Very, very annoyed

[Burt_Macklin]

With excellent movies like “The Kings Speech” and “Once” receiving the same R-rating as junk like “Saw” it is hard to take the rating system seriously. I suppose there are some R rated movies that I would let my kids watch and some PG-13 movies we would have to skip.

I do agree with you that it is tacky to take your children to the movies to see an adult movie but if they are being quiet I think you did the right thing by ignoring it.

 

[styrgwillidar]

I quit trying to figure out what’s wrong with people’s heads in this regard years ago. My wife and I saw the first two American Pie movies at the theater (not something we’d watch now, by the way).
…

When I was a teen/young adult in college there were a series of movies like that - Porky’s, I can’t remember the others. But they were crass, rude, raunchy and I just didn’t like or was interested in seeing them. So I didn’t, but my friends liked them.

They ended up almost dragging me to a movie that I thought was going to be along the same lines, a teen crass film but in the snow with skis based on the ads/posters. It didn’t do very well in the theaters, but it was hysterical and nothing like what I expected.

“Better Off Dead” with John Cuzack. Weird, weird off-beat kind of movie.

But on-topic. As someone else said, if it’s an R movie its up to the parents and there’s not much you can do.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

When I was a teen/young adult in college there were a series of movies like that - Porky’s, I can’t remember the others. But they were crass, rude, raunchy and I just didn’t like or was interested in seeing them. So I didn’t, but my friends liked them.

They ended up almost dragging me to a movie that I thought was going to be along the same lines, a teen crass film but in the snow with skis based on the ads/posters. It didn’t do very well in the theaters, but it was hysterical and nothing like what I expected.

“Better Off Dead” with John Cuzack. Weird, weird off-beat kind of movie.

But on-topic. As someone else said, if it’s an R movie its up to the parents and there’s not much you can do.

“Better off dead” is one of my all time favorite movies.

 

[ElizabethECB]

I was unfortunately one if those parents. When my son was very much younger I figured he didn’t understand it and would fall asleep since it showed so late. I was a self admitted ignorant naive first time single mom. Ever since he turned about 4 I wised up and have become much more strict about movie watching. I think you should say something even if the parents get upset. Maybe it will speed up the light to go on. Believe me, I speak from unfortunate experience and it does affect them.

 

[Anglewannabe]

If a film is unsuitable for children there is a good chance it is intrinsically immoral and unsuitable entertainment for Catholics of any age. Paying to see these films is material co-operation in evil.

I agree. The reason kids are being brought to these movies is because there are enough adults willing to pay for them that they exist. If adults refused to go to inappropriate movies, they would go bankrupt and parents would not have the option to bring kids

OP, with all due respect, I don’t think it is charitable at all for you to think these parents were wrong when you are pregnant and therefore brought your child to that movie as well. These parents don’t realize the effect it has on their kids. However, I don’t think you realize it has an effect on yours as well

Angie

 

[Cat]

If a film is unsuitable for children there is a good chance it is intrinsically immoral and unsuitable entertainment for Catholics of any age. Paying to see these films is material co-operation in evil.

No, this is not true.

There are several reasons why a film might be unsuitable for children, but not “instrinsically immoral and unsuitable entertainment for Catholics of any age.”

One example is historical films that accurately portray brutality of a past historical event or practice. E.g., 12 Years a Slave, the Oscar winner last year, portrayed the cruelty of human slavery and therefore was rated to inform parents to be careful about bringing their children. But the movie certainly wasn’t immoral; just the opposite.

Another reason why films are sometimes rated R is because of “intensity.” Some films have such a high level of suspense that they would be upsetting not only to children, but many adults. I personally hate this kind of film–I get very upset when I can’t keep “control” over what’s happening in a film! But I know other adults love movies where they are constantly kept guessing and re-guessing. There is certainly nothing immoral in many of these movies–they’re just intense.

I agree with Blue-eyed Lady on this question–let other parents make their own choices. It’s very possible that the parents knew that the children would fall asleep within a few minutes after the film started, and they take their children to avoid paying $10/hour (or more) for a babysitter. We used to take our young daughters to the late movies when they were very small because we KNEW that they would fall asleep and we would be able to watch the movie without paying a sitter. Perhaps this time, the child didn’t fall asleep as they thought he would, and perhaps these parents learned to their dismay that they can no longer bring him to the movies with them.

