The Film Rating System (2023)


Empowering Families to Make Informed Movie Choices

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The Film Rating System (1)

General Audiences:
G - All ages admitted.
Nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children

General Audiences:
G - All ages admitted.
Nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children

Atlas Cinemas Policy:
Infants are only permitted into G and PG rated features, and must be held.


The Film Rating System (2)

Parental Guidance Suggested:
PG - Some material may not be suitable for children.
Parents urged to give parental guidance. May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.

PG - Parental Guidance Suggested:
PG - Some material may not be suitable for children.
Parents urged to give parental guidance. May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.

Atlas Cinemas Policy:
Infants are only permitted into G and PG rated features, and must be held.


The Film Rating System (3)

Parental Strongly Cautioned:
PG-13 - Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may not be appropriate for pre-teenagers.

Parental Strongly Cautioned:
PG-13 - Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may not be appropriate for pre-teenagers.

Atlas Cinemas Policy:
Infants are NOT permitted into PG-13 and R rated features.


The Film Rating System (4)

Restricted:
R - Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.

Restricted:
R - Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.

Atlas Cinemas Policy:
Children under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian over the age of 21 for R-rated movies. I.D. is required for proof of age. Children under 6 years of age are not permitted into R-rated features at all.


The Film Rating System (5)

Other labels:
If a film has not been submitted for a rating or is an uncut version of a film that was submitted, the labels Not Rated (NR) or Unrated (UR) are often used. Uncut/extended versions of films that are labeled "Unrated" also contain warnings saying that the uncut version of the film contains content that differs from the theatrical release and might not be suitable for minors.

Other labels:
If a film has not been submitted for a rating or is an uncut version of a film that was submitted, the labels Not Rated (NR) or Unrated (UR) are often used. Uncut/extended versions of films that are labeled "Unrated" also contain warnings saying that the uncut version of the film contains content that differs from the theatrical release and might not be suitable for minors.

If a film has not yet been assigned a final rating, the label This Film Is Not Yet Rated is used in trailers and television commercials.

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FAQs

What is the movie rating system called? ›

Introduced in 1968, following the Hays Code of the classical Hollywood cinema era, the MPA rating system is one of various motion picture rating systems that are used to help parents decide what films are appropriate for their children.

Is Rated R or TV-MA worse? ›

R is merely the second extreme rating for television, whereas TV-MA is the most extreme. TV-MA is worse than R because it contains both R and NC-17-rated material. What is this? R is OK for viewers under 17 as long as they're accompanied by an adult, but TV-MA is never appropriate for viewers under 18.

Is NC-17 worse than MA? ›

What is the difference between TV-MA and NC-17? NC-17 rated programs are preferred to be watched by adults who are over the age of 18. NC-17 rating is much higher than Rated R or TV-MA, which means that it has the most amount of nudity, substance, or physical/mental violence.

How does the movie rating system work? ›

Ratings are assigned by a board of parents who consider factors such as violence, sex, language and drug use, then assign a rating they believe the majority of American parents would give a movie.

What are the 5 film ratings? ›

MPAA has five rating categories

The new ratings system began with four categories: G (general audiences), M (mature audiences, changed in 1969 to PG, parental guidance suggested), R (restricted, no children under 17 allowed without parents or adult guardians), and X (no one under 17 admitted).

Can a 17 year old take a 16 year old to an R movie? ›

Patrons 17 to 20 years of age may only purchase more than one ticket if they are able to provide photo I.D. for proof of age for each additional ticket being purchased. As per the MPAA's film rating policy, patrons under the age of 17 will require an accompanying parent or guardian to attend an "R" rated film.

What is NC-17 movies? ›

NC-17 (No One 17 and Under Admitted) is the highest rating in the Motion Picture Association (MPA) film rating system used for films distributed in the United States. It is assigned to films the MPA believes most parents would consider "patently adult" and not suitable for their children under 18.

What does NC-17 mean? ›

ˈen-ˈsē-ˌse-vən-ˈtēn. used to certify that a motion picture is of such a nature that no one aged 17 or under can be admitted compare g, pg, pg-13, r.

