Rated R for ridiculous

THE MOTION Picture Assn. of America and the National Assn. of Theatre Owners last week heralded a "reform" of their film ratings system, which assigns the ratings G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17 to most films released in this country. Unfortunately, the MPAA's changes are almost entirely cosmetic and only go a small way toward fixing a broken system — a system so closed to public scrutiny that no news organization had been able to disclose its workings until they were revealed in the documentary "This Film Is Not Yet Rated," which I directed.

By Kirby Dick

January 24, 2007