Monday, May 22, 2023
House of Sand and Fog
- Commentary: Under construction.
I have seen this movie only once, before my mother died (I can't recall if she watched it), but it has such staying power that each time I think of it, I feel as though I saw it just yesterday. It is not only a detailed, devastating story of interpersonal conflict, it is a precise-to-the-point-of-being-painful character study of two people who hash out their differences while not really understanding what their differences are.
The last time I thought of it I vowed that if I was at home the next time it came to mind, I would immediately order it. It will be arriving here within a few days. I await it with somber anticipation.
More later.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jennifer Connelly Kathy Nicolo Ben Kingsley Col. Massoud Behrani Shohreh Aghdashloo Nadereh "Nadi" Behrani Ron Eldard Lester Burdon Frances Fisher Connie Walsh Jonathan Ahdout Esmail Behrani Kim Dickens Carol Burdon Carlos Gómez Lt. Alvarez Navi Rawat Soraya Behrani Al Rodrigo Torez Marco Rodríguez Mendez Aki Aleong Tran Kia Jam Ali Cooper Thornton Gary Ray Abruzzo Frank Spencer Garrett Auctioneer
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2003
Directed by Vadim Perelman.
Labels: ben-kingsley, character-study, haunting3, jennifer-connelly, tragedy3
Thursday, June 09, 2022
Shutter Island
- Commentary: This movie received highly contradictory critiques, from being considered a high best film of 2010 to being declared not having been worth making. It created so much critical controversy that, aside from triggering more than one critic to produce a review of this movie on RogerEbert.com, there were also several critics who opined about the issues the movie raised for them. The immediately previous link takes you to the simple search I performed for the movie's title, which typically brings up only one review per movie.
I found the movie intriguing, involving, enjoyable and ultimately entertainingly disturbing. It was sent to me by MFS, out of the blue. After I watched the film I wondered why she picked it out for me. I still haven't asked her, but now it doesn't matter. I've watched it three times since I received it. I find that with each viewing, I discover something that I need to bookmark in my mind and pull out on a next watching. In fact, I think I might watch it, again, tonight, now that I'm thinking of it.
Although it appears to have a highly complicated plot, by the end you realize that the complications are solely in the main character's mind, not in yours, which, in a sense, increases the satisfaction in watching it. It is also, for me, a bit scary to watch. After the second watching, I found myself speculating that a similar type of confusion could easily afflict me. I wouldn't have the excuse of murder to drive me to confound myself, but there's enough odd about my life that I can imagine becoming troubled over my deep contemplation of myself and not being able to exit. That is the power of this movie. Although few of us are outright murderers, most of us feel deadly guilty about some incident in our lives. Even my mother had such an incident. When she finally told me what it was, it seemed benign enough to me. It did not involve the murder or even the mistreatment of someone. It involved an incident in which she realized she was unfairly prejudiced against a particular group of people (not because of color, because of religion). It did not involve an opportunity to make direct amends. Upon discovering her prejudice she immediately set about conquering it, but the memory of the discovery haunted her, literally, to her dying day, for a full 40+ years, even though she was successful in understanding and overcoming it.
So, essentially, for me, this movie is a reminder that our monsters, as well as our angels, are just beneath the surface, ready, equally, to take advantage of any opportunity to escape.
Update 6/9/2022: This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Leonardo DiCaprio Edward Daniels Mark Ruffalo Chuck Aule Ben Kingsley Dr. John Cawley Max von Sydow Dr. Jeremiah Naehring Michelle Williams Dolores Chanal Emily Mortimer Nurse Portraying Rachel Solando Patricia Clarkson Rachel Solando Jackie Earle Haley George Noyce John Carroll Lynch 1st Deputy Warden McPherson Joseph Sikora Glen Miga Ted Levine The Warden Elias Koteas Andrew Laeddis Ruby Jerins Little Girl Robin Bartlett Bridget Kearns Curtiss Cook Trey Washington Christopher Denham Peter Breene
Here is the Wikipedia write-up for this film.
Release Date: 2010
Directed by Martin Scorsese.
Labels: ben-kingsley, drama2, dream1, emily-mortimer, leonardo-dicaprio, martin-scorsese, max-von-sydow, mystery1, neo-noirC, psychological1
Saturday, June 04, 2022
The Jungle Book 2016
- Commentary: This movie crept up slowly on me. The first time I checked it out of the library, mostly because of the personal draw of the animated trailers I saw, I enjoyed it but wasn't wowed by it. I found, however, that I retained several moments of the movie in my mind and checked it out twice more. After the third viewing, I knew I had to own it. The story isn't particularly engaging. Frankly, I never saw the original Disney movie nor read that book upon which it was based for a reason. I just wasn't interested. The animation, though, in this version, surrounds me with its magic and I continue to go back to it. The choice of voice actors is excellent, as well. I've instituted a new category for it: "pseudo/cgi-animation". There are a few other movies I should move into this category, most notably, Maleficent. That will come.
