THE WAR OF THE WORDS
Words, as such, don’t at first blush seem to be a good source for movies. But it turns out that there are at least five very good movies based on words. For no reason I can think of, all of these films came out in the 2000's. 
Akeelah and the Bee (2006) is about a studious girl from south LA who becomes a spelling whiz. Veterans Lawrence Fishburne (as a stern taskmaster) and Angela Basset (as a sort of hit-and-miss mom)  provide solid support, but the movie (and our heart) is stolen by young Keke Palmer. Largely because of her, it becomes super cool to be a good student. 
Spellbound (2002) is a documentary about the National Spelling Bee. It was nominated for an Academy Award. It follows eight teenage contestants from their local bees to the big one. It’s uncanny how much suspense is built up by the movie’s story and pace. And check out the words these kids can spell!
Bee Season (2005) tries to do more with the spelling bee format, and largely succeeds. Father Richard Gere and mother Juliette Binoche find their marriage is slowly sinking. He finds an outlet coaching their precocious daughter Eliza (Flora Cross) in spelling contests. There’s a trick to how she does it- you’ll have to find out for yourself. Large lessons are learned about winning, losing, trying and giving. 
Do you like crossword puzzles? I am a big fan. Whether you like them or not, you will like Wordplay (2006). The film centers around New York Times puzzle editor Will Shortz and his merry band of fans and followers. Former president Bill Clinton and The Daily Show host Jon Stewart are counted among the group, and appear in the movie with delightful insights into puzzling as a hobby or habit. There is, of course, a contest 
and the tension builds nicely. There are also some dandy revelations about how puzzles are constructed and how different people go about trying to solve them.
Last, and perhaps least, is another documentary, Word Wars (2004) which is about an international Scrabble competition and those who participate.  The world of Scrabble, like any sport, has its superheroes and its also-rans and villains. These people are very strange! But interesting! 
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are suitable for all ages, but the boredom factor will come into play for most 8 and under.