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Original poster

How firm are you with age ratings on films/games?

291 replies

BowieFan · 13/10/2016 21:11

DS1 and DS2 are both 14 (15 in two weeks) and I've pretty much let them watch anything up to a 15 since they were about 11, as they were both sensible kids and most of the time they were watching the films with us anyway.

18 rated films are kind of an approval basis. DS1 is a horror nut and I have no issue with him seeing things like The Exorcist or Friday the 13th. Anything like 50 Shades of Grey, they'd have to come to me first to have a discussion on why it's not a healthy relationship and all that, and if they understood it I'd probably let them watch.

Games don't come up that often but I've pretty much let them have GTA and CoD since they were 12 as me and DP are both gamers and understand what they're playing. We wouldn't let them have horror games until this year though because we're aware they affect you differently to horror films.

How firm are you on age rating things?

OP posts:
ZanyMobster · 15/10/2016 15:50

I do agree that some of the ratings are absolutely ridiculous. My boys are 10 and 8. They watch all the marvel films, mostly 12a but I can't see what is in them that makes them a 12. Same with Star Wars.

They have watched films like Gremlins since they were really little, no way is that really a 15. Drop Dead Fred is a 12, bit of mild swearing but that's it TBH. Eldest has seen Hunger Games and Twilight but youngest would be scared. They are actually both a bit bothered by Harry Potter so don't watch those.

Games are even stranger IMO. Why on earth is WWE a 16 rating. It's one of the DCs favourites. They turn the blood setting off as they prefer it that way (as do I). They do have a couple of other older games such as Uncharted and Star Wars Battlefront. We haven't ventured to 18s as there are loads of 16 and under games they are happy to play. I would only allow them to have them if I thought they were suitable I don't care what others do at all so would never feel that pressure. Neither of them like the thought of GTA so I am happy with that.

I would never allow a child visiting to watch older than a PG and if it was a borderline one I would ask the parents first. I regularly say no to them playing games that are older when they have friends round.

Surely the most sensible approach is to research the games or watch the films rather than a blanket ban on anything above their age.

ZanyMobster · 15/10/2016 15:51

Also I cannot imagine banning much after the age of 14 TBH.

BertrandRussell · 15/10/2016 15:58

I don't ban much. But there is stuff I won't give houseroom to. Rather different.

Hulababy · 15/10/2016 16:02

Game of Thrones is like a soap opera?! Really?! I don't watch it but Dh does, as do my parents and some other friends. None think it is suitable for 14y DD to watch. I don't think they'd same for Eastenders and that ilk of soap opera.

Bobochic · 15/10/2016 16:15

Game of Thrones is definitely censored in our house. I don't censor much at all.

ayeokthen · 15/10/2016 16:18

I've never watched Game of Thrones, so I don't know much about it, but my brother is obsessed watches it and said he wouldn't let a kid watch it, and he's not bothered about much.

heateallthebuns · 15/10/2016 16:34

The version of ghostbusters that is shown on tv now is different from the one that was on tv when I was a child. The scene where the beautiful lady ghost undoes dan akroyds trousers was not in it on the video I had taped off the tv!!! I found it damn scary when the old lady library ghost flys at the screen as a skeleton at the cinema when I was 8 or 9.

Ratings are a guideline which is helpful unless you have time or inclination to pre watch everything. Within a year or two would be my limit.

Still Confused at 13 year olds watching alien or the exorcist. Too scary, even though they might understand religious and moral themes from an intellectual viewpoint. Films make people feel a certain way and the music, lighting and what isn't seen can be as scary as what is shown. In any event, what is shown in those films is waaaay too scary for a 13 year old.

I can't control every item they're going to see before 18 obviously. But if they are watching something in my home I will stick to the ratings, unless I've pre watched for a particular educational reason. I would appreciate other parents doing the same.

I think it could be putting parents in a difficult position if you are planning to show say a 15 to 12 year olds at your house and you ring to check if it's ok. If they weren't happy with it what would you say? Would you choose a different film or would you put it on anyway and they would have to keep their child at home? (Not pride, I mean something scary).

BertrandRussell · 15/10/2016 16:37

I don't allow mysogeny and sexual violence in my house. Anyone who wants to watch GOT has to watch it somewhere else. And before anyone says it, yes, they do know why-so I don't have to sit and watch it with them so we can "discuss" it.

Incidentally, it really pisses me off- it would be a fantastic programme if they didn't pander to the anvertisers by providing free soft porn for 20somethings wearing band T shirts in bed sits.

