Movie and Video game ratings

[AsakuraHao2004]

I'm in the mood to share my opinons, so..

Rating systems. Simply put, they are a warning to adults. They say "This game/movie had content you may not want them to see." There is no ban on younger kids actually watching or playing, so basically, it all falls to the parents, right? Right.

While this may be a good thing in some cases, in many cases, it limits the child. Let's say the most visually stunning and original game or movie ever came out. It would be loaded with info, and really challenges the mind. It would be a really good learning experience for the young ones, aside from a little gore and language. However, the MPAA decides that because of that very gore and language, this movie gets an "R" rating. Mr. Dad-man sees this, and, because it's been put into their minds for years that "R" movies are bad, neither contemporary Mr. Dad-man or his kids ever take this learning opportunity. (of course, depending on their age, the young ones might rather point at the scren and say "cool! guts!" than "Nice special effects")

Let's look at scenerio 2. Say a new movie "Gorey bloody death kill ninjas" comes to theatres. Junior wants to see it, but it's rated "R", and he's only 12. But wait a minute! Let's say for a second there ARE no ratings. Now, you tell me some of the ONLY ways he could see this? First of all, he needs a way to get to the theatre. Who else provides this tranportation but the parents? Or even if a friend takes him, it's a friend the parent decides if they become friends with. Second, he'll need money. Money from, again, the rule-setter, the parent. Now, let's say you're this parent person. You've seen previews, you can go online and get reviews anytime, and hell theres even a site that breaks down every aspect of a movie, even telling you how many times a certain cuss word is used, and in which way (literal, non-literal, etc). He asks you for money, you ask what for, or he asks for a ride to the movies, or if he can go to the movies with some friends, and you ask what movie he's gonna see. Now, he could always lie, or you can always make educated guesses. I mean, if your any kind of parent, you'd know what kind of things your child is into.

And here's what really angers me, when you try and be a "good" parent, and limit your child to E/PG ratings, you're really setting them up for an akward future. So what's Billy to do in high school when all his friends are cussing like sailors, smoking, drinking, and f*cking on a regular basis and Billy's still in the land of Disney's sugar plum princesses? Those games and movies might be fun for a bit of entertainment, but their not gonna introduce any real-life situations to kids who will soon be having them.

The problem is, kids mature faster these days, and the MPAA and ESRB refuse to realize this, as well as, it seems, a lot of people. But one final thing I have to say is, where are the people complaining about ratings systems and moral standards drawing the line? Why are you concerned about somthing you have to drive to, pay for, beat rating to watch or play, and all that other jazz, but dont give a damn about what your kids see on daytime TV, which is often times worse than your PG-13 movies?

[shinotebasiiackh]

Yeah... it's weird how the rating have gotten more strict over time.

[MrMister]

The parent-child relationship sucks, I'm glad I skipped it.

[SaiKar]

The ratings have NOT gotten more strict. Our society today has normals that would have have been totally SCANDALOUS 50 years ago. Have you ever seen someone in a movie wearing a bathing suit that didn't cover most of their body? Totally unheard of not too long ago.

I like the ratings. You know what to expect out of a G movie, and you know what to expect out of an R movie. 12-year old kids are likely to just not GET most R movies. Heck, I have trouble following the plots of some of these mind-busting films. Kids would be bored to tears, or freaked out, or just confused, because it would be just too unlike anything they know.

[Rune_of_Punishment]

At some stores, they check for identification to make sure kids are purchasing games with the appropriate ratings. It's only bad if a parent is around and likes to lie.

[AsakuraHao2004]

I can understand not letting a kid into a porno theatre, but..

There should be maturity gauges or something. Some of those 12 year old kids that actually WOULD get the R movies are being deprived of them because their age is assosiated with immituraty.

[ZeroKirbyX]

And that's why there's home video. I've honestly never seen a R movie in theatres, mainly 'cause no one'll take me. But when it comes out I'll rent it for the price of half a movie ticket. I've been doign that since I was little, hence, I'm not deprived, I just have to wait a few months. No big deal.

[shinotebasiiackh]

Originally posted by SaiKar
The ratings have NOT gotten more strict. Our society today has normals that would have have been totally SCANDALOUS 50 years ago. Have you ever seen someone in a movie wearing a bathing suit that didn't cover most of their body? Totally unheard of not too long ago.

We rented a movie that was made about thirty years ago that was move violent than most of the ones out now (Well, it WAS about barbarians.. so...) and around the end there was, let me put it softly, porn.

This movie was rated R.

[charaman]

Its ridiculous. Me and my friends wanted to see saw, but the theater was a total bitch. My dad got us the tickets, and we went in, but they wouldnt let us in the theater. I called my da d and told him, so he decided he would go in with us, and leave after five minutes. I mean, if you have cionsent, whyd oes a parent really need to be there? So anyway, after five minutes, he leaves, and three guys come in and drag us out.


WTF

and as for shinos comment, rent Airplane, rated PG. Nudity, language, drug use, etc.

[Drace]

Originally posted by ZeroKirbyX
And that's why there's home video. I've honestly never seen a R movie in theatres, mainly 'cause no one'll take me. But when it comes out I'll rent it for the price of half a movie ticket. I've been doign that since I was little, hence, I'm not deprived, I just have to wait a few months. No big deal.

I've seen Resident Evil in the theaters when I was 12, a friend of my mom took me.

Anyhoe, if I was a parent. I would first go see the movie myself, just for fun. And then judge it myself to decide if my child may see it.

[tubsywubsy667]

just get it on a DVD when it comes out, besides shops let you buy games that you are too young for as long as your parents are with you and permit it, and most parents think video game ratings are silly too

[blackskullwarlock]

Living let live. I couldn't care less about ratings or restrictions or whatever. I live in a small city where anyone can acess just about anything. The video store is runned by employees that are 16 years old or so....it's easy to 'blind' them or just persuade them into letting you take whatever movie you wish.

The city is small so the theatre rarely get 'R' movies. If I was living in Montréal, I would probably complain but that's not my case.

[Drace]

Originally posted by tubsywubsy667
just get it on a DVD when it comes out, besides shops let you buy games that you are too young for as long as your parents are with you and permit it, and most parents think video game ratings are silly too

Wrong there, I allways buy games over my age and I never go with parents and never have any problems.

[Moosetroop11]

In England we can't buy games, watch films or buy films that are too old for us. We'd get stopped by the shops, it's really strict.

[Drace]

I feel sad for you. Ah well.... Holland is easier with it.