This maybe should be in AIBU but ... which is 'worse' - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire or Pirates of the Carribbean II? In terms of suitability?

[ghosty]

Please bear with me....
Ok, I'll be the first to admit that I am a bit anal about what films my DS (just 8) watches. I don't go with the 'It depends on the child' philosophy - I am more of the 'I don't want violent images imprinted on his retinas' School.
So, as a result he hasn't seen any of the Spiderman movies and such like.
But I am aware that he probably could now that he is 8. (I can't stand hearing of 4 year olds who watch it - sorry ... just the way I am)
Anyhoo ... Harry Potter. I am a huge fan ... so we have watched the HP films slowly but surely. First one was when he was 6. At 7 we got to the Prisoner of Azk. All ok.
A couple of weeks ago I got out the Goblet of Fire ... we watched it together and we talked it all over as it went along. Bit nasty at the end but DS was fine ... all fine. To be honest, DS was more into the 'bonus disc' that showed all the special effects and the interviews with the cast - he loved the technical stuff (blue screen etc)
He has a friend down the road and they spend a lot of time together after school. They came running in the other day asking to see HP. So I phoned her dad to see if it was ok. He said, no it wasn't and he'd rather she didn't watch it just yet (she is nearly 9). Ok, I understood completely.
Then, yesterday ... DS came home from her house and told me he had watched the second Pirates of the Carribbean film.
I haven't seen it but I was under the impression it was pretty violent (yes fun and great and all that - but violent). I have to say I am a bit miffed they didn't ask me first like I asked them about HP ... but I won't make a thing of it ... I can live with it (DS is 8 after all)
But, which film is 'worse' in your opinion? Just so I know ...
Thanks for listening ...
Apologies for long post ...

I would say pirates wwas worse.

Mind you I could be called a little anal about what my ds watches too

Thanks for answering damewashalot ... i thought Pirates would be worse.
If I had posted this in AIBU I would have had loads more answers telling me I was anal and unreasonable I bet

Hi Califrau (what happened to the Super?)
Yeah, I know HP is dark ... but the way DS and I watch it is we watch it together and I stop it every so often to talk over what we have seen (to discuss why Harry took that other boy in the GOF to the graveyard - why didn't he just run for the Cup on his own etc etc) It isn't a film I would just put on and let him watch while I get on with something else. So he has only ever seen it when we sit down together to watch it IYSWIM?
Not like say, Over the Hedge or Shrek or that sort of thing.
I hated the day that HP and the GOF opened in the cinema (we were going to see something else) and we saw tiny tots lining up to go in and see it ...
I know someone who took her 3 year old to see King Kong
I wouldn't take my DS to see Narnia even (he was 6) ... waited till it came out on video and watched it first before I let him see it

maybe his reason for objected to HP was different - I know somw people don;t like them for religous reasons.

I havent' seen the HP films yet - DS is 6.5 and informs me he won't be into them till he is about 8!

He has seen all the Star Wars movies ad infinitum.

I ended up taking him to POC3 under duress as a friend was taking his DCs and had offered to take DS and DH said OK and I didn't want to be the spoilsport. But I went along too in case DS wasn't OK. He was. Then I bought the DVDs of the first 2 and he won't watch no. 2. It is much darker than the first one.

He has seen the Spiderman films as I reason that they are obv fantasy a bit the same a the Star Wars once. He hasn't seen Narnia as I don't think he is ready. Also hasn't seen King Kong.

My 9 yr old nephew got the Godfather trilogy and Scarface for his birthday!

at your nephew ... that's appalling!!!!
Poor kid ...

I just don't think my 6.5 year old ds1 would "get" HP or even Spiderman. Far too grown up for him and he would not enjoy it. I am suprised by what children watch sometimes. Not just for the violence, but also these films are not made for the age group and probably goes way over their heads, don't they?? I don't think you are being anal at all by the way. I would say at least 10 for HP and 12 for Pirate of C, how is that for being anal?

At the risk of shocking you all, my 6-year-old ds adores the PoC movies and doesn't seem to find them at all frightening or disturbing.

Not remotely interested in HP however.

I think Goblet of Fire is scarier than Order of the Phoenix, in terms of HP films.

POTC is fun and swashbuckling but there is a lot of throat-slitting and hurling dead bodies into the sea which is rather more graphic than avada-kedaving Cedric Diggory.

Given the parents veto on HP, they really should have checked with you on POTC.