Movie News

Benedetta is a 2021 France/Belgium/Netherlands historical romance by Paul Verhoeven
Starring Virginie Efira, Charlotte Rampling and Daphne Patakia

A 17th-century nun in Italy suffers from disturbing religious and erotic visions. She is assisted by a companion, and the relationship between the two women develops into a romantic love affair.

When US Catholics got wind of the fact that provocative film director Paul Verhoeven's latest film, Benedetta , contains scenes in which a statue of the Virgin Mary is used as a dildo, Catholic reacted with outrage, and the Catholic League, headed by Bill Donohue, expressed horror over the glowing reviews the movie was garnering.

At the weekend the movie premiered at the 59th New York Film Festival, and those attending it had to run the gauntlet of noisy protesters who claimed the movie was blasphemous. It was reported that the protesters were repeatedly saying Hail Marys into megaphones.

I Am Samuel is a 2020 Kenya / Canada / UK / USA documentary by Peter Murimi
Starring Steve Zahn, Jillian Bell and Sasha Knight  

Filmed verite style over five years, I Am Samuel is an intimate portrait of a Kenyan man torn between balancing duty to his family with his dreams for his future.

The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) has banned the gay documentary I am Samuel claiming that it sought to propagate values that are in dissonance with our constitution, culture values and norms. KFCB boss Christopher Wambua declared the film to be blasphemous and added:

Worse still, the production is demeaning of Christianity as two gay men in the film purport to conduct a religious marriage invoking the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Directed by a Kenyan filmmaker, I Am Samuel depicts a romantic relationship between two men living in Nairobi and promotes same-sex marriage as an acceptable way of life.

The Guns Of Navarone is a 1961 UK/US action adventure drama by J. Lee Thompson
Starring David Niven, Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn

Passed U after BBFC cuts for 1961 cinema release. The same cuts persisted in 1986 and 1990 on PG rated VHS but have been waived since a 1994 restoration. Netflix uprated the rating to 15 in 2021.

Summary Notes

A team of allied saboteurs are assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 ...

Versions

uncut run: 156:24s pal: 150:09s		UK: Passed 15 uncut for violence: 2021 Netflix video UK: A restored version with the original use of the word 'bloody' was passed PG uncut: 2011 Sony R0 Blu-ray at UK Amazon 2009 Sony R2 DVD at UK Amazon 2007 Sony R2 DVD 1994 Columbia/TriStar VHS
cut cut:   run: 156:00s pal: 149:46s sub: 157:45s		UK: The cut cinema version was passed PG without further BBFC cuts for: 1990 VCI VHS 1986 RCA Columbia VHS UK: Passed U after BBFC cuts for: 1961 cinema release From IMDB: Barnsby's uses of the word 'bloody' overdubbed with 'ruddy

But this is not the only example amongst the latest ratings.

Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay is a 2008 US comedy adventure by Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Starring John Cho, Kal Penn and Neil Patrick Harris

There are no UK censorship issues with this release beyond noting that the BBFC rated the film 18, whilst Netflix opted for 15.

Summary Notes

After being mistaken for terrorists and thrown into Guantánamo Bay, stoners Harold and Kumar escape and return to the U.S., where they proceed to flee across the country with federal agents ...

Versions

cut  cut:   run: 100:22s pal: 96:21s

UK: The Theatrical Version was passed 15 uncut for crude humour, language, sexual images, drug misuse: 2021 Netflix video UK: The Theatrical Version was passed 18 for strong sex references, nudity and drug use without BBFC cuts: 2008 Entertainment in Video video 2008 cinema release US: The Theatrical Version was rated R for strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language and drug use

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run is a 2020 South Korea / USA children's cartoon comedy by Tim Hill.
Starring Keanu Reeves and Awkwafina and Clancy Brown.

There are no censorship issues with this release beyond noticing that the film was rated PG by the BBFC but U by Netflix

Summary Notes

Set before the events of the television series, SpongeBob goes on a trip to Kamp Koral and meets some new friends. However, when his pet snail Gary gets kidnapped by Poseidon and taken to the Lost City of Atlantic City, he and his new best friend Patrick must go on a rescue mission to save him from the dastardly plan of Poseidon before it is too late. The movie will also reveal the first time our beloved characters (as kids) met at Camp...a magical moment that brings meaning to the power of true friendship.

