Rating: 
Summary: No emotional connection
Review: This is a movie that I really thought and felt like I would like. And certain elements of it are very good: cinematography (although northern California doesn't really represent a challenge to film well--it's gorgeous), acting (Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley both perform well, as does the actress who plays his wife). But it's hard for me to watch a movie without happiness, and this is one of those. You can only be hit so many times before you stop coming back for more and "House of Sand and Fog" keeps hitting you with problems until you just end up asking, exasperated, whether the characters have gone through enough yet. There are other problems:
-The movie is over-long by at least a half-hour.
-Jennifer Connelly, who supposedly hasn't showered in days, looks dewy and beautiful.
-This woman who has had a hard time giving up on her marriage after eight months, gives up on a guy after a few hours?
-And all of this starts because she hasn't opened her mail, which doesn't make sense. Because wouldn't other bill collectors have come running when she didn't pay month after month? She wouldn't have electricity. Or a phone.
-It's hard to get an emotional connection with characters that keep doing hurtful, selfish things.
-The violence at the end seemed completely unnecessary, just there to be horrifying.
-The scenery, dense with fog, that provides the segues, are lovely but overdone. Okay, I get that this is a foggy, unclear situation. This could have been a great movie. The talent was there, both in acting and cinematography (direction was mediocre). However, the story is just lethal. Slow, with no happiness or humor. Characters that give you no reason to feel a connection with them. Why would you want to put yourself through something like this?
Rating: 
Summary: Open "House"
Review: Powerhouse film, starring Jennifer Connelly, Ben Kingsley, and Ron Eldard, that has enough twists and turns with a sudden tragic ending that will leave the intelligent viewer stunned. Connelly is a young women freshly evicted from her home due to a property tax payment mix up. Due to this mix up, the town puts the house up for sale and is quickly bought by an Iranian family, led by Kingsley. Connelly fights to get the house back but Kingsley isn't easily swayed, especially after he builds a roof deck addition to the house that overlooks the ocean. Whats worse, he also gets the house appraised, making the house three times more valuable than what it once was without the improvements. Connelly continues her fight and gets support from the sheriff (Eldard) who evicted her (they have a major league affair). The events afterwards are quite stunning as all involved spiral downward in a pit of mixed emotions. The performances are outstanding. Kingsley is one of the best and possibly most underated actors out there today. Connelly gives one of her best roles to date. Eldard takes a break from his so-so comedic roles and is great as the confused sheriff who gets in way over his head. One of the best films from 2003, this "House" won't leave you in the fog.
Rating:
Summary: Fifth Gear for your Soul
Review: This movie, nearly three days after watching the DVD, still has me in an emotional tornado, stirring with feelings of compassion, disgust, sympathy, guilt, pride ... the list goes on and on. One of the most stunning films I've ever seen, "House" lures the viewer into a seemingly simple melodramatic portrayal of addiction and weakness, pride and strong will, yet unravels into something so creatively, yet so believably dramatic and powerful. The acting is masterful, the score subtly brilliant, the cinematography, casting, and writing are of nothing but greatness. To watch this movie and not feel so connected, yet so alone is almost inhuman. Of course you will recognize great filmmaking has been crafted, but you also find yourself so powerfully driven to cherish and challenge you own virtues and that of others. If like me, you will feel wrecked, days later even, by the raw emotional toll this film has levied on your soul.
Rating:
Summary: House of Mud and Rocks
Review: Excellent performances, interesting story idea, poorly executed film. A classic example of how a badly conceived screenplay and "All Eyes on the Oscar" style directing can destroy a film. What a waste.
Rating: 
Summary: positively pointless!
Review: A friend lent me this movie just because, and just because is all. This movie dragged and dragged, figured it must be trying to drag onto something,but the end credits rolled and that was all.Jennifer Connelly's character was just annoying. The entire cast gave a dull performance.Acting School is what came to mind.Do your self a favor and rent something else.
