Into the Fire

2 responses to “Ratings?”

1. 

   BK Jackson

   December 27, 2011

   I view ratings as the letters have stayed the same but the content has been bumped up a notch. ie. what used to be “R” is now “PG” etc.
   I don’t go to that many movies (finding a good movie is as difficult as finding a non-romance historical novel) but I have to say that content-wise, those I have seen have exercised some restraint in their gratuitous elements.
   For books, we do have a rating system–sort of. I know this leads to many online arguments with folks but when I’m shopping for a book that I know is published by a Christian publisher, I know they have taken care of the ratings for me. I have come to expect certain things. And despite arguments to the contrary, I think that’s a good thing.
   I wish I had time to really troll through general market titles, but I don’t. Westerns, for instance, can be traditional like the old time writers (ie. no explicit sex and very little cussing), or they can be merely porn-leaning stories thrown into a 19th century context.
   But in either the case, be it books or movies, it’s up to me to decide what entertainment I will read/watch.

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2. 

   Nicole

   December 27, 2011

   “But in either the case, be it books or movies, it’s up to me to decide what entertainment I will read/watch.”
   I totally agree with this statement, Brenda, and I wish those who don’t take into account what the film ratings or book jackets say would remember that when slinging insults or one-star reviews at either. This isn’t speaking to the professional critics per se: they can say what they want about films – or books for that matter – although I think they should specify if they’re the target audience for either because that makes a huge difference as to what an individual thinks of what they read or view.
   And this is the underlying point here: if you blow it in your decision making, since there is so much information available about films and books before you view or read them, it seems to me there are only occasional excuses which allow for the onus falling on the film maker or the author – and even then it still means the viewer/reader is not the target audience. Granted there is so much awful stuff out there, but still we choose what we view/read.
   “Christian” novels provide a direction, but even they offend some of the bonnet readers or others who prefer their literature to be white as snow. They should realize they’re not the target audience for some books and acknowledge that in their one-star reviews.

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