My April 2004 Viewings

Recommended DVDs marked with * . Underlined titles are links to reveiw.

Deconstructing Harry 04/30/04
Big Fish 04/30/04 (C)
Total Eclipse 04/28/04
Life as a House 04/26/04 (B-)
* Mighty Aphrodite 04/26/04 (B+)
The Safety of Objects 04/26/04
Flawless 04/20/04
* American Splendor 04/20/04 (B)
* Network 04/19/04 (B)
* Joe Gould's Secret 04/15/04 (A-)
Flesh and Bone 04/13/04
The Lost Child 04/12/04
Faces 04/06/04 (C+)
Out of the Cold 04/05/04
The Closet 04/02/04
* House of Sand and Fog 04/02/04 (A)
Something's Gotta Give 04/02/04

17/56/56

House of Sand and Fog (2003)

Crossed Paths

Kathy Nicolo (Jennifer Connelly) is a wreck. Emotionally broken due to a fragile psyche and devastating divorce, she lives in the SF Bay area home willed to her by her father. But she falls in arrears in her property taxes without realizing the implications.

An Iranian immigrant, Colonel Massoud Amir Behrani (Ben Kingsley) works at odd jobs as best he can and saves up his money, all the while presenting a successful image to all, including his wife (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and beloved son Esmail (Jonathan Ahdout), so as not to bring shame upon himself and his family. Honor is all for Colonel Behrani.

Fortuitously, he finds out about a house being auctioned cheaply and he sees an opportunity to invest his small savings, make improvements to the house, and sell it for a good profit. The house, of course, is Kathy's.

When he succeeds in winning the house, Kathy is irate that her home could be taken away from her without her having the chance to make it right. She battles to remain in the house by trying to reason with Behrani. But the reasoning becomes harassment.

Lester (Ron Eldard), a policeman, becomes involved in the case -- and in a romantic involvement with Kathy. She solicits him to aid her in recovering her house by whatever means are needed. Lester tries to intimidate Behrani and threats to have him exiled.

What results leaves the house in a shroud of tragedy that touches everyone involved.

This is an intense film that tells the story of how lives intertwine and have profound impact on other lives, whether intended or not. Delicately directed by Vadim Perelman.

Rated R for some violence/disturbing images, language and a scene of sexuality.