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Best Movies for 12 Year Olds (and the Parents Watching)

Eight movies for 12-year-olds that are exciting and a little darker than the family classics, with notes for parents on what is inside.

By the Bingeable team 1 min read

At twelve, a film has to be good in a way that a child will not be embarrassed to be seen enjoying. These eight are, and each one is safe enough to share with a younger sibling in the room, with a few notes.

Three of them carry our 12+ label. That means a person checked each one and found tension, action or menace beyond what we would put in front of a younger child. The rest are 8+ and are on the list because older children still love them.

For the parents

Twelve-year-olds can handle more than they used to, and still sometimes want a parent on the sofa. The 12+ films here are a good opportunity: watch the first one together, and let them decide what comes next.

Quick answers

What does 12+ mean on Bingeable?
It is the highest label we use, and our catalog stops at PG-13. A 12+ film may have sustained peril, battle violence or menace. We note exactly what, so you can decide for your child.
Is The Lord of the Rings suitable for a 12-year-old?
Often, yes. The Fellowship of the Ring has a scary Balrog and frightening villains but limited blood. Many families watch it together first, then let the child continue.

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