5 Movies Your Kids Must See

3. The Iron Giant (ages 5+)

Brad Bird’s feature debut is a beautiful take on the “E.T.” story, swapping in a deadly alien robot for a cuddly alien and ’50s Cold War paranoia for the ’80s suburb. The bond between Hogarth and the Giant (Vin Diesel has never been better) is beautifully rendered, and the Giant’s final sacrifice (“Soooperman”) still brings tears to my eyes. And this film is only more vital today. My son and I watched it last November, as the deadly terror attacks were unfolding in France. And he paid attention when Hogarth told the Giant — programmed to be a weapon — “Guns kill,” and was moved with the Giant said “I am not a gun.” Much of today’s kids’ entertainment makes the villains so colorful and enjoyable that it’s genuinely confusing to my son; he often wants to play “bad guy” because they’re more interesting. “The Iron Giant” is a movie that tells kids that they have a choice how to use their strength. They can be a bad guy and destroy or a good guy and help.