Category: Film Classification

Another deeply conservative creed disguised as a raunchy comedy. As usual, the jokes break down into a) not funny, b) guilty pleasure, and c) inspired. There was unaminous agreement among the English Canadian boards that this is a crude film deserving an 18A classification, the same as the United States Restricted. The rest of the… Continue reading Neighbors (aka Bad Neighbours)

Noah dramatizes a well known biblical story with all the spare-no-expense imagery of contemporary film making. The ark size and design are both realistic and based on the bible story. Unlike most representations of the ark, the film makers considered that the ark just needed to float, not navigate, and thus it did not need… Continue reading Noah

Non-Stop is a locked room mystery on a plane, where the implausibilities pile up faster than the bodies. Like many films, the premise is more interesting than the conclusion, but until the story tries to wrap up it is entertaining. Technically the film is mostly competent, though there is one glaring error of physics, and… Continue reading Non-Stop

Muppets Most Wanted is an earnest and entertaining effort, but suffers from some forced and awkward moments. A Siberian prison as a comic setting is risky at the best of times, and current events make it uncomfortable. The gag of the old fashioned circus train is too subtle, a slapstick sequence involving the engineer is… Continue reading Muppets Most Wanted

As with The Lord of the Rings films, the Hobbit films never miss a chance to add battle sequences. What was, in the book, a quiet though damp and hungry ride down the river becomes a chase sequence with dwarves and elves slaughtering vast quantities of orcs. I don’t expect a movie to be faithful… Continue reading The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Another raunchy comedy that’s actually a celebration of conservative middle class values. With a little editing this could be a Disney family comedy out of the 1970s. To try and avoid that confusion, there’s enough strong language to bump the rating, and just a touch of nudity. Despite scenes in a strip club, we only… Continue reading We’re the Millers

Riddick will be released in September of 2013, but as of August it is generating some classification controversy. CBC News reports that the Canadian distributor, eOne Films Canada Inc., is appealing the 18A classification issued by the Maritime Film Review Board (operated by Nova Scotia and serving New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and, informally Newfoundland).… Continue reading Riddick

In fairness, I have not the seen this yet,  but I am mystified by its existence. If you don’t know her story, read her books Ordeal and Out of Bondage. The film omits some of the more unpleasant details. Then, knowing what her life was like, watch Deep Throat, instead of the sanitized scenes carefully… Continue reading Lovelace

Directors Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, with the cooperation of Sony pictures, submitted this film to the MPAA with a few images that they felt would ensure an NC-17 rating. They then planned to re-edit the film for a Restricted rating. However, the MPAA was apparently less concerned with demonic endowment than expected, and the… Continue reading This is the End

Consistently rated PG across Canada, with concerns about the language and violence, except Quebec which does not have a PG rating (or any concerns about the content). No one in Canada seemed concerned about sexuality, but elsewhere that was noteworthy and enough to bump the rating up in the States (PG-13) and England (12A). Look… Continue reading Now You See Me