Rating: 
Summary: A Heartbreaking and Stunning "House" of Emotions
Review: With the exception of Niki Caro's sublime "Whale Rider," no movie moved me more this past year than Vadim Perlman's "House of Sand and Fog." This story of a broken and desperate young woman who loses her house because her depression won't allow her to simply open her mail and the determined and steadfast Iranian colonel who strives to secure a better life and future for his family is a cacophony of raw emotion and heartbreak. Further, it is a meditation on what is important in life and how easy it is--no matter the intentions--to forget that very thing. This is a movie that is well photographed, beautifully adapted from Andre Dubus III's Oprah-approved novel of the same name and stunningly helmed by first time feature director Perlman. But "House" is a film that is anchored by its performances. There is hardly a false note in the acting (Ron Eldard occasionally seemed overwhelmed by the powerhouse actors who surrounded him--his work is still convincing, however). Jennifer Connelly conveys Kathy Niccoli's despair wonderfully. You can feel the depression wholly consuming her. Ben Kingsley is superb! The scene in the hospital near the end of the film is a master class in acting. Kingsley's work is brave throughout the film--he allows the audience to see Colonel Behrani's flaws and hold him accountable for them while also helping us to understand that his ambition, his dreams and desires are to serve the needs of his family. It is among the most dynamic work by an actor in any year. As fine as Kingsley is, however, my favorite performance of last year and now one of my favorites of all time has to be the stunning work by the invalauble and flawless Shohreh Aghdashloo. In her role as Behrani's patient and loving wife Nadi, Aghdashloo is grace under pressure. I dare you to catch this marvelous actress acting. She is the heart and soul of this film. It is through her expressive eyes that we understand what is at stake and what a home and family truly means. In dialogue that blends Farsi and broken English, Aghdashloo's Nadi is heard loud and clear, there is no mistaking anything she is thinking or saying. Let's face it: the Academy screwed up royally by awarding Renee Zellweger the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her Granny Clampett-ish Ruby in "Cold Mountain" (I say this completely realizing that Zellweger singlehandedly saved "Cold Mountain" from its own pretention and maudlin atmosphere). The devastatingly beautiful Aghdashloo far and away claimed the prize with the superlative work she delivers in each and every scene she steals. Here is hoping that Hollywood keeps this major, major talent working for years and years to come. Buy/rent "House of Sand and Fog," which also boasts a very fine performance by young actor Jonathan Adbout as Kingsley and Aghdashloo's son, Esmail. Despite is heavy subject matter, it is a dynamic piece of filmmaking complete with some of the best performances of last year. This film haunted me for weeks after I saw it, and it has yet to release my thoughts completely. A job well done!
Rating: 
Summary: American dream or American nightmare?
Review: "House of Sand and Fog," directed by Vadim Perelman, is based on a novel by Andre Dubus III. The film stars Ben Kingsley as Col. Behrani, a former Iranian military officer under the Shah who now lives with his family in the United States. He buys a house from a government source, not knowing that the property was improperly seized from its prior owner (Jennifer Connelly). This bureaucratic nightmare sets up a personal conflict that drives the film. "House" is a beautifully crafted film, rich in detail and visual impact. But what really makes it shine are the excellent performances. Connelly makes her wounded character's pain palpable. As the colonel's wife, Shohreh Aghdashloo brings out both the inner lamb and lioness of the character. Frances Fisher brings a steely authority to her small but memorable role as an attorney. But it's Ben Kingsley who most impressed me. He gives a rich, multifaceted, full-bodied performance; he explores his character's aspects as husband, father, warrior, businessman, and immigrant in a way that creates a memorable and believable person. I found some plot points to seem a bit forced and hard to believe, but overall the superb craftsmanship of the film and its amazing performances really carry "House." This is a drama with moments of shocking intensity, as well as scenes of fierce anger and searing pain. But there are also scenes of real compassion and tenderness. It's a powerful story and a compelling use of the motif of the immigrant experience in America.
Rating: 
Summary: HULK'S GIRLFRIEND VS GHANDI?
Review: An escalation of errors propels the tragically compelling HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG as Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley duke it out over a house. Throughout the film, I kept thinking: Will the Hulk show up and help his girlfriend fight Ghandi? Commentary from Kingsley but not Connelly.
