“Just a few years ago, the coming attractions were a safe haven for cinematic prudes. But this year, R-rated trailers — known as ‘red bands’ on account of the red, “Restricted Audiences Only” warning that precedes them — have become omnipresent. According to the Motion Picture Association of America, nearly 30 restricted-audience trailers have been approved so far in 2008, already matching the number accepted between 2000 and 2006.

“In surveying the recent crop of restricted trailers, it’s apparent that the studios are still adjusting to the red-band universe: The aesthetics of the R-rated trailer remain up for debate. Which naughty bits should be thrown on the screen as an enticement, and which should be held in reserve for paying customers?” — from Josh Levin 9.17 Slate piece called “In A World Where YOu Can Smoke Weed in a Movie Trailer.”