jellyneckr Review of This Film Is Not Yet Rated

This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

A must-see for anyone who regularly goes to the movies

[26 September 2006]

As anyone who sat through Hostel earlier this year would probably agree, the MPAA hasn't been doing their job in quite some time. The MPAA has always been a controversial subject, but it hasn't been until relatively recently that it has become a huge issue. 1999 is where it seemingly began with the release of such films as Eyes Wide Shut, American Pie, But I'm a Cheerleader, the South Park movie, and Boys Don't Cry all receiving NC-17 ratings, until scissors were taken to earn them the more commercially successful R rating. It is from 1999-2006 that This Film is Not Yet Rated is primarily concerned with. It details the past history of the MPAA and pre-1999 films that have had trouble with the ratings board, but it's the past seven years that get the majority of the topic time here and rightfully so as with each passing year, the MPAA becomes more corrupt. Director Kirby Dick talks to some of the best filmmakers working in the industry today including Kevin Smith, John Waters, Jamie Babbit, Atom Egoyan (albeit too briefly), Mary Harron, and Matt Stone about their past experiences with the MPAA and how frusturating the process is. Some are able to laugh at the situation while others are still are understandably very angry about what happened in their scenarios. All of the directors, however, come off as quite genuine and interesting people. There's no pretentious that one normally finds in interviews with most Hollywood directors. There are a few minor flaws with This Film is Not Yet Rated. While the point is made that extremely explicit graphic violence is perfectly okay to earn an R Rating but a realistic sex scene, or any kind of sex really, will earn an NC-17 rating, it could have been discussed a few minutes longer. Also missing is the fact that male nudity is more acceptable to the rating boards than female nudity. Regardless, This Film is Not Yet Rated stands as one of the boldest and best movies of the year. A must-see for anyone who regularly visits the multiplex. 9/10