abrooks-07686
Documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick launches an incendiary, full-frontal assault on the Motion Picture Association of America's Classification and Ratings Administration (a.k.a. the MPAA's CARA). This is the entity that assigns ratings to movies -- the familiar G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 designations. This secret, unregulated organization wields considerable power over the film industry and operates, the filmmaker asserts, on a highly subjective and prejudicial basis.
SnoopyStyle
Filmmaker Kirby Dick takes on the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). It interviews filmmakers and film critics. Kirby hires private investigators to find the secretive film raters. He also has a couple of former raters who are willing to talk.This documentary definitely has a point of view. It has some insightful stuff about the MPAA. It's interesting to see how secretive the organization is. The movie is one-side. I can't blame it on Kirby because I doubt MPAA would be any more forthcoming in any case. Kirby takes a bit too much glee in a couple of scenes. There is a Canadian movie from inside a ratings agency called "My Tango with Porn". There are some interesting insights like the clergy and film corporate insiders in the appeals board. Some very interesting filmmakers are sticking their necks out. This is by no means complete. There are some assertions that are a little more precarious.
TheFilmGuy1
I watched this on a whim because I heard it mentioned and decided I wanted to check it out. I'm glad I did. I've always been interested in the MPAA and their ratings, and I have heard controversies involving them before, and this movie really brings it all to light.The movie essentially interviews film makers and talks about just how silly the whole MPAA is. They have no specific guidelines to how they rate the films, and constantly are biased against films that contain, say, gay sexual content or sexual content that is focused on female pleasure. A straight sex scene that gets an R rating for a film can be the exact same as a gay sex scene but that movie would get an NC17 because there seems to be a lot of discrimination about those kinds of topics. It really just pisses you off to see this kind of stuff going on. The movie also has a kind of side plot where the director hires an investigator to find out the names of the people who rate the films since their names are withheld by the MPAA. These scenes are pretty funny and are enjoyable to watch. I'd say that if you are a fan of films or a film maker, you should check this out because it gives a really good insight into the ridiculous world of the MPAA rating system.
dushyant chaturvedi
This is a must watch documentary for all the movie buffs who are curious about the procedure behind the rating of the films they see, what do these ratings mean and who decides the rating. This is an expose about the MPAA, the motion picture association of America. It has many startling revelations like America is the only movie making country where the names of the movie raters are kept secret. There are the interviews of many directors whose movies were slapped with ratings for ridiculous reasons. There is a parallel track wherein the documentary maker hires a private investigator to find out about the raters. Should be seen to understand the power which the major movie studios hold and the difficulties faced by the independent movie makers. Is a terrible indictment of Jack Valenti, the head of the MPAA for 38 years. 3.5 out of 5 for this informative piece of cinema.
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