District-9: NZ Film rating system

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#250045 24-Aug-2009 11:34

With the internet today , stopping 15 year olds at the cinema from watching district 9 or any movie is a pointless exercise , they will just watch it online, and like all teenagers, you tell them they cant do something and they will do it, personally censorship is wrong, why should someone with different views than mine tell me what to watch , read or listen to if something offends me i dont watch it, simple

Common sense is not as common as you think.

NonprayingMantis

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#250046 24-Aug-2009 11:35

how do they enforce it I wonder?

When you get to 18, it is expected that you will have ID to prove your age, but who really has ID at 16 apart from early drivers?
Do they rely on the parent to tell the truth?

BlueToothKiwi

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#250048 24-Aug-2009 11:41

NonprayingMantis:but who really has ID at 16 apart from early drivers?

Most high schools have Student ID's

xpd: But in 6 months time you can goto the local video store and rent it out anyway...

OK - and I am sure that happens - Last week, Target (TV3) did a good report on video shops renting out restricted vidos and games to underaged with a hidden camera. However, the point is, the shop owner (just like the cinema as Mauricio pointed out) would be fined for breaching the law.

However, as a parent -It is always hard to choose between being a nanny state and having a system that protect sectors of the society that needs 'protecting'.

toprob:
On the original point -- nobody made a choice not to let your kid in, their was no choice.

I can see that now - now that I understand the distinction between M(16), R (RP16) and R16.

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freitasm

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#250049 24-Aug-2009 11:47

vexxxboy: With the internet today , stopping 15 year olds at the cinema from watching district 9 or any movie is a pointless exercise , they will just watch it online

That is, assuming 100% of those teenagers have unsupervised, unlimited Internet access. Which is not the case.

It's very different giving a rating and enforcing it in a public place and in private.

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astrobox

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#250067 24-Aug-2009 12:57

Meesham, I agree with you. Parents DO need to be more attentive, but the truth of the matter is, a lot aren't.

Loads of kids have TV's in their rooms and I think TV watching is far less likely to be censored by parents than PC usage, or movies censored at cinemas.

hellonearthisman

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#250075 24-Aug-2009 13:17

freitasm:
hellonearthisman: I think that's a bad call, to be refused with parent/guardian is wrong.

No, it's not. I am not talking about the ratings system being right or wrong, but the cinema has to follow the rules. If they don't they pay a fine.

So it is not like drinking in a pub, the age is 18 but your parent/guardian you get a pass.
In a few years it will be on late night tv. I still think it's a bad call. But I often get it wrong.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2491928/Baby-barred-from-R16-movie

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meesham

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#250078 24-Aug-2009 13:33

astrobox: Meesham, I agree with you. Parents DO need to be more attentive, but the truth of the matter is, a lot aren't.

Loads of kids have TV's in their rooms and I think TV watching is far less likely to be censored by parents than PC usage, or movies censored at cinemas.

And that's a choice that the parents have made to allow the child to have a TV in their room. How about those parents takes some responsibility (in this case allowing the child to have a TV in their room, meaning that the child can watch whatever they like), instead of handing over responsibility for what their child watches to the state. Pandering to parents who are inattentive isn't going to help things, and disadvantages those are doing the right thing or don't have children.

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#250081 24-Aug-2009 13:46

BlueToothKiwi:

I can see that now - now that I understand the distinction between M(16), R (RP16) and R16.

Thats the problem really.... so many people dont know the difference between the different censorships between countries.... especially when a lot of DVDs come into NZ with a MA15+ label and then a NZ M thrown over the top (but can still read the M15+ clearly) and people assume MA15+ is the same as M and then get disappointed when they try taking their 15 yr old kid to a M movie just to be turned away.

I do remember a trip to Oz when I was 16... went with my 14yr old cousin to see some movie that was rated MA15+ - he went up and bought a ticket no questions asked. I go up and got fricking grilled by the binky (n offense to anyone except the person involved) and then told off for not having my student ID - the fact that I was a tourist to Oz and waving a passport under her nose meant nothing - she reluctantly gave me a ticket anyway and as a passing shot said "Next time make sure youve got better proof of age".

