TWO Filipino films received R-13 ratings from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), while three other movies were also approved for public viewing this week.
MTRCB Chair and CEO Lala Sotto called on moviegoers of all ages to support Philippine cinema and at the same time, make use of the opportunity to guide their children’s viewing habits.
“R-13 ang rating ng local films na palabas ngayong linggo. Inaanyayahan namin ang mga manonood na dalhin ang kanilang mga pamilya sa sinehan at tangkilikin ang gawang-Pilipino,” she said.
“Pero bago bumili ng tiket, dapat angkop ang sineng panonoorin sa edad at pag-intindi ng mga bata. Ito ay pagkakataon na gabayan natin sila sa panonood at protektahan sa mga masasamang impluwensya,” Sotto said.
The Filipino romantic comedy, “Saving Cherry,” was rated R-13. It stars Barbie Forteza, Khalil Ramos, AC Bonifacio, Mika Salamanca, Mikee Quintos and Sassa Gurl.
It tackles “mature themes relevant to a newlywed navigating the challenges of her relationship together with her ride-or-die girl squad,” the Agency said.
“The content contains occasional profanity and sexually suggestive language, but not in a frequent manner. The material includes explicit sexual references and moderate sexual situations, often involving romantic relationships,” the MTRCB said.
“The Guardian,” a Filipino-Korean action movie, was similarly rated R-13 for its theme of illegal gambling syndicates and its action scenes that feature martial arts and violence.
The Agency gave an R-16 classification to “Onslaught,” an action thriller starring Adria Arjona.
This is because its “graphic but non-gratuitous depiction of violence and gore, language, themes of government experimentations” may be unsuitable for children below 16 years old.
The horror film, “Origin Unknown,” will be exclusively screened at Megaworld Cinemas after receiving an R-13 rating.
Starring Daniel Martinez, the film has “depictions of horror, frightening scenes and occasional gore, discrete, infrequent, brief and non-graphic depictions of sexual activity, infrequent and non-graphic depiction of violence and suffering, infrequent and non-vulgar use of strong swear words or sexual derived or suggestive expletives and expressions, moderate swear words and menacing language.”
Meanwhile, fans of American singer and songwriter Katy Perry may watch “Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour – Live from Paris” exclusively at SM Cinemas.
The two-hour feature presentation was given a Parental Guidance (PG) rating for its “powerhouse performance by the lead and the dancers which include some sensual choreography movements, skimpy costumes-and adult lyrics of some songs.”
“Overall production includes extreme set-ups with lots of flying and lifting that may be dangerous if not done professionally. Parental Guidance is recommended for very young audiences,” the Agency said.
A G or General Audience rating means a film is suitable for all ages, while PG or Parental Guidance means a parent or guardian must be present to supervise younger viewers.
An R-13 means a film is suitable for viewers aged 13 and up, while an R-16 is for 16 years old and above. An R-18 is for adult audiences only.