Parents Say Knight Too Dark for Kids

MPAA under fire again after lesbian encounter gets tamer 'R'

(USER SUBMITTED) - Hollywood's rating system is coming under fire again after two Oscar contenders, Black Swan and Blue Valentine, received R and NC-17 ratings, respectively. Debate is raging because both films depict oral sex scenes in essentially the same way, for the same time and with no nudity, reports the Los Angeles Times . The only difference between the two is that Black Swan, which got the tamer rating, features a lesbian encounter. In Blue Valentine, Ryan Gosling's character performs oral sex on Michelle Williams' character. More»

It's Complicated spotlights MPAA's wacky marijuana rules

(NEWSER) - Insiders say the only reason Meryl Streep’s new romantic comedy It’s Complicated has an R rating is a scene in which she smokes marijuana, and that’s causing a “minor ruckus” in Hollywood. A source close to the hearings tells Robert Ablon of the Los Angeles Times “pot smoking with no bad consequences” was the MPAA’s top official reason for hanging the revenue-reducing rating on the movie. What’s next, Ablon wonders: “This film is rated R for brief alcohol use portrayed in a positive light”? More»

(AP) - Just because Batman landed in Hong Kong doesn't mean The Dark Knight will. Warner Bros. has decided not to release the film in China in part because of "cultural sensitivities," the studio said. Warner Bros. did not elaborate, but company execs are apparently concerned that the film's scenes in Hong Kong, where Batman nabs a gangster, would offend censors. Bootlegs have been available there for months. More»

$66.4M first day for 'The Dark Knight' shames last Spidey's $59.8M

(NEWSER) - Batman sequel The Dark Knight raked in $66.4 million in its first 24 hours, easily sweeping past the previous mark of $59.8 million opening day set last year by Spider-Man 3, the AP reports. With a showing like that, Dark Night is poised to surpass Spidey’s opening weekend record of $151.1 million. Heath Ledger’s much-buzzed-about turn as the Joker is helping lure fans. More»

Times looks at how Batman has evolved from first flick in 1940s

(NEWSER) - With The Dark Knight set to open in the US at midnight Thursday, Batman will see another reinvention in the series of makeovers that accompanied the character to the silver screen beginning in 1943. The Times of London takes a look:

• Low-budget Batman (1943) and Batman and Robin (1949) lacked flair and special effects.
• Tim Burton's Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992) came complete with supervillains such as the Joker and Catwoman.