Opinions on the MPAA rating system

[lab276]

I disagree that The Conjuring shouldn't've been rated R. It's really intense.

[AniNate]

Parental Guidance (nothing really offensive at all)

 

Well, aside from the entire movie...

[Punishment]

Well, I'll be the voice of dissension.  As a parent I think the MPAA rating system is pretty good.  I would be fine if  R rated movies were moved down to 16, but I definitely don't think it is appropriate for young kids to be able to watch movies with tons of F-bombs (and other language) or graphic nudity/violence without a parent or guardian.

[mahnamahna]

Well, aside from the entire movie...

For a kids movie, it wasn't bad lol :pNext to Smurfs, Alvin, Yogi, and Beverly Hills Chihuahua, a normal live action family film is a breath of fresh air :)And I meant that nothing in it truly warranted a PG... there's no scary or PG level inappropriate behavior - and honestly fart jokes are pretty G rated IMO as long as they don't completely overload every second with a fart joke

[Fanboy]

We have basically the same problem in Australia. Wolverine is definitely on the very edge of being rated MA. It's intense and impactful and surprisingly bloody. But because it's a tentpole superhero film it gets to be M. I have no idea how they gave it a PG-13 rating in the US.

I think the rating system here is a lot better than the MPAA, really. You can have tons of F-bombs in M rated movies, for example Zero Dark Thirty and The Ides of March got an M rating and movies with graphic violence for the sake of graphic violence like Evil Dead usually get R ratings.

[4815162342]

I think the Brit system works very well.

[luna]

i much prefer tele's idea earlier in the thread where you have each category of the supposed sin (sex, violence, language etc.) and then the strength of each one (mild, moderate, high, extreme etc.). i don't like age based systems at all, and this would get past that entirely.

 

also, do the MPAA ratings have any legal power behind them, or is it just the case that all theatres have a mutual agreement within the trade association? certainly in NZ the MPDA ratings are legally binding. whatever the case, i do not think the government should be involved in any censorship whatsoever, and furthermore i would also like to see many more independent theatres that do not enforce the guidelines but merely provide them as information. this is the most important thing for me. any rating system should be informative and not binding. i do like the fact that R in the US doesn't prohibit minors entirely, as it does in most countries.

 

of course all this would require a cultural shift not just institutionally but also in wider society as there is a lot of support for the current system.

[Punishment]

i much prefer tele's idea earlier in the thread where you have each category of the supposed sin (sex, violence, language etc.) and then the strength of each one (mild, moderate, high, extreme etc.). i don't like age based systems at all, and this would get past that entirely.

 

also, do the MPAA ratings have any legal power behind them, or is it just the case that all theatres have a mutual agreement within the trade association? certainly in NZ the MPDA ratings are legally binding. whatever the case, i do not think the government should be involved in any censorship whatsoever, and furthermore i would also like to see many more independent theatres that do not enforce the guidelines but merely provide them as information. this is the most important thing for me. any rating system should be informative and not binding. i do like the fact that R in the US doesn't prohibit minors entirely, as it does in most countries.

 

of course all this would require a cultural shift not just institutionally but also in wider society as there is a lot of support for the current system.

 

Really, no censorship at all?  Intersting

[AniNate]

Well, I'll be the voice of dissension.  As a parent I think the MPAA rating system is pretty good.  I would be fine if  R rated movies were moved down to 16, but I definitely don't think it is appropriate for young kids to be able to watch movies with tons of F-bombs (and other language) or graphic nudity/violence without a parent or guardian.

 

The issue is that the MPAA tends to rate sex/language more extremely than violence. Shouldn't it be the ultraviolent movies that get the NC-17 ratings and not the graphic sexuality?

Edited July 26, 2013 by tribefan695

[Ozymandias]

i much prefer tele's idea earlier in the thread where you have each category of the supposed sin (sex, violence, language etc.) and then the strength of each one (mild, moderate, high, extreme etc.). i don't like age based systems at all, and this would get past that entirely.

 

also, do the MPAA ratings have any legal power behind them, or is it just the case that all theatres have a mutual agreement within the trade association? certainly in NZ the MPDA ratings are legally binding. whatever the case, i do not think the government should be involved in any censorship whatsoever, and furthermore i would also like to see many more independent theatres that do not enforce the guidelines but merely provide them as information. this is the most important thing for me. any rating system should be informative and not binding. i do like the fact that R in the US doesn't prohibit minors entirely, as it does in most countries.

 

of course all this would require a cultural shift not just institutionally but also in wider society as there is a lot of support for the current system.

