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The Motion Picture Association of America's film-rating system is used in the U.S. and its territories to rate a film's thematic and content suitability for certain audiences. The MPAA rating scheme applies only to films submitted for rating. The MPAA rating system is a voluntary scheme not enforced by law; and films can be exhibited without a rating, though many theaters refuse to exhibit non-rated or X-rated films. Non-members of MPAA may also submit films for rating.^[1] Other media (such as television programs and video games) may be rated by other entities. The MPAA rating system is one of various motion picture rating systems used to help parents decide what movies are appropriate for their children.

In the United States, the MPAA rating scheme is the most-recognized guide for parents regarding the content of films and each rating has been trademarked by MPAA so that they cannot be used by other organizations. The MPAA system has been criticized for the secrecy of its decisions as well as for perceived inconsistencies.^[2]

The MPAA's rating system is administered by the Classification & Ratings Administration, which is not a government agency. MPAA ratings serve primarily as a consumer suggestion by a group of corporate analysts. After screening films, their personal opinions are used to arrive at one of five ratings. Theater owners voluntarily agree to enforce corporate film ratings as determined by the MPAA, which in turn facilitates their access to new film releases.

Films are often released with different versions and different ratings, as versions that may be unprofitable in theaters may have better success in the home entertainment market (see the section entitled "Commercial viability of the NC-17 rating" below).

Ratings[link]

Since 1990, the MPAA movie ratings have been as follows:

Rating symbol	Meaning[3]
	G – General Audiences All ages admitted (1968–present)
	PG – Parental Guidance Suggested Some material may not be suitable for children (1978–present; between 1972 and 1984, the word "children" instead read "pre-teenagers.")
	PG-13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (1984–present)
	R – Restricted Under 17 requires an accompanying parent or adult guardian. (1970–present; during 1968 and 1969, the designated age was 16)
	NC-17 – No Children Under 17 (1996–present; between 1990 and 1996, the wording was "No One Under 17 Admitted")

If a film is not submitted for rating, the label NR (Not Rated) or UR (Unrated) is often used. Many older films have the label NR or UR, but merely because a film is labelled NR or UR does not always mean that it is unsuitable for children.

History[link]

Replacement of Hays Code[link]

Jack Valenti, who had become president of the MPAA in May 1966, deemed the Hays Code – in place since 1930 and rigorously enforced since July 1, 1934 – as hopelessly out of date and no longer appropriate for the current film and cultural environment. He felt compelled to take this position by the release of major studio films such as The Pawnbroker (1965), Blow-Up (1966), and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), which were among the first to feature nudity and profanity.^[4]

Valenti felt action was required on the part of the respective studios to edit their films appropriately, but that having to deal with each film one at a time in this manner was awkward and inefficient.^[4] The Code was revised in 1966 to include the "SMA" (Suggested for Mature Audiences) advisory as a stopgap measure. However, Valenti realized that a new approach to film rating was needed in response to "the irresistible force of creators determined to make 'their films'", and to avoid "the possible intrusion of government into the movie arena".^[4]

On November 1, 1968, the voluntary MPAA film rating system took effect, with three organizations serving as its monitoring and guiding groups: the MPAA, the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO), and the International Film Importers & Distributors of America (IFIDA).^[4]

The original movie ratings were^[4]:

• G: General Audiences – Suggested for General Audiences – (all ages)
• M: Mature Audiences – Suggested for Mature Audiences – Parental Discretion Advised
• R: Restricted – People Under 16 Not Admitted Unless Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian
• X: Adults Only – People Under 18 will not be Admitted (changed to 17 later that year)

This content classification system originally was to have three ratings with the intention of allowing parents to take their children to any film they choose. However, the National Association of Theater Owners urged the creation of an adults only category, fearful of possible legal problems in local jurisdictions. The "X" rating was not an MPAA trademark: any producer not submitting a movie for MPAA rating could self-apply the "X" rating (or any other symbol or description that was not an MPAA trademark).^[4]

With the MPAA's introduction of its rating system, the U.S. was a latecomer as far as film classification was concerned. Countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom had begun this practice earlier in the 20th century.^[5]

From M to GP to PG[link]

The M rating was changed because parents were confused as to whether "M"-rated films or "R"-rated films had more intense content. This led to the "GP" rating in January 1970.^[6]

The ratings used from 1970 to 1972 were:

• Rated G: All Ages Admitted. General Audiences.
• Rated GP: All ages Admitted. Parental Guidance Suggested.
• Rated R: Restricted. Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.
• Rated X: No One Under 17 Admitted.

Also in 1970 the ages of viewers admitted to R- and X-rated movies was raised from 16 to 17. It was then changed from 17 to 18 for X to stop underage kids from seeing pornography.^[7][8] However, the age on the X rating varied per the jurisdiction.^{[citation needed]}

By 1972, parents perceived the "GP" rating as not indicative of a film's true content. In 1971, the MPAA added content advisories such as: Contains material not generally suitable for pre-teenagers. In February 1972 the MPAA replaced the GP rating with the new PG rating.^[9]

The ratings used from 1972 to 1984 were:

• Rated G: General Audiences – All Ages Admitted.
• Rated PG: Parental Guidance Suggested – Some Material May Not be Suitable for Pre-Teenagers.
• Rated R: Restricted – Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.
• Rated X: No One Under 17 Admitted.

