You Should Not Let Your Kids Watch These Movies

Certain movies deal with difficult and intense subjects that are better suited for adults. Things like strong violence, scary situations, drug use, and complex themes can be upsetting or confusing for children and may stay with them for a while. The films listed below contain this type of content and are best watched when children are older and more mature. It’s best to avoid them for family movie nights with young viewers.

‘The Exorcist’ (1973)

This movie tells the story of a child experiencing intensely frightening and disturbing supernatural events. It creates a sense of dread through realistic, but potentially upsetting, medical scenes and invasive tests. The film uses strong sound and practical effects to feel incredibly realistic, and explores spiritual themes that might be scary or difficult for younger viewers to understand.

‘A Clockwork Orange’ (1971)

This film centers on a ruthless gang leader and doesn’t shy away from showing the harsh realities of his violent world. It delves into how people can be controlled and lose their independence, using disturbing experiments as a key element. Expect frequent and graphic depictions of violence and harmful behavior. Due to its intense and challenging content, this film is not suitable for children.

‘Se7en’ (1995)

Two detectives are trying to solve a string of murders that seem connected by a dark and unsettling pattern. The crimes are described in vivid and often shocking detail. As the story unfolds, a deeply disturbing truth is revealed. Due to its dark themes and constant suspense, this story isn’t appropriate for younger audiences.

‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974)

A group of friends finds themselves terrorized by a dangerous family. The film builds constant tension and fear through disturbing images and sound. While not overly graphic, the movie features frequent threats and suggestions of violence, creating a deeply unsettling and oppressive experience that may be frightening or upsetting for young viewers.

‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ (2013)

This story features depictions of crime, drug use, and explicit sexual situations, along with strong language. It portrays a lifestyle of extreme excess without showing the negative results, making it unsuitable for younger viewers.

‘Joker’ (2019)

This movie follows a man struggling with personal problems as his life spirals downward amidst increasing violence and loneliness. It features raw depictions of street crime and intense conflicts. Because it delves deeply into the character’s psychology and portrays unsettling themes of societal breakdown, it may be disturbing for younger audiences. The film feels very realistic in its exploration of instability and public disorder.

‘Oldboy’ (2003)

After being held captive for a long time, a man escapes and dedicates himself to getting revenge. The story’s shocking truths unfold through intensely violent and personal acts, and features unexpected, mature themes. Due to its disturbing content and strong emotional impact, this story is not suitable for children.

‘Requiem for a Dream’ (2000)

This movie offers a brutally honest look at addiction. It realistically portrays the damaging physical and emotional effects, and repeatedly shows how harmful habits destroy lives and families. It’s a disturbing film and not suitable for children or young viewers.

‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (2011)

I’m really gripped by this story about a journalist and a hacker teaming up to uncover some dark secrets from a family’s past. It’s definitely not an easy watch, though – it deals with very mature and disturbing themes, including sexual violence, and there are moments of real danger that feel incredibly intense and drawn out. Honestly, it’s something I wouldn’t recommend for anyone young or easily upset; it’s strictly for adults.

‘Natural Born Killers’ (1994)

This movie follows a couple who turn to violent crime and unexpectedly become famous for it. The filmmakers use fast cuts and unsettling visuals to emphasize the violence. It contains a lot of strong language and depicts very disturbing situations. Because of its confusing themes and graphic content, it’s not suitable for younger audiences.

‘Saw’ (2004)

The story features dangerous and gruesome traps, focusing heavily on the characters’ pain and fear, often in tight, enclosed spaces. These intense and disturbing scenes are not suitable for young viewers.

‘Hostel’ (2005)

This movie traps viewers in a horrifying situation filled with extreme and prolonged violence. It focuses on the cruelty of the events, rather than building suspense, and contains content that is absolutely inappropriate for children.

‘Hereditary’ (2018)

This story follows a family haunted by strange and frightening events connected to their loss and destiny. Unexpected scares and disturbing visuals create a sense of unease. The film uses everyday family life to build tension and fear, but its intense emotional themes may be too intense for younger audiences.

‘Sin City’ (2005)

This series weaves together multiple storylines set in a city riddled with corruption and violence. It features a distinctive visual style, but also includes frequent scenes of harsh brutality and exploitation. Due to strong language, sexual content, and a generally dark and unsettling atmosphere, it’s not suitable for children.

‘Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom’ (1975)

This movie contains intense and upsetting scenes of abuse and humiliation, all set within a political backdrop. It’s deliberately designed to be shocking and challenging, with graphic depictions of cruelty. Because of its disturbing content, it’s best suited for mature viewers who are prepared for difficult material.

‘Irreversible’ (2002)

The movie tells a story of a violent night by unfolding events in reverse order. A lengthy and intense attack is shown in one continuous shot. The film’s sound includes deep, unsettling tones, and its graphic scenes and constant tension make it inappropriate for children.

‘Blue Velvet’ (1986)

This mystery, set in a quiet town, uncovers a hidden world of abuse and manipulation. It contains deeply disturbing scenes of sexual violence and frightening intimidation. The story’s unsettling nature is made worse by the fact that these terrible acts happen in ordinary places. This content is absolutely not suitable for children.

