That’s one I thought of when reading the article, too. I occasionally say “What the 
?!” because of that movie. 
I would’ve also considered Forbidden Planet (1956) and—given the Disney fare on the list—The Black Hole (1979).
Depending on the age/maturity/attention span of the kids, I’d also suggest 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Metropolis (1927).