By late 1978, the PG rating was reworded, with pre-teenagers being replaced with children.^[10][11]

Adoption of PG-13 rating[link]

In 1984, explicit violence and gore in the films Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Gremlins caused an uproar among parents over their PG rating.^[12][13] Their complaints led Hollywood figure Steven Spielberg, director of Temple of Doom and producer of Gremlins, to suggest a new rating to MPAA president Jack Valenti for movies that have too much adult content to be rated PG, but not quite enough to be rated R. Spielberg's suggestion was for an intermediate rating of PG-13 or PG-14.^[14] On conferring with cinema owners, Valenti and the MPAA introduced the PG-13 rating on July 1, 1984, indicating that some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. The Spielberg films were never re-rated.

The first film distributed with a PG-13 rating was Red Dawn (1984). Dreamscape and The Woman in Red were released on the same day the following week. The Flamingo Kid (1984) was the first film to receive the rating, but was not released until December 1984.^[15]

The ratings used from 1984 to 1986 were:

• Rated G: General Audiences – All Ages Admitted.
• Rated PG: Parental Guidance Suggested – Some Material May Not be Suitable for Children.
• Rated PG-13: Parents Are Strongly Cautioned to Give Special Guidance for Attendance of Children Under 13 – Some Material may be Inappropriate for Children Under 13.
• Rated R: Restricted – Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.
• Rated X: No One Under 17 Admitted.

In 1986, the PG-13 rating's wording was changed to: Parents Strongly Cautioned – Some Material May be Inappropriate for Children Under 13.

X is replaced by NC-17[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2011)

In the rating system's early years, X-rated movies, such as Midnight Cowboy (1969), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Fritz the Cat (1972), and Last Tango in Paris (1973) were understood to be non-pornographic films with adult content that were nonetheless mainstream films that did well at the box office. However, pornographic films – if rated at all – sometimes self-imposed the non-trademarked X rating. Thus, the X rating (along with the hyperbolic "XXX", typically for hardcore pornography) soon became a synonym for pornography in American mainstream culture.^[16]

In 1989, two critically acclaimed art films, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover and Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, were released featuring very strong adult content. Neither was approved for an R rating, thus limiting their commercial distribution.^[1]

On September 27, 1990, the MPAA introduced the rating NC-17 ("No Children Under 17 Admitted") as its official rating for adult-oriented films bearing the MPAA seal.^[17] Henry & June was the first film to receive the NC-17 rating.^[17][18]

The ratings used from 1990 to the late 1990s were:

• Rated G: General Audiences – All Ages Admitted.
• Rated PG: Parental Guidance Suggested – Some Material May Not be Suitable for Children.
• Rated PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned – Some Material May be Inappropriate for Children Under 13.
• Rated R: Restricted – Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.
• Rated NC-17: No Children 17 or Under Admitted.

In the late 1990s the NC-17 rating age limit was changed by rewording it from "No Children Under 17 Admitted" to "No One 17 And Under Admitted". In January 18, 2012, it was changed back to "No Children Under 17". And, in practice, media that refused to advertise X-rated films and movies also refused to advertise NC-17 movies and films.^{[citation needed]} In addition, large video distribution businesses such as Blockbuster Video and Hollywood Video refused to stock NC-17 movies.^[19]

Re-released films[link]

Midnight Cowboy was rated X when released in 1969, but re-rated R in 1971.^[20]

Additional information for parents[link]

Since September 1990, the MPAA has added brief explanations of why a particular film received an R rating, allowing parents to know what type of content the film contained. For example, Martin Scorcese's 2006 film The Departed was rated R for "Strong Brutal Violence, Pervasive Language, Some Strong Sexual Content, and Drug Material". Sometime later, the MPAA began applying rating explanations for PG, PG-13 and NC-17 films as well.^[21]

As of October 2011^[update], most, if not all, films assigned with an official MPAA rating provide reasons as to why they were rated because of said content. Some pre-1990 films may contain rating explanations if re-released for home video.

Advertising materials[link]

The MPAA also rates film trailers, print advertising, posters, and other media used to promote a film. Trailers are commonly referred to as "green band", "yellow band", or "red band" based on the rating given to the trailer by the MPAA. Green, yellow, or red title cards displayed before the start of a trailer indicates the trailer's rating.

• Green band: approved for all or appropriate audiences; can be shown before a movie with any rating.
• Yellow band: approved for age-appropriate audiences; Internet trailers only.^[22]
• Red band: approved for restricted audiences; can be shown before R, NC-17 or unrated films.^[23]

Rating process[link]

Language[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2011)

• If a film uses "one of the harsher sexually derived words" (such as fuck) one to four times, it is routine today for the film to receive a PG-13 rating, provided that the word is used as an expletive and not with a sexual meaning (this was mentioned in Be Cool, when Chili Palmer complains about the movie industry.).^{[citation needed]} There has been two exceptions so far: Gunner Palace, a documentary of soldiers in the Second Gulf War, has 42 uses of the word, 2 used sexually^[24], and The Hip Hop Project has 17 uses^[25]. Both films were appealed in order to get PG-13 ratings from the MPAA.

