Movie News

Films with LGBT content or other inappropriate culture will not be approved by the Malaysian government's Film Censorship Board (LPF). Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman told parliament on 10 December 2018:

Several aspects need to be taken into account by the LPF board members when reviewing movies and dramas for public screening,

These aspects are related to national security and public order, socio-culture, decorum, morality and religion.

LGBT issue falls under socio-culture, so the board will remove and will not approve any scene and dialogue that promotes such culture in films and dramas, he said.

In some films, we do not deny there are 'mak nyah' (transgenders) characters. However, these films make a strong (cautionary) lessons on such characters, he said, according to New Straits Times .

We approve these films as there are lessons to be learnt.

Aquaman is a 2018 Australia / USA action Sci-Fi fantasy by James Wan.
Starring Jason Momoa, Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman.

Arthur Curry learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, and must step forward to lead his people and be a hero to the world.

The UK cinema release has been cut for a 12A rating. 2D and 3D versions were passed 12A for moderate violence, scenes of sustained threat after BBFC advised pre-cuts: advised pre-cuts:

The BBFC commented:

• This work was originally seen for advice. The company was advised the film was likely to be classified 15 but that their preferred 12A classification could be achieved by removing bloody detail. When the film was submitted for formal classification the bloody detail had been removed and the film was classified 12A.

Meanwhile in the US the film was rated MPAA PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language.

Update: Pools of blood

24th December 2018. Thanks to ThatFilmGuy

I went to go see Aquaman last week (in the UK) and aware of the cuts made in post production I watched an online copy of the US PG-13 version of the film to work out what was cut.

The scene in question occurs at 1 hour and 28 minutes into the film; in the US version Aquaman is stabbed in the shoulder by Black Manta following which a small red patch appears, in the UK version the small red patch was removed. After this Aquaman is slashed in the back following which a small blood spurt is seen again this blood spurt was removed digitally.

Also some foreign releases I saw this year were noticeably pre-cut by the distributor before being submitted to the BBFC (similarly to Bumblebee the BBFC marks these as uncut) these films in question being:

• Baaghi 2 (which was pre-cut by around 1 or 2 minutes for violence and drug use) and
• Maari 2 (which was pre-cut by around 3 minutes for violence)

I have compared these to the International releases online which include the aforementioned footage cut from the film in the UK. =

The Gandhi Murder

The Gandhi Murder is a 2018 UK historical drama by Karim Traïdia and Pankaj Sehgal (co-director).
Starring Stephen Lang, Luke Pasqualino and Joseph K Bevilacqua.

BBFC category cuts were required for a 12A rated cinema release in 2019.

		UK: Passed 12A for moderate violence, bloody images, scene of torture after 1:19s of BBFC category cuts ( 117:20s ) :
2019 cinema release

The BBFC commented:

• Company chose to remove bloody detail, during and in the aftermath of violence, in order to obtain a 12A classification. An uncut 15 classification was available.

Summary Notes

Solar Eclipse is a conspiracy theory period movie based on true events, that led to the eventual assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The movie demonstrates a violent India, at the backdrop of a non-violent Gandhi, and hard-line fanatic mindsets beginning to grow roots in an India divided on the basis of religion. The feature is a story of three police officers in different parts of India, who, well aware of the intelligence that Gandhi's life in under threat, must take key decisions that would eventually either save the Mahatma, or the country.

The Last Warrior is a 2018 Russia action fantasy drama by Rustam Mosafir.
Starring Aleksey Faddeev, Aleksandr Kuznetsov and Yuriy Tsurilo.
 

		UK: Passed 18 for strong violence, gore after 4s of compulsory BBFC cuts ( 101:20s ) :
2018 Sony Pictures R2 DVD at UK Amazon

The BBFC commented:

• Cut required to remove sight of a horse being tripped and landing on its head and neck.

Summary Notes

These are times when one civilization is replacing another. A new era is about to begin in Central Eurasia. Scythians, the proud warriors, are all but gone. The few of their descendants have become ruthless mercenary assassins, the "waves of Ares." Lutobor, is a soldier with a difficult task at hand. He becomes involved in internecine conflicts and sets off on a perilous journey to save his family. His guide is a captive Scythian by the name of Weasel. Lutobor and Weasel are enemies. They pray to different gods but must embark on this journey together. They brave the wild steppes, moving toward the last haven of the Scythians, to what seems to be their inevitable demise.

