Not all PG-13 movies are created equally
Published: 1/30/2013 11:40 AM
Last Modified: 1/30/2013 11:36 AM
While some movies aim to teach us about ourselves or history, other movies only want to teach us new curse words.
One of the harder parts of parenting is separating the wheat from the chaff.
PG-13 came into being in 1984 after parents complained about the intensity of movies such as "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" and "Gremlins" frightening some children. The new rating was created to separate films that might be appropriate for most youngsters from those movies that are more appropriate for teenagers or adults.
What started as a laudable effort by the Motion Picture Association of America to guide parents in their decision-making soon backfired as studios and directors purposely sought out the "edgier" PG-13 rating.
With a PG-13 rating, parents are "strongly cautioned" that material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Films with this rating can include some nonsexual nudity, drug use, violence and harsh language. A definition of each rating can be found on the MPAA website.
Parent Michelle Langston, director of social media strategies and a film publicist for Moroch Entertainment in Oklahoma City, has had to wrestle with the issue many times.
"More than the rating of a film, I have always tried to take the film's subject matter into consideration," she said in an email interview. "I try to balance what I know about my sons with what I know about the movie."
She cautioned, "What might be appropriate at a certain age for one child won’t be appropriate for another child of the same age. "
Langston said that because of her connection to the business, her sons -- who are 22 and 15 -- have seen more movies that their peers. But even they try to push the boundaries.
"Right now, my 15-year-old son really wants me to acquiesce and allow him to see 'Ted' and 'Django Unchained.' However, mom is still standing her ground," she said of making him wait to watch those R-rated films.
Her 15-year-old has always been interested in history and wanted to see "Saving Private Ryan" in grade school. She said she and her husband made him wait, and when they thought it was appropriate, they all watched it together.
"For my family, film has been a great springboard into having some profound conversations about tough subjects," she said. "I really believe that watching a film together can be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about your kids, and also share your point-of-view in a way that they will be more vested in than parental 'lecturing.' ”
Over the years, my husband and I have watched many PG-13 movies with our daughters -- mostly on DVD so we can stop and explain certain situations or answer questions. We recently saw the 1993 version of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," and the small amount of (bathing) nudity and a brief sexual situation were of much less interest to my 12-year-old and 8-year-old than the language and the laughs.
PG-13 movies can cover a lot of ground, so it's important to know the reasons behind the ratings. The cartoon violence of "The Avengers" is far different from the battlefield scenes in "Lincoln"; and the sexually fueled musical "Rock of Ages" is a long way from the intense coming-of-age moments in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."
If you need help finding the exact reason for the ratings, check the easy-to-use website filmratings.com.
Like most parenting situations, being involved and maintaining open communications is key. Know your kids, do your research and trust your gut.
Colleen Almeida Smith is a Tulsa World assistant editor and mother of a second-grader and a seventh-grader. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/colleenalmeida.
Written by
Colleen Almeida Smith
Staff Writer
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