Drugs[link]

• A reference to drugs, such as marijuana, usually gets a movie a PG-13 rating at a minimum. A well known example of an otherwise PG movie getting a PG-13 for a drug reference (momentary, along with brief language) is Whale Rider. The film contained only mild profanity but received a PG-13 because of a scene where drug paraphernalia were briefly visible. Critic Roger Ebert criticized the MPAA for the rating and called it "a wild overreaction."^[26]
• In May 2007, the MPAA announced that depictions of cigarette smoking would be considered in a film's rating.^[27][28]

Walt Disney Pictures no longer allows smoking in its movies, or at least in its newer movies, as at least one older movie, 101 Dalmatians, was released uncut on DVD after Disney banned smoking in its films despite the fact that it features Cruella de Vil and Roger Radcliffe as heavy smokers. The 2011 Nickelodeon-animated film Rango caused some controversy over its PG rating among anti-smoking advocates. It was argued that the movie showed over sixty depictions of characters smoking in the film, and was therefore inappropriate for the child-friendly PG rating.^[29]

Sexual content[link]

As of 2010, the MPAA has added a descriptor of "male nudity" to movies featuring said content.^[30]

MPAA Ratings Board[link]

According to This Film Is Not Yet Rated, the members of the board as of December 2005^[31] were:

• Joan Graves, Chair
• Anthony "Tony" Hey, Senior Rater, 61,
• Scott Young, Senior Rater, 51,
• Joann Yatabe, Senior Rater, 61,
• Matt Ioakimedes, 46,
• Barry Freeman, 45,
• Arleen Bates, 44,
• Joan Worden, 56,
• Howard Fridkin, 47,
• Kori Jones, now deceased

and the MPAA Appeals Board members:

• Matt Brandt, President, Trans-Lux Theatres
• Pete Cole, Film Buyer, The Movie Experience
• Bruce Corwin, Chairman & CEO, Metropolitan Theatres
• Alan Davy, Film Buyer, Regal Entertainment Group
• Mike Doban, President, Archangelo Entertainment
• Steve Gilula, CEO 20th Century Fox
• Frank Haffar, COO, Maya Cinemas
• John Lodigian, Vice President of Sales, AMC Theatres
• Michael McClellan, Vice President & Film Buyer, Landmark Theatres
• Milton Moritz, CA/NV Chapter President, National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO)
• Lew Westenberg, VP of Operations West Coast Division, Loews Cineplex Theatres
• Jonathan Wolf, Director, American Film Market
• Reverend James Wall, United Methodist Minister, National Council of Churches
• Harry Forbes, Representative, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

According to the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated out of all the rating systems across over 30 different countries only the American system are the members not disclosed by the organization. Members must sign contracted agreements that they will not disclose any information about the MPAA to the public. ^[31]

Effects of ratings[link]

During the last decade PG ratings have begun to be associated with children's films, and are widely considered to be commercially bad for films targeted at teenagers and adults. For example, the 2004 film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, which was not targeted at children, received a PG rating, which some believe caused it to underperform at the box office as preteens and teenagers may have brushed it off as a "kiddie flick".^[32]

Commercial viability of the NC-17 rating[link]

In its initial years of use, few movies with the NC-17 rating were profitable. Today, the NC-17 rating is found primarily in art house films where patrons are less likely to have a positive or negative impression of the rating. During the controversy about the MPAA's decision to give the film Blue Valentine an NC-17 rating (the Weinstein Company challenged this decision, and the MPAA ended up rewarding the same cut an R rating on appeal), star Ryan Gosling noted that NC-17 films are not allowed wide advertisement and that, given the refusal of major cinema chains like AMC and Regal to show NC-17s, many such films will never be accessible to people who live in markets that do not have art house theatres.

In 1995, United Artists released the big-budget film Showgirls (1995). It became the most widely-distributed movie with an NC-17 rating (showing in 1,388 cinemas simultaneously), but a financial failure that grossed only 45% of its $45 millon budget.^[33] This helped establish the perception that the NC-17 rating was commercially untenable.

When the horror film Scream was submitted, it received an NC-17 rating for its graphic violence. However, Miramax Films, which funded the film, refused to release a film with this rating, so director Wes Craven fought long and hard, making many cuts to attempt to get an R rating. In the end, it took a second showing, with the members having an open mind toward the humorous subject matter, to get the wanted rating. Ironically, when the film was released to video, the version shown was the original, uncut version, though that was fixed in subsequent releases.

Requiem for a Dream (2000) was given an NC-17 rating. When Darren Aronofsky refused to edit the film for an R rating, Artisan Entertainment backed him up by releasing an unrated final cut. An R-rated cut was released later.

Some modest successes can be found among NC-17 theatrical releases, however. Fox Searchlight Pictures released the original NC-17-rated American edition of the European movie The Dreamers (2003) in theaters in the United States, and later released both the original NC-17 and the cut R-rated version on DVD. A Fox Searchlight spokesman said the NC-17 rating did not give them much trouble in releasing this film (they had no problem booking it, and only Mormon-owned Deseret News refused to take the film's ad), and Fox Searchlight was satisfied with this film's United States box office result.^[34] Another notable exception is Bad Education, a NC-17 foreign-language film which grossed $5.2 million in the United States theatrically^[35] (a moderate success for a foreign-language film^[36]).

