Film ratings...

[Thomas Chalifour]

Is it me, or is the film rating system not cutting it sometimes? I'm wondering what fellow student filmmakers (the next generatation to deal with getting their movies rated by the MPAA) think about the subject.

My 7 year old cousin was doing impersinations for some family members and his dad asked him to his Mini-Me impresion. It was pretty good, but then he did his Fat bastard impersenation. I don't think that a 7 year old should be able to say "I'm dead sexy". I don't who to yell at, his parents for taking him to see a PG13 movie (with stuff that is really meant for people over 13 only) or the MPAA for not rating the Austin Powers series R (Goldmember definiatly needed it). Don't get me wrong, I like the Austin Powers movies as much as the next person, but its more I don't like my 7 year old cousin hearing "My neck looks like a vagina".

At least I know one website has movie ratings done right, and that's http://www.kidsinmind.com. They rate movies in the catagories of sex/violence/language on scales of 0 to 10. So far, they got things right. Lots of movies are way out of porotion with the ratings the MPAA gave them and the levels they got at Kidsinmind.com. For example, my favorite movie of all time Rushmore is rated R, but it got a 3-3-6 from Kidsinmind.com. Meanwhile, the Austin Powers movies got 6-4-6, 4-3-5, and 6-5-5. HELLO. Well maybe when I become a big time film maker I can sign up for the rating board and set things straight.

Enough of my rants, what does everyone else think?

 

[Thomas Chalifour]

Is it me, or is the film rating system not cutting it sometimes? I'm wondering what fellow student filmmakers (the next generatation to deal with getting their movies rated by the MPAA) think about the subject.

My 7 year old cousin was doing impersinations for some family members and his dad asked him to his Mini-Me impresion. It was pretty good, but then he did his Fat bastard impersenation. I don't think that a 7 year old should be able to say "I'm dead sexy". I don't who to yell at, his parents for taking him to see a PG13 movie (with stuff that is really meant for people over 13 only) or the MPAA for not rating the Austin Powers series R (Goldmember definiatly needed it). Don't get me wrong, I like the Austin Powers movies as much as the next person, but its more I don't like my 7 year old cousin hearing "My neck looks like a vagina".

At least I know one website has movie ratings done right, and that's http://www.kidsinmind.com. They rate movies in the catagories of sex/violence/language on scales of 0 to 10. So far, they got things right. Lots of movies are way out of porotion with the ratings the MPAA gave them and the levels they got at Kidsinmind.com. For example, my favorite movie of all time Rushmore is rated R, but it got a 3-3-6 from Kidsinmind.com. Meanwhile, the Austin Powers movies got 6-4-6, 4-3-5, and 6-5-5. HELLO. Well maybe when I become a big time film maker I can sign up for the rating board and set things straight.

Enough of my rants, what does everyone else think?

 

[TizzyEntertainment]

The MPAA is a joke. That being said, I dont think Austin Powers should have been rated R. That was one of the few times the MPAA got it right. Whats wrong with "Vagina"? I think that word, among others, should be discussed, responsibly, with a 7 yearold. Although, I think the parents droped the ball with Austin, as I wouldnt let my 7 year old see it, but common. That rating was fine. Ive seen younger kids in "R" rated movies. Im not saying its right, but Im not going to yell at the MPAA for that.
The MPAA, as a whole, is full of BS politics, as is everyhting else in this business. Take "Doc Hollywood" for example, which was rated pg13, but featured a womans bare breasts for a good 30 seconds, or even the new "Undisputed" which recieved an R rating. Thats fine, but they listed the rating as being for "Strong Language" although that movie also featured a womans breasts, as well as a mans rear, and, oh yes, there was a bit of violence, considering it was a boxing movie. Then theres the old "F" word rule. Feature it more than once, and your guaranteed an "R".
All Im saying is the MPAA has a long history of being more laxed on some studios, and harder on others (IE: Mirimax/Dimension can bassically get any rating they want.)
In the end, when it comes to what kids watch, you cant rely on someone else telling you what is, and isnt right for them. Sorry, its just part of being a parent.
E. Michael McWhorter

And you shall know us by the trail of dead.

 

[Guest]

words are words nothing more........it is just sound........all the stupidist people i know were sheltered as children....

 

[Thomas Chalifour]

What I'm trying to say is that parents should at least understand what the rating system is there for and respect the fact that the Austin Powers movies aren't nessasarily for kids. An R rating would have enforced that message. I mean, it's ok for teenagers to watch the movies (thats what its target audiance is) but I'm still just unsetled over little kids these days getting exposed to too much sex in movies.

About sheltering children, I'm against that. But some stuff just isn't for them. Thats the whole reason the rating system is in place, no matter how bull**** it can get. Well, as I said before, that's why I visit Kidsinmind.com

 

[Guest]

I don't have any problem with their being a ratings system so that people know what is in a movie. But I think it's still up to the parents to decide whats OK for their kids to watch......I've seen it all since I was old enough to watch it. And I actually think it binefited me in the long run......

 

[Mark M]

I agree that the MPAA rating system is very political and should be overhauled - and perhaps that kidsrating system would be better.

However I also believe it is a parent's responsibility to determine what is appropriate for their children - not rely on a rating system, no matter how great it is. Any parent that would let a rating system (ie: people they do not know) tell them what their children can and cannot see is silly.

While these people involved in the rating systems may be 'experts', I would feel that a parent would know their own children better than an expert who is generically rating films. In a Utopian world, parents would, at the very least, research the films their kids want to see, and should actually see them first. Of course, we know that most parents don't have that kind of time.

What is better for your kids to see/hear - violence and bloodshed OR sex and foul-mouthed dialogue? Neither actually, but an "R" rating doesn't distinguish between the two, nor does it go into any kind of detail. As you stated, you can find some nudity and the "F" word in some PG 13 films.

I like the idea of the kidsrating (sex-violence-language) system, but it should only be a starting point for parent's research.

Just an opinion. Good question, btw!

Mark M
Scooter Productions

 

[J_Richards]

I saw my first one in a movie in the PG rated "Sheena", with Tanya Roberts

 

[MIND RITE]

I think TV and movies need more sex and more bad language. Although, they need to use it in the correct manner. We should be able to say **** all the ****ing time if we feel like it and we should show more people in the nude so that kids now more about sex. One reason teen sex is such a problem, is that they(teens) don't know enough about it, so I've learned in psychology.
Another problem is language, it's amazing how touchy Americans and a few other countries are over words and sex. If we got with the program and not to attack anyone but if all the Protestants chilled the **** out then we might not see so much judgement and wrongly pointed statements towards people who are just(in reality) expressing themselves. This all comes down to respect though I suppose...knowing that you must respect who you are around, but as far as TV and Film goes, their should be absolutely no censors if the content is not harmful. My 2 and 1/4 cents.

"I don't have time for film school...I'm too busy making movies" lol

 

[The Company]

I'm not exactly %100 sure on how it works over there, but I reckon they rarely get it right over here either. But as long as the films are good, I'm happy.