Nataleejah · 15/10/2016 16:49

I think it could be putting parents in a difficult position if you are planning to show say a 15 to 12 year olds at your house and you ring to check if it's ok. If they weren't happy with it what would you say? Would you choose a different film or would you put it on anyway and they would have to keep their child at home? (Not pride, I mean something scary).
I can't speak for all the other families, but in my immediate setting its hardly pre-planned. Usually kids just pick a dvd from a stack they already have at home, and i assume that families with young children don't have hardcore porn or exploitation horror lying about in their living rooms Hmm

ZanyMobster · 15/10/2016 16:56

I wouldn't watch an 18 horror movie now as it would scare me so ratings are definitely just a guideline as an 18 may be fine for a 15 yo but not fine for me at 36. My brother watched scary stuff as a young teen though and was fine so it really does depend on the person.

ayeokthen · 15/10/2016 17:09

What is Game of Thrones about and why is it so controversial? Not being goady, I know it's a medieval type thing but other than that totally clueless and genuinely interested as to why it causes such reactions.

BuggerMyOldBoots · 15/10/2016 17:15

It's basically Lord of the Rings, crossed with hardcore porn, directed by Niccolo Machiavelli.

Original poster
BowieFan · 15/10/2016 17:16

ayeokthen

It's just a drama set in a fantasy world that occasionally has sex and violence. People think it's only about those things, or that the relationships are abusive (some are - that's the point of a character being an absolute twat.). Apparently nobody is allowed to watch stuff that features slightly challenging stuff.

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 15/10/2016 17:17

It is a potentially fantastic fantasy saga with a depressing amount of mysogeny and soft porn sexual violence that its fans excuse either by saying "that's how it was in those days" - completely ignoring the fact that it's a fantasy world so could include anything- or by saying "Oh, but there are plenty of strong women characters".

BertrandRussell · 15/10/2016 17:18

FYI- soft porn isn't "challenging".

Original poster
BowieFan · 15/10/2016 17:19

BertrandRussell

Yet again, you completely insult 20m people who chose to watch Game of Thrones every week. We're not all 20 somethings in bedsits! There's no pandering going on - they're filming the books as written. If you knew anything, you'd realise there's no advertisers to pander to, because HBO is subscription TV and has no ads at all. If you want me to take your ridiculous arguments seriously, do some basic bloody research.

And yes, some of the sex is violent and abusive. That is because the character abusing the person is a sadistic and violent psychopath. The good characters are not in abusive or violent relationships.

OP posts:
Original poster
BowieFan · 15/10/2016 17:21

It isn't soft porn. Try watching it.

Yes, it's a fantasy world but George RR Martin has said it is a world where technology stopped advancing in the 1600s and magic is very real. I don't see why that is so hard for you to understand. It's OK to not like something but like every other moral guardian, you feel the need to insult everyone who does choose to watch or enjoy it, and that's wrong.

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ayeokthen · 15/10/2016 17:21

Thanks for the explanations, I honestly hadn't a clue because fantasy isn't something I'm into so hadn't bothered watching it. Hearing those explanations I'm glad. Why is it so popular?

Bobochic · 15/10/2016 17:23

GOT is slow boring drivel, with soft porn and violence to liven it up. No thanks.

heateallthebuns · 15/10/2016 17:26

Nataleej that's what I mean, if it's within age limits or a year or two and lying around then it'd be ok to watch. But someone had said if they were planning to show a film further outside ratings they'd ring first to check. I was responding to that idea, I'd be more of the opinion of just allowing ratings ok films when I have other peoples kids round. Which would be ones that were lying around anyway.

BuggerMyOldBoots · 15/10/2016 17:26

Oh Bowiefan don't be a dipstick. Does your intellect, or your children's, really need "challenged" by the long and brutal rape scenes in GoT, the constant and fairly arbitrary violence? Fuck me, it's a good show in many ways, but let's not pretend it's earth shattering stuff.

NickiFury · 15/10/2016 17:28

I think it's one of those programmes that people like to feel superior about NOT watching. I'm a bit like that about X Factor Grin

Best thing on TV by a mile imvho.

Original poster
BowieFan · 15/10/2016 17:29

No, but I never claimed we watch GoT to challenge anything. We watch it because it's a show me and DP enjoy and DS1 has read the books and likes watching it too.

I have no issue with the rape scenes or constant violence. That is the way of the world the show is set in. If it suddenly started happening in Midsomer Murders, I'd agree with you but in Episode 1 there is incest, a child nearly being murdered and countless other scenes. GoT has never hid what the world of the show is like.

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NickiFury · 15/10/2016 17:29

I'd never let my kids watch it though, maybe when they're 17; one day before their 18th birthday Wink

PikachuSayBoo · 15/10/2016 17:34

When dd was younger I was strict. She's nearly 16yo and im not as strict now.

She's watched game of thrones and west world. I said to her the other day I wasn't sure about her watching The Walking Dead as I find it terrifying but she said she's seen it already. Grin

I was very unhappy when she was 12yo and a friend's parents let them watch Ted which was a 15. I wouldn't have let her.

She doesn't play games apart from Minecraft but not sure I would have let her play COD, etc before 18. I know plenty of her friends do. I don't play them myself but in my mind doing the violence seems worse rather than watching a violent film. I played Doom once years ago and I was so worked up running around shooting people!