Bumblebee is a 2018 USA action Sci-Fi adventure by Travis Knight.
Starring Hailee Steinfeld, Justin Theroux and Angela Bassett.

On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.

The film was originally passed 12A uncut for moderate fantasy violence for UK cinema release.

However the distributors preferred a cut PG version and the film was resubmitted shorn by about 6 secnds. The BBFC duly passed the film PG for moderate fantasy violence, mild sex references, injury detail, language.

In the US the film was Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action violence.

Update: Australia too

16th December 2018. See article from refused-classification.com

With echoes of the UK situation the Australian distributors of BumbleBee submitted the film uncut to the film censor and received an uncut M rating for moderate impact violence, mild impact themes, language Very mild drug use, sex. The M rating is an advisory 15 that would be labelled PG-15 in the US. It is the usual rating for films rated PG-13 in the US and 12A in the UK.

Like Britain the distributors preferred a local PG and resubmitted a cut version, presumably the same as the cut UK PG rated version . However it didn't cut any ice with the censor and was again M rated.

The distributors are now appealing the decision with the Review Board hoping to achieve the desired PG.

Update: Australia now PG rated too

18th December 2018. See article from classification.gov.au

The distributors were successful in their appeal for a PG rating for the pre-cut version. The review board wrote in a statement:

A three-member panel of the Classification Review Board has unanimously determined that the film Bumblebee is classified PG with the consumer advice Mild science fiction violence, mild themes, some scenes may scare young children.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 USA crime western biography by George Roy Hill.
Starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Katharine Ross.

Butch and Sundance are the two leaders of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. Butch is all ideas, Sundance is all action and skill. The west is becoming civilized, and when Butch and Sundance rob a train once too often, a special posse begins trailing them no matter where they run. Over rocks, through towns, across rivers, the group is always just behind them. When they finally escape through sheer luck, Butch has another idea, "Let's go to Bolivia". Based on the exploits of the historical characters.

Uncut for 1969 cinema release and VHS releases but animal cruelty cuts were required by the BBFC for 2018 cinema release.

The BBFC commented:

• Cut required to remove a scene of deliberate animal cruelty staged for the film (an animal being tripped using wires in a dangerous fashion).

Update: Director's Oops

13th December 2018. Thanks to Barton

The horse trip was simply not spotted until 2001 when a documentary was submitted to the BBFC in which the director admitted he used trip wires to achieve a particular fall. The BBFC told Fox they wouldn't be able to pass it uncut again. Indeed the UK Blu-ray is also cut, although Fox pre-cut it.

There's no record of a resubmission of a pre-cut version in the BBFC database at around the time of the 2013 Blu-ray release, so perhaps someone was looking the other way at the time.

Disney, the producers of Deadpool 2 are testing out a move to PG-13 for a projected series of films. The company has produced a festive version called Once Upon a Deadpool which has been cut for a PG-13 rating in the US.

The cuts were insufficient for the BBFC to lower its rating and the film was given a 15 rating.

In Australia the festive release achieved an M rating which is an advisory label recommending the film as suitable for 15 year olds.

As is the default case, the Australian rating is automatically accepted for New Zealand release with the film censor able to step in  to consider a New Zealand rating if it is felt necessary. And after the film had released, the New Zealand chief censor did indeed step in and replaced the Australian rating with a New Zealand R13. This is a straight 13 age restriction require all cinema goers to be 13 or over.

Chief censor David Shanks said he had decided to call the film in because of the disparity between the Australian and American assessments and Britain where it was slapped with a 15 classification.

Aware of the popularity of Deadpool 2 and significant interest in this new version from young Kiwis, particularly since it includes the now 16-year-old Dennison in a prominent role), Shanks and the rest of the censorship office included three members of its Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) in the special screening. The panel is made up of a dozen 16-to-20 year olds. Shanks said:

They confirmed many of our impressions, which was that, while significantly toned-down in terms of graphic gore, sexual innuendo and language, this film was still fundamentally a Deadpool film -- which meant that it features wall-to-wall death and violence and dark, adult-oriented humour.