With the growth of the home entertainment market since the late 1990s, a successful marketing vehicle for NC-17 films has emerged. Since R ratings are preferred for theatrical exhibition, filmmakers often cut films to meet the requirements. The "uncut" (either unrated or NC-17) version is sometimes released in limited engagements, other formats (such as DVD or Blu-Ray), and in foreign markets. This practice has become commonplace as an enticement to sell the movies for home entertainment use.^{[citation needed]}

As of March 2007, according to Variety, MPAA chairman Dan Glickman had been made aware of the attempts to introduce a new rating, or find ways to reduce the stigma of the NC-17 rating. Film studios have pressured the MPAA to retire the NC-17 rating, because of its likely impact on their film's box office revenue.^[37][38]

Legal scholar Julie Hilden wrote that the MPAA has a "masterpiece exception" that it has made for films that would ordinarily earn an NC-17 rating, if not for the broader artistic masterpiece that requires the violence depicted as a part of its message. She cites Saving Private Ryan, with its bloody depiction of the D-Day landings, as an example. This exception is troubling, Hilden argues, because it ignores context and perspective in evaluating other films and favors conventional films over edgier films that contribute newer and more interesting points to public discourse about violence.^[39]

Issuance of "R Cards"[link]

Starting in 2004, GKC Theatres (now Carmike Cinemas) had 'R-Cards' that let teens see R-rated films without adult accompaniment. The cards generated much controversy, and Jack Valenti of the MPAA said in a news article: "I think it distorts and ruptures the intent of this voluntary film ratings system. All R-rated films are not alike."^[40] The president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, John Fithian, also says that the cards can be harmful. He noted in a news article for the Christian Science Monitor that the R rating is "broad enough to include relatively family-friendly fare such as Billy Elliot and Erin Brockovich (both rated R for language) along with movies that push the extremes of violence, including Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill.".^[41] Though the quote is cited correctly, Billy Elliot was actually rated PG-13 when it was released on video.

Criticisms[link]

Emphasis on sex and language versus violence[link]

The movie rating system has had a number of high profile critics. Film critic Roger Ebert argues that the system places too much emphasis on sex while allowing the portrayal of massive amounts of gruesome violence. The uneven emphasis on sex versus violence is echoed by other critics, including David Ansen, as well as many filmmakers. Moreover, Ebert argues that the rating system is geared toward looking at trivial aspects of the movie (such as the number of times a profane word is used) rather than at the general theme of the movie (for example, if the movie realistically depicts the consequences of sex and violence). He has called for an A (adults only) rating, to indicate films high in violence or mature content that should not be marketed to teenagers, but do not have NC-17 levels of sex. He has also called for the NC-17 rating to be removed and have the X rating revived. He felt that everyone understood what X-rated means while fewer people understood what NC-17 meant. He called for ratings A and X to identify whether an adult film is pornographic or not. ^{[42] [43] [44] [45]}

MPAA chairman Dan Glickman has disputed these claims, stating that far more films are initially rated NC-17 for violence than for sex but that these are later edited by studios to receive an R rating.^[46]

Despite this, an internal critic of the early workings of the ratings system is film critic and writer Stephen Farber, who was a CARA intern for six months during 1969 and 1970. In The Movie Ratings Game,^[47] he documents a prejudice against sex in relation to violence. This Film Is Not Yet Rated also points out that four times as many films received an NC-17 rating for sex rather as they did for violence according to the MPAA's own website.

The South Park film Bigger, Longer & Uncut focuses largely on censorship. One of the last lines in the movie (spoken by the character Sheila Broflovski) is "Just remember what the MPAA says: Horrific, deplorable violence is okay, as long as people don't say any naughty words!"

The 2011 documentary Bully received an R rating due to language, spawning controversy as the rating would prevent most of the intended audience, middle and high schoolers, from seeing the film.^[48] Common Sense Media disagreed with the rating, recommending the film to mature teens thirteen and older.^[49] The film's director Lee Hirsch said "It's nothing that they've never heard before." A petition collected more than 300,000 signatures to change the film's rating.^[50] A version with less profanity was finally given a PG-13 rating.

Tougher standards for independent studios[link]

Many critics of the MPAA system, especially independent distributors, have charged that major studios' releases often receive more lenient treatment than independent films. They allege that Saving Private Ryan, with its intense depiction of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, would have earned an NC-17 had it not been a Steven Spielberg film. The independent film Saints and Soldiers, which contains no nudity, almost no sex (there is a scene where a German soldier is about to rape a French woman), very little profanity, and a minimum of violence, was said to have been rated R for a single clip where a main character is shot and killed, and required modification of just that one scene to receive a PG-13 rating.^[51][52]

The comedy Scary Movie, released by a division of The Walt Disney Company's Dimension Films, contained "strong crude sexual humor, language, drug use and violence," including images of ejaculation and an erect penis, but was rated R, to the surprise of many reviewers and audiences; by comparison, the comparatively tame porn spoof Orgazmo, an independent release by South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, contained "explicit sexual content and dialogue" and received an NC-17 (the only onscreen penis seen is a dildo). As Parker and Stone did not have the money and the time to edit the film, it retained its NC-17 rating. Adam Carolla's movie The Hammer was given an R rating for brief language which prompted him to question why the MPAA would rate the movie R, despite there being one to two instances of "fuck", and other minimal profanities, which is mostly considered PG-13 rated fare. A similar incident occurred with the Oscar winning independent film The King's Speech, which had a rough total of 17 instances of "fuck" used over two brief scenes. The film's subsequent R rating was criticized due to the tame content of the rest of the film, as well as the relative importance to the plot the cursing plays. Eventually, an edited, PG-13 rated version was released, but never released on DVD. To help counter this imbalance, some studio executives and successful producers who had worked with the MPAA have gone on to form companies that work with filmmakers to submit their films. Examples include Dunn Films and Motion Picture Consulting LLC.^{[citation needed]}

