Beaks here...

RopeofSilicon's Brad Brevet likes to keep an eye on the MPAA ratings, and he just noticed two fairly significant judgments.

First, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE will be the franchise's first PG installment since 2004's PRISONER OF AZKABAN. As Brevet stated in his email, this is a little unexpected given the "dark" direction in which the series has been headed over the last couple of movies. As I haven't read beyond the first two Potter books, I'll put it to the fans: is this expected, or did WB catch the MPAA in a lenient mood?

Receiving a much harsher rating is Zack Snyder's TALES OF THE BLACK FREIGHTER, the feverishly violent, direct-to-DVD pirate yarn that will accompany the theatrical release of the WATCHMEN. According to the MPAA, BLACK FREIGHTER is an R for "violent and grisly images". Frankly, given Dave Gibbons's vivid illustrations from the graphic novel, I could've seen them slapping an NC-17 on this sucker.

Actually, it sounds like the MPAA might've been headed in that direction with Jody Hill's OBSERVE AND REPORT (starring Seth Rogen and Ray Liotta), which drew a very hard R for "pervasive language, graphic nudity, drug use, sexual content and violence." Sounds exactly like the script I reviewed last year, and I can't fucking wait.