They thought, on balance, an R13 classification would reflect the fact that this film has had some of the graphic content in the original Deadpool 2 toned down -- but the result is really still for teens and above.

Will Deadpool Movies Remain PG-13 Moving Forward?

13th December 2018 See article from movieweb.com by Trevor Norkey

Yes concludes the commentator, producers Disney would be much happier if they could drop the R rating.

Meanwhile the Once Upon a Deadpool poster has offended mormons

13th December 2018  See  article from patheos.com

Some Mormons are 'outraged' by a poster for Once Upon a Deadpool, because Deadpool looks too much like the religious character Jesus.

A petition with about 30,000 signatures insists that the poster is a doctored version that plays fast and loose with a sacred image of The Second Coming:

In the original painting Jesus Christ is at the center surrounded by angels. In the poster Deadpool replaces Jesus Christ.

Deadpool is positioned exactly as Jesus Christ was and is wearing a white robe. It is unknown if the picture was used to intentionally mock the Church of Jesus Christ, but it is clear it was copied from the original picture. This is a form a religious discrimination.

We ask that the picture be not used or posted in any manner. That they find another poster to represent their movie.

The House That Jack Built is a 2018 Denmark / France / Germany / Sweden horror thriller by Lars von Trier.
Starring Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz and Uma Thurman.

Lars von Trier's upcoming drama follows the highly intelligent Jack (Matt Dillon) over a span of 12 years and introduces the murders that define Jack s development as a serial killer. We experience the story from Jack s point of view, while he postulates each murder is an artwork in itself. As the inevitable police intervention is drawing nearer, he is taking greater and greater risks in his attempt to create the ultimate artwork.

US film censors, the MPAA, don't like having two versions running at the same time. This lead to the censure for the film distributors of Lars von Trier's The House that Jack Built for a one day advance screening of the uncut version prior to the general release which features a cut R rated version.

As a result of the MPAA censure, the censorship will now extended to the US online release of the movie. The film's distributor IFC Films originally planned to release von Trier's unrated director's cut on-demand on December 14, while releasing an R-rated version in theaters on the same day. But the MPAA said that IFC's original plan--which would have allowed viewers to digitally rent the R-rated cut and offered the uncut version for digital purchase--was "in violation of the ratings system's rules".

The MPAA went further and threatened sanctions, excluding IFC from the ratings process for up to 90 days. (Most major exhibition chains will not show a film without an MPAA rating.) As a result, IFC has scrapped plans to release the director's cut next week.

According to an IFC publicist, it has tentatively rescheduled the online release of the Director's Cut for June. The R-rated cut, some four minutes shorter, will be released in theaters and for digital rental.

Meanwhile British distributors Curzon Artificial Eye have confirmed to Blu-ray.com that their upcoming Blu-ray release of The House That Jack Built will feature the longer original version of it that was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Currently, the Blu-ray release is scheduled on March 4. The distributors have also confirmed that they will not be releasing the R-rated version of the film on any home video format.

Update: Uncut at UK cinemas and on DVD/Bu-ray

7th December 2018.

Artificial Eye didn't mention the cinema release in the above statement, but thanks to Peter who reports that the Curzon cinema has confirmed that the UK cinema release will feature the Director's Cut.

Update: Kiss and make up

8th December 2018. See article [pdf] from filmratings.com

Joint Statement from CARA and IFC Films on The House That Jack Built

The Classification and Rating Administration (CARA) and IFC Films have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution to address CARA's concerns associated with The House That Jack Built, Director's Cut (unrated) and The House That Jack Built (rated R). IFC Films acknowledges that there was confusion in the marketplace about the rating and has committed to working with CARA to avoid any confusion going forward.

CARA's ultimate goal is to maintain the trust and confidence of American parents by providing them with accurate, useful information about the level of content in films -- and appreciates IFC Films' cooperation to ensure the proper use of the ratings.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a 2018 UK / USA music biography by Bryan Singer.
Starring Rami Malek, Joseph Mazzello and Mike Myers.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound.

Initial reports from those who had seen Bohemian Rhapsody in theatres indicated the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (LPF) had cut up to 24 minutes of footage from the Freddie Mercury biopic, as homosexuality is banned under the country's sodomy laws.