Rating:
Summary: House of broken hearts
Review: This is a painful reminder of what can happen when the law of unintended consequences follows in-step with what would seem to be a banal clerical error. Lives become unraveled in ways you could hardly imagine. The story details a house owned by a young woman (played by Jennifer Connelly). Somehow, she is pinged for not paying a business tax (which she does not owe). After ignoring her mail, the house is re-possessed. Within a day it is auctioned off to an Iranian family (the head of the household is played by Ben Kingsley). The balance of the film portrays the heart-wrenching obstacles that she must go through to try and get her house back. In short, the whole ordeal is a legal and logistical mess. One of the most salient aspects of the film is that there are no real villains in it. We never see the clerk(s) who screwed up in the 1st place. The personages in the film are all basically good people, but are driven to take desperate action when the legal apparatus fails to resolve the situation. The acting is top notch, and is worth the price of the DVD alone. I've always thought that Ben Kingsley was an under-rated actor, and he shines in perhaps his most powerful performance. Jennifer Connolley is an outstanding actress who has the most passionate eyes I have ever seen in my life. If ever there were a Real Estate deal gone awry that could be elevated to the realm of a Shakespearian tragedy, this is it. The movie is not for the feint of heart as it is actually physically painful to view. It is depressing with an emotional poignancy I've not experienced in a long, long time. In short, it is a Masterpiece.
Rating: 
Summary: A Thought-Provoking Drama
Review: House of Sand and Fog is one of the standout dramas of 2003. Based on a novel by Andre Dubus III, this film tells the story of Kathy, a woman who has been abandoned by her husband and evicted from her house. An Iranian family moves into her home and the plot unravels as she attempts to reacquire the house.
House of Sand and Fog is studded with superb acting performances. Sir Ben Kingsly breathes life into the character of Behrani, a colonel and a man of honor in his native Iran. He tries to keep his dignity in tact in a country that does not recognize his military accomplishments or his level of intelligence. Another outstanding performance is delivered by Jennifer Connelly as Kathy. Connelly perfectly portrays a woman whose life is spiraling downward as she faces an inward battle of depression and ceaseless frustration. Shohreh Aghdashloo delivers a heart-wrenching performance as Behrani's innocent wife who is challenged by a language barrier. Also, Lester, played Ron Eldard, is a character whose decisions tragically change the course of the film, but you can't help but watch him.
The Filmmakers manage to subtly mirror the lives of Kathy and Behrani in a few ways. First, in the beginning, we see Behrani change out of his tattered work clothing and clean himself up in a hotel bathroom. Later, we see Kathy clean herself up in the same manner in a gas station bathroom. Another mirroring image we see is a scene where Behrani wraps himself in a blanket and in the next scene, Kathy is wrapped in a blanket in the same way. Also, when Behrani is intimate with his wife, the movements and the manner in which it is filmed mirrors the scene when Kathy is intimate with Lester.
Although House of Sand and Fog is slow at times, it is an excellent movie. As an American, it provokes thoughts of the way we treat of immigrants and more simply, other human beings. It puts into perspective what we value and what we should value. The 'sand' in the title symbolizes shifting and change and the 'fog' represents the masking or the cloaking of character's thoughts, actions, and secrets. In the end, this film packs an emotional punch paired with brilliant acting and an intriguing storyline.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely abysmal
Review: Dreary, depressing, annoying movie. Watch only if you have serious emotional problems and are desperately searching for people with more problems than you have in order to make you feel better about your misearble life.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant- Wonderful Dark Drama truly the best film of 2003
Review: Unfortunatly I did not see this movie until it came out on DVD. If I would have seen it sooner the Academy Awards would have been the worst one ever, because this movie deserved every award it was nominated for and even more. This movie is a movie that challenges the mind. It is definately the best dramatic film I have ever seen. Vadim Perleman did an amazing job making this dark tale an unforgettable journey of the true american dream. It is a haunting tale that will leave you breathless at the end. However it does have it's down side to it. The film picks up speed very fast in the opening. However it begins to slow down extremley. You might get the feeling half way through that the film was a waste of your time and money. However once it reaches the climax you would truly understand that evrything that happened early was worth the wait. This truly has the biggest twist ending I have ever seen in a film. I would say even bigger than the Sixth Sense or Unbreakable. And once the film is over you will just sit and be greatful for what you have and the people you love. It is an absolute masterpiece that is full of tragedy until the very end.
Rating:
Summary: Home is Where Your Heart Is
Review: This was a movie that I was not sure I could watch. When it came to the show ,I felt like I had to many feelings about this subject, that I might have to leave the movie. I had seen the previews, but was one of the few who never read the book. I rented the movie, and picked a time when I would not be bothered or feel strange if I found the subject matter to sad. After the first 5 min. I was hooked. I planned on hating this movie ,but for me this movie was like being on a rollercoaster. There were no bad people,just bad mistakes.I was hoping & pulling for both partie's.I had no idea how it would end,and the last 15 min. of the movie touched me so profoundly. Sir Ben's performance with his family at the end was one of the best by any actor in my opinon. The movie is not about a house, but how we all touch each other's live's even when we don't mean to. Extremely touching!
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