'No Strings Attached' banned from public viewing in Brunei

		Thu, Feb 17, 2011 The Brunei Times/Asia News Network
'No Strings Attached' banned from public viewing in Brunei
THE Hollywood movie No Strings Attached, which stars Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, has been banned from public viewing at local cinemas for its theme of casual sex, which conflicts with Islamic teachings and morality. The sudden withdrawal of the flick comes after it was featured in advertisements and a brief release of sneak peeks, prompting users of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to be curious about the decision not to have the movie shown. According to a source from of the Seri Kiulap Cineplex who opted for anonymity, the movie was banned due to the scenes being 'too sexy'. He added that the ban was made by the censorship board after viewing it before officially being released among the local cinemas for public viewing. Joanne, another cinema supervisor, said that the ban for the movie had been made a day before its arrival in the country last Friday. She said that because of the ban, their cinema was forced to return the film back to suppliers despite already advertising its release to the public. The Mall Cineplex declined to comment on the matter when contacted by The Brunei Times, but mentioned that it has likewise followed the ban of the movie as well. The Brunei Times tried to contact the relevant government authorities yesterday concerning the ban behind No Strings Attached but they were unreachable. No Strings Attached tells the story of a man and woman who share a physical relationship without the ties of commitment. As the story unfolds, they realise that they begin to want something more. -The Brunei Times/Asia News Network