Update 6/2/2022: This post was originally published on 2/5/2018 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Neel Sethi Mowgli Ritesh Rajan Mowgli's Father Bill Murray Baloo Ben Kingsley Bagheera Idris Elba Shere Khan Lupita Nyong'o Raksha Scarlett Johansson Kaa Giancarlo Esposito Akela Christopher Walken King Louie Garry Shandling Iki Brighton Rose Grey Brother Jon Favreau Fred Sam Raimi Indian Giant Squirrel Russell Peters Rocky Madeleine Favreau Raquel Sara Arrington Nilgai
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2016
Directed by Jon Favreau.
Labels: ben-kingsley, christopher-walken, fantasy2, film-art1, giancarlo-esposito, popcorn-and-soda2, pseudo-cgi-animation, spectacle1
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Dave
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is one (of the many) that Mom never has any recollection of watching, yet we watch it a lot, usually during a cold, stormy afternoon/evening binge of this movie and The American President, of which she has a somewhat better memory. She likes feeling hopeful about what's best in the U.S., so do I, and both of these movies help, while the love stories provide comedy relief.
As a footnote, may I add that I am a West Wing freak; my mother is not, but she tolerates me. No, we have not bought any collections of West Wing episodes. I have forbidden myself to do so. When, for instance, would I watch them? I watch little enough of what we have, and then, usually, only peripherally, now. It's been a hard lesson to learn that if only I like it, my indulgences in it will be few and far between. I'm okay with this; it's just been a hard learning.
Update 11/2/08: I was given the entire West Wing series for Christmas a few years ago by a friend of mine; see the link.
Update 11/17/2021: This post was originally published February 6, 2005. It was one of the accidental deletions that occurred, which is covered in this post.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Kevin Kline Dave Kovic/Pres. William Harrison Mitchell Sigourney Weaver Ellen Mitchell Frank Langella Bob Alexander Kevin Dunn Alan Reed Ving Rhames Duane Stevensen Ben Kingsley Vice Pres. Gary Nance Charles Grodin Murray Blum Laura Linney Randi Bonnie Hunt White House Tour Guide Anna Deavere Smith Mrs. Travis Faith Prince Alice Tom Dugan Jerry
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Ivan Reitman.
Labels: ben-kingsley, comedy2, kevin-kline, laura-linney, political5, popcorn-and-soda6, presidential, shared-favorite, sigourney-weaver
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Schindler's List
- Commentary: This movie came to me (as several in this new list did) when I was scanning the Hastings going-out-of-business shelves for movies I don't own but would like to. What can I say. It's masterful. I've watched it twice since I bought it. Every performance is spot on and, despite its length, there is no fat in this movie.
Although this movie was released long before my mother died, since it was not in my collection until after she died and I can't recall that we ever ran across it on television, she never saw it. My guess is that she probably would not have enjoyed it and would have snoozed through it. My mother was in the U.S. Navy in WWII. She was a gunnery instructor. She taught soldiers how to shoot. That's how she met my father. He was one of her students. In addition, she outranked him. Her view of WWII does not include detailed musings of what happened to Jewish people and many others during the war. She was certainly aware of this, and, obviously, was on the side of defeating Hitler's forces. But she was single-minded in preparing "our boys" for the front, not in what was going on in the nether regions of the war.
In sum, we, those of us who were likely not even a gleam in our parents' eyes, during WWII, see this war differently than the participants. Our perspective is valuable. This movie proves that. But, fighting a war is very different than contemplating the war after the fact. This is probably the most valuable lesson this movie has to offer.
Update 11/17/2021: This post was originally published August 14, 2016. It was one of the accidental deletions that occurred, which is covered in this post.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Liam Neeson Oskar Schindler Ben Kingsley Itzhak Stern Ralph Fiennes Amon Göth Caroline Goodall Emilie Schindler Jonathan Sagall Poldek Pfefferberg Embeth Davidtz Helen Hirsch Andrzej Seweryn Julian Scherner Piotr Polk Leo Rosner
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Steven Spielberg.
Labels: anti-fascist, ben-kingsley, docu-drama, historical2, period2, steven-spielberg, war1
Saturday, January 16, 2021
Exodus: Gods and Kings
- Commentary: I own this movie because I have a particular fascination for the Moses part of the origin story of the Jewish people and their attempts to, and successes at, forming a nation. This is my fourth version of the Moses story, the others being: The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston as Moses, Moses with Ben Kingsley playing Moses, superbly, I think, and Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments, DeMille's first, silent production of the Moses story, which combines the story with a modern day film meditation of the application of the ten commandments in what was, at that time, modern life.
