PG13 Movies

[Zandy595]

Do you let your under 13 year old watch PG13 movies?

My DS is turning 10 next month and I don't let him watch them yet. He's a very sensitive kid and things really get to him.

The thing is he's really into Star Wars now and has seen all the movies (on DVD), except for Episode III. Why was it rated PG13? Is it more violent than the other ones?

I would love to hear everyone's opinion, especially parents who don't usually let their kids see PG13 movies.

 

[golfgal]

It depends on why they are rated pg-13. Some they can watch others they can't. As for the new Star Wars, the main thing I can think of is the transformation scene when Anakin transforms into Darth Vader-its pretty gruesome.

 

[rnd4life]

I can't answer your question about Star Wars since I'm not interested in them and haven't ever seen any of them.

I voted Yes in the poll but my answer would really have to be "depends." DH and I decide if a PG-13 movie is OK for our 11 year old DS and go from there.

 

[oogieboogie]

It really depends on the movie.

 

[jajuan]

DS12 is fairly mature and it honestly depends on the movie. Lately, I think that most tv shows should not be allowed. I used to be EXTREMELY strict, but I have lightened up a little.

 

[vald1977]

I voted no because as a general rule I don't . Of course my DS is only 6 so well below 13. I did let him see the new Star Wars but skipped over some parts (like the part with all the dead little kids and some of the battle stuff). There are some movies that are pg13 that scare ME so there would be no way I would let my son watch them.

 

[ducklite]

When my son was younger it entirely depended on WHY the movie was PG-13.

If it was due to language, usually I did because he heard the same or worse in school (and people, don't kid yourselves if you think that your kids school is "different"--my friend told me what language her 11 year old son has brought home from a Christian school in the past couple weeks ).

If it was nudity or adult situations, generally no, although the adult situations depended on what it was. For example he watched Philadelphia with me before he was "old enough" per the ratings. That film was tastefully done, and it was only that it was abouts AIDS and a homosexual that it got the rating it did. We have gay friends and my son has always just understood that some families are made up differently than others, so there was nothing new to him in that movie.

If there was violence, it depended. Horror movies where it's just gratuitous, no. Movies with historical content like the Patriot, yes.

Bottom line, I played it by ear depending on the picture with PG-13 and then R rated movies.

Anne

 

[mom2boys]

It depends on why they are rated pg-13. Some they can watch others they can't.

I didn't vote because there wasn't an option for certain PG-13s.
Spiderman is an example of something I allow. The sex scenes are the ones that I don't want my boys to watch at 10 & 11.

 

[cardaway]

The thing is he's really into Star Wars now and has seen all the movies (on DVD), except for Episode III. Why was it rated PG13? Is it more violent than the other ones?

Can't answer that without a spoiler so quit reading if you don't want the plot spoiled.




The plot involves Anakin's move to the dark side and involves some pretty violent and gross acts. Beheading, killing of multiple people (including children), and lastly, a pretty nasty burning scene.


Personally I'm happy Lucas didn't tone it down. Anakin's fall should have been PG13.

 

[mickman1962]

I decide what movies my 11 & 15 will watch, not some ratings board. There are R rated movies from the '80's that are tamer than PG13's today.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I decide what movies my 11 & 15 will watch, not some ratings board. There are R rated movies from the '80's that are tamer than PG13's today.

 

[ducklite]

I decide what movies my 11 & 15 will watch, not some ratings board. There are R rated movies from the '80's that are tamer than PG13's today.

Midnight Cowboy came out with an "X" rating. It probably would be PG-13 these days!

Anne

 

[Gupsmom]

There are a couple very graphic and scary scenes at the end of Star Wars III that are far beyond anything in the other 5 movies. We did let our 8 yr old watch the movie on DVD...we just skipped over the graphic parts.

Jess

 

[Jennifer S]

PG- 13 movies aimed at kids really make me mad. For instance my boys love Star Wars we let them see all the old ones from the 80's and the two new ones but when the last one came out it is PG-13. I was so mad. I would not let them see it when it came out. They were dying to see it. they saw all the others and the final one gives a lot of answers.

I realize that SW is not just for kids but all the happy meal toys and other toys ARE aimed at the little kids. That makes them want to see it even more.

Either tone it down so kids can see it or don't promote it to kids.

btw - I did not vote - it depends on the movie.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I don't have children under 13 any longer, but I answered as I would have a few years ago. I always used the rating as a "heads up" to see whether it was due to language or adult situations or drug use, etc. I would ask other people's advice if I was on the fence. But usually I didn't mind if I could watch it too and we could talk about it. I feel the same way right now about my DD and the R rating. Depends on why it got the rating.

 

[DVCLiz]

It always depended on the movie for me. I was far more lilely to bend the rule for sexual content or language, and far less likely to allow emotional images I thought my DD couldn't handle. For example, I let her see Moulin Rouge because I thought she could handle the sexual content, but I didn't let her see Titanic because I knew she would be very disturbed by the scenes of the people trapped and then dead in the water. She wanted to see both of those movies before she was technically old enough to.

How do you decide what's "in" the movie and whether it's "bad enough" to keep your kids away? Am I the only one who will go see a movie first before I decide, if I'm on the fence about something???? I've done this several times - my friends think I'm crazy, but how else would you know? And why would you just say no automatically - just because you didn't want to be bothered?

 

[graygables]

Chances are, if the ratings board found PG-13 material, then my kids (9&7) aren't going to watch it. Many, MANY films "push" the PG-13 rating and really should be R anyway. I carefully read several reviews (not only critical, but content as well) before decided what my children can watch. I, sadly, let them watch the Muppets Wizard of Oz which was trash and it was only PG. Lesson learned.

 

[Barb D]

If it's because of violence or language, usually. If it's for "adult situations", it depends. If I think the movie is generally OK and I can tell her (DD12) to "close her eyes" or skip over certain scenes, I'll let her watch it.

I've also let my older kids (12 and 14) watch most of a couple of R rated movies -- Patriot and Braveheart. Again, they had to close their eyes or skip certain scenes.

We're definitely going to see HP4 on Friday. I'll decide after seeing it myself if I'll let DD6 see it. DD12 is going the first day, though.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

As parents, we decide what our kids watch, not what the ratings people say. A great place to check out whether a movie is up to your standards is http://www.screenit.com/index1.html

 

[momof3disneyholics]

It depends on the movie.