Call for publicizing the standards[link]

Many critics of the system, both conservative and liberal, would like to see the MPAA ratings unveiled and the standards made public. The MPAA has consistently cited nationwide scientific polls (conducted each year by the Opinion Research Corporation of Princeton, New Jersey), which show that parents find the ratings useful. Critics (such as Kirby Dick) respond this proves only that parents find the ratings more useful than nothing at all.^[31] In the film it is also discussed how the MPAA will not reveal any information about who or why certain decisions are made. They will not even reveal to the film maker the specific scenes that need to be cut in order to get alternative rating.

Accusation of "ratings creep"[link]

Although there has always been concern about the content of films,^[53] the MPAA has, in recent years, been accused of a "ratings creep", whereby the films that fall into today's ratings categories now contain more objectionable material than those that appeared in the same categories two decades earlier.^[54] A study put forward by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2004 concluded that there had been a significant increase in the level of profanity, sex and violence in films released between 1992 and 2003.^[55] Kimberly Thompson, director of the study, stated: "The findings demonstrate that ratings creep has occurred over the last decade and that today’s movies contain significantly more violence, sex, and profanity on average than movies of the same rating a decade ago."^[55]

Several independent consumer information services have stated that they have perceived a trend in movies containing more objectionable material. In September 2000, the ChildCare Action Project published a report with conclusions similar to that of the Harvard School of Public Health's, where they claimed that their findings indicated a "ratings creep" towards more explicit material.^[56]

Questions of relevance[link]

Slashfilm.com managing editor David Chen wrote on the website: "It's time for more people to condemn the MPAA and their outrageous antics. We’re heading towards an age when we don’t need a mommy-like organization to dictate what our delicate sensibilities can and can’t be exposed to. I deeply hope that the MPAA’s irrelevance is imminent." ^[57] Chicago Tribune movie critic Michael Phillips wrote that the MPAA ratings board "has become foolish and irrevelvant [sic], and its members do not have my interests at heart, or yours. They’re too easy on violence yet bizarrely reactionary when it comes to nudity and language."^[58]

Alternative systems[link]

For independent filmmakers[link]

The MPAA system is not mandatory for films produced outside the major studios and therefore can be bypassed. In 2010, the Voluntary Media Rating (known as VoMeR for short) system was created by US-based filmmakers frustrated with the MPAA system, yet do not wish their films released 'unrated.'^[59] The Voluntary Media Rating is a self-rating system for film, music and new-media producers. The system has a key feature of two levels of parental admonishment; with Adult under age [ wA < (age) ] and Restricted content under age [ Rc < (age) ]. The admonishment scale is refined by the age number. There are two informative parts to the voluntary self-rating; a Letter+Age code and disclosure details.^[59]

The US feature film Spectrauma was the first to adopt the Voluntary Media Rating system with a wA < 14 rating.^[59][60]

See also[link]

• Production Code
• This Film Is Not Yet Rated, a 2006 film investigating the MPAA rating system
• Richard Heffner longtime head of the MPAA ratings board
• Foreign national equivalents
  • Irish Film Classification Office
  • British Board of Film Classification, Britain
  • Central Board of Film Certification, India
  • Australian Classification Board
  • New Zealand Office of Film and Literature Classification
  • Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft (Germany)
  • Canadian motion picture rating system (although ratings vary between provinces)
• Examples in other media
  • Entertainment Software Rating Board
  • Marvel Rating System, with which the MPAA had a brief dispute
  • Television rating system
• Related concepts
  • Censorship
  • Parental guidance
  • Strong language
  • Edited movie
• List of NC-17 rated films
• Film Advisory Board, which offers an alternative to the MPAA ratings system
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office for Film and Broadcasting
• ChildCare Action Project A fundamentalist Christian alternative to MPAA ratings.
• Kids In Mind A website created by Critics Inc., kids-in-mind.com gives parents and non-parents alike a thorough review of past and current films detailing any and all content in a film that may even be vaguely offensive.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Classification and Ratings Administration Official Website with ratings database
• MPAA Film Ratings website
• VoMeR (Voluntary Media Rating)

Gilbert Arenas

No. 10 – Memphis Grizzlies
Guard
Personal information
Born	(1982-01-06) January 6, 1982 (age 30) Tampa, Florida
Nationality	American
High school	Grant HS (Los Angeles, California)
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
College	Arizona
NBA Draft	2001 / Round: 2 / Pick: 30th overall
Selected by the Golden State Warriors
Pro career	2001–present
Career history
2001–2003	Golden State Warriors
2003–2010	Washington Wizards
2010–2011	Orlando Magic
2012–present	Memphis Grizzlies
Career highlights and awards
3× NBA All-Star (2005–2007) All-NBA Second Team (2007) 2× All-NBA Third Team (2005–2006) NBA Most Improved Player (2003)

Gilbert Jay Arenas, Jr. (pronounced /əˈriːnɨs/; born January 6, 1982) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays as a point guard and shooting guard.