This movie, staring Christian Bale as Moses, is certainly entertaining. I go on "Moses" binges during which I watch all of my Moses movies back-to-back. This version is as involving and entertaining as all the others. Joel Edgerton is particularly fun as Pharaoh Ramses. John Turturro strikes an appropriately wise and world-weary Seti. Much to my delight, Ben Kingsley also appears in this movie as a major/minor figure, Nun. There are so many recognizable stars playing bit parts in this movie that it makes you wonder ...
Truth is, even though I consider it a delightful addition to my Moses archive, it's easy to wonder, as I watch it, why this Moses story was even produced and why all these major stars (including those in minor parts) assented to participate. Mind you, I have no quarrel with versions and versions of the Moses story. I find them endlessly fun and fascinating. Of all the versions I own, though, this is the only one that appears to be an obvious Ridley Scott money grab, and, frankly, only a money grab. We know how spectacular Scott can be producing an epic. You only need to point to Gladiator. In that movie, it's obvious that Ridley Scott, the director for that movie, too, was not only thinking about content, he thought assiduously and well about it. Not so with this production. There are some roles that featured large in my other Exodus epics that were merely spit upon in passing in this movie: Dathan, for instance, and Jethro. There are others that featured large in this movie that were, again, spit upon in passing or altogether ignored in my other Exodus epics: Miriam, for instance, and Viceroy Hegep.
Still, it's fun to watch, in the context of my other Moses movies. I'll not be passing it on to someone else.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Christian Bale Moses Joel Edgerton Rameses II John Turturro Seti I Aaron Paul Joshua Ben Mendelsohn Viceroy Hegep María Valverde Zipporah Sigourney Weaver Tuya Ben Kingsley Nun Isaac Andrews Malak Hiam Abbass Bithiah Indira Varma High Priestess Ewen Bremner Strategy Expert Golshifteh Farahani Nefertari Ghassan Massoud Grand Vizier Paser Tara Fitzgerald Miriam Dar Salim Cmdr. Khyan Andrew Tarbet Aaron Ken Bones Court Scribe Anton Alexander Dathan Kevork Malikyan Jethro
You'll notice, above, that the name "Malak" is hyperlinked to an article that well discusses the use of this word/name biblically. I became very curious about this word/name because of the character who sports it in this movie. Interesting read, no matter how you feel about the movie. Although many people, including some prominent reviewers, have identified this character as the Abrahamic God, the definition to which I've linked clearly undermines this interpretation by identifying this word as meaning a "messenger" and an "angel".
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2014
Directed by Ridley Scott.
Labels: ben-kingsley, ben-mendelsohn, bible-movies1, christian-bale, drama2, historical1, indira-varma, john-turturro, military, moses, popcorn-and-soda1, religion1, ridley-scott, sigourney-weaver, spectacle1, violence1
Friday, March 09, 2007
The Bible Collection
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This set of Old Testament Stories, covering:
Abraham [Directed by Joseph Sargent; Release Date: 1993; Wikipedia link]
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Harris Abraham Barbara Hershey Sarai/Sarah Vittorio Gassman Terah Maximilian Schell Pharaoh Carolina Rosi Hagar Kevin McNally Nahor Gottfried John Eliezer Andrea Prodan Lot
→ richard-harris
David [Directed by Robert Markowitz; Release Date: 1997; Wikipedia link]
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Nathaniel Parker David Jonathan Pryce Saul Leonard Nimoy Samuel Sheryl Lee Bathsheba Ben Daniels Jonathan Maurice Roëves Joab Franco Nero Nathan Gideon Turner Young David
→ jonathan-pryce
Jacob [Directed by Peter Hall; Release Date: 1994; Wikipedia link]
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Matthew Modine Jacob Lara Flynn Boyle Rachel Sean Bean Esau Joss Ackland Isaac Juliet Aubrey Leah Irene Papas Rebeccah Giancarlo Giannini Laban Christoph Waltz Morash
→ matthew-modine
Joseph [Directed by Roger Young; Release Date: 1995; Wikipedia link]
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Ben Kingsley Potiphar Lesley Ann Warren Potiphar's Wife Paul Mercurio Joseph Stefano Dionisi Pharoah Michael Attwell Judah Pete Lee Wilson Gad Kelly Miller Tamar Warren Clarke Ednan
Moses [Directed by Roger Young; Release Date: 1995; Wikipedia link]
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Ben Kingsley Moses Frank Langella Merneptah Christopher Lee Pharaoh David Suchet Aaron Geraldine McEwan Miriam Enrico Lo Verso Joshua Maurice Roëves Zerack Sônia Braga Zipporah Philip Stone Jethro Anthony Higgins Korah Anton Lesser Eliav Vincent Riotta Midian
Samson & Delilah [Directed by Nicolas Roeg; Release Date: 1996; Wikipedia link]
P.S. The revenge2 movie in this collection is Samson & Delilah, one of the ultimate revenge stories in the Abrahamic bible, in part because it features more than one revenge story. It is as though "God" created Samson to be an instrument of revenge.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Eric Thal Samson Jonathan Rhys Meyers Young Samson Elizabeth Hurley Delilah Dennis Hopper Gen. Tariq Diana Rigg Mara Paul Freeman Manoah Michael Gambon King Hanun Ben Becker Prince Sidqa Alessandro Gassman Amrok Debora Caprioglio Rani Sebastian Knapp Yoram Jale Arıkan Naomi
This is the collection that most captures my interest. Mom considers it a continuation of The Bible Series. My favorites are the stories of Joseph, Abraham and Moses, as it is a delight for me to watch Ben Kingsley and Richard Harris in anything. One of the aspects of both this and The Bible Series that I appreciate is the obvious attempt to authentically capture the time periods. I notice, especially, the tight use of space and the fact that they are somewhat less full of eye candy as, say, the productions of The Ten Commandments and One Night with the King.
Labels: barbara-hershey, ben-kingsley, bible-movies1, jonathan-pryce, leonard-nimoy, matthew-modine, moses, religion1, revenge2, richard-harris
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Searching for Bobby Fischer
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: Just an absolute gem of a movie, from the casting of every part to the story. Quietly inspirational. Whenever we watch this movie Mom always sighs at the end and says, "That just makes me feel good about being alive."
Ditto.
Additionally, this movie is loaded with amazing actors, from the leads to the bit parts. They all deserve recognition for this effort, so I've listed just about all of them in the table, below.
In case you're interested, you might like to access this link to the script for this movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Max Pomeranc Josh Waitzkin Joe Mantegna Fred Waitzkin Joan Allen Bonnie Waitzkin Ben Kingsley Bruce Pandolfini Laurence Fishburne Vincent Livermore Robert Stephens Jonathan's teacher David Paymer Kalev Hal Scardino Morgan Pehme William H. Macy Tunafish father Dan Hedaya Tournament director Laura Linney Josh's school teacher Tony Shalhoub Chess club player
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Steven Zaillian.
Labels: ben-kingsley, biography1, drama9, joan-allen, laura-linney, laurence-fishburne, shared-favorite, teaching
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Gandhi
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I'll bet we've seen this movie, on cable, at least four times. When we notice it, anywhere, commercials or not, we watch it. We forget it between being serendipitiously reminded. It is a movie that fascinates us at several levels, though.
One of my problems with this movie, for me, is the astonishing number of "name" British, Indian and American actors managed to wrangle parts in this movie, and I do mean "wrangle". The first time I saw it, it occurred to me that this must have been the "go to" movie of the late 70's through early 80's for actors. Since the script required what would normally be thousands of extras, Richard Attenborough, as both producer and director, probably took advantage of the interest to cheaply (my guess, only) and luxuriously staff his picture. Just take a look at the three-tiered Actor/Role chart, below. And believe me, I think it encompasses only half of the actor-participants listed in the Wikipedia roster, which you can access below, as usual.
Update 2/7/18: Knowing what I know, now, about the movie and the man, I'm somewhat uncomfortable about this movie, but I am reluctant to let it go. I recently watched it again and, damn, Ben Kingsley, what can I say? Extraordinary actor. It would be worth it to keep this in my collection just based on his acting in this movie. Yes, I own other movies in which he's acted, most notably, off the top of my head, Sexy Beast. There are others I'd like to own. House of Sand of Fog, for instance. So, I'll keep this one. For the collection.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Ben Kingsley Mahatma Gandhi Rohini Hattangadi Kasturba Gandhi Roshan Seth Jawaharlal Nehru Pradeep Kumar V. K. Krishna Menon Candice Bergen Margaret Bourke-White Edward Fox Reginald Dyer John Gielgud Viceroy Lord Irwin John Mills Lord Chelmsford Martin Sheen Vince Walker Daniel Day-Lewis Colin John Ratzenberger American driver Saeed Jaffrey Vallabhbhai Patel
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1982
Directed by Richard Attenborough.
Labels: ben-kingsley, biography2, candice-bergen, