This Film is Not Yet Rated
The first film I've watched is "This Film is Not Yet Rated" by documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick. The movie is a critical look at the Motion Picture Association of America's, or MPAA's, ratings review board. A good summary of the film can be found here in Variety magazine.
Dick interviews directors of such films as "Boys Don't Cry," "The Cooler," "American Psycho," "Jersey Girl," and "South Park." The interviews focus on sex scenes and how arbitrary, random and unfair the ratings are. In one scene, for example, it's the belief of the directors that the "number of thrusts" in a sex scene is a random element that the ratings board pays attention to. There also is discussion on the double-standard of how women are portrayed when it comes to sex in film.
Matt Stone, creator of "South Park," makes an interesting observation that the board favors big-studio releases such as "South Park," a movie that received detailed notes about how to it could get an R rating. Independent films such as Stone's "Orgazmo," on the other hand, was handed an NC-17 rating without any explanation. When Stone asked for one, the board said it wasn't their policy to give notes -- that would be censorship.
The documentary is worth watching, mainly because it goes to hilarious lengths to find out who the members of the ratings review board actually are by hiring a private investigator to do surveillance on the its offices in southern California. Several members, it turns out, aren't your average family movie-goer. The film also ends up getting an NC-17 rating by the board, and Dick takes the audience along with him while he fights to appeal the rating.
The film is interesting for those in the film industry, but it's more like "inside baseball" to your average moviegoer.
2.5 stars
***
Wayne's star system
1 star --> avoid at all costs
2 stars --> watch on TV when nothing else is on
3 stars --> rent it eventually
4 stars --> must see before you die
Dick interviews directors of such films as "Boys Don't Cry," "The Cooler," "American Psycho," "Jersey Girl," and "South Park." The interviews focus on sex scenes and how arbitrary, random and unfair the ratings are. In one scene, for example, it's the belief of the directors that the "number of thrusts" in a sex scene is a random element that the ratings board pays attention to. There also is discussion on the double-standard of how women are portrayed when it comes to sex in film.
Matt Stone, creator of "South Park," makes an interesting observation that the board favors big-studio releases such as "South Park," a movie that received detailed notes about how to it could get an R rating. Independent films such as Stone's "Orgazmo," on the other hand, was handed an NC-17 rating without any explanation. When Stone asked for one, the board said it wasn't their policy to give notes -- that would be censorship.
The documentary is worth watching, mainly because it goes to hilarious lengths to find out who the members of the ratings review board actually are by hiring a private investigator to do surveillance on the its offices in southern California. Several members, it turns out, aren't your average family movie-goer. The film also ends up getting an NC-17 rating by the board, and Dick takes the audience along with him while he fights to appeal the rating.
The film is interesting for those in the film industry, but it's more like "inside baseball" to your average moviegoer.
2.5 stars
***
Wayne's star system
1 star --> avoid at all costs
2 stars --> watch on TV when nothing else is on
3 stars --> rent it eventually
4 stars --> must see before you die
posted by Wayne Ma at
8:28 AM
5 Comments:
We are living vicariously through you right now, Wayne.
Despite the dizzying excitement that is daily living here in the Quad-Cities, we are finding your adventures an enjoyable read.
Just so ya know ... we're heeeeere.
By
Anonymous, at 12:47 PM
I was told to expect hilarious hijinks. I demand more hilarious hijinks on this blog. And more cowbell.
By
Anonymous, at 2:00 PM
Wayne: I've got two hours to stop Bierko, save Aaron and the First Lady and bitch slap the POTUS -- and you're in Cannes? God, to be on the edge with you, my friend...
Keep the posts coming. I live for this.
By
Anonymous, at 10:17 PM
Wayne, what the butt? You couldn't get into DaVinci code? I thought you had more clout than that. Your blog is very official sounding and if I were in Cannes and if I were Roger Ebert, I would want to take you out for more than coffee...if you know what I mean!
And I think that you do.
Good work mate, see you back in the States.
By
Anonymous, at 11:05 PM
Is it true that they're premiering "Clerks II" there? You have to see that.
Is it hard to watch a moving picture without zipping back and forth with a remote? ;)
By
Anonymous, at 11:58 PM
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