 

lol

[lab276]

I think the rating system here is a lot better than the MPAA, really. You can have tons of F-bombs in M rated movies, for example Zero Dark Thirty and The Ides of March got an M rating and movies with graphic violence for the sake of graphic violence like Evil Dead usually get R ratings.

We are definitely less prudish when it comes to swearing.

[luna]

yes swearing is obviously the silliest point in the MPAA system. if it were up to me swearing would have no impact on a movie's rating whatsoever. but maybe there's a reason it's not up to me? lol

[AniNate]

I think language does need to be considered even if not to the extent the MPAA thinks it should be. Even if kids are gonna end up using it anyway, they should learn to be responsible about it before exposing it to them. I wouldn't want any child of mine quoting Vinny Gambini at his/her school.

Edited July 26, 2013 by tribefan695

[luna]

except there's absolutely nothing wrong with using those words. 'i hate you' is a much more hurtful phrase than 'fuck yeah', but the former isn't regulated. this idiotic nonsense about inherently bad words needs to be destroyed.

[AniNate]

Profanity is a hallmark of all human languages. Used correctly it's a form of catharsis and doesn't have the inherent intent of using a phrase like "I hate you". There have always been bad words that some people don't want to hear all the time, and there always will be. If somehow "fuck" becomes a word of common usage, we'll find some other word to be shocked by.

Edited July 26, 2013 by tribefan695

[luna]

well, that's the point. there has always been words like that. and there shouldn't be. obviously we'll never be rid of all sorts of pointless (and in many cases harmful) social constructs, but we should at least try not to institutionally support such idiocy.

[4815162342]

except there's absolutely nothing wrong with using those words. 'i hate you' is a much more hurtful phrase than 'fuck yeah', but the former isn't regulated. this idiotic nonsense about inherently bad words needs to be destroyed.

Context is important. Fuck yeah is harmless, a simple word modifier showing increased approval. Motherfucker however is wrapped up in both sexual meaning and both personal and familial insults and taboos.One deserves rating scrutiny, the other does not.

[Jack Nevada]

Profanity is all about context. In general I dont think its harmful unless its used in a particularly demeaning or emotionally violent way (see: Casino, In the Loop etc.)

Edited July 26, 2013 by Jack Nevada

[mahnamahna]

In my eyes, profanity is usually a cop-out in films... there's no need for it to be there.

 

Seth Rogen and his pals are the prime offenders - they use F-bombs like they're going out of style and make themselves look like trailer trash as a result.

 

I would say gangster films, political films, and war films are the only ones where rampant swearing would even be necessary because gangsters, politicians, and soldiers... GASP: swear like it's nobody's business lol

 

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles has the best usage of profanity I've never seen though and that's only because of John Hughes 

 

I'd definitely say F-Bombs, CGI, Nudity, and Gore are the four laziest things one can add to a film that isn't working. 

 

Going back to ratings here's my idea for a rating system:

 

Rated G (exactly the same - acceptable for general audiences): 

Examples -

All of the animated Disney films except The Black Cauldron

All of the Pixar films except The Incredibles

Muppet movies

Despicable Me

Most live-action kids movies (Alvin, Smurfs, Yogi Bear, Timothy Green, etc) 

 

Rated PG-9 (some rude humor, slight dark or thematic elements, or mild action may be involved)

Examples -

Shrek

Kung Fu Panda 

first 2 Harry Potter films 

 

Rated PG-12 (strong violence, mild language, and slightly crude humor may be involved)

Examples -

Percy Jackson

Journey 2

We Bought a Zoo

Rango

Adventures of Tintin 

 

Rated PG-15 (intense violence, dark imagery, strong language, crude humor, and mild sexuality may be involved)

Examples -

The Avengers 

The Dark Knight 

Star Trek Into Darkness

Anchorman 

The Matrix

The King's Speech 

 

Rated M (graphic violence, extremely dark imagery, pervasive language, strong crude humor, and nudity may be involved, no one under 15 will be admitted - student ID with DOB required as proof, ushers will be manning the door to each screen and card you) 

Examples -

The Conjuring

The Hangover

Step Brothers

Safe House

Zero Dark Thirty

 

Rated R (no one under 18 - ID required as proof, gratuitous violence, disturbing imagery, graphic language, rampant nudity/sexuality, excessive drug usage) 

Examples -

Saw

Hostel

Pulp Fiction

Showgirls

Only God Forgives 

[lab276]

I love swearing in movies, makes it feel real. And I reckon you have too many PG-# levels. The biggest problem with PG-13 is that it goes from 13 and then jumps right up to 17. I'd just change PG-13 to PG-15.