What's the difference between R and NC-17? ›

The MPA gave the movie an NC-17 rating "for some sexual content." NC-17 is a higher classification than an R rating and means no one under 17 years old can be admitted to see the movie, whereas for rated-R films, those under 17 can see the movie with a parent or guardian. Blonde is set to stream on Netflix soon.

Is NC-17 the same as M? ›

Programming rated TV-MA in the United States by the TV Parental Guidelines signifies content for mature audiences. It corresponds to the MPA's R rating and NC-17 rating for movies, and ESRB's M rating and AO rating for video games.

Does NC-17 still exist? ›

Cinema's NC-17 rating has been all but defunct for decades, but Blonde, the disturbing new movie starring Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe, might finally fix that.

What is MA 14 rating? ›

TV-14 - these shows may be unsuitable for children under 14. TV-MA - these programs are intended to be viewed by mature, adult audiences and may be unsuitable for children under 17.

What was the first R-rated movie? ›

MPAA instituted ratings on November 1st, 1968, and the first R-rated movie was released on November 4, 1968. It was The Split, starring Jim Brown and Gene Hackman.

Can anyone see an R-rated movie? ›

R - Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.

Is there any NC 17 movies on Netflix? ›

'Blonde' Is the First NC-17 Netflix Movie (and Probably the Last)

What is the highest movie rating ever? ›

NC-17. The NC-17 rating is the highest rating (even higher than the R-rating) that a film can be given, and it means the movie is for adults only (ages 18 and older) and no one age 17 or younger will be admitted.

How many F bombs are in PG-13? ›

One of the group's rules, for instance, says the F-bomb can be used as an expletive just once in a film rated PG-13, which means suitable for people 13 and older.

What is R vs PG-13? ›

PG-13: PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. R: RESTRICTED. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Is AMC strict about rated R movies? ›

AMC policies specific to R-Rated titles include children under 6 are not allowed at R-Rated movies after 6pm at any theatre. Guests under 17 must be accompanied by a guardian who is 21 or older.

Can you go to jail for sneaking into an R-rated movie? ›

If when you say "sneak" into an "R" rated movie, you mean not paying for a ticket, yes, this can be prosecuted no different than any other theft of services. Depending on the individual and past criminal history, most likely would not result in jail time, and if so, minimal at most.

Can you see a rated R movie with a parent? ›

R: Restricted - Under 17 requires accompanying parent or guardian. Children under 17 are not allowed to attend R-rated movies unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian 25 years of age or older.

What does a K+ rating mean? ›

K+: Some content may not be suitable for young children, usually those below nine years of age. There may be minor violence without serious injury, mild suggestive material, or minor coarse language that is justified by context. Equivalent to PG. T: Contains content not suitable for children.

What is R21 on Netflix? ›

This PIN will be needed for your child to view content that is of a specific rating: G, PG, PG13, or NC16/M18. All content that is R21 will need a PIN to be accessed. For example, if your child is 13, you can set the restriction at PG13 so that they will need to enter the PIN to access anything rated PG13 and up.

Is Pulp Fiction NC-17? ›

The Quentin Tarantino classic was all over the board when trimming down scenes to avoid an NC-17 rating. From graphic violence to drug use, language to sexuality, and even a head-explosion scene, Tarantino cleaned up the final cut of Pulp Fiction (while still keeping the film's edge) and landed an R rating.

Why is NC-17 rarely used? ›

The NC-17 rating rarely sticks to a film because it limits its reach. Most cinemas won't show NC-17 films, and most stores won't stock them because they're either a touch too violent or (most likely) too sexual.

Why did Blonde get NC-17 rating? ›

Here are the reasons why Ana de Armas starrer Blonde is rated NC-17: Netflix rated Blonde NC-17 as the movie contains bits of sexual content. The BFFC gave Blonde an 18 rating in the UK for sexual violence and domestic abuse.

Why is Baywatch rated R? ›

Unlike the show, the movie takes things to R-rated levels. There's more violence than you might expect, with deaths played for laughs, gun play, and dead bodies (including gory photos of a body with big chunks bitten out of it by a shark).