However in reality the cuts totalled about 3 minutes. Censor board chairman Mohd Zamberi Abdul Aziz said that seven cuts involved muting 'bad words', while the four gay scenes involved cuts to men kissing each other, men rubbing each other, and a group of men in dresses partying in a mansion.

It's easy to see why audiences believed something more substantial was missing from the film. The Malaysian cut leaves major narrative holes in the film. Key scenes no longer make sense.

The most noticeable changes to Bohemian Rhapsody involve censoring intimacy between its queer male characters. The physical aspects of Freddie Mercury's relationship to Paul Prenter (Allen Leech) -- his personal manager and the film's antagonist -- are gone entirely. A meet-cute with future partner Jim Hutton (Aaron McCusker) is virtually incomprehensible.

As Zamberi told the Malay Mail, censors took the further step of removing a line in the credits mentioning that Mercury and Hutton lived a happy life until the iconic singer's 1991 death. It showed that they were in a gay relationship, the censor explained.

A line in which Mercury (Rami Malek) comes out to then-fiancee Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) is removed from the film. I think I'm bisexual, he says. Austin insists he's gay, which is also cut.

While preparing for Queen's legendary performance at the 1985 Live Aid concert, the singer tells his bandmates that he's HIV-positive. I've got it, Mercury says. Got what? a group member asks. AIDS, he responds. The censors cut everything after I've got it.

The House That Jack Built is a 2018 Denmark / France / Germany / Sweden horror thriller by Lars von Trier.
Starring Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz and Uma Thurman.

Lars von Trier's upcoming drama follows the highly intelligent Jack (Matt Dillon) over a span of 12 years and introduces the murders that define Jack s development as a serial killer. We experience the story from Jack s point of view, while he postulates each murder is an artwork in itself. As the inevitable police intervention is drawing nearer, he is taking greater and greater risks in his attempt to create the ultimate artwork.

The MPAA is Going After distributors IFC over a one day special screening of the  Director's Cut of The House That Jack Built.

Ahead of the general release of the cut R rated version of Lars von Trier's new film on December 14, the Director's Cut of the film played select theaters, for one night only, and it looks like those screenings have landed IFC Films in trouble with the US film censors of the MPAA.

The MPAA has rules allowing only one version of a film to be shown in cinemas at a time. Ratings can in fact be changed but only after a certain time has elapsed, and with the previous rating being revoked.

As reported by Deadline, IFC now faces potential sanctions over the screenings. The MPAA said in a statement that they have:

Communicated to the distributor, IFC Films, that the screening of an unrated version of the film in such close proximity to the release of the rated version -- without obtaining a waiver -- is in violation of the rating system's rules. The effectiveness of the MPAA ratings depends on our ability to maintain the trust and confidence of American parents. That's why the rules clearly outline the proper use of the ratings. Failure to comply with the rules can create confusion among parents and undermine the rating system -- and may result in the imposition of sanctions against the film's submitter.

A hearing in the very near future will allow IFC to plead their case, and it's possible that the MPAA could revoke the rating they had issued to the film.

Films that have facially-scarred villains will no longer receive funding from the British Film Institute, the organisation has announced, as part of a campaign to remove the stigma around disfigurement.

From Darth Vader to Scar in The Lion King, film-makers have long made a link between physical disfigurement and evil. The BFI is backing the #IAmNotYourVillain campaign launched by the group Changing Faces.

Ben Roberts, the BFI's deputy CEO, said:

Film is a catalyst for change and that is why we are committing to not having negative representations depicted through scars or facial difference in the films we fund, says Ben Roberts, the BFI's deputy CEO.

This campaign speaks directly to the criteria in the BFI diversity standards, which call for meaningful representations on screen. We fully support Changing Faces's #IAmNotYourVillain campaign, and urge the rest of the film industry to do the same.

Bernardo Bertolucci was an Italian film director and screenwriter, whose films include The Conformist, Last Tango in Paris, 1900, The Last Emperor (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director and the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay), The Sheltering Sky, Little Buddha, Stealing Beauty and The Dreamers. In recognition of his work, he was presented with the inaugural Honorary Palme d'Or Award at the opening ceremony of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

He died on the 26th November 2018. He leaves a fine legacy of clashes with film censors:

Last Tango in Paris is a 1972 France / Italy romance by Bernardo Bertolucci.
Starring Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider and Maria Michi.

