This Film is Not Yet Rated is a great view into how film ratings and distribution systems can turn into film censorship. The film maker speaks with several directors whose works which have been victims of the MPAA's ratings board, and how they work with that system.
First off, this film shows the hypocrisy of the ratings board very successfully, though obviously you may not get all the details. In one section of the film, for example, scenes from R rated movies depicting heterosexual sex acts appeared on one side of the screen, and eerily similar scenes from NC-17 movies depicting homosexual sex acts appeared on the other. This part of the movie was meant to show that the ratings board is somewhat homophobic, and while I'm willing to believe that, I can't just take it on this scene. How am I supposed to know that the specific love acts depicted in the NC-17 movies were the parts of those movies which gave them the rating? Perhaps later in that movie something else happens which is not familiar to the R rated counterpart which redeems the NC-17 rating.
The filmmaker also hires some private eyes to find out the identities of the ratings board, who are supposed to be anonymous. Through the work of the private eyes, we find out that few of the rules which are supposed to govern the ratings board are actually held to.
This is a great film for anyone who wants to work in the film industry or wants to know more about movies.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The Host
This film obviously makes reference to some kind of Korean-USA relationship, and since I have no experience in Korea-US political relations, I'll just keep my mouth shut and enjoy this film.
The film is great, at some points hilarious, at some points full of suspence, and at all points very well executed by the director. The film succeeds in making its point without taking itself too seriously, and this is what makes it so fun to watch.
The plot: Illogical white guy has his assistant dump tons of toxic chemicals into the river, where it mutates a creature which grows up and begins to feed on people. The creature eats the daughter of our hero, who is taken off to a quarantine zone because officials believe there to be a virus connected with the creature. Soon, our hero realizes that his daughter is still alive, and is hiding from the beast in the sewers. If only someone would believe him...
We have the family dynamic here of the slacker (our hero), the college boy who doesn't respect his family, the shy but successful daughter, and the father who tries to keep them all working together. Sadly it is his death which finally allows the father to succeed in his goal, and the family comes together as one to try to save our hero's daughter.
Also, the digital effects were done in California. I thought it was interesting that a Korean movie's effects would be done in California, but I guess no one else shares my enthusiasm.
The film is great, at some points hilarious, at some points full of suspence, and at all points very well executed by the director. The film succeeds in making its point without taking itself too seriously, and this is what makes it so fun to watch.
The plot: Illogical white guy has his assistant dump tons of toxic chemicals into the river, where it mutates a creature which grows up and begins to feed on people. The creature eats the daughter of our hero, who is taken off to a quarantine zone because officials believe there to be a virus connected with the creature. Soon, our hero realizes that his daughter is still alive, and is hiding from the beast in the sewers. If only someone would believe him...
We have the family dynamic here of the slacker (our hero), the college boy who doesn't respect his family, the shy but successful daughter, and the father who tries to keep them all working together. Sadly it is his death which finally allows the father to succeed in his goal, and the family comes together as one to try to save our hero's daughter.
Also, the digital effects were done in California. I thought it was interesting that a Korean movie's effects would be done in California, but I guess no one else shares my enthusiasm.
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