Ebert defends Whale Rider against PG-13


In the Q&A section of Roger Ebert's web site at the Chicago Sun Times, there is an interesting exchange about the movie Whale Rider (reviewed very favorably here in June).

The crux of the problem is an endorsement that Ebert gave to the film that the MPAA (you remember them, they don't want you to copy movies) required the film's distributors to remove from their ads.

Ebert's quote was "Take the kids, and they'll see a movie that will touch their hearts and minds." Because the film is rated PG-13, Ebert's quote was considered inappropriate, despite the fact that he said take the kids, not send the kids, which I think still means that the parents would be going with, thus complying with the whole parental guidance thing.

He goes on to lament the decline of the MPAA into an organization that can lump Charlie's Angels:Full Throttle into the same category as Whale Rider.