Viewing Stuff

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...

  Based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, “Two Faces of January” follows a couple visiting Athens in 1962. Chester, the man, is considerably older than his wife, Collette. They meet a guide at the Acropolis who offers to guide them through a flee market. He’s an American who speaks the Greek fluently. The connections he makes with locals all seem to involve putting money in his pocket. He’s a bit of a grifter whose word can never be trusted. We learn that Chester is a man cut from the same cloth only he’s been at it longer with considerably higher stakes. The look and feel of the movie is very much like that of the movies from the era in which it’s supposed to take place. The instrumental music and cinematography evoke those that would have been used by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock or John Huston. It’s paced similarly without the special effects and CGI used in the present day. All these combine for entertaining viewing with a plot that’s difficult to predict. Written and Directed...

The movie starts with the creation of twin rovers meant to fly to Mars, land, and then explore its surface for possible signs of life both past and in the present. It begins scientists in the process of constructing the twin rovers named Spirit and Opportunity . The rovers would have to think independently on this foreign planet and also take instructions. They would have to navigate their way through sand, down crater walls through sandstorms. There was also the challenge of getting them to Mars; blasting off on the rocket, flying through space filled with solar flares caused by storms on the sun. Then, they would need protection entering Mars Atmosphere, then deploy a parachute, use jets to slow their fall and then make their way to the surface. Some of the solutions to these problems will be surprising. Once on Mars, the rovers were believed to have a 90-day shelf-life to complete their mission when they landed in January, 2004. After 90 days, scientists believed their solar panel...