Cut by the BBFC for an X rated 1973 cinema release, although a few local authorities banned the film anyway. Later passed uncut for all releases since 1978. Also cut for an R rating in the US although the NC-17 rated version is uncut.

See further details at Melon Farmers Film Cuts: Last Tango in Paris

1900 is a 1976 Italy/France/West Germany drama by Bernardo Bertolucci.
With Robert De Niro, Gérard Depardieu and Dominique Sanda.

Exists in 3 versions, a cut International Theatrical Version, the full length Italian Version and the Italian Version without a real sex masturbation scene.

See further details at Melon Farmers Film Cuts: 1900

The Dreamers is a 2003 UK / France / Italy romance by Bernardo Bertolucci.
Starring Michael Pitt, Louis Garrel and Eva Green.

Uncut in the UK for 18 rated cinema and video release. The R rated version was cut in the US for an MPAA R rating but the Unrated version is uncut.

See further details at Melon Farmers Film Cuts: The Dreamers

Nicolas Roeg CBE BSC was an English film director and cinematographer, best known for directing Performance (1970), Walkabout (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Bad Timing (1980), and T he Witches (1990).

Making his directorial debut 23 years after his entry into the film business, Roeg quickly became known for an idiosyncratic visual and narrative style, characterized by the use of disjointed and disorienting editing.For this reason, he was considered a highly influential filmmaker, with such directors as Steven Soderbergh, Christopher Nolan, and Danny Boyle citing him as such.

In 1999, the British Film Institute acknowledged Roeg's importance in the British film industry by respectively naming Don't Look Now and Performance the 8th and 48th greatest British films of all time in its Top 100 British films poll.

He died on the 23rd November 2018. He leaves a fine legacy of clashes with film censors:

Performance is a 1970 UK crime drama by Donald Cammell & Nicolas Roeg.
With James Fox, Mick Jagger and Anita Pallenberg.

History of censorship at the hands of the BBFC and Its own distributor, Warner. BBFC cuts later waived but the extensive footage removed by Warners is still missing.

See further details at Melon Farmers Film Cuts: Performance

Walkabout is a 1971 UK adventure drama by Nicolas Roeg.
With Jenny Agutter, David Gulpilil and Luc Roeg.

Uncut by the BBFC albeit after an appeal against proposed cuts for the 1971 cinema release. There exists a shortened version in the US, although the Unrated version is uncut.

See further details at Melon Farmers Film Cuts: Walkabout

Bad Timing is a 1980 UK mystery thriller by Nicolas Roeg.
With Art Garfunkel, Theresa Russell and Harvey Keitel.

Re-edited to separate a juxtaposed image of a child with an image of lovemaking. This cut has persisted into all subsequent releases.

The Witches is a 1990 UK / USA family horror fantasy by Nicolas Roeg.
Starring Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling and Jasen Fisher.

Cut by the BBFC for a PG rating. There is an uncut European version. Uncut in the US but with an alternative happy ending

See further details at Melon Farmers Film Cuts: The Witches

Girl is a 2018 Belgium / Netherlands drama by Lukas Dhont.
Starring Victor Polster, Arieh Worthalter and Oliver Bodart.
 

Summary Notes

Lara is a 15-year-old who feels she is a girl, born in the body of a boy. She dreams of becoming a ballerina.

Lukas Dhont's feature directorial debut, Girl wowed Cannes when it premiered in May, picking up a distribution deal with Netflix and four awards including the Fipresci Prize in the Un Certain Regard section.

Now the film, Belgium's official entry in the foreign-language Oscar race, is the subject of controversy following Dhont's comments in a European newspaper that Netflix had plans to edit out a scene with full frontal nudity of its star, then 15.

The director commented on the outcome of the debate in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter:

Regarding reports made this week in the Belgian media, we as filmmakers had some internal conversations with Netflix in which we discussed how some of the material in Girl could possibly be received outside of Europe. We were given the option to be able to edit the film, and it always was a dialogue in which the filmmakers had the strongest say.

The version of Girl that will be shown on Netflix will be the same version that premiered in Cannes, and in theaters in Belgium and other parts of the world.

