Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Gifted Portrayed in TV and Movies

For my son (6), I'd like to put together a library of television series and movies that portray gifted children in a positive light. Fiction and non-fiction if I can find that range.

Could you recommend titles?

I don't recall much about the series, but Doogie Howser comes to mind. It was running when I was a late teen and I honestly didn't watch it much, so don't know if it qualifies. I'm hoping to avoid excessive distortion/stereotyping if possible!

As a kid, I loved the movie Space Camp. It was so reassuring to see an obviously gifted character with a perfect 1600 on the SAT who was also a normal teenage girl. The movie is probably better suited to a tween girl than a six-year-old boy though.

I'm really not concerned with the sex of the child or the age, so that's one for the list.

Of course, any R-rated movies will have to wait for emotional maturity to catch up, but I'd still like to compile the full gamut of choices from child-level through adult now.

The Courtship of Eddie's Father? The opening conversation seems appropriate for what I mean.

YouTube of Opening Theme

Here are some ideas...

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/movies.htm

Beauty and the Beast
Billy Elliot
Dead Poets Society
Empire of the Sun
Finding Forrester
Good Will Hunting
Matilda
How to Train your Dragon
A Little Princess

Tons of others. I actually think almost every good story/film features a character who is gifted.

"The Mysterious Benedict Society" series

Lisa McMann's "The Unwanteds" series

Our selections run a little heavy on the female side, for obvious reasons, but we like these movies (and have seen them endlessly):

- Matilda
- Harry Potter (Hermione has been an outstanding role model for our DD, especially as she starts out a little insufferable in the beginning)

Ender's Game is coming out in November!

And my son was probably around 6 when I showed him Space Camp and he loved it. Kids going to space by themselves. A little boy's dream.

And I agree with the Harry Potter suggestion. Especially the one where Hermione actually secretly time travels so she can take more classes.