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itxtme

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#250091 24-Aug-2009 14:29

Your all a bunch of oldies!! I remember having to bring a copy of my birth certificate to watch The Blair Witch Project (R13) There was one a month back that was R16 (wasnt asked for ID being 22 and all :P)

Bung

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#250120 24-Aug-2009 15:42

xpd:
BlueToothKiwi:

I can see that now - now that I understand the distinction between M(16), R (RP16) and R16.

Thats the problem really.... so many people dont know the difference between the different censorships between countries.... especially when a lot of DVDs come into NZ with a MA15+ label and then a NZ M thrown over the top (but can still read the M15+ clearly) and people assume MA15+ is the same as M and then get disappointed when they try taking their 15 yr old kid to a M movie just to be turned away.

You'd have to have an R in there for it to make sense. The Aus MA15+ would be similar to RP13 or RP16 in that under age can accompany parent. M is advisory only not a restriction.

astrobox

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#250128 24-Aug-2009 16:04

meesham:
astrobox: Meesham, I agree with you. Parents DO need to be more attentive, but the truth of the matter is, a lot aren't.

Loads of kids have TV's in their rooms and I think TV watching is far less likely to be censored by parents than PC usage, or movies censored at cinemas.

And that's a choice that the parents have made to allow the child to have a TV in their room. How about those parents takes some responsibility (in this case allowing the child to have a TV in their room, meaning that the child can watch whatever they like), instead of handing over responsibility for what their child watches to the state. Pandering to parents who are inattentive isn't going to help things, and disadvantages those are doing the right thing or don't have children.

So, what's your take on the movie thing? Do you think that the government is pandering to parents who are inattentive by censoring movies like district 9?

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meesham

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#250132 24-Aug-2009 16:19

astrobox:
So, what's your take on the movie thing? Do you think that the government is pandering to parents who are inattentive by censoring movies like district 9?

To my knowledge District 9 hasn't been censored in New Zealand. It's been given a rating of "R16 - Contains violence and offensive language" - that's not censorship, that's helping a person make an informed decision about whether to see the movie or not. Your original point was that a television show should be censored (ie removing part of the show or don't allow it to be viewed at all) because there are some parents who don't make full use of the ratings system, don't supervise their children properly or just don't care. I'm saying that the government helps us make a decision about what to view but shouldn't be making that decision for us.

In my opinion based on that rating and what I've read on the movie I wouldn't let my children view it, but I fully support an adult's right to see it if they want to. In the case of the OP's situation, if they felt their child was mature enough to be able to handle the movie then I'd trust the parent.

hellonearthisman

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#250255 24-Aug-2009 22:46

I recall in 1981, I was 13 and went to see "Good Be Pork Pie" R16 with my Dad and my brother.
I also recall seeing sex education movies around that time in my live and they need a parent or guardian to see as they where R as well.

My point, if you have a Parent/Guardian with you, you should be aloud to see these like District 9.

And like the above post, "Trust the Parents"

toprob

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#250315 25-Aug-2009 11:09

On Wired this morning, I found this particularly interesting -- Why Designer of Gory Diablo III Let's His Daughter Play.

He's talking about his 9-year-old. I did get the impression that's he's not breaking any laws, as he mentions Australia as a country with game restrictions, so I assume that he's not subject to any restrictions where he is.
I like the comment by daren_gray, when he says that nerd parents are particularly awful:)
'Sarkazein' was also interesting, with a stricter view on the portrayal of sex than violence. This is a very common attitude, I know, but I find it strange that none of our children would be alive without sex, but a few would not now be dead without family violence.

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NonprayingMantis

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#250358 25-Aug-2009 14:14

BlueToothKiwi:
NonprayingMantis:but who really has ID at 16 apart from early drivers?

Most high schools have Student ID's

I was under the impression that the only legal form of ID in Nz is a NZ driving licence, or a passport.
Nothing else is acceptable.

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