Opinions of BLATANT REBELLION
Here are my latest opinions.
The MPAA is not a divine institution. As such, I believe many mistakes are made in the rating of movies. Take, for example, the Matrix. Pretty much everyone I know HATES this movie, because it's rated R. If I ever suggest to a group of friends that we should watch it, I get a whole big pansy cry-fest about how it's rated R, and we have been counseled by church leaders NOT to watch rated R movies. But it's okay to watch...say...Anchorman? Pretty much any Will Ferrell comedy? Dozens of PG-13 flicks containing a FAR heftier amount of profanity (including F bombs), inappropriate sexual dialogue, and sex scenes in general? The worst swear word in The Matrix is the "s" word, and as far as I know, having watched that movie only several times, there is no sexual dialogue, and there are no sex scenes. Does this film deserve an "R" rating? Use your head. Use what you know about all the movies you've ever watched, and judge for yourself. There is a decent amount of violence, but nowhere near the violence of say...Braveheart or Gladiator or some obnoxiously unnecessary gory slasher flick.
If you had to CHOOSE between watching a filthy PG-13 movie and a rated R movie that contained nothing inappropriate whatsoever, what would you choose?
Granted, most rated R movies are probably rated that way for a reason. But here and there, there comes a film that I think doesn't deserve that kind of rating. Am I being a disobedient scumbag because I feel this way? Should I be subject to church disciplinary action because of my belief that you really need to use your head and judge for yourself? Or maybe I just really like the Matrix. The end.
Opinion #2: Am I a terrible person because I really don't care about the proposition 8 fiasco? Regardless of whether I feel homosexuality is "right" or "wrong," gays being allowed to marry, as far as I can see it, doesn't affect me personally. If this was an issue that impeded upon my rights in some way, I might be against it. If this was an issue that gave homosexuals more rights than heterosexuals, I would probably react. But maybe someone else can clarify for me? Perhaps this opens the door for more homosexual rights in the future that would affect me? Explain. Someone. Now.
The MPAA is not a divine institution. As such, I believe many mistakes are made in the rating of movies. Take, for example, the Matrix. Pretty much everyone I know HATES this movie, because it's rated R. If I ever suggest to a group of friends that we should watch it, I get a whole big pansy cry-fest about how it's rated R, and we have been counseled by church leaders NOT to watch rated R movies. But it's okay to watch...say...Anchorman? Pretty much any Will Ferrell comedy? Dozens of PG-13 flicks containing a FAR heftier amount of profanity (including F bombs), inappropriate sexual dialogue, and sex scenes in general? The worst swear word in The Matrix is the "s" word, and as far as I know, having watched that movie only several times, there is no sexual dialogue, and there are no sex scenes. Does this film deserve an "R" rating? Use your head. Use what you know about all the movies you've ever watched, and judge for yourself. There is a decent amount of violence, but nowhere near the violence of say...Braveheart or Gladiator or some obnoxiously unnecessary gory slasher flick.
If you had to CHOOSE between watching a filthy PG-13 movie and a rated R movie that contained nothing inappropriate whatsoever, what would you choose?
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| "Whoa. Holden is right." |
Opinion #2: Am I a terrible person because I really don't care about the proposition 8 fiasco? Regardless of whether I feel homosexuality is "right" or "wrong," gays being allowed to marry, as far as I can see it, doesn't affect me personally. If this was an issue that impeded upon my rights in some way, I might be against it. If this was an issue that gave homosexuals more rights than heterosexuals, I would probably react. But maybe someone else can clarify for me? Perhaps this opens the door for more homosexual rights in the future that would affect me? Explain. Someone. Now.
posted by HLR | February 08, 2012
11 Comments:
Ip Man 1 and 2 were both rated R and I to this day do not understand how in the world they gave it the rating. I'm pretty sure the MPAA didn't even watch it when they rated it, there's no other explanation for why it received an R
BIGOTRY.
I have long been an opponent of the MPAA. They are owned by the major studios and are obviously corrupt. There standards are every changing and obscure at best. I think that in this day there is not excuse not to be informed about what is in the film you are seeing. kids-in-mind.com and even imdb.com can give detailed descriptions of the content and then the consumer can decide if it is something they want to see. Many independent films are judged harshly on the rating scale for no good reason. For just one example take a look at the "The Fall" that is an R rated film that I don't think any child or grandparent would be offended by.
As for the church - the current guidance given is to stay away from films that glorify violence, or revile in pornography and vulgarity. The MPAA shouldn't be making those calls for you.
As for Gay Rights - the LDS church supports them! They have openly endorsed laws protecting employment and housing rights for homosexual persons. And the have repeatedly spoken out against hate and prejudice against people of different lifestyles and orientations. The main issue is the family, marriage (religious) and especially LDS temples.
Yeah I don't really know what to think about the gay issue. I'm glad our church supports their rights, but they still think we're all homophobes.
they also think we are polygamists
Oh yeah.
The Matrix was actually rated PG-13 when it was released. The R rating came around as a reaction to a certain high school shooting in 1999.
The counsel from our leaders is to avoid movies with violence, nudity, profanity and so on. YOU DECIDE YOUR LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT. (Name that movie?)
The Gay marriage issue will affect you, probably just not for awhile. I may draw some hate for saying it, but the practice of homosexuality is the sort of thing that destroys civilizations. In fact, I have probably ensured that I will never be able to run for public office now.
Thanks for your insights Matt. I had heard that the rating had been PG-13 at some point or another, but I wasn't sure if that was just a rumor.
http://www.nauvoo.com/library/card-hypocrites.html
An article by Orson Scott Card on the homosexual issue, written over 20 years ago.
I hope I haven't been "pretending" to be a Mormon. This article, though not written by a general authority, had kind of a rebuking tone for me. I like his clarification of what a "homophobe" really is: someone who absolutely despises homosexuals and has almost a pathological obsession with trying to expunge homosexuality from society, compared with how many people in society today fling the word around at ANYONE who does not accept the full homosexual agenda.
In all actuality, I haven't been sure what to think on the issue. I guess I would go along more with Card's views. If prophets have condemned the practice, AND marriage is sacred and ordained of God, then perhaps it is better for us to stand up and defend marriage. Not just "better" but we would be hypocrites if we didn't, right?
Some will notice that I am flimsy in my opinions. I'm kind of like Mitt Romney. However, I do admit to not knowing everything, and I feel like everyone else's opinions still help me formulate my own.
MATT, YOUR NAME HAS BEEN EXPUNGED FROM THE VOTING BALLOT FOR FLAGRANT HOMOPHOBIA.
We just watched The King's Speech this weekend (we never see anything until it's been out for at least a year). It's rated R for swearing. There's nothing else bad in it at all. And I'm sure that I've heard filthier stuff in PG-13 movies. It's pretty silly.
Indeed. Some of these movies get R ratings because it helps their chances of getting awards.
Oh, Matt, your quote is from FIGHT CLUB. But I haven't actually seen it, I just used the Google machine. I'm lame like that.
You haven't seen Fight Club??? And you're Sheridan's little brother? And you grew up in the room with all the Fight Club posters? Holden, Holden, Holden. (It is one of those movies that does actually have all the violence and sex and whatnot promised by the rating, though.)
Actually, I have seen five minutes of it. It was on TV the other morning. Brad Pitt told Edward Norton they were going to be making some soap. EXCELLENT!
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