Versions

uncut run: 92m pal: 88m		UK: Passed PG uncut for mild bad language, scary scenes: 2021 Paramount Pictures International Limited video
run: 92:00s pal: 88:19s		UK: Passed U uncut for rude humour, language, threat, dangerous behaviour, bullying, violence: 2020 Netflix video

Interspecies Reviewers is a 2020 Japan anime comedy romance TV series
Starring Junji Majima, Yûsuke Kobayashi and Miyu Tomita

From elves to succubi to fairies and more, Our heroes: Stunk, a human, Zel, an elf and a hermaphrodite angel named Crimvael are here to rate the red-light delights of all manner of monster girls

The video was banned by the Australian Censorship Board on 17th August 2021. The censors explained:

The film is classified RC in accordance with the National Classification Code, Films Table, 1. (b) as films that depict in a way that is likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult, a person who is, or appears to be, a child under 18 (whether the person is engaged in sexual activity or not).

Lords of Chaos is a UK / Sweden thriller by Jonas Åkerlund.
Starring Rory Culkin, Emory Cohen and Sky Ferreira.      

Oslo, 1987. 17-year-old Euronymous is determined to escape his traditional upbringing and becomes fixated on creating 'true Norwegian black metal' with his band Mayhem. He mounts shocking publicity stunts to put the band's name on the map, but the lines between show and reality start to blur. Arson, violence and a vicious murder shock the nation that is under siege by these Lords of Chaos.

The film was uncut and 18 rated for UK cinema release and home video.

Film4 had the TV premiere of Lords of Chaos on Saturday night. Despite being shown after 11pm they made cuts to the suicide scene. Predictably they cut the method of slitting up the arms instead of across the wrists.

Madres paralelas is a 2022 Spain drama by Pedro Almodóvar
Starring Penélope Cruz, Rossy de Palma and Aitana Sánchez-Gijón

Two women, Janis and Ana, coincide in a hospital room where they are going to give birth. Both are single and became pregnant by accident. Janis, middle-aged, doesn't regret it and she is exultant. The other, Ana, an adolescent, is scared, repentant and traumatized. Janis tries to encourage her while they move like sleepwalkers along the hospital corridors. The few words they exchange in these hours will create a very close link between the two, which by chance develops and complicates, and changes their lives in a decisive way.

Instagram's owner Facebook has reversed a ban on a poster for Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's new film, Madres Paralelas (Parallel Mothers), showing a nipple producing a drop of milk. The company was shamed by bad publicity after its naff 'AI' censorship algorithm proved a failure in distinguishing art from porn. Facebook said it had made an exception to its usual ban on nudity because of the clear artistic context.

The promotional image was made to look like an eyeball producing a teardrop. Javier Jaen, who designed the advert for Madres Paralelas (Parallel Mothers), had said the platform should be ashamed for its censorship.

The Suicide Squad is a 2021 USA action comedy adventure by james gunn...
Starring Margot Robbie, Idris Elba and John Cena  

Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.

There are no cuts issues with this film.

In Ireland IFCO rated the film 16 for strong violence and bloody action. It was also 16 rated in New Zealand and Germany.

In the US it was rated R for strong violence and gore, language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and brief graphic nudity.

In Australia the film was originally rated R18+ by the censor board, but this was reduced to MA15+ on appeal to the review board. The appeal was paid for by the distributor.

In the UK the film was passed 15 uncut for strong bloody violence, gore, language, brief drug misuse. The BBFC described the violence in the film:

Frequent scenes of violence include shootings, stabbings, slashings, decapitations, limbs being cut off, people being crushed, melted, torn apart and exploding. Much of the violence has a darkly comic tone, and results in bloody detail and gory images.

