House Of Sand And Fog

[modage]

i had originally planned on seeing this movie, and then with everything else that came out around this time it slipped away.  (i also couldnt imagine saying the words "one for THE HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG please".  way too rochelle rochelle for me, so taht was a turnoff).  all the previews and clips i had seen really didnt get me excited enough to go see it.  

HOWEVER i watched it tonite and really enjoyed it (as much as one can enjoy a film this sad.)  agree with everyone else; great performances, (except for the cop who seemed unneccesariliy and awkwardly placed) and the third act cop/kidnapping etc seemed sort of forced but it didnt ruin the film for me.  its funny because although i didnt think about it during the film, but afterwards did i realize the strong comparisons to int he bedrooom, which i didnt like, but i did like this.  

it was sort of annoying how between almost every scene the director would cut to a landscape and then to the scene.

[london]

I can't believe how excellent Kingsley was.  Every movement he made showed that he was this character, regal, erudite, proud.  His wife did an amazing job too and should get credit.
This followed the formulaic Greek tragedy. Kingsley represents the rich king (Hamlet, Lear, Oedipus, Creon) and his name is humorously ironic too.  Connely is the quiet wronged one (Cordelia, Antigone, Soothsayer, Romeo and Juliet).  
Kingsley possessed too much hubris which was his downfall similar to Oedipus or King Lear, Connely was the pathos fighting with her heart  for a cause as Antigone or Cordelia, and the cop was a third (lesser)character, like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who are erroneously led to action from one characters interpretation to help bring about the downfall of the main character, although I think he could have been written better.  
"Tragedy stresses the vulnerability of human beings whose suffering is brought on by a combination of human and divine actions, but is generally undeserved with regard to its harshness."
I never thought I would see a modern interpretation of a greek tragedy but I think this is it.

[ElPandaRoyal]

I was kind of disappointed by this one. Great performances, no doubt about it. But the final act really felt kind of exagerated to me and kind of... well... lame. Mainly because I've never disliked any character as I disliked Lester. What a fucking idiot. I suppose we have to give Ron Eldard the credit for playing a jerk that greatly, but he's a fucking asshole. It could have been great, but it became just a regular movie.

Oh, and I just realized that Ron Eldard's birthday is the same as mine. February the 20th. He's got to be a great guy.