In my own case, that link required me to register an account, and I didn’t have the time for that just then. Maybe same happened to the person you’re responding to.
The trailer I’ve seen on TV makes it look exactly like it’s a kids’ movie. I’m surprised to learn it has an R rating, actually, based on the trailer I’ve seen (which I clearly didn’t pay close enough attention to since I’m sure it says at the end what the rating is).
Given that I live in Australia, I have no idea what “Green Band” and “Red Band” mean in relation to movie trailers. Like I said, the trailers and marketing here (in Australia) have made the movie look like cross between The Adventures of Shark Boy & Lava Girl and Superbad, and whilst I am interested in seeing the film, I was very concerned that it was basically a “kidult” film. I have no idea what rating it’s gotten here in Australia (probably MA15+), but the reality is that I stopped paying attention to film ratings when I was about 16, so that’s hardly a guide either.
That and I’m not an IMDB member and have no intention of signing up to view one trailer. That’s how I was still confused over what sort of film this was, OK?
I wasn’t referring to Equipose’s link, I was referring to gaffa’s - from two posts earlier - which requires no membership, only an age verification that doesn’t even require you to tell the truth, let alone give any other information.
Yeah, I am looking forward to it. It has been a slow year for movies so far. I’ll see it in the matinee on Saturday.
Here’s 15seconds that may help you decide who it’s for 
I’m not confused on that point - but their marketing is. I have a 12-year-old and a 9-year-old who think this movie is for them because of the commercials they see on cable tv…
Except it’s not, because during the ad I’m pretty sure they would have displayed the ratings certificate.
I’m a bit confused as to why people are confused about this. Of course the ads on television are G-rated, they have to be because the tv station requires they be.
It’s the certificate rating that tells you that there’s clearly more to the movie than is being shown in the commercial.
<brag>
I got to go to the New York City premier a couple weeks ago. It does, indeed, kick ass. Also, Mark Millar is a super cool dood.
</brag>
My kids watch tv. They see the ad for a movie featuring kids kicking ass. They don’t pay attention to the ratings and/or just assume that any violence is stuff they can handle, based on what they see on the commercial. Remember an R rating can mean a lot of different things - the original Terminator is rated R and is pretty harmless other than when Ah-nuld cuts out his own eye and a quick shot of a boob when Sarah and Reese knock boots. So they are thinking/hoping “it’s an R, but it features kids - so it must be a *see-able *R.” It isn’t.
Is that confusing?
I don’t know what I would be looking to be done differently - I am sure if they went out of their way in the TV ads to say “This is really violent and profane - it is NOT for kids” that would just make the kids want to see it more - but at least kids the age of my two would clearly understand that there is NO WAY they are going to get to see it…
The trailers I’ve seen on TV have been misleading, whether or not at the end it says rated R.
I too thought it was just going to be a goofy comedy with a side of action and potentially with a Seth Rogan cameo.
Then I actually clicked on gaffa’s link, like a few people don’t seem to be capable of doing and when Hit-Girl uttered “Hey cunts.” I knew this movie was going to be a lot different than what I had thought.
A couple of things:
I’m utterly at a loss as to why seeing Hit-Girl gut a bad guy like a carp with a butterfly knife is acceptable, but hearing her call him a “cunt” beforehand is not. How the first is PG-13 while the second is R.
I do a lot of computer support, and that includes cleaning up spyware on family computers, deleting logs, etc. This means I get a view of adolescents, pre-teens and teens their parents do not. Kids today swear like pimps and carnies (though not as fluently). 11 year old girls use the word “fuck” quite a lot.
If your kids can handle the violence, they will be perfectly fine with the profanity. There is some question whether you will be able to handle sitting next to your kid while a 11 year old girl on screen calls people “cunts”.
So here’s what to do: Send them with a favorite uncle or aunt. I have no children, but have always been available to take my brother’s two daughters to films that he didn’t feel comfortable seeing with them. I took my younger niece to Rock School when she was 15, and one of the lines became a shared joke between us: “You don’t fuck up! Not on ‘Rebel Yell’!”.
Watching the red-band trailer again (a trailer that can only be shown before “R” rated movies) and, as far as I can tell, Hit-Girl appears to be the only genuine super-hero in the film - that is, an ordinary human with an extraordinary level of physical ability (a la Batman).
Red Mist appears to be about the gadgets.
Big Daddy is about guns.
Kick Ass can take punishment.
Wait hold on
I live in the US and I’ve never heard the terms “green band” or “red band” in my life until I read this thread.
Is that seriously terms I should have known about?
Green-, yellow- and red-band trailers roughly follow the same rules as G, PG, and R-rated movies (a red-band trailer will only be shown in front of movies that an adult can watch or a teenager can sneak into). The Wiki article states that Regal Entertainment Group’s theaters began showing them in March 2008.
I think the red-band ones are becoming more popular in recent years because one can watch them online (obviously), but only if you’re of a certain age or willingness to say that you are.
I haven’t seen the TV-safe commercials, but I absolutely would not be surprised if they’re misleading. It looks like a bright, colorful superhero movie, which makes the violence and profanity that much more jarring.
Violence has always been more “acceptable” in the US than certain profanity and sexual scenes/language. It’s weird and backwards.
I’ve never heard of them until trailers became more widely available online. I expect ‘red-band’ trailers were much less commonplace before the internet, only shown in certain locations where there would definitely be no children. The first time I saw a red-band trailer online, I definitely noticed it, since everything put out for public consumption gets sanitized no matter what movie it’s put in front of.
I’d always wondered, really. I’ve always seen “The following preview is intended for all audiences” up on the big screen, and wondered if there were ever any previews that weren’t intended for all audiences.
Rambling a bit, but to your question: no, it’s not something you should have known about, and don’t feel bad that you didn’t. It’s a pretty niche thing.
Frankly I haven’t seen much if any advertising for it yet, but if they are trying to sell it as family friendly kid movie then that’s completely deceptive. I would describe it as a kid flick directed by Tarantino - similar to Kill Bill, the violence is over the top and very cartoonish, and certainly not meant for kids under 13 or so.
To me, it was an unexpectedly fun and crazy movie that does not exist in any reality.
I’ve noticed green band trailers because I see a LOT of movies in the theater, and every single one is preceded by text on a green background.
By the way, in recent years the text changed from “All Audiences” to “Appropriate Audiences”. I have no idea why. A red band is for “Restricted Audiences”.
Does anyone know the orchestral tune that plays for at least a minute or two where Big Daddy is fighting? It isn’t on the soundtrack CD. It is a really good tune and it sounded familiar - it could be in another movie as well…
I looked on the IMDb forums and orchestral songs not included in the soundtrack include:
Adagio In D Minor- from Sunshine
In the House, in a heartbeat- from 28 Days/Weeks Later
Theme from The Good the Bad and the Ugly
The song I liked was the 28 days later one…
Hooray for River East 21 in Chicago! They are having a midnight show Thursday night, but they added a 10:00pm show too! It works out perfectly because I have a free pass to see Hubble 3D at the IMAX just down the street at Navy Pier. It’s at 8pm and is only 45 minutes, so the timing is perfect. Since I’ll have a lot of time after I get off work at 4pm, I’ll go to RE21 and see the 4:55 The Runaways, which I’ve already seen but I really liked so I want to see it again. I’ll have a great night at the movies! I’ll still be tired Friday, but not as, and anyway, that’s why God made No-Doze.