Viewing Stuff

 Directed by Stephen Spielberg, Written and Directed by Stephen Spielberg and Tony Kushner The Fabelmans is based on the childhood of Stephen Spielberg. Being the only son of four children, Sam (as his character is named in the movie) received special attention from his mother who, when he displayed an interest in film making at a very young age, indulged his passion completely.  After watching a train crash in Cecil B. DeMille's Greatest Show on Earth, Sam suddenly wants an electric train set for Hanukkah. And his father accedes to his request. But Sam doesn't want it because he's interested in trains. He wants to reenact the train crash he'd seen in the movie which outrages his father when he gets up late in the night to fulfill his wish. He's gold that the train must be cared for, not abused.  In response, he and his mother decide that filming the crash with his father's 8 mm camera would prove a solution. He could watch the crash more than once without damag...

  Written and Directed by Todd Field Lydia Tar is a famous maestra, meaning a female conductor in Italian, as opposed to Maestro. And, of course, Lydia did comment in the movie that she preferred to be called a maestro although none of the other characters obliged. We learn of all her accolades at the beginning of the movie when she's being interviewed in an auditorium in front of a crowd of several hundred. Obviously, she's well revered. Then, she does a quick seminar at Juilliard where she berates a gender-neutral student who would rather conduct noise than Bach because Bach was a white man who spawned 22 children over the course of a lifetime.  Lydia is a genius and also a force to be reckoned with. Never cross her or question her and remain loyal no matter the outcome. Lydia is a loving mother and happily married to another woman yet enjoys her dalliances with other women dependent on her for employment. Just like a powerful man, like Harvey Weinstein for example.  As...

 Neds stands for Non-educated Delinquents. It’s a dystopian story that takes place in 1970s Glasgow. John McGill is introduced as a young boy with exceptional academic potential. At a summer school recommended by his Latin teacher, John befriends a boy of equal academic potential. They hang out until the rich boy’s mother learns of John’s background and decides he shouldn’t hang out with her son. John becomes bitter and turns to gangs for friendship and camaraderie. Trouble follows John both at school and in the community at large. It’s a story of a boy searching for identity in a place he doesn’t belong. NEDS was difficult to watch but ultimately satisfying. Written and Directed by Peter Mullan Available on Tubi - A free movie app with a few breaks for commercials. I believe there were three or four during NEDS, three of the four showing a black screen and the fourth a very amateurish ad for UBC following by 30 seconds of blackness. 

  The movie starts out as humorous look the culinary tastes of the extremely wealthy and what chefs are willing to pass onto them as food. A bunch of couples take a boat to an island where they will be fed by Chef Slowik.  A number of bizarre plates but none meant to satiate hunger in any way. For example, the bread plate consists of the spreads without the bread. Then, comes horror/thriller part of the movie which, although amusing, devolves into genre with good guys or gal on one side and the baddies on the other. It provides an amusing two hours.  Directed by Mark Mylod Screenplay by Seth Reiss, Will Tracy Presently available on Disney

India Stoker played by Mia Wasikowska developed a strong relationship with her father as she grew up. A favourite memory is hunting for birds with him, many collected and stuffed. She is distant from her mother played by Nicola Kidman. The movie begins with the death of her father and his funeral. In the distance can be seen her father’s brother, Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode). Of course, something is amiss. The tension builds slowly as we learn that Uncle Charlie may not be the handsome, thoughtful, cavalier individual he presents to the world (although India’s mother is certainly entranced.) India too is not the perfectly behaved straight A student she presents to the world. They movie starts slowly but builds to a resounding crescendo. Written and Directed by Park Chan-wook

  Bill Baker has lost his daughter to a Marseilles prison where she’s serving a life sentence for murdering her girlfriend. She claims innocence and Bill believes her and so, he goes on a hunt for the real murderer. The fact that he doesn’t speak French does not deter him. DNA from another individual was found at the site of the murder so he goes in search of that other person. He finds a young stage actress who agrees to be his interpreter, first of a letter written by his daughter in French and then, to interview individuals who may help in his search. Bill feels a debt to the actress also he starts picking up her young daughter from school and performing repairs around the apartment. Of, course, a relationship begins to develop. The story may waver slightly toward the middle of 240-minute movie however it quickly picks up toward the end. The movie isn’t all together satisfactory in that it strays considerably from the true story on which “Stillwater” is based however, it does pr...