kenstallings-65346
Joined Feb 2018
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kenstallings-65346's rating
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kenstallings-65346's rating
This series resonates for decades as powerful as it was back in 1972 when it premiered. In all fifty states of America, it is not a violation of law to walk around without ID. You have to have a drivers license on your person to operate a vehicle, but only on public roads. You can drive a vehicle of any type on your private property without an ID.
The entire premise of this episode is based upon that legal reality. Yet, people are often harassed by police, and sometimes arrested by them, because they are walking in public and cops demand to know who they are. This is a violation of law, in that the demand to know identity must first be founded on the probable cause that said person violated the law.
In short, America isn't a nation where cops are authorized to walk up to anyone of choice, and demand to see their papers!
As this episode is played out, one must keep in mind that the justice system only remains just if it keeps itself moored firmly to the law, spirit and letter. If the system devolves itself into a meat market, where people are routinely rounded up on charges conjured up from thin air, then the system is corrupt and evil.
Frankly, this episode should be required viewing and academic discussion in every single police academy in the nation. The final scene is priceless, where the protagonist (and victim) has a wordless glance with the two police officers whose conduct started the whole series of events.
Had those two officers rose above their own relatively trivial problems and performed their sworn duties properly, the next few days of events would have played out radically different.
The difference between proper police work, vice shoddy police work, or ultimately corrupt police work, is driven home powerfully in this episode.
The entire premise of this episode is based upon that legal reality. Yet, people are often harassed by police, and sometimes arrested by them, because they are walking in public and cops demand to know who they are. This is a violation of law, in that the demand to know identity must first be founded on the probable cause that said person violated the law.
In short, America isn't a nation where cops are authorized to walk up to anyone of choice, and demand to see their papers!
As this episode is played out, one must keep in mind that the justice system only remains just if it keeps itself moored firmly to the law, spirit and letter. If the system devolves itself into a meat market, where people are routinely rounded up on charges conjured up from thin air, then the system is corrupt and evil.
Frankly, this episode should be required viewing and academic discussion in every single police academy in the nation. The final scene is priceless, where the protagonist (and victim) has a wordless glance with the two police officers whose conduct started the whole series of events.
Had those two officers rose above their own relatively trivial problems and performed their sworn duties properly, the next few days of events would have played out radically different.
The difference between proper police work, vice shoddy police work, or ultimately corrupt police work, is driven home powerfully in this episode.
This movie doesn't work in one critical way. Featuring a cast of child actors, the adults in the movie are raunchy and abusive to the child characters. That sort of comedy works great in a movie with adults such as Major League and Bull Durham.
But, in a movie about Little League baseball, it is way out of place. It seems like the producers, writers, and director were trying to make a social commentary and in the process tripped over themselves.
This is sad, because the actors, especially the child actors, do outstanding work. Tatum O'Neal is simply perfect in her role, and the work she did to throw curveballs and sliders is quite apparent. In fact, the child actors carry this movie, while the adults are made to look like ogres.
In particular, serving beer to children, slapping them on the field, verbally abusing them throughout the movie, all that was perhaps designed for laughs, but it honestly went over the top. Even if one wishes to project that Little League coaches were more strict back in the 1970's, they would not be tolerated being physically abusive to their players nor in cursing them out in a way that would be barely tolerable adult-to-adult.
As a comedic device it seems over-the-top and just doesn't work. In fact, the public reaction to the film was quite negative for precisely these reasons. You just don't abuse children in this manner for comedic effect and the negative reactions reflect that reality.
Overall, it is a shame, because the child actors deserved a better production platform.
But, in a movie about Little League baseball, it is way out of place. It seems like the producers, writers, and director were trying to make a social commentary and in the process tripped over themselves.
This is sad, because the actors, especially the child actors, do outstanding work. Tatum O'Neal is simply perfect in her role, and the work she did to throw curveballs and sliders is quite apparent. In fact, the child actors carry this movie, while the adults are made to look like ogres.
In particular, serving beer to children, slapping them on the field, verbally abusing them throughout the movie, all that was perhaps designed for laughs, but it honestly went over the top. Even if one wishes to project that Little League coaches were more strict back in the 1970's, they would not be tolerated being physically abusive to their players nor in cursing them out in a way that would be barely tolerable adult-to-adult.
As a comedic device it seems over-the-top and just doesn't work. In fact, the public reaction to the film was quite negative for precisely these reasons. You just don't abuse children in this manner for comedic effect and the negative reactions reflect that reality.
Overall, it is a shame, because the child actors deserved a better production platform.
Little more than an avenue for additional revenue, Kung Fu Panda 4 misses far more than it hits, and the misses dominate the movie to the exclusion of the paltry few successful scenes.
Ultimately, without the core characters, the movie struggles greatly to find a resonating theme, and spends the first hour meandering from one pointless fight scene to another, taking elements already worn thin from the previous three movies.
When the filler finally exhausts itself, what we are left with are about twenty minutes of worthy script that reveals a degree of originality, but even then is based more on contrivance than substance.
The issue for the producers isn't the lack of production quality. Indeed, Dreamworks has all their chops in fine form throughout. But, no degree of production value can overcome a weak script that only offers ten percent value on the run time.
This remake lacks the emotional depth and intrigue needed to carry through a 90 minute presentation. In the end, this void is too much to overcome.
Ultimately, without the core characters, the movie struggles greatly to find a resonating theme, and spends the first hour meandering from one pointless fight scene to another, taking elements already worn thin from the previous three movies.
When the filler finally exhausts itself, what we are left with are about twenty minutes of worthy script that reveals a degree of originality, but even then is based more on contrivance than substance.
The issue for the producers isn't the lack of production quality. Indeed, Dreamworks has all their chops in fine form throughout. But, no degree of production value can overcome a weak script that only offers ten percent value on the run time.
This remake lacks the emotional depth and intrigue needed to carry through a 90 minute presentation. In the end, this void is too much to overcome.