Arenas attended Grant High School in Valley Glen, California, and accepted a scholarship offer to the University of Arizona late in his junior year. He entered the 2001 NBA Draft and was selected in the second round (30th pick) by the Golden State Warriors.

Arenas is a three-time NBA All-Star, three-time member of the All-NBA Teams, and was voted the NBA Most Improved Player in the 2002–03 season. Arenas was most often nicknamed "Agent Zero," due to his former jersey number, but has increasingly been referred to as "Hibachi," a nod to the small Japanese heating device, which literally translates to "bowl of fire."^[1] Both names quickly became fan favorites in the Washington area during his time there.

Arenas was suspended for most of the 2009–10 season because of handgun violations stemming from an episode on December 24, 2009, and for subsequent actions that appeared to make light of this episode.

In late 2010, Arenas was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Orlando Magic. On December 9, 2011, Arenas was waived by the Orlando Magic.

NBA career[link]

Rise to prominence[link]

When Arenas entered the 2001 NBA Draft out of the University of Arizona, his dream was to be drafted by the New York Knicks,^{[citation needed]} who had two picks in the first round. They had shown interest in him but they passed. With no position solidified and a shaky prospect at best, Arenas went the entire first round without being drafted.

The Golden State Warriors finally drafted him with the second pick in the second round (30th overall). Although the Warriors did not enjoy much team success during his tenure with them, Arenas quickly established himself as one of the league's bright young talents.^{[peacock term]} In 2003, his second year in the league, Arenas received the NBA Most Improved Player Award and was named Most Valuable Player of the Rookie-Sophomore game during the NBA All-Star Weekend.

After that season, he signed with the Washington Wizards, reportedly after flipping a coin to decide among several teams, including the Wizards, Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers.^[2] He signed a six-year, $60 million contract with Washington, which the Warriors were unable to match since they were over the salary cap. The "Gilbert Arenas Rule" was later created to allow teams like the Warriors the ability to re-sign restricted free agents.^[3] Arenas battled a strained abdominal muscle injury all season. However, Arenas teamed up with shooting guard Larry Hughes (22.0 points per game) in 2004–05 to give the Wizards the highest scoring backcourt duo in the NBA. Arenas was selected for his first NBA All-Star Game. He guided the team to a 45-win season and its first playoff berth since 1997. Arenas led the team in scoring with 25.5 ppg, and finished seventh in the league in that category. He also finished sixth in the league in steals per game in 2004–05 with 2.24 (Hughes led the league with 2.93 steals per game).

Gilbert Arenas during his tenure with the Washington Wizards

In the fifth game of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2005, Arenas hit a 16-foot fadeaway as time expired to give the Wizards a 112–110 win over the Chicago Bulls. The Wizards eventually won the series, the franchise's first playoff series victory in more than a decade.

Known for his fierce competitiveness and somewhat unusual behavior and style, Arenas quickly became a fan favorite in Washington.^{[peacock term]} In 2006, Wizards fansite Wizznutzz.com jokingly dubbed him "Agent Zero," a nickname Arenas liked so much that it stuck.^[4]

2005–06 season[link]

Arenas averaged 29.3 points, which ranked fourth among the scoring leaders, two steals (also fourth), and 6.1 assists per game. Despite his accomplishments, neither fans nor coaches selected Arenas to the 2006 All-Star Game. He was able to get in due to the injury to Indiana Pacers forward–center Jermaine O'Neal. He also participated in the Three-point Shootout, where he was the runner-up to Dirk Nowitzki in the contest.

During the off-season, Arenas said that he was willing to take a pay cut in order to give the Wizards additional money with which to sign available free agents. He had expressed a desire to win a championship with the Wizards. One of Arenas' most memorable plays was a 40-foot jump shot in Round 1 of the 2006 NBA playoffs in which the Wizards were eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

2006–07 season[link]

On January 3, 2007, Arenas hit a 32-foot buzzer-beater to win the game against the Milwaukee Bucks, 108–105.^[5] Two weeks later on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day he hit yet another buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat the Utah Jazz, 114–111, in a thriller at the Verizon Center.^[6] This same scenario has been added as a cut scene in the video game NBA Live 2008. He also hit a game-winning layup as time expired to beat the Seattle SuperSonics on March 21, 2007.^[7]

In an overtime game versus the Los Angeles Lakers on December 17, 2006 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Arenas scored a career-high 60 points, adding 8 rebounds and 8 assists in helping lead the Wizards over the Lakers 147–141. Arenas now holds the Wizards' franchise record for most points scored in a game by an individual. The previous record was held by Earl Monroe with 56 points, achieved in 1968 which was also an overtime game against the Lakers. Arenas's 16 points in the extra period also set an NBA record for most points in one overtime period, surpassing Earl Boykins' record by one point.^[8]

