Uncovered: The McMartin Family Trials (2019)
This is an okay documentary about the infamous McMartin case. This all began in 1983 with an allegation of abuse. Kee, the puppet lady, got children to make wild allegations of abuse. A doctor backed her up. A reporter who was dating Kee broke the case. Nobody had ethics.
There were hundreds of alleged victims. Pre-school teachers were accused and the it was devastating and shocking. What the McMartins had already endured was nothing compared to what they would endure in the years to come. Politics got involved in the case as wild accusations involving satanism flew.
Did DAs pursuse the case due to political ambtions? The McMartin's respectability, decorum and discretion was gone. People had absolute certainty of guilt and there was powerful intimidation by the legal system. This lead to potentially devastating consequences.
In 1984 there was a bail hearing and legitimate debate was stifled. Accountability wasn't sought and prosecutors showboated. There was a betrayal of the sanctity of the school. Nobody got bail and one wonders if there was reasonable suspicion. There was public disquiet and things went horribly wrong. If there was any truth to the case, it was overshadowed by incompetence, leading questions and over charging.
There were massive implications and the case was essentially absurd. This is a damning assessment of the US legal system. Accusations went so far beyond anything sane and rational, that the case got even more contentious. There were unfair assumptions and talk of tunnels.
The media was irresponsible. People had anxiety and did some horrible unspecified event happen? This was insightful and ignorant assumptions were made. There was obsessive madness and dark claims and no evidence was ever found. There was no protective action. This was a moral inquisition and escalation and no critical examination.
There is an inescapable impression of hysteria. CII is talked about. Nothing is substaintiated. Teachers in a position of trust lost it all. This happened in Manhatten Beach and the leading questions of Kee were finallly addressed.
Kee had no qualifications and was not an expert. Defence lawyers speak. The trial was long and expensive. In 1985 testimoney began. We see 80s hair. In 1986 one of the prosecutors resigned in disgust. In 1987 the trial began and the original accuser drank herself to death before her testimony. Charges were dropped agaisnt some and the rest were found innocent. But it wasn't seen as exoneration.
The medical expert says her case was valid. In 1990 crazy parents dug up the McMartin school looking for tunnels. There was a retrial in 1990. The new prosecutor went to McMartin! There are talk of recordings and the retrial ended in a mistrial. Charges were dropped and the trials cost 15 million.
Best Lines:
“This is happening. These are horrible people.”
“Presumed guilt.”
“Appearance of utter depravity.”
“Major perp walk.”
“Pervasive and unending.”
“She didn't have a driver's licence. She was 2 1/2.”
“Factually innocent.”
“Looking for tunnels.”
“I have no credibility.”
“He ran out of informant gas.”
“Menacing tattoos.”
“What kind of a person he was.”
“Cult aspect.”
“Get a real job now.”
“Clearly had an agenda.”
“Anything she said was taken as gospel.”
“Social contagion.”
“Lost everything they had.”
“Hired a tunnel expert.”
“Shameful retrospect.”
~
The Decline (2020)
This French-Canadian film is a dubbed 'horror' about survivalists. The dubbing is bad. This film is oddly prophetic. People watch prepper Youtube videoes. This was unfulfilling and people go to a prepper gathering. This has an unerring ability to bore. A man goes on about propane, solar panels, wood, his generator, his greenhouse, his poultry, apple trees, deer and maple trees, all located on his compound.
When talking about how society will fail, nobody mentions an epidemic. The makers want us to see the preppers as seeing an imaginary scary future and having scary thoughts. They were right! There is no catastrophising aka latching onto unpleasant possibilities and spinning them into waking nightmares.
There is talk of beets and future planning and deliberate awareness and dark imaginings about the future. There are dead rabbits. This was a woeful effort. There is an accident, a cover up and a widespread lack of empthy. People are negatively impacted. People have problematic attidues and there are unthinkable decisions. This was not necessary and there is daft solemnity and this was disheartening and it had no grim urgent focus.
Best Lines:
“If you forget your turtle, we leave it behind.”
“Chaos and fighting.”
“Able to eat this rice in 20 years.”
“Lots of hungry people but not us.”
“Keeps the world out.”
“Evacuation trails.”
“Retaking my land.”
“It'll be a social crisis.”
“My grandmother taught me.”
~
Area 51 (2015) ReWatch
This is a found footage film about dude bro idiots who plan to break into Area 51. This is not powerful or brilliant, but it was okay. The idiots will get to Area 51 and they will never leave. Why did the nut's friends assent to breaking into Area 51 with him? What are ammonia sensors? They commit a home invasion and make absurd leaps of logic and Area 51 has a well deserved evil reputation.
They find labs, white blood, an anti-grav ship and uncover secrets in the restricted confines of Area 51 which leads to an abrupt dismisal of hopes. Who assembled this footage? There is a creepy downer ending and the post credits scene is just mean. Area 51 remains an eternally dark shameful secret. People are discomfitied. Trying to ascertain the truth must be seen to carry serious consequences.
Best Lines:
“This is where people get killed.”
“Right out of 'Psycho'.”
“This is where people make meth.”
“Told you he wasn't weird.”
“Freon suit.”
“Better hope they never get out.”