OCTOBER NEWSLETTER 

Kia ora koutou

This month we've welcomed the opportunity to look back and into the future with the 30 years of the Classification Office celebrations. This Sunday Star Times article looks at the mahi of the Office now and how that has evolved across the last three decades. We also approached some former colleagues for their recollections, as well as their first scary movie memory. You can watch the recorded interviews with former Chief Censors David Shanks and Jane Wrightson as well as members from our Youth Advisory Panel on our YouTube channel and our Instagram reels.   

Across the past month people have been seeking out our content breakdowns for new releases such as Nobody Wants This, The Substance, and Joker 2: Folie à Deux. These guides can help you decide how much body horror or sparky offensive language you can manage for your movie night. Know your line, know your rating. They can all be found via our Find a Rating search tool on our website. 

Our newsletters generally talk about topics like sex, drugs, and the media content landscape. Our aim is to have difficult conversations and shine a light on ways to reduce harm for New Zealanders. If you know someone who should receive these updates, please share our newsletter or encourage them to subscribe. Be sure to follow our socials and LinkedIn too.

Aroha atu, aroha mai, tātou i a tātou
Let’s look out for each other

— Chief Censor Caroline Flora

#Mātakitahi #WatchTogether #Kōrerotahi #TalkTogether 

Image: Kristen Bell and Adam Brody in Nobody Wants This

Everything everywhere all at once: the Classification Office dilemma (Sunday Star Times)

“If the public could see what we ban, they would agree with it.” — Chief Censor Caroline Flora.

We are living in more censor-tive times, with child abuse and terrorist material swamping concerns over swear words and nudity, a non-stop task for the Classification Office as it this month celebrates 30 years as a public safety net. Read the full Sunday Star Times article by Kevin Norquay on thepost.co.nz.

Trending true crime: Lyle and Erik Menendez

Content warning: this blog goes into detail about two documentaries with strong content warnings and covers themes suicide, sexual violence, child abuse, domestic violence, graphic violence, nudity and sex scenes.

"Even though it’s part of my job to keep up with heavy content, I’ll admit the Menendez brothers’ story really stuck with me. It’s the kind of thing that lingers, and if you’re thinking of pressing play, you should know it’s not something you can easily shake off."

Over on the blog Jess deep dives into the most impactful content in the true crime series and documentary streaming now on Netflix. 

Can my child watch Agatha All Along?

Halloween is just around the corner, and many families are looking for something to watch together that captures that spooky spirit. One show you might come across is Agatha All Along. With its supernatural themes, a good dose of humour and a plot involving witches, it certainly ticks the Halloween box—but is it family-friendly?

The series has been self-rated by Disney+ M which means it is unrestricted but more suitable for a mature audience 16 years and over. The content warning includes violence horror and coarse language. Read more on the blog. 

Agatha All Along image ©Disney

Parental controls and boundaries: The key to stress-free parenting

As parents, we juggle a million things at once: work, life admin, endless chores, and of course, raising our tamariki. In a world where screen time is inevitable—whether it’s for entertainment or a way to keep the kids occupied while we tick things off the to-do list—finding balance can be tough.

On the blog Caitlin shares some general tips and advice around devices and parental controls.

Why did The Substance get this classification?

R16: Violence, offensive language, sexual material and content that may disturb

A middle-aged actress uses a mysterious substance to create a younger version of herself when she is fired from her job hosting a popular daytime aerobics show.

The Substance was classified by the Office and received an R16 with content warnings for violence, offensive language, sexual material and content that may disturb. Read our breakdown of the classification. 

Why did Joker: Folie à Deux get this classification?

R16: Violence, sex scenes, suicide and content that may disturb

Five years after Joker (2019), Arthur Fleck finds himself as a patient at Arkham State Hospital, where he falls in love with fellow inmate Lee Quinzel. Their shared madness turns life into a twisted musical, while Arthur's followers rally to set him free.

Joker: Folie à Deux was classified by the Office with the support of the Youth Advisory Panel and received an R16 with content warnings for violence, sex scenes, suicide and content that may disturb. Read our breakdown of the classification and if you're seeking even more information we have a detailed impactful guide about the content as well. 

Why did Nobody Wants This get this rating?

16: Offensive language, sexual themes

An agnostic sex podcaster and a newly single Jewish rabbi fall in love; discovering if their relationship can survive their wildly different lives and meddling families.

Nobody Wants This was self-rated by Netflix and received a 16 with content warnings for offensive language, sexual themes. Read our breakdown of the rating.

Because our work requires a broad knowledge of the vast online landscape, we consume a lot of media in the office. Here are just a few of the things we’ve found relevant and informative over the past month. Take a break with these media lunch items:

Young men turning to illegal substances to enhance appearance (NZ Herald)

Eighteen treated for severe nausea in Stuttgart after opera of live sex and piercing (The Guardian)

HMNZS Manawanui: Collins slams 'deeply misogynist' comments (1News.co.nz)