 

[Sonny89]

Peace and All Good!

I was just really biting my tongue the entire time. but I feel bad for these kids, they deserve better. I mean as an adult when you watch these things, you just watch it out of entertainment and afterwards its nothing. But these kids they act out what they see, I do not know if they realize that or not. Couple more years down the road you see these kids on Maury or Jerry Spinger yelling that they want a baby at 13 or waiting to see DNA results on who’s their baby’s daddy at 18 or 19 then hearing the young men saying its not mine.
I am sorry I am just really flabbergasted and annoyed, I do not know if these parents are aware about how much an impact today’s society is to the kids and how we should be more vigilant.

Side note: I am pregnant with our first, could be the hormones acting up. But I guess its the maternal instincts kicking in wanting to protect the children

Congratulations! I’ll pray for a safe & blessed pregnancy & birth . I’m not a parent but I have been very active in raising several of my nieces & nephews & in many ways they have become like my children. I know it’s not quite the same thing but it does make me very protective of them and other young children so I can relate to it as well, even in a small way.

I completely agree with everything you’ve said. people just seem so unaware of the future impact of childhood experiences. As you point out as well, so many young people & parents seem unwilling to acknowledge responsibility for the consequences of their actions… I don’t know if you’ve come across the Jeremy Kyle show (it’s the British version of Jerry Springer) but that’s another one that really drives home everything you’ve just said. It breaks your heart hearing some of the stories & thinking about the effects on any children involved.

 

[garyo49]

Me and my husband decided to go for a movie date yesterday after mass (might as well take the time before the baby arrives). There was not much showing so we went to an R rated movie (profane language, drug use, a little nudity), sure we were having a good laugh, it as all for entertainment and spending time with each other.

Something just really annoys me though…a couple brings in their I think 1 year old son in an R rated movie, and then next thing I know on the way out of the theater I saw a 6-7 year old kid walking in front of me. Like seriously!! How can parents be like this!? I started to think that no wonder theres an increase in teen pregnancies and juvenile crime because they get exposed to these things with parents thinking that they will forget!
I was really planning to talk to the manager about it that they should be stricter on who goes inside an R rated movie, but my husband held me back saying that its the parents’ responsibility. Am I over reacting?

My thinking is that you shouldn’t watch anything that a six year old shouldn’t watch anyway. A good Christian shouldn’t watch raunchy movies and place themselves in near occasions of sin. I don’t go to movies for that reason. There’s very little but trash being shown on TV and in the movies. I may be a one man boycott, but that’s OK with me.

 

[Sonny89]

Peace and all Good!

My thinking is that you shouldn’t watch anything that a six year old shouldn’t watch anyway. A good Christian shouldn’t watch raunchy movies and place themselves in near occasions of sin. I don’t go to movies for that reason. There’s very little but trash being shown on TV and in the movies. I may be a one man boycott, but that’s OK with me.

You’re not wrong, Gary! There is an ever increasing amount of trash (trash is an understatement in some cases) on TV & in movies, these days. I’m sorely tempted to make it a two man boycott!

 

[KCT]

Heck, I was surprised at how many kids I saw in the theatre for Les Mis.

 

[white_sheep]

One year old is a bit young to worry much about what they see on tv. I wouldn’t let them see certain things, but really don’t worry much until they are a bit older.

 

[Joe_5859]

My thinking is that you shouldn’t watch anything that a six year old shouldn’t watch anyway. A good Christian shouldn’t watch raunchy movies and place themselves in near occasions of sin. I don’t go to movies for that reason. There’s very little but trash being shown on TV and in the movies. I may be a one man boycott, but that’s OK with me.

Well, yes and no. There are certainly films out there that are really inappropriate for anyone to watch. But I wouldn’t let my 6 year old watch “The Passion of the Christ” or even a movie like “The Avengers”. But that doesn’t mean those movies are cesspools of filth and depravity that no good Christian should watch.

There is a place for discerning age appropriateness. There are legitimate reasons for a movie to be acceptable for adults to watch but not for children.