The MPAA

The MPAA is the Motion Picture Association of America. This organization partners with all of the major motion picture studios to determine the ratings of movies. The MPAA has created a lettering system to rate movies and determine its suitability to various audiences. They decide what the movie rating is before it hits theaters.

The rating system is as follows:

1. Rated G – General audience, nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children.
2. Rated PG – Parental Guidance Suggested, some material may not be suitable for children.
3. Rated PG-13 – Parents strongly cautioned; some material may not be suitable for children under 13
4. Rated R- Restricted – Nobody under 17 without an adult, contains some adult material Movie ratings are then chosen based on where they fall in the lettering system. If no rating is possible then the movie is unrated and will probably not be released in theaters.

Learn more about these ratings here.