How Do Film Ratings Work?
A movie, also known as a video, short movie, feature-length film, or video, is a creative work of visual entertainment used to simulate non-life experiences that convey ideas, emotions, stories, sights, beauty, or other atmosphere through the employment of moving pictures. While the term “movies” can encompass an unlimited number of different genres, they typically fall into one of four general categories: dramas, action/adventures, comedy, or horror. The most popular genre of movie is the drama, with more than 85% of all movies produced in North America falling into this category. This is predominantly because of the fact that people tend to enjoy watching plots unfold and characters interact while engaging in the storyline, and the action/adventures genre tends to lend itself better to movies aimed at children than those aimed at mature audiences.
Dramas are typically very realistic and contain a strong plot, but can also include some humorous elements. For example, a movie like Gladiator (2000) would fit into the drama category due to its intense portrayal of war between gladiator tribes. Likewise, a film like The DaVinci Code (2000) would definitely be considered an action/adventure movie due to its graphic and sometimes gory descriptions of ancient relics and its heavy content of nudity and profanity. Action/adventures films deal more with high-flying vehicles, powerful characters, and exciting set pieces than the other two genres. The plot of these films is usually to explore various settings and try to solve the mystery by using different methods. The typical formula for action/adventure films is to have someone or something to come into existence, causing some sort of trouble, then solving the problem by utilizing some sort of skill or weapon.
A movie is classified as mild if it contains minimal to no violence or sexual content, but it is possible to have a movie categorized as violent due to various reasons. Rated R (by the Motion Picture Association of America), a film that falls under the category of mature is meant to represent a mature taste in cinema. These films may include some strong elements of romance, but they are not intended to be a romantic comedy. On the other hand, rated M (by the MPAA), a film that falls under the family-friendly category is meant to be suitable for families with younger children. The main characters in this category of film are usually teenagers, young adults, and preteens. They are usually depicted engaging in harmless activities and are not subject to excessive violence.
There are two different types of nudity in films. The first type of nudity is shown when the nudity is meant to be suggestible. For example, a mother napping her baby in a swimming pool would most likely be rated NC-17. The other form of nudity is often implied instead of actually being shown, and this is what gets the ratings. For example, a picture of a naked man sleeping next to his dog is NC-15, while a scene where a man is partially undressed on a bed with another woman would likely be rated T.
However, the lack of clear and blatant nudity in films does not mean that all violence and sexual content is prohibited. Some films contain very mild scenes of nudity that are meant to imply something else. For example, a picture of a man straddling a woman would be rated PG if it implied that the man is straining his penis in order to please his woman. It is the intent of the ratings board to determine what viewers get a message out of the pictures and what scenes are truly acceptable.
There are many different websites that rate films, TV shows, and music videos. Many websites also feature trailers for movies and TV shows. These can often be very good sources of information regarding what particular movie or show is being rated. A film critic’s website is a good resource to check for important film ratings.