Parent Previews Increases Coverage of Restricted Movies

Starting in the fall of 2018, we determined to increase the number of Restricted movies for which Parent Previews provides reviews. This seems like an odd choice for a family-focused website, but there are several reasons for our decision. First, ratings are both subjective and arbitrary. We sometimes disagree with the MPAA on their ratings and would prefer to give parents complete information so they can make decisions which are compatible with their values. Second, even when the movies are manifestly unsuitable, we believe parents are better equipped to discuss them with their teens when they are informed about the film’s content.

Despite these changes, we are not reviewing all Restricted movies. When our research indicates that the movies are so violent or sexually explicit that they cannot possibly be suitable even for older teens, we will skip the review or provide a very brief discussion about the release. We determine whether or not we are going to review the film by asking the following questions:

Based on advance information concerning film content, does the rating seem unreasonable?

Does it seem likely that the movie has positive messages that compensate for negative content?

How has the movie been rated in Canada and Great Britain? If there is a significant discrepancy between the MPAA and ratings in other countries, we will definitely review the movie and share the information with you.

Reviews of Restricted films will be posted on our home page but will only be included in our weekly newsletter if we believe they have merit as family entertainment.