How many NC-17 movies are there? ›

Only 90 total titles have received an NC-17 rating as of 2022. Showgirls for nudity and erotic sexuality throughout, and for some graphic language and sexual violence. To date, it is the only NC-17 film to be given a wide theatrical release.

Which is worse rated R or unrated? ›

R applies to movies that have strong language, sex, and violence, by accordance of the MPAA. Unrated is a cut extended with raunchier content that was not been seen by the MPAA. This usually applies to R Rated movies.

What was the first NC-17 movie? ›

On October 5, 1990, Henry & June, starring Uma Thurman, Fred Ward and Maria de Medeiros and inspired by the novel of the same name by Anais Nin, opens in theaters as the first film with an NC-17 rating.

Why is Blonde r rated? ›

Parents need to know that the film Blonde, based on Joyce Carol Oates' fictional novel about Marilyn Monroe, earned an unusual NC-17 rating in the US because of its sexual content. The content includes a sexual encounter and relationship between Marilyn (played by.

What movies are rated MA? ›

Find the best movies rated TV-MA, as per MPAA rating standards.
...
  • Wild Wild Country, 2018. ...
  • Lovesick, 2018. ...
  • Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, 2017. ...
  • Dark (2017-2020), 2017, 2019, 2020. ...
  • Sex Education, 2021. ...
  • Caliphate, 2020.

What does NC 16 mean? ›

In 1993, a new rating – NC16 (No Children under 16) was introduced to protect children from viewing films thematically unsuitable for them, and to bridge the gap between PG and R21. In 2004, the M18 rating was added to provide more choices for young adults.

Is there anything worse than rated R? ›

Is there anything worse then rated R? The NC-17 rating is the highest rating (even higher than the R-rating) that a film can be given, and it means the movie is for adults only (ages 18 and older) and no one age 17 or younger will be admitted. This rating, prior to 1990, was previously rated X.

Are NC-17 movies rare? ›

Because theaters wouldn't book them, and video stores would not stock X-rated movies, the rating was later changed to NC-17. NC-17 movies are rare in comparison to titles with the more digestible R rating.

Why is Purple Rain Rated R? ›

MPAA explanation: for sexuality, some nudity, language, and some violent content.

What does rated V mean? ›

TV Parental Guidelines may have one or more letters added to the basic rating to let parents know when a show may contain violence, sex, adult language, or suggestive dialogue. D – suggestive dialogue (usually means talks about sex) L – coarse or crude language. S – sexual situations. V – violence.

What is M rated? ›

Mature (M)

Films and computer games classified M (Mature) contain content of a moderate impact. M-rated films and computer games are not recommended for children under the age of 15. They include portrayals of elements such as violence and themes that require a mature outlook.

Is M rated 16+? ›

Are 'M' rated films age-restricted? No. 'M' rated films indicate the content may be more suitable for older teens, but it is not a legal restriction.

What is PG-13 vs R? ›

PG-13: PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. R: RESTRICTED. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

What does MPAA stand for? ›

MPAA stands for Motion Picture Association of America.

What is PG vs PG-13? ›

A PG-13 motion picture may go beyond the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities, but does not reach the restricted R category. Any drug use will require at least a PG-13 rating. More than brief nudity will require at least a PG-13 rating.

What is the difference between rated R and MA? ›

Even though comparable, The TV-MA and R ratings are two different ratings by two different systems. TV-MA contents are only suitable for individuals aged 17 and older. Whilst R-rated content can be viewed by individuals under the age of 17 but only under the supervision of parents, guardians, or an adult.

Which is worse rated R or NC-17? ›

The MPA gave the movie an NC-17 rating "for some sexual content." NC-17 is a higher classification than an R rating and means no one under 17 years old can be admitted to see the movie, whereas for rated-R films, those under 17 can see the movie with a parent or guardian.

Can a 5 year old watch a PG-13 movie? ›

Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers. While The Motion Picture Association of America recommends that children under 13 do not see PG-13 movies, there is no magical age.

Can a 6 year old watch a PG-13 movie with a parent? ›

PG-13 Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. This signifies that the film rated may be inappropriate for pre-teens. Parents should be especially careful about letting their younger children attend.

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