Arenas himself has noted that he withdrew from the United States national team for the 2006 FIBA World Championship because he felt that assistant coaches Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan had pre-determined the roster even prior to tryouts. Afterward, he stated that he planned on averaging 50 points against their respective teams (Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers). He succeeded at his goal versus powerhouse Phoenix, scoring 54 points, including 21-of-37 from the field, 6-of-12 three-pointers (while reportedly eyeing in the direction of Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo), in a high-scoring 144–139 Wizards win over the Suns.^[9] However, on February 11 versus the Blazers, he was held to a lowly nine points, including tying the Wizards' franchise record for three-point futility, going 0-for-8 from behind the arc, in a 94–73 loss versus Portland.^[10]

In February, 2007, during the final days of All-Star voting, Arenas was voted as a first-time starter for the 2007 NBA All-Star game for the Eastern Conference, edging out Vince Carter by a slight margin, with 1,454,166 votes to Carter's 1,451,156.^[11] At the time he was averaging 29.7 points per game, second in the league.^[11]

Towards the end of the season Arenas tore his MCL during a game against the Charlotte Bobcats when Gerald Wallace fell into his leg. The Wizards struggled to finish the season with Arenas and teammate Caron Butler both being injured. Washington earned a playoff berth, but was swept in the first round in a rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

During the offseason, Arenas told The Washington Post that he would "opt out" of his contract after the 2007–08 season, making him a free agent. He stated, "...if something happens where they don't want me or they're going in a different direction, I can look elsewhere. But my intentions are not to leave."^[12]

2007–08 season[link]

Arenas had only played in 8 games this season due to a knee injury, before he started practicing again in March, and returned to action on April 2, 2008 against the Milwaukee Bucks,^[13] scoring 17 points in a 110–109 home loss.^[14]

Ten days prior, Arenas stormed out of the locker room before a game against the Detroit Pistons.^[15] He had wanted to play, but his doctor did not give him clearance.^[16] Arenas made a surprise return on April 9, when he came out of the locker room with 5:30 left in the first quarter. He finished the game scoring 13 points and dishing out 3 assists in helping the Wizards beat the Boston Celtics 109–95.^[17] He came off the bench for the rest of the regular season as not to disrupt the chemistry the Wizards had built without him. Arenas got his wish when they matched up against the Cavaliers for the third straight year; however, it was apparent he was not 100% healthy. In games 1–3, he played limited minutes, citing soreness in his surgically repaired knee. A few minutes before game 4 of their first-round playoff appearance against the Cavaliers, Arenas announced he would sit out the rest of the playoffs.^[13]

On June 9, 2008, Arenas officially opted out of the final year of his contract. Arenas also stated that he would consider re-signing with the Wizards if they were able to retain fellow free agent and teammate Antawn Jamison. The Wizards did indeed sign Jamison to a contract.^[18][19] Arenas was offered a five-year contract worth more than $100 million by the Golden State Warriors and another max deal by the Wizards, a six-year deal worth $124 million.^[20] On July 13, 2008, Arenas signed a contract worth $111 million over six years with the Wizards.^[21]

2008–09 season[link]

Due to the various injuries he had been getting since April 2007, Arenas did not play in any game at all for the Wizards until March 28, 2009, scoring 15 points and dishing 10 assists in a 98–96 loss to the Detroit Pistons.^[22] He also played a second game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which both teams wore their respective throwback jerseys. Arenas dished out 10 assists and scored 10 points, in a win, and fans were excited to see Arenas, Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler re-uniting for the first time in the season.

2009–10 season[link]

Arenas opened the season on a hopeful note, scoring 29 points as the Wizards beat the Dallas Mavericks 102–91 in their season opener. However, Arenas' performance would be inconsistent in the weeks ahead; on November 11, he set a Wizards team record for turnovers in a game with 12.^[23] On December 12, Arenas netted his first triple double in five and a half years in a loss to the Pacers.^[24] Six days later Arenas had a season-best 45 points in a Wizards win over his former team, the Golden State Warriors.

On December 24, 2009, it was revealed that Arenas had admitted to storing unloaded firearms in his locker at Verizon Center and had surrendered them to team security. In doing so, Arenas not only violated NBA rules against bringing firearms into an arena, but also violated D.C. ordinances as well.^[25] On January 1, 2010, it was also reported that Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton had unloaded guns in the Wizards' locker room during a Christmas Eve argument regarding gambling debts. The D.C. Metropolitan Police and the U.S. Attorney's office began investigating,^[26] and on January 14, 2010, Arenas was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, a violation of Washington D.C.'s gun-control laws.^[27] Arenas pleaded guilty on January 15 to the felony of carrying an unlicensed pistol outside a home or business.^[28]

On January 6, 2010, the NBA suspended Arenas indefinitely without pay until its investigation was complete. NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement that "his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game." By nearly all accounts, Stern felt compelled to act when Arenas' teammates surrounded him during pregame introductions prior to a game with the Philadelphia 76ers, and he pretended to shoot them with guns made from his fingers.^[29] The Wizards issued a statement of their own condemning the players' pregame stunt as "unacceptable".^[30] On January 27, 2010, Arenas and Crittenton were suspended for the rest of the season, after meeting with Stern.^[31] On February 2, 2010, Arenas wrote an open editorial in the Washington Post, in which he apologized for his actions, particularly for failing to be a better role model to young fans and for "making light of a serious situation".^[32] On March 26, 2010, Arenas was convicted for his crimes and was sentenced to two years probation and 30 days in a halfway house.^[33] Arenas started his sentence in the halfway house on April 9. He was released on May 7.^[34] The punishment for Arenas was significantly stiffer than for Crittenton, who received a year of unsupervised probation, or even Delonte West, who had been driving around neighboring Prince George's County with several loaded guns including a shotgun in a violin case.^[35] For his crime West received eight months home detention, two months of unsupervised probation, and forty hours of community service.^[36] In November of 2011 Crittenton was charged with murder in connection with the shooting of Julian Jones in Atlanta Georgia.^[37]

