10s Movie Review - Dredd

Director: Pete Travis
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Heady, Domhnall Gleeson

Description: In a violent, futuristic city where the police have to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop (Karl Urban) teams with a trainee (Olivia Thirlby) to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug SLO-MO.

Review: The first time the comic book character Judge Dredd got a movie, was in 1995, starring Sylvester Stallone. It wasn’t a success either critically or financially. Fans were also not very satisfied with Stallone’s interpretation of the comic book hero. Especially the fact that Stallone’s Dredd took off his helmet constantly, which Dredd practically never does in the comics. Seventeen years later, Karl Urban took on the role of Dredd.
The first thing to notice about “Dredd” is how raw and grim director Pete Travis’ vision of the future is. In a post-apocalyptic future, the population lives close together in megacities, with crime rates as high as skyscrapers. Everything is dirty, people walk ins rags and the poverty is almost palpable. There is very little room for humor, and the jokes that a remade often come at the expense of a poor soul who finds himself on the wrong side of Dredd’s gun.
Urban plays the title role with appropriate authority. His helmet never comes off, but Urban’s jawline is charismatic enough. With few words but many actions, he makes Dredd a determined and unstoppable force. Thus he forms a fine duo with Olivia Thirlby as the inexperienced Judge Anderson. While Dredd deals with the violence in a purely physical way, Anderson uses her feelings and her brain. It provides a nice interaction between the two opposites, and Urban and Thirlby know how to convey the bond of trust that slowly but unspoken develops between the two.
Across from them, the duo faces crime queen Ma-Ma, a violent brute. Ma-Ma deals in a drug called SLO-MO, which causes the user’s perception of time to slow down, making for some nice 3D scene. The two judges find themselves trapped in Ma Ma’s domain, apartment building Peach Trees. This results in cat-and-mouse game, with both sides not shying away from any violence. The action scenes are numerous, rock-hard, and simply but effectively put together. The violence is occasionally quite explicit. “Dredd” has an atmosphere that resembles an eighties action film and it is this no-nonsense approach that makes this film so entertaining.  
“Dredd” barely distinguishes itself from similar action films. Fortunately, it doesn’t pretend to be anything more than that either. This was a great film, not for the faint of heart though.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Moments : "Juno"

Juno is a quirky and whip-sharp teenager who gets pregnant after having sex with Bleeker once. This story is so fun, I love this movie. One of those films that puts a smile on my face! Here are my favorite moments from “Juno”.

Moment # 1: Opening credits

One of the best opening credits of a movie ever. We see Juno walk on the street with a big can of orange juice.

Moment # 2: Pregnant

At the drug store Juno is taking a pregnancy test. And yes, she is knocked up!

Moment # 3: Telling Bleeker

The guy who she had sex with, only once, is Bleeker. He’s is also the one getting her pregnant. Juno decides to tell him in a very unconventional yet Juno way.

Moment # 4: Telling her parents

Juno has to tell her father and stepmom. She also is stating that she will give up the baby for adoption. Her dad is really surprised that she slept with Bleeker and her stepmom is right on hands on with the arrangements.

Moment # 5: Meeting Vanessa and Mark

In the Pennysaver Juno found the perfect adoption parents for her baby. Together with her dad she is about to meet Vanessa and Mark Loring. Soon Juno realizes that it’s Vanessa one wish to become a mother.

Moment # 6: Snap

Together with her best friend Leah and her stepmother, Juno is going for an ultra sound. The doctor helping her seems very prejudice and judges Juno. Juno’s stepmom doesn’t accept that and shuts her up. Snap!

Moment # 7: Vanessa talks to the baby

Juno and Leah are at the mall when the bump into Vanessa. She asks Juno if she can touch the belly after Juno feels the baby kick. When Vanessa feels, she doesn’t feel the baby and decides to talk to it.

Moment # 8: Mark leaves Vanessa

Juno visits Mark and he tells her some bad news. He wants to leave Vanessa, because her dream isn’t his. Juno is mad, because her plan goes to shit now.

Moment # 9: Orange Tic Tacs

After realizing Bleeker is the guy for her, Juno decides to make a giant romantic gesture. She fills Bleeker’s mailbox with orange Tic Tacs, his favorite.

Moment # 10: Juno and Bleeker kiss

After the Tic Tac gesture, Juno tells Bleeker she is in love with him and they kiss.

Moment # 11: The delivery

The time has come, Juno is about to deliver the baby. Stepmom Bren and best friend Leah support her and Juno delivers a boy. She doesn’t want to hold him.

Moment # 12: Vanessa is a mom

Finally Vanessa is a mom and she can’t wait to hold her son. Bren sees her and sees the baby is in good hands.

Moment # 13: The note

What we didn’t see was the note Juno wrote for Vanessa. She wrote: Vanessa, if you’re still in, I’m still on. Vanessa framed it for the baby’s room.

Moment # 14: Juno and Bleeker sing

Juno is back in shape an races of to Bleeker. Together they play guitar and sing a lovely song.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 12: Vanessa is a mom