Lovelyish

I sat in a cinema in England the other day and thought the opposite. I’m probably the least conservative you can get but still I couldn’t help but think the rating was too.. low. I’ve not seen this film though so I couldn’t say for this particular one.

maybe for this movie but i see movies all the time that should be rated R that’s actually rated pg-13.

Though I know its not best to use personal experience to argue my case, but I think ratings are over-rated. I viewed a lot of adult material as a child, and I turned out fine. If this stuff has an effect on people, I really don’t think its because they watched media directed at mature audiences, but rather the way they’ve been brought up. I mean, one of the first things battered into my childhood skull was that swearing was inappropriate in general, so if I saw someone swearing a ton on TV (or in real life for that matter), I’d think they are acting inappropriately, not questioning my upbringing. The same can be said with violence, nudity, and sex. I know people argue children learn through mimicking, which is true, but if you educate them right, I honestly don’t think they will act inappropriately after seeing anything these ratings are supposed to protect them from. Research that says otherwise I really don’t think is comprehensive enough if some people like myself haven’t been affected by what they have seen. They haven’t taken all factors into consideration.

it seems that language will get a much higher rating than violence will

Generally speaking, it’s hard for me to say… but for The King’s Speech, I definitely agree.  I was watching this with someone, waiting for the “R” parts.  When the cursing tirade passed, we said to each other, “oh, maybe that was the reason?” 

Actually, I think they’re fair, or at least a bit relaxed. I mean, my friends and I watched Sucker Punch and in my opinion, it’s a bit too violent/suggestive to be PG-13. It really depends on the content and concentration. If there’s F-bombs all over, it should be given a rating higher that just a 2-second exclamation.

I watched a movie that was Rated R in America, but was rated like PG 13 here in Canada at school once. It wasnt even that violent, actually, it was not violent at all! I cannot understand how it couldve been Rated R!

I don’t understand why it was rated R here either. Okay, he says “fuck” a lot. So what?

It was still an amazing movie.

….Really? Really? Canada vs. America? Because of a rating of a movie? ….*facepalm*

I do think the MPAA ratings are completely outdated. I’ve seen movies rated lower than they should be & I’m seen movies over rated. Like look at the Frighteners. It would have made more money in the box office if they didnt stamp that stupid R rating on it. It was a PG-13 at most but people should leave it up to parents to decide what the kids see. I’ve seen more mature 10 year olds than grown people.

As for the King’s Speech, I think PG-13 would have been find because of the context the F word was being used. Not every kid is impressionable.

If the F-word is dropped a certain number of times in a film, it’s automatically rated R. Not sure why that is, but that’s how the rating system works.

@eomona@xanga - This. For some reason, the F-word is just not tolerated.

Otherwise, I think the rating system is fine. But honestly, some PG-13 rated movies I’ve seen were a lot more violent then some R rated ones. Basically the only reason R exists is for nudity and cursing.

well the MPAA is heavily influenced by catholic organizations so i’m never surprised when rating lean towards conservative. 

I can’t remember what the King’s Speech was rated over here in England – I think it was rated 12 or 15, which I think is pretty appropriate. I just checked, and it was 12A, which basically means anyone under 12 needs to be accompanied by an adult. I think that’s a good rating, although they did want to rate it as a 15 originally.

I think that people in other countries need to stop getting their panties all in a wad over what the United States does. It’s none of their business. If WE feel like our system needs to be fixed, WE will do so.

This isn’t a Canadian-bashing comment, or a rest-of-the-world-bashing comment. I just really wonder why you all care so much about what we do. It’s a movie rating. Big whoop. If their parents feel like they need to see it, they can take them to the movie.

In comparison to ratings bureaus in other countries, the MPAA has a reputation for being too strict in regards to sex, nudity, and profanity and too lenient in regards to violence and gore. That’s why extremely violent movies can still get away with a PG-13 rating, while a movie with more than one “F” word or a brief, tasteful sex scene still gets rated R.

There is a excellent documentary about the MPAA rating systems on netflix I believe. I suggest checking it out to know more. It’s called the Film is Not Yet Rated. Basically, it seems the MPAA is very outdated and there is no set guidelines to how movies are rated. 

You can show and intimate scene of a couple fucking…and only get a pg13 rating…but omg if they say the word fuck more than X amount of times it’s too vulgar for kids to watch? What irony.

I think that’s like a rule, though. if a movie has the F-word in it, it can’t be rated PG-13. I don’t think I’ve seen a PG-13 movie with the F-word in it….

I saw that movie and loved it.  Oftentimes I think the ratings should be flip-flopped (PG-13 to R and vice versa).  Because some of the stuff they rate PG-13 is VERY inappropriate and deserves an R in my book.

Totally agree with you, there are several films that are given such a restricted rating in America. In I myself was surprised when I saw it had an R rating, I was thinking to myself “What was the Mature only content in the film” Well as you pointed now I do remember the scene, but as you said it was used creatively. Only other film of the top of my head that was giving an odd rating was Michael Clayton, rated-R. Not sure on what rules does the MPAA set their ratings, but I remember over hearing no more than one F-word, or no F-word at all if it refers to the act of sex. Oh well, luckily now I’m 19 and not have to worry about having to sneak in somehow.

Also comes the discussion about what is kid or teen appropriate. Action and sex are often great examples. No matter how many people die, a film can pass by with a PG-13 rating if there is graphic violence. On the other hand if there is a sex scene it increases the chances of of an R, I think there also hilarious guidelines to it. Like no thrusting, woman can’t moan, things of that nature.

Personally, I would do away with the whole rating.

@raspberryjade@xanga - I only know of two, Oceans Eleven and Definitely, Maybe. Both had it said only once.

They are absolutely way too conservative. TV show ratings, as well. It’s kind of ridiculous sometimes.

The MPAA is a fucking joke, this coming from a film student and future film maker. The ratings have nothing to do content. It has to do with money and power. Watch “This Film is Not Yet Rated”. Fucking amazing doc. I’m gonna turn this shit on it’s head. 

I find ratings for movies are a little ridiculous. I find some G/PG rated films are too low & some PG-13 or R rated too high.

Why is this even being discussed? I saw commercials just recently saying that the rating for The King’s Speech was changed to PG-13.

p.s. More than 3 f-bombs, I believe, automatically gets an R Rating; there was an article about it when the movie first came out…