‘Antichrist’ (2009)

After a devastating family loss, a couple retreats to a forest, where their situation quickly becomes violent and disturbing. The film features graphic sexual content and self-harm, and uses unsettling natural imagery to build tension and fear instead of offering peace. Due to its intense and mature psychological themes, it’s not suitable for younger viewers.

‘Trainspotting’ (1996)

Wow, this movie really doesn’t hold back when it comes to showing what heroin addiction is like. It’s intense – you see everything, from really scary overdoses to the awful experience of withdrawal, and it doesn’t shy away from showing the dangerous places addicts can end up. What struck me most was how it showed the toll it takes on the people who care about the addict, and it doesn’t sugarcoat anything. Honestly, it’s definitely not something kids should watch – there’s a lot of strong language and, of course, the drug content is very graphic.

‘The Shining’ (1980)

A family spends the winter in a deserted hotel, and their isolation slowly turns terrifying. The movie features several frightening scenes with a child at risk, and relies on disturbing imagery and jump scares to create a constant sense of dread. Because it’s deeply psychological and frightening, it’s not appropriate for kids.

‘Midsommar’ (2019)

A group of people journey to a secluded festival that hides disturbing and violent ceremonies. The film presents shocking events in broad daylight, deliberately avoiding typical horror tropes. It features intense and graphic deaths alongside characters experiencing severe emotional distress. Due to its slow pace and unsettling visuals, this movie is not suitable for children.

‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)

A rookie FBI agent teams up with a cunning prison inmate to catch a serial killer. The show features disturbing crime scenes and detailed autopsy examinations. It builds suspense through believable dangers and psychological manipulation, making it unsuitable for younger audiences.

‘The Witch’ (2015)

This story follows a family in old New England struggling with growing fear and strange occurrences. It’s a dark and unsettling tale, focusing on their loneliness and the intense religious beliefs of the time. Be warned: it contains disturbing scenes, including harm to animals and children, and is definitely not appropriate for young viewers.

‘Black Swan’ (2010)

A dancer striving for a difficult performance struggles with disturbing hallucinations and self-inflicted harm. The story features graphic and unsettling depictions of physical transformation and intense psychological pressure, offering no moments of respite. This content is likely to be scary and disorienting for young viewers.

‘American Psycho’ (2000)

This story follows a successful person who secretly struggles with violent urges. It contains intense and disturbing content, including graphic violence and mature themes. The narrative relies heavily on satire and is intended for adult audiences due to its strong language and extreme situations, making it unsuitable for children.

‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)

This film portrays the horrific persecution and mass killings of the Holocaust with stark realism, including disturbing scenes of violence against civilians. While important for adult understanding, the film’s intense and traumatic content is unsuitable for children.

‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998)

The film starts with very realistic and graphic depictions of injuries from battle. It then moves into scenes of surprise attacks and heavy fighting. The soldiers shown deal with genuine fear and the pain of losing comrades. Overall, the movie’s portrayal of war is too intense and violent for children.

‘Full Metal Jacket’ (1987)

The film’s first part depicts rigorous and abusive training. The second part portrays intense city fighting with graphic and unexpected deaths. It explores the loss of humanity and the psychological trauma of war, and is unsuitable for children due to its strong language and violence.

‘The Passion of the Christ’ (2004)

This movie depicts the last hours of Jesus’ life, focusing heavily on his physical pain. It includes long, detailed scenes of whipping, flogging, and crucifixion. The visuals are very strong and disturbing, making it inappropriate for children and younger viewers.

‘Scarface’ (1983)

This story follows the violent rise and fall of a drug-fueled criminal organization. It features strong language, pervasive drug use, and a lavish lifestyle that could be misinterpreted by younger viewers. Expect several intense and graphic scenes.

‘Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer’ (1986)

This story centers on a killer who seems to observe events from a cold, objective distance, almost like a documentary. The violence is shown realistically, without any attempts to make it look glamorous or to judge the killer’s actions. Scenes involving home invasions are particularly unsettling, and the overall story is definitely not suitable for children.

‘A Serbian Film’ (2010)

The movie features disturbing scenes of exploitation and violence that are meant to shock viewers. It contains extremely graphic content and is definitely not suitable for children.

‘Cannibal Holocaust’ (1980)

A documentary crew filmed in the jungle, but some of the shocking scenes of violence and animal cruelty were actually staged. The film mixes real footage with fabricated events, creating a disturbing and confusing experience. Because of its graphic content, it’s definitely not appropriate for kids.

‘Nymphomaniac: Vol. I’ (2013)

The film features a woman openly sharing her past sexual experiences, depicted with graphic detail. Some versions include explicit acts. It explores complex and sensitive issues like consent, power dynamics, and the impact of trauma, making it suitable only for mature audiences. This content is intended for adults and is not appropriate for children.

‘Basic Instinct’ (1992)

This story contains mature themes, including a murder investigation and explicit sexual content. It features frank depictions of sex, strong language, and nudity, and is intended for adult audiences only. It is not suitable for children.

Share the titles you think parents should keep off the family watchlist in the comments.

2025-11-05 16:18