dst-thomas

This show is very intense, reminded me a little bit of Burn Notice, only turned up to 11. Sex and violence abound.

4 seasons gave them enough time to answer all my questions about the main characters' pasts, resolve the loose ends and finish the series with a satisfying finale. (Unlike SHO's Ray Donovan which just went around in circles until they abruptly pulled the plug on it...) We need more shows like this!

Joe Pera Talks with You is the new show I never knew I wanted so badly. I turn to Cartoon Network for entertaining short-duration shows, such as Mike Tyson Mysteries. They're blessedly brief and to the point, and I can watch them as a matter of convenience on my DVR. Joe Pera's schtick is a grandfatherly teacher who presents the various minutiae of life from a thoughtful perspective. My take is that if he weren't such a well-intentioned, sincere character he would be mostly rejected by "normal" society. But our hero manages to win the day while living comfortably between two worlds - the outside world where we meet life, and his inner world of perspectives, knowledge, and values. The overall mood of the show is calming, with "Joe Pera Reads You The Church Announcements" (S1E6) becoming surprisingly edgy. So I've seen 6 episodes so far, and have become a huge fan. Although each episode is self-contained enough that you can dive in, the episodes also present threads relating to themes and personal relationships that you can follow - not knowing some of them will make scenes in some episodes seem random. Thank you, Joe Pera, for talking with me.

It's immediately obvious that a good bit of money and effort went into making this movie. It's hard to put my finger on exactly where it falls short. The dystopian future world and MegaCity are convincing created, considering the movie making tech available at the time. The acting is OK and Diane Lane turns in a very credible performance (up until the ridiculous ending). The direction tries to get the most of the actors and script, but somehow falls a little short. The editing is uneven, and when it's tight it's tight. When it's not tight the pace starts to drag. It's hard to tell sometimes if the drag comes more from the direction and editing, or from the script. The repetitive tag lines, such as "I knew you were going to say that" stop working long before they keep trying to make them work. I wanted to like it, but I was just unable to do so by the time I got to the half-way mark. I soldiered through it for story line and to see if it was going to redeem itself, but ended up kind of wishing I had bailed. The ending was just stupid.

I was left with the realization that I liked a different movie from a couple of years earlier quite a bit more. That film was Demolition Man. It was a sci-fi action rom-com, so very different but it was a hit with me on many levels. If you're just looking for a fun movie to watch and Demolition Man is an option, then I would try that one. If your heart and head are set on Judge Dredd, I hope you find what you are looking for in this interpretation of that character and world.