Movie Ratings??  How to make sense out of G's, R's, and UNRATED movies!

When trying to figure out what kind of movie you or your children will see, Motion Picture or Film Industry Ratings are a good place to start.  This guide will help you understand what all of those ratings mean and what you could be viewing, prior to viewing it!

G - GENERAL AUDIENCE.  All Ages Admitted.  This movie will not have sex scenes, nudity, or drugs.  Language will be common everyday expressions.  There might be minimal conflict in the picture, but the words and images might only slightly push the boundaries of polite conversation.  You can take anyone and everyone to this movie and be safe!

PG - PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED. Some material may not be suitable for Children.   Explicit sex and drug scenes will not be in this movie.  There might be some nudity and elements of horror - but it will be brief.  There also might be a few cuss words that slip into this picture.  If you have children, you still might want to check and ask around if your little ones should see it.

PG-13 - PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.    To me, this rating seems to be in constant flux, and as our society changes, it seems more and more is acceptable in pictures allowing almost any film to get this rating.  These films should definitely be monitored for the children who are below the preteen age.  There could be violence in these films, but it is usually brief.  Sexually oriented language could be used quite frequently and casually in the film.  Some nudity, sexual acts, drug usage, and sexual conduct is usually in these films.  Use wise parental judgement for your young children.

R - RESTRICTED.  Under 17 accompanying parent or adult guardian.  These films will have adult material.  Sex, drugs, language, violence, adult themes and many other things are present in these pictures. These films are not appropriate for the young.

NC-17 - No One 17 and Under Admitted.  These films have explicit sex scenes, heavy violence, and heavy sexual language.  This does not mean the film is pornographic or obscene. 

NOT RATED - Not submitted to the MPAA.  Many of the older films prior to 1968 will not be rated. This does not mean the film has inappropriate content, it just means there wasn't a Ratings Board prior to 1968.  Also, not all films are submitted to the Ratings Board.  The Ratings Board is voluntary.

UNRATED - R-Rated with added content.   Be careful here. These are definitely R-Rated films with even more!  Sometimes kids will try to say these moves are "all right" as they are so "tame" they are "unrated."  Being a highschool teacher, it only took me two minutes into an "unrated" movie to realize it was not appropriate for high school students (or any student)!

RATING PENDING - Awaiting MPAA classification.  This is just like it sounds.  The film has been submitted to the Ratings Board for review and a rating will soon be given to the picture to help us understand what we will be seeing!

Remember, the ratings do not tell us if the film is good or bad.  The ratings simply serve as a guide of what we will be seeing and is a tool to determine if the film is something you are in the mood for or is appropriate for children of various ages.

If in doubt about a movie?  Contact your ebay seller.  Good ebay sellers should be able to tell you more about the movie and what you could be seeing. There are also several good internet sites on that can help you be better informed before you spend your hard earned money on a movie that isn't appropriate for your and your family.

Happy Viewing and Making Memorable Moments Watching Movies!