Thi Baan Series 2 Episode 2 is a 2018 Thai comedy drama by Surasak Pongson

A monk grieving at his ex-girlfriend's funeral is the alleged scene that caused a Thai film to be censored just days before its Thursday release.

A group of Thai directors revealed that what the film censors called a sensitive scene in Thi Baan The Series 2.2 depicted a monk character bursting into tears in front of his ex-girlfriend's coffin.

Thailand's film censor board has demanded that the pivotal scene be cut and the film resubmitted to the board before it can be screened at cinemas.

In the meantime the release of Thi Baan The Series 2.2 has been indefinitely postponed.

Overlord is a 2018 USA action war horror by Julius Avery.
Starring Wyatt Russell, Bokeem Woodbine and Iain De Caestecker.

On the eve of D-Day, American paratroopers are dropped behind enemy lines to carry out a mission crucial to the invasion's success. But as they approach their target, they begin to realize there is more going on in this Nazi-occupied village than a simple military operation. They find themselves fighting against supernatural forces, part of a Nazi experiment.

Overlord has been cut in Australia for MA15+ cinema and home video release. MA15+ is something like a 15A in UK terms.

The film was originally rated R18+ uncut for: High impact violence; Strong impact themes; Moderate impact language. However distributors Paramount preferred a lower rating and a month later submitted a cut version. This was duly rated MA15+ for Strong impact themes, violence; Moderate impact language:

For comparison:

• UK: Passed 18 uncut for strong bloody violence, gory images
• US: Rated R uncut for strong bloody violence, disturbing images, language, and brief sexual content.

Update: Overrule

20th November 2018. From MediaCensorshipInAustralia Facebook Page

Paramount Australia has confirmed that after a change of heart, OVERLORD will be screened in the original R 18+ version in cinemas after all. Village Cinemas have changed their earlier MA 15+ rating for the coming soon listing to R 18+.

A comment on Paramount's Facebook page suggest there's a chance that the MA 15+ version was just an option being considered.

Once Upon a Deadpool (Deadpool 2 Re-edited Version) is a 2018 USA action comedy adventure by David Leitch.
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin and Morena Baccarin.

Deadpool 2 was initially released as an MPAA R rated Theatrical Version and an unrated extended 'Super Duper $@%!#& Cut', Both are 15 rated by the BBFC.

Later the film was cut for an MPAA PG-13 rated festive version titled Once Upon a Deadpool. This version was rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, crude sexual content, language, thematic elements and brief drug material.

Once Upon a Deadpool retained its 15 rating in the UK but the BBFC consumer advice demonstrates that it has been toned down. The original Theatrical Version was passed 15 uncut for strong bloody violence, sex references, very strong language, whilst Once Upon a Deadpool was passed 15 for strong violence, crude humour. So it seems that blood has been deleted from the violence, sex references have been removed, and strong language has been cut.

The MPAA has named Kelly McMahon to succeed Joan Graves as chair of the Classification and Rating Administration, CARA.

Graves, a 77-year-old grandmother of two, retires next year after 30 years with the organization.

McMahon, joined the MPAA 11 years ago and currently serves as VP and corporate counsel. She is the legal counsel to CARA, providing guidance about compliance with the CARA rules and the advertising review process. She also oversees the CARA Appeals Board process.

CARA was created by former MPAA president and CEO Jack Valenti 50 years ago this month. This voluntary program provided an alternative to government censorship of movies and was designed first and foremost to be a resource for parents, while simultaneously protecting the First Amendment, the rights of filmmakers, and the creative process.

Deadpool 2 is a 2018 USA action comedy adventure by David Leitch.
Starring Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin and Zazie Beetz.

There are no censorship issues with this release. The film was initially released as an MPAA R rated  Theatrical Version and an unrated extended 'Super Duper $@%!#& Cut', Both are 15 rated by the BBFC. The film was cut in India for an adults-only 'A' rating and was banned in China.

Later the film was cut for an MPAA PG-13 rated version titled Once Upon a Deadpool. This version has just been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of violence and action, crude sexual content, language, thematic elements and brief drug material.

A Star Is Born is a 2018 USA romance by Bradley Cooper.
Starring Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper and Sam Elliott.

Seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) discovers-and falls in love with-struggling artist Ally (Gaga). She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer - until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.

New Zealand film chief censor, David Shanks, has demanded a new warning be added to prints of the Oscar-tipped remake of A Star Is Born .

Shanks reacted after complaints of viewer distress from Police Victim Support, who said two vulnerable young people had been severely 'triggered' after watching a suicide scene in the film. The Office of Film & Literature Classification said further complaints were also filed to them by the Mental Health Foundation.

The film was rated M (PG-15 in US terminology) in Australia and this rating then automatically accepted for distribution in New Zealand albeit with the age recommendation increased to 16. The Australian consumer advice noted: Sex scenes, offensive language and drug use, but the New Zealand censor has now added suicide to the list.

Shanks praised the film's handling of the topic but said he felt that the addition was still necessary. He said:

Many people in New Zealand have been impacted by suicide. For those who have lost someone close to them, a warning gives them a chance to make an informed choice about watching.

Hunter Killer is a 2017 China / USA action thriller by Donovan Marsh.
Starring Gary Oldman, Gerard Butler and Michael Nyqvist.

An untested American submarine captain teams with U.S. Navy Seals to rescue the Russian president, who has been kidnapped by a rogue general.

Hollywood blockbuster Hunter Killer has been blocked from release in Russia just hours before its premiere.

Critics say the Kremlin banned it because it shows a Russian president being deposed and kidnapped in a coup before being rescued by American soldiers. Opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov suggested that the ministry could be blocking the movie for suggesting even a fictional possibility that a Russian President could be deposed. He commented on Facebook:

What are these bastards from Hollywood suggesting? That someday (Defence Minister Sergei) Shoigu... comes out quietly and tops Putin? That will not happen.

Moscow claimed the film's license was revoked because producers had not provided a good enough copy for its state archive.

The movie's troubles in Russia follow its mysterious failure to open in neighbouring Ukraine, with the distribution company telling AFP that the government is preventing the film from screening. (The state film committee) watched the film, it fell under some law and was banned, said a representative of Kinomania, a Ukrainian film distributor which in August announced the premiere of Hunter Killer on October 25.

Though there is no official explanation of the ban in Ukraine, reports have cited a Ukrainian law which bans films popularising a military of the aggressor state or creating a positive image of its employees.

Climax is a 2018 France musical horror mystery by Gaspar Noé.
Starring Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic and Souheila Yacoub.

Birth and death are extraordinary life experiences. Life is a fleeting pleasure. Following a successful and visually dazzling rehearsal, a dance troupe celebrates with a party. But when it becomes apparent that someone has spiked the Sangria, the dancers soon begin to turn on each other in an orgiastic frenzy.

The third edition of Maskoon, the first festival in the Arab region specializing in horror, fantasy, thriller, action and science fiction movies, has opened in Lebanon. However the festival is missing two items from its schedule.The country's censorship authorities have banned two films: one is a short Lebanese film titled Nocturnal Deconstruction by Laura El Alam and the second is a Gaspar Noe's Climax.

Nocturnal Deconstruction is a 16-minute film telling the story of a woman who has decided to overcome the void in her life by trying a drug that eliminates the problems of self-confidence, and allows everyone who takes it to love himself again.

Myriam Sassine, the festival's director, said in a speech that censorship had decided to ban the two films for vague and unclear reasons.

The festivals' Artistic director Antoine Waked expressed his regret for the ban of The Climax film, saying this movies was made to be shown in cinemas, and its artistic value appears on the big screen, but now everyone will see it via DVD, or download it from the internet, so all the censorship has done was depriving people from the chance to see it on the big screen, he said.

The House That Jack Built is a 2018 Denmark / France / Germany / Sweden horror thriller by Lars von Trier.
Starring Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz and Uma Thurman.

USA in the 1970s. We follow the highly intelligent Jack over a span of 12 years and are introduced to the murders that define Jack's development as a serial killer. We experience the story from Jack's point of view, while he postulates each murder is an artwork in itself. As the inevitable police intervention is drawing nearer, he is taking greater and greater risks in his attempt to create the ultimate artwork. Along the way we experience Jack's descriptions of his personal condition, problems and thoughts through a recurring conversation with the unknown Verge - a grotesque mixture of sophistry mixed with an almost childlike self-pity and psychopathic explanations. The House That Jack Built is a dark and sinister story, yet presented through a philosophical and occasional humorous tale.