2010–11 season[link]

Upon his return to the Wizards for the 2010-11 season, Arenas elected to change his number from 0 to 9, claiming he was trying to put the entire incident from the previous season behind him. (Arenas had worn 0 all the way from college through his time in the NBA as a constant reminder of the number of minutes his critics said he would play in the NBA.)^[38]

After leading the Wizards in scoring for the first 24 games of the season, on December 18, 2010, Arenas was traded to the Orlando Magic for Rashard Lewis.^[39] Arenas chose to wear #1 on his jersey in honor of his favorite player, Penny Hardaway.^[40]

2011–12 season[link]

On December 9, 2011, Arenas was waived by the Orlando Magic under the amnesty clause.^[41] He cleared waivers and became a free agent.^[42]

On March 20, 2012, the Memphis Grizzlies signed Arenas.^[43]

Personal life[link]

Arenas was born in Tampa, Florida. His paternal grandfather is originally from Cuba.^[44] He was raised in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles where he played basketball at Ulysses S. Grant High School. His #25 was retired by the school. One of his cousins is Javier Arenas, a professional football player who plays cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Another cousin, Armando Murillo, is also a defensive back for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. On January 5, 2007, Arenas threw a million dollar 25th birthday party for himself which was dubbed "Arenas Express". The party, which was hosted by hip hop mogul P Diddy, was attended by many celebrities and drew national media attention.^[45] Arenas is a friend of rapper The Game and was listed in the booklet for The Game's second album Doctor's Advocate. He collects a synthetic basketball from each team played, as well as players' jerseys, of which he has more than 200, most of which are autographed.^[46] He supported PETA's anti-fur mission by posing shirtless for their "Ink, Not Mink" campaign.^[47] Arenas is an avid Halo player—his Gamertag is Agent Arenas—and officially sponsored Final Boss, a professional Halo 3 team.^{[48][49][50][51]} In 2007, Arenas was chosen as the front cover model for video game NBA Live 08 sporting his "good luck" Wizards alternative jersey. "This is a dream come true," he said. "I'm a huge gamer and have been playing NBA LIVE since 1995. I never imagined that I would see my face on the cover of an EA Sports videogame."^[49]

Arenas donated $100 for every point he scored in each home game during the 2006–07 season to local D.C. area schools, while Wizards team owner Abe Pollin matched that contribution for each away game. He also mentors a D.C. boy who lost his family in a fire at age 10. Arenas takes him shopping, bowling, got him a job as a ball boy for the Wizards, and acts as a brotherly figure towards him.^[44]

Arenas has had his own shoe, the Adidas Gil Zero, as well as his own line of Adidas TS Lightswitch shoes. Arenas wears size 14 ¹⁄₂ shoes.^[52] Following the gun incident in 2009, Adidas dropped their sponsorship of Arenas. Instead of signing another endorsement deal, he turned to his vast collection of shoes. For nearly every game of the season, Arenas wore a different pair of shoes, wearing a total of 77 different pairs.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Awards and honors[link]

• 3× NBA All-Star: 2005, 2006, 2007
• 3× All-NBA:

• Second Team: 2007
• Third Team: 2005, 2006

• NBA Most Improved Player Award: 2003
• NBA All-Star Rookie/Sophomore Game MVP: 2003
• NBA regular-season leader, minutes played: 2006 (3,384)
• NBA Player of the Month for the month of December 2006. Averaged a league-high 34.1 points per game during December.
• NBA 3 time Player of the Week 06–07 season.
• Cover Player of NBA Live '08
• 2007 Weblog Award for Best Celebrity Blogger^[53]

Career records[link]

• Career high scoring 60 points on December 17, 2006 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers (breaking Earl Monroe's franchise record of 56 on February 13, 1968).
• Career 50+ point games (regular season): 3
• Career 40+ point games (regular season): 26 (25 with Washington)
• Career 40+ point games (Playoffs): 1
• Is one of only 20 NBA players to have scored 60 or more points in a game.
• On November 6, 2009, he scored his 10,000th career point against the Indiana Pacers, making a three pointer.

Wizards franchise records[link]

• Holds franchise record for most three-point field goals made, all-time with 868 ^[54]
• Holds franchise record for most points in a game (60 against the Los Angeles Lakers).
• Holds franchise record for most turnovers in a game (12 against the Miami Heat, 11/11/2009 ^[23]).

NBA records[link]

• Most points (16) in one overtime period. Set on December 17, 2006 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Most points scored in under 30 minutes since the creation of the shot clock. (46 points)

See also[link]

• List of National Basketball Association players with 60 or more points in a game

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gilbert Arenas

• Official website
• Gilbert Arenas at Basketball-Reference.com
• Gilbert Arenas at NBA.com