The decision generated a little press coverage for viewers suggesting that they thought the film should be 18 rated. In response to The Independent's request for comment, the BBFC said:

Whilst comparatively more violent than the last film, the violence is mitigated by the film's humour and the action-packed fantasy context. The violence and gore were sufficiently mitigated due to the focus on action within a comic, fantastic, superhero context. At 15, our Classification Guidelines state that 'violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury.

The Haunted Hotel is a 2021 UK comedy drama horror romance by Jean Campbell Hogg, (segment Watching), Joshua Carver, (segment Forty Years), Adam Collier, (segment Room 27)
Starring Hugh Fraser, Reece Ritchie and Rob Jarvis

BBFC category cuts were required for a 12A rated cinema release in 2021.

Summary Notes

Eight tales of ghostly encounters through the decades, manifesting amid the ruins of a once grand English hotel.

Versions

advised category cuts cut: run: 95m pal: 91m		UK: Passed 12A uncut with a BBFC trigger warning for moderate horror, violence, bloody images, sexual threat, suicide references: 2021 cinema release The BBFC commented: The distributor requested cuts to achieve their preferred category. Images of strong injury detail were removed in order to achieve a 12A. An uncut 18 classification was available.
uncut run: 95m pal: 91m		UK: Passed 18 uncut for strong injury detail: 2021 cinema release, not released in favour of a cut 12A version

Sainsbury's supermarket says it has decided to stop selling CDs and DVDs as streaming services take their toll on sales of the products.

A spokesperson said Sainsbury's customers increasingly went for music and films online instead of buying the shiny silver discs. The firm said sales were being phased out, although it would continue to sell vinyl records in some stores.

The CD has proved exceptionally successful for nearly 40 years and remains a format of choice for many music fans who value sound quality, convenience and collectability, said a BPI spokesperson, adding:

Although demand has been following a long-term trend as consumers increasingly transition to streaming, resilient demand is likely to continue for many years, enhanced by special editions and other collectible releases.

If some retailers now see the format as less of a priority, this will create a further opportunity for others, such as independent shops and specialist chains such as HMV, to cater to the continuing demand.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has published its Annual Report for 2020, outlining how the media regulator shifted its operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the first time in the organisation's 100 year history, Compliance Officers watched cinema releases remotely, with the help of the BBFC's state-of-the-art cloud based submission and classification platform, Horizon.

The BBFC classified 4,033 video submissions, 2,310 submissions for online distribution, and its innovative partnership with Netflix hit a significant milestone, with the streaming service achieving 100% coverage of BBFC age ratings and ratings info on their UK platform.

The most common age rating for online and physical media submissions was 15, with the BBFC classifying 2,548 pieces of content with the age rating.

For the movie industry, the BBFC classified 619 theatrical films in 2020 for cinemas to play in between lockdowns.

This included the re-classification of a number of older films, as cinemas shifted their focus towards bringing family friendly classics back onto the big screen while new blockbusters faced delays. In fact, one in 23 films classified by the BBFC in 2020 was a resubmission.

The Annual Report discusses the reclassification of films such as The Karate Kid which was reclassified 12A, previously 15, and Rocky and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which the BBFC reclassified 12A up from PG. The report also outlines the reclassification of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, which the organisation reclassified PG, previously a U.

The most popular age rating on the big screen remains 15, with the BBFC rating over a third (224) of films for UK cinema goers with the classification.

David Austin, Chief Executive of the BBFC, said:

Last year was one of the toughest years that the film and TV industry has ever seen. But, even with the challenges we have all faced, we are proud to have continued our work providing straightforward advice that helps families decide what to watch with confidence, both in the cinema and at home.

Despite lockdown, people's appetite for film and episodic content has only continued to grow. We are delighted that cinemas are now opening again, production studios are back filming, and more families can once again share a special big screen experience together. The pandemic has also underlined the importance of our work in the online space - with more people watching content on streaming services than ever before, it is vital that families are provided with trusted advice, age ratings and tools that we know they need to choose content well.

The organisation also pivoted their outreach work to focus on reaching families who were watching more content at home for entertainment and educational purposes. For the first time, the organisation published a series of home learning resources, designed specifically for parents faced with educating their children from home. This initiative was supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and children's charities.