Lars von Trier's The House That Jack Built caused a little controversy at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Critics were divided as a few walked out in disgust at the violence and cruelty, whilst others gave it a standing ovation.

[ Spoilers! hover or click text below]

A particularly controversial moment was Jack as a young boy snipping off the leg of a duck. But even that got a mixed response as animal rights campaigners PETA defended the film i praising its accurate portrayal of the link between adolescent animal abuse and psychopathy. Of course the effect was achieved in CGI and no ducks were harmed in the making of the film.

Anyway the controversy seems to have resulted in the creation of a different version for general distribution in the US. The version shown at Cannes is now tagged as the Director's Cut and will be screened for one day only on 28th November. The film will then be put on wider release on 14th December in an MPAA R rated Theatrical Version. However it will be the Director' Cut that is released online also on 14th December. It is not yet clear what has been cut for the Theatrical Version.

Update: IFC responds to the MPAA

2nd December 2018.  See  article from darkhorizons.com

IFC issues a statement responding to the MPAA whinge:

IFC Films has not received any written notice from the MPAA regarding sanctions in connection with THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. It has always been IFC Films' priority to maintain the artistic vision of our filmmakers and we do not believe that the one-day screening of the Director's Cut unrated version has violated the MPAA's Classification and Rating Rules.

The Grinch is a 2018 China / USA children's cartoon comedy by Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

BBFC category cuts were required for a U rated cinema releases in 2018.

		UK: 2D and 3D versions including Short Yellow is the New Black passed U for mild slapstick, very mild bad language after 1s of BBFC category cuts ( 89:55s ) :
2018 cinema release

The BBFC commented:

• The work had Cuts for Category cuts made. Company chose to remove a use of mild bad language in order to obtain a U classification. An uncut PG was available.

Summary Notes

For their eighth fully animated feature, Illumination and Universal Pictures present The Grinch, based on Dr. Seuss' beloved holiday classic. The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl's generous holiday spirit. Funny, heartwarming, and visually stunning, it's a universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism. Academy Award® nominee Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the infamous Grinch, who lives a solitary life inside a cave on Mt. Crumpet with only his loyal dog, Max, for company. With a cave rigged with inventions and contraptions for his day-to-day needs, the Grinch only sees his neighbors in Whoville when he runs out of food. Each year at Christmas they disrupt his tranquil solitude with their increasingly bigger, brighter, and louder celebrations. When the Whos declare they are going to make Christmas three times bigger this year, the Grinch ...

Update: Assinine decision

2nd November 2018. Thanks to Hadyn

The BBFC commented on Twitter:

A few uses of the word 'ass' in a song were removed.

The Reliant is a 2018 USA action film by Paul Munger.
Starring Eric Roberts, Kevin Sorbo and Brian Bosworth.

Economic collapse causes widespread rioting and social unrest, leaving a lovesick 19-year-old girl struggling to care for her siblings in a stretch of woods bordered by lawless anarchy, wondering why a good God would let this happen.

The film was rated R by the MPAA for some violence.

The producer's weren't impressed with the rating and decided to appeal the decision, presumably seeking a PG-13 rating.

Fisting; it's not for everyone. Certainly not for many Filipino moviegoers who apparently took offense with an independent film that used the word as its title.

Director Whammy Alcazaren's film originally titled Fisting now only goes by its much less graphic subtitle Never Tear Us Apart after festival organizer Cinema One Originals requested a title change.

The film makers responded by a stop in social media accounts made for the movie and take down other promotional materials with the former title.

According to a statement on Facebook, Alcazaren was willing to change the title on grounds of pragmatism:

We are doing these necessary steps so that we can continue the dialogue we wanted to have with the audience through our film, the statement reads.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), the agency that rates films, has also flagged the film's producers for its title . Apparently, the film's producers did not submit the publicity materials for review. The MTRCB also noted in a memorandum that all publicity materials for films must be suitable for a general audience.

Never Tear Us Apart is a family drama about an aging spy who discovers that his wife was impregnated by a monster called The Shadow.