Rating:
Summary: A Heartbreaking and Stunning "House" of Emotions!
Review: With the exception of Niki Caro's sublime "Whale Rider," no movie moved me more this past year than Vadim Perelman's "House of Sand and Fog." This story of a broken and desperate young woman who loses her house because her depression won't allow her to simply open her mail and the determined and steadfast Iranian colonel who strives to secure a better life and future for his family is a cacophony of raw emotion and heartbreak. Further, it is a meditation on what is important in life and how easy it is--no matter the intentions--to forget that very thing. This is a movie that is well photographed, beautifully adapted from Andre Dubus III's Oprah-approved novel of the same name and stunningly helmed by first time feature director Perelman. But "House" is a film that is anchored by its performances. There is hardly a false note in the acting (Ron Eldard occasionally seems overwhelmed by the powerhouse actors who surround him, however his work is still convincing). Jennifer Connelly conveys Kathy Niccoli's despair wonderfully. You can feel the depression wholly consuming her. Ben Kingsley is superb! The scene in the hospital near the end of the film is a master class in acting. Kingsley's work is brave throughout the film--he allows the audience to see Colonel Behrani's flaws and hold him accountable for them while also helping us to understand that his ambition, his dreams and desires are to serve the needs of his family. It is among the most dynamic work by an actor in any year. As fine as Kingsley is, however, my favorite performance of last year and now one of my favorites of all time has to be the stunning work by the invaluable and flawless Shohreh Aghdashloo. In her role as Behrani's patient and loving wife Nadi, Aghdashloo is grace under pressure. I dare you to catch this marvelous actress acting. She is the heart and soul of this film. It is through her expressive eyes that we understand what is at stake and what a home and family truly means. In dialogue that blends Farsi and broken English, Aghdashloo's Nadi is heard loud and clear, there is no mistaking anything she is thinking or saying. Let's face it: the Academy screwed up royally by awarding Renee Zellweger the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her Granny Clampett-ish Ruby in "Cold Mountain" (I say this completely realizing that Zellweger singlehandedly saved "Cold Mountain" from its own pretention). The devastatingly beautiful Aghdashloo far and away claimed the prize with the superlative work she delivers in each and every scene she steals. Here is hoping that Hollywood keeps this major, major talent working for years and years to come. Buy/rent "House of Sand and Fog," which also boasts a very fine performance by young actor Jonathan Adbout as Kingsley and Aghdashloo's son, Esmail. Despite its heavy subject matter, it is a dynamic piece of filmmaking complete with some of the best performances of last year. This film haunted me for weeks after I saw it, and it has yet to release my thoughts completely. A job well done!
Rating:
Summary: Sir Ben Kingsley strikes gold once again.
Review: The absurdity to "House of Sand and Fog" is that through all the judgments and its repercussions, it was merely to hear Kathy Nicolo (Jennifer Connelly) utter, "No, this is not my house." This idiocy though is not malignant to the film, but it is brought into mind as we bear witness to the destruction of the lives of these characters based on irrationality. We do not blame them for within them lie a reasonable argument, but an equitable argument that ensues toward folly. Their conviction gets the better of them. Kathy has been evicted from the house, which her father left to her and her brother, because she has missed tax payments. We are not certain if the government is at fault or if it is hers, but we do sympathize with Kathy on her intentions of retaining her house. Expecting her family to pay a visit, Kathy wants to get back her house before their arrival. Her husband has abandoned her, for which her family are not aware of, and she cannot bear confess of losing her house also. She herself has become a derelict. Massoud Amir Behrani, in one of the greatest performance of 2003 by Sir Ben Kingsley, is a former Iranian colonel of the Shah's air force. Apparently, him and his family have exiled from Iran for if they return, their son "would be shot," and have settled in Los Angeles, where he works two jobs to maintain his family. He is so concentrated on their financial situations that he even jots down the 35 cents Snickers he eats. Seeing an ad in the newspaper on an auction of Kathy's house, he decides to seize the opportunity of buying the house, refurnishing it, and selling it four times the amount he paid for. This is not some scheme of greed but a plan to give his family a proper future.
-Please finish my review at www.filmwiseguy.funtigo.com
Rating:
Summary: Great Story
Review: I found the premise to be interesting- the government seizes the home of a woman for failing to pay a $500 business tax, which she never owed in the first place. An Iranian family man legitimatly buys the seized property and plans to sell it at market value, so to turn a hefty profit. The drama becomes tense, as the woman fights to regain the house which she feels is still hers.
