In our Junior Year at Wagner, while watching a movie trailer for the sleeper sensation Astronaut Farmer, Will and I discovered the glory that is the MPAA rating system. Who would have guessed that the amount of “peril” a character encountered could be a factor in why a movie is rated PG instead of something else? (In the case of Billy Bob Thornton, astronaut farmer himself, it was a “mild” amount.)
The majority of movies are simply rated based on three categories; violence, language, and sexuality. Today, after noting that the movie Soul Surfer was rated PG for “an intense accident sequence,” Kim inspired me to make a list of my favorites that don’t exactly fit the mold.
Astronaut Farmer - 2006 - Rated PG for thematic material, mild peril and language.
Saving Private Ryan - 1998 - Rated R for intense prolonged realistically graphic sequences of war violence, and for language.
Twister - 1996 - Rated PG-13 for intense depiction of very bad weather.
Alice In Wonderland - 2010 - Rated PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar.
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory - 2005 - Rated PG for quirky situations, action and mild language.
Braveheart - 1995 - Rated R for brutal medieval warfare.
Pearl Harbor - 2001 - Rated PG-13 for sustained intense war sequences, images of wounded, brief sensuality and some language.
Blue Crush - 2002 - Rated PG-13 for sexual content, teen partying, language and a fight.
Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - 2002 - Rated PG-13 for epic battle sequences and some scary images.
Fantastic Mr. Fox - 2009 - Rated PG for action, smoking and slang humor. (We once thought it was rated PG for “awareness of mortality,” but unfortunately that quote was part of a New York Times Review.)
Team America World Police - 2004 - Rated R for graphic crude and sexual humor, violent images and strong language - all involving puppets.
Fight Club - 1999 - Rated R for disturbing and graphic depiction of violent anti-social behavior, sexuality and language.
Mr. Deeds - 2002 - Rated PG-13 for language including sexual references, and some rear nudity.
Shrek The Third - 2007 - Rated PG for some crude humor, suggestive content and swashbuckling action.
The Simpsons Movie – 2007 - Rated PG-13 for irreverent humor throughout.
A few others that I found on this website:
http://humor.gunaxin.com/mpaa_ratings/45758
The Indian In The Cupboard - 1995 - Rated PG for mild language and brief video images of violence and sexy dancing.
The Skateboard Kid II – 1995 - Rated PG for brief mild language and an adolescent punch in the nose.
3 Ninjas Knuckle Up – 1995 - Rated PG-13 for non-stop ninja action.
Jefferson In Paris – 1995 - Rated PG-13 for mature theme, some images of violence and a bawdy puppet show.
And ratings for two movies I’ve never even heard of, but are just as ridiculous:
The Dress Code - 1999 - Rated PG-13 for rude language, mean-spirited behavior and some thematic material.
Alien Arsenal - 1999 - Rated PG-13 for momentary language.
Any others, leave them in the comments? Teach me about this….. tumblr thing.
