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Reel World Reality A ministry of the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP Ministry) A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Christian Ministry. www.capalert.com/ Entertainment Media Analysis Report A service to His little ones through you in His name by His Word MAR2011.134  (2009), PG [PG*] (1hr 50.75min) The #1 Christian entertainment media analysis service on the Internet. We give you OBJECTIVE tools NO ONE ELSE CAN to help YOU make an informed decision for yourself whether a film is fit for your family. Over 1300 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
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(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): Image Entertainment, Prelude Pictures, Lone Runner Entertainment, High Road Entertainment, Kenio Films, Keslow Cameras, The Perfect Game Distribution (US): Image Entertainment Director(s): William Dear Producer(s): Richard M. DeVos, Sr., Helen DeVos, Jim Van Eerden, Carlos Bremere, Richard W. Ham, David J. Machlica, Thomas W. Gilliam, W. William Winokur, Michael O. Gallant, Michael W. Koch, Deaniel de Liege, David Salzberg. Christian Tureaud Written by: W. William Winokur Cinematography/Camera: Bryan Greenberg Music: Bill Conti Film Editing: Chris Conlee Casting: Jackie Burch Production Design: Denise Hudson Viewed on Image Entertainment DVD  Based on a true story? I hope so. This is one of the finer works of entertainment. It is a story about the success of the Monterrey, Mexico Little League Baseball Team making it to the championship of the Little League World Series with a perfect game - "perfect game" means the opposing team getting no hits, no runs and no one making it to the first base. My opinion that this is one of the finer works of entertainment may be because of it being about a bunch of 9-something kids living a dream. And y'all know about me and my 42 kids so I might be ultra-sensitive to "kids." But like Courageous it will take more than a couple tissues to make it through the movie. Mexican descendant Cesar Faz (Clifton Collins, Jr.) finds it hard to get out of the locker room and on to the baseball diamond. Cesar works for the St. Louis Cardinals as a towel boy. Eddie Stanky, an earlier team owner had promised Cesar a slot on the team but the new owner is prejudiced against Mexicans playing on an American major league team. So Cesar heads back to Mexico. There, Cesar becomes involved with the local boys who love baseball. Cesar agrees to coach the boys since he is quite knowledgeable about baseball. Soon the boys form the first ever Mexican franchised Little League baseball Team. Many subplots intricately knit the fabric of the theme of sharing with the viewer the story of the first foreign baseball team to ever win the 1957 Little League World Series who do so with a perfect game. Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 91 out of 100 The filmmakers portray the quintessential boys using the old "boys will be boys" school of thought with one of them stealing a hub cap and several of them stealing the coins out of a wishing fountain. [Prov. 22:15] That and a funeral are all there is to the violent and/or violence-related, criminal content. Impudence/Hate (I) - 49 out of 100 Also as part of the "boys will be boys" thinking, the boys do mischief with fireworks and two of them get involved in a little difference of opinion scuffle [also Prov. 22:15]. While an episode of poor sportsmanship and window glass breaking occur, the heaviest content of this film applicable to this investigation area is all the racial friction: the insults, the hatred and the prejudice. Note that while we are on the Earth there is going to be racial, social and ethnic friction but when we each kneel at the foot of the Throne of Judgment, Jesus will not be Jew or Gentile or white or black or American or Mexican or Baptist or Catholic or rich or poor. He will be Jesus. [John 15:12, Rom. 12:18] Unfortunately, because of all the racial insults and friction portrayed in this film it earned an Impudence/Hate content investigation area score of 49, requiring the placement of the CAPCon Alert Light with this report since one of the investigation area scores (this one) fell below 54 out of 100. Click on the red light atop this page or the "CAPCon Alert Light" words above for more information. Sexual Immorality (S) - 97 out of 100 One of the boys seems to be "girl-happy" and frequently utters something involving the boy-girl relationship. One time he compares the covering of a baseball to a woman's skin. But that is the extent of the content applicable to this investigation area. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 67 out of 100 Coach Faz gets drunk twice. Maybe getting drunk is a fact of life. Maybe that it is a fact of life is, in part, because of glorifying it in and as entertainment. At any rate, it is not a thing to flaunt before children. "Why" you ask? Since you've asked I'll tell you. In a 2002 study the American College of Physicians (ACP) found that that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment undeniably leads to abuse of alcohol among underage viewers. The finding entitled Relation Between Parental Restrictions on Movies and Adolescent Use of Tobacco and Alcohol reports that of 4544 youths from grades 5 through 8 of fifteen Vermont and New Hampshire middle schools (90% of the youths were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted in their entertainment diets. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was On a side note, though smoking was not found in this film, there is nothing to say that viewing smoking in and as entertainment does not carry the same danger of influence as viewing drinking. Actually, the same matter of behavior influence applies to any behavior demonstrated in and as entertainment, including good behavior. Offense to God (O) - 88 out of 100 Only one time is God's name used in vain. But once is too much according to God [Deut. 5:11] Umberto (Carlos Gomez), the father of Angel Macias (Jake T. Austin), lost his elder son, Pedro (Emilio Cast) to an accident at the Church of the Dead. Umberto said God took Pedro. A note on God taking a child. God does not do that. Children go to Heaven "automatically" if they die before the age of accountability (typically upon puberty) since they are blessed but God did not take Pedro. Pedro died because of playing in a dangerous area. God does not kill children. And Cesar used going to church to meet a woman upon whom he had his romantic eye. Cesar used the church for romantic interests. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 There are no murders or suicides in the entire 110.75 minutes of the show. SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S) If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ] or bold. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source. If you use the Blue Letter Bible, a new window will open. Close it to return here or use "Window" in your browser's menu bar to alternate between the CAP page and the Blue Letter Bible page. CHAPTER/VERSE As always, it is best to refer to the Findings/Scoring section -- the heart of the CAP analysis model -- for the most complete assessment possible of this movie. |
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(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)  Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 91 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 49 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 97 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 67 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 88 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 |
| There are some in the entertainment industry who maintain that 1) violent programming is harmless because no studies exist that prove a connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children, and 2) young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy. Unfortunately, they are wrong on both accounts." And "Viewing violence may lead to real life violence." I applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our years of study, I contend that other aberrant behaviors, attitudes, and expressions can be inserted in place of "violence" in that statement. Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist concurs. For example, "Viewing arrogance against fair authority may lead to your kids defying you in real life." Or "Viewing sex may lead to sex in real life." Likewise and especially with impudence, hate and foul language. I further contend that any positive behavior can be inserted in place of "violence" with the same chance or likelihood of being a behavior template for the observer; of being incorporated into the behavior mechanics and/or coping skills of the observer. In choosing your entertainment, please consider carefully the "rest of the story" and our findings. |
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| For G rated Films with G equivalence: G PG equivalence: PG-G PG-13 equivalence: 13-G R equivalence: R-G< | For PG rated Films with G equivalence: G-PG PG equivalence: PG PG-13 equivalence: 13-PG R equivalence: R-PG | For PG-13 rated Films with G equivalence: G-13 PG equivalence: PG(13) PG-13 equivalence: PG-13 R equivalence: R-13 | For R rated Films with G equivalence: G-R PG equivalence: PG-R PG-13 equivalence: 13-R R equivalence: R | For NR rated Films with G equivalence: G-NR PG equivalence: PG-NR PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR R equivalence: R-NR |