Kingsly does a fine job as always. The film is well-paced, and well written, albeit a bit overdramatized at parts. It is an interesting film which should cause one to imagine themselves in the protagonists' shoes, and how he would deal with the situations.
Rating:
Summary: No Words Can Describe
Review: I was not so enthusiastic about seeing this movie because of the "curse" that seems to haunt the genre - that being good acting, but a questionable film as a whole ("Monster's Ball," "In the Bedroom," etc...). The fact is that these movies feel like they were created with the soul purpose of winning Oscars thus a lot of the magic falls deaf on the viewer. I approached "House of Sand and Fog" with this same mentality, expecting a good acting job, but a boring film; however, I am happy to report that this stereotype fell flat on its face. I have never read the book and so I did not know what to expect, but what I got was twist after twist that took me on a whirlwind flight of beauty and pain. At first, the movie seemed a little silly (how Jennifer's character behaved was a little over the top and selfish) and boring, but it morphed into a simply magnificent tale of love and loss. The really great thing though was the plot twist that occurred and how the story throws one back and forth (do I love this character or hate him/her). It is not until the end that one can even begin to digest what has happened. Not only was the storyline fantastic, but the acting was phenomenal! Jennifer and Ben were simply fantastic, but the real "show stealer" was newcomer Shohreh Aghdashloo; oh my she was so wonderful and heartbreaking. By the end I can promise that you will cry (at least inside) more than you ever have for a movie; the people seem so real and personal to you (every one of them). I am absolutely appalled that this film did not pick up a single Oscar and very few nominations! This film is a wonderful Drama and so much more. I have never been so drawn in by a cast and story before. I would recommend this to any "Art" loving individual that appreciates the fragileness of life and the human spirit. I do not usually write long reviews but this film deserves pages and pages of praise. Just watch and you will understand that the hype is well deserved.
Rating:
Summary: American dream or American nightmare?
Review: "House of Sand and Fog," directed by Vadim Perelman, is based on a novel by Andre Dubus III. The film stars Ben Kingsley as Col. Behrani, a former Iranian military officer under the Shah who now lives with his family in the United States. He buys a house from a government source, not knowing that the property was improperly seized from its prior owner (Jennifer Connelly). This bureaucratic nightmare sets up a personal conflict that drives the film. "House" is a beautifully crafted film, rich in detail and visual impact. But what really makes it shine are the excellent performances. Connelly makes her wounded character's pain palpable. As the colonel's wife, Shohreh Aghdashloo brings out both the inner lamb and lioness of the character. Frances Fisher brings a steely authority to her small but memorable role as an attorney. But it's Ben Kingsley who most impressed me. He gives a rich, multifaceted, full-bodied performance; he explores his character's aspects as husband, father, warrior, businessman, and immigrant in a way that creates a memorable and believable person. I found some plot points to seem a bit forced and hard to believe, but overall the superb craftsmanship of the film and its amazing performances really carry "House." This is a drama with moments of shocking intensity, as well as scenes of fierce anger and searing pain. But there are also scenes of real compassion and tenderness. It's a powerful story and a compelling use of the motif of the immigrant experience in America.
Rating:
Summary: It's a feel-good movie, in a different kind of way
Review: I'm not going to give away anything, but I will say that I'm a person who really gets into a movie. If I like a character, I'll really want them to do well in the end. Case in point, I watched this and really hated a few people in the movie and they wound up dead, and that's okay with me! The ending, like many of the people say, is unpredictable, but there is a really good twist twenty minutes or so before the movie is over that is better than the ending. There were pretty good acting performances all around, especially from Ron Eldard, who was on the show Men Behaving Badly. The cinematography is really good too.
Rating:
Summary: Ben Kingsley does it again ...
Review: WOW ... what a super movie .... the character development needed to make this pure and unadultrated tragedy work is delivered by the director and then some.... As in any real tradgedy one can not help but identify with the main characters as they are dragged along by events and situations that are seemengly beyond the characters control. Any personality flaws or weaknesses are then magnified as we watch helpless to change the course of the tragic characters. Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly bring in rock solid performances and I believe this is a must have DVD for your collection.
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