roguegenius

As one who has ALS, I was enamored with learning that Jeri had the same disease. Too bad the horrors of this disease are not played right. Within months of being diagnosed, I can barely walk, and cannot walk at all without a walker. I just wish they would show how devastating this is to anyone's life instead of just throwing the term out there without actually showing the symptoms of ALS.

I have been watching this show. I barely remember it from my childhood days due to it being a bit racy for its time. Mostly, I just remember the great Henry Mancini theme song. However, the plots are very entertaining even in today's time. In fact, unlike many of today's crime shows, which usually last an hour (including commercial time), most drag out showing parts of this and that which really do not move the plot along well, in Peter Gunn, the short 30 minute slot is generally packed with interesting scenes and is generally unpredictable until the very end. The acting is superb by nearly every cast member in every episode. Except for the cars on the street and the wonderful jazz scores and scenes, there is so little to make this show out-dated. Most of the actions that occur could still occur today (if you discount some technology like everyone having a cell phone and being to get information on the internet). The show is in B&W but the show is so gritty the lack of color actually gives it a good film noir feel. It is really a shame that Craig Stevens (Peter Gunn) has not even been given a Star on the Walk of Fame. If you are a fan of gritty crime shows and a lover of good jazz, this is a series you do not want to pass up.

I have every Best Picture on DVD so was awaiting the release of "12 Years as a Slave" to disk. I had already seen how highly awarded this movie was, so expected great things from this film. OK, I'll give that the acting was superb, from the title character to the lowliest of bit players. The story was both compelling and horrific. So with great acting and story, how could this fail but to be superb. Well, it drug in places. I thought maybe the excruciation of having the story move along so slowly was intentional, to give one a sense of the passage of time under evil tyranny, but it didn't work. The 60ish, psychedelic scene transitions: the paddle wheel and water reflections quite nearly and literally gave me a headache. Am I glad I watched it? Yes! In portions, I both was entranced and wholly appalled at the brutal treatment of an enslaved group of humans. In other parts, I was so bored that I felt like turning it off. I hate to say it, but Steve McQueen is a great actor, but not such a great director. See it, but prepare to be somewhat disappointed at what was deemed as the best picture of 2013 by so very many.