Let me ask a question to you parents of young children, what do they think about old movies with terrible (compared to todays) cgi/graphics? When they watch a classic like star wars IV-VI, ghostbusters, etc, do they like or dislike the movies since they're use to stuff like toy story, new star wars, etc? Does they enjoy the story for what it is, or prefer watching crap because it looks cool?
my boys love old star wars movies. my 6 year old was watching Empire last night while playing with star wars toys. like looking back in time and watching myself.
Lion King Aladdin The Incredibles Finding Nemo Toy Story The Land Before Time Fox and the Hound Care Bears: The Nutcracker Robin Hood (Animated Disney version) Actually, the list could go on forever. My oldest says his favorite movie is Fox and the Hound. He is also partial to Bambi.
Basic Instinct, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Mississippi Burning and White Men Can't Jump, welcome to the real world. And Charles Bronson's Assassination, just so he can learn the word.
We had no problem getting into the Wizard of Oz, animated Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe or those god awful live action '60s Disney movies when we were in elementary and even junior high. We watched Tom Jones in (non-public) sophomore history class and got a kick out of it.
Studio Ghibli releases. i think even old animation/movies have qualities kids like. i remember watching Battle Beyond the Stars and thinking it looked cheap as hell but it was still one of my favorites.
Start with Boogie Nights, then maybe some Saw series. Or The English Patient if they're mischievous children.