10 Funniest MPAA Rating Reasons
Once upon a time, movie ratings were limited to simple Gs, PGs and Rs. So it was helpful to parents and sensitive moviegoers when the MPAA decided to go the extra step beyond simple letter ratings and begin offering ratings reasons. Unfortunately, the people who write them appear to have a penchant for huffing paint, because a lot of the reasons are pretty damn goofy.
There are the long and unnecessarily wordy ones, like this Summer’s Superbad, which was “Rated R for pervasive crude and sexual content, strong language, drinking, some drug use and a fantasy/comic violent image - all involving teens.”
Then there are the overly vague turns of phrase they like to use, such as “Rated PG for thematic elements.” That’s the one and only ratings reason for the Bratz movie. Not to be outdone, The Rock’s The Game Plan has been “Rated PG for some mild thematic elements.”
But sometimes, the folks at the MPAA really outdo themselves, as in these ten examples compiled by All Movie Guide:
10. Mother’s Boys (1994)
“Rated R for language and for a mother’s sociopathic behavior”
9. Indian in the Cupboard (1995)
“PG for mild language and brief video images of violence and sexy dancing”
8. All I Wanna Do (1998)
“PG-13 for teen sex-related material, language, and substance misuse”
7. The Hunted (1997)
“R for strong bloody ninja violence and a humorous drug related scene”
6. War of the Buttons (1994)
“PG for mischievous conflict, some mild language, and bare bottoms”
5. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
“PG-13 for violence, language, horror images, slime, and gore”
4. Skateboard Kid II (1995)
“PG for brief mild language and an adolescent punch in the nose”
3. Bushwhacked (1997)
“PG for language and a mild birds and bees discussion”
2. Twister (1996)
“PG-13 for intense depiction of very bad weather”
1. Jefferson in Paris (1995)
“PG-13 for mature theme, some images of violence, and a bawdy puppet show"
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