 1 & 2
Children of Men
Planet of the Apes
