Great films will find their audience whether they have an X, R or NC-17 rating and whether they win an Oscar or not. Here is Part 2 of some of the notable films over the past years that have these ratings and why they are exceptional. These films have reached out to their audiences using a unique voice, capturing the attention of a generation and opening their minds to look at very human issues in a new and refreshing, sometimes very raw way.

Blue Valentine, 2010; originally rated NC-17 for a scene of explicit sexual content; successfully appealed to an R-rating for strong graphic sexual content, language, and a beating. This film by Director Derek Cinefranc was a huge success at Sundance and TIFF. Cinefranc says he based the movie on his own life. The movie starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams exposes a relationship at the height of its romance and as it falls apart. Cinefranc says he had two nightmares as a child – nuclear war and his mother and father divorcing.

https://myetvmedia.com/film-review/blue-valentine/

Boys Don’t Cry, 1999; edited version rated R for violence including a rape scene, sexuality, language and drug use.

This movie was a hit at the Venice, TIFF and New York Film Festivals and exposed the true story of a transgender teen played by Hillary Swank.  Hillary Swank won her first Oscar for playing the heart-wrenching role of the 20-year old Brandon who leaves his/her home town of Lincoln, Nebraska for nearby Falls City. She lives completely as a boy and is regarded as a man until she is arrested for a traffic violation.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula, 1992; edited version rated R for sexuality and horror violence.  Francis Ford Coppola’s interpretation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 Dracula, starring Gary Oldman presented a remarkable interpretation of the repression of sexual desires of during the Victorian Era.

Crash, 1996; for numerous explicit sex scenes; edited version rated R for accident, gore, some graphic language and aberrant sexual content.  The film was adapted by Cronenberg from the JG Ballard novel. Paul Haggis directed another R rated film entitled ‘Crash’ released in 2004 that won the multiple Oscars for Best Writing, Best Original Screenplay, Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Achievement in Film Editing and was nominated in 3 Oscar categories, it takes an unusual and fascinating look at race and gender issues in any modern city (the one in the film is LA).