While I like the fact that movies are given ratings, I like being given details of some sort as to why. I don't see ratings as censorship, they are useful tools for parents, when choosing what movies we are going to be taking our children to see.

But smoking isn't one of those things that bothers me, and I hardly rank it up there with sexual or violent content.

"This movie is rated R because of numerous depictions of decapitations and disembowelments." Yeah, I'd have no problem telling them that with a straight face.

"This movie is rated R because of explicit depictions of sexual intercourse." Ditto.

"This movie is rated R because of numerous depictions of tobacco consumption." Nope, can't straight-face that one.

The laugh test can sometimes be effective.

So, they'd have to count the glasses and penalize those showing people drink more or less.

I'll apply for that job. Is one of the qualifications knowing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

Well, according to current government guidelines, two glasses a day are good for you. So, they'd have to count the glasses and penalize those showing people drink more or less.

Sounds silly to me.

It's silly to me too, but I grew up in a family with a mother who smoked. I have no asthma or other health issues. And I never took up the habit either.

I also recall looking at James Dobson's "Focus on the Family" newsletter that was posted at my church, which went into even greater detail on what horrors were on display. In retrospect, writing those "reviews" had to've been a great job.

The following movie contains smoking. Viewer discretion advised.

Sounds silly to me.

The ratings are only okay is figuring out if the movie has material I'd object to. Reviews with some description of the content is more useful to me than a few letters. "R" can be anything from bloody violence to lots of skin to tons of cursing. It's not very descriptive.

I was certainly appreciative when HBO provided those helpful warnings back in the day.

I still use them now. ;-)

I was certainly appreciative when HBO provided those helpful warnings back in the day.

I believe the problem was that teenaged boys would have their decision-making greatly facilitated: "full-frontal nudity AND sexual situations ... we are DEFINITELY going to see this movie!"

But the tobacco thing is just silly & the kind of thing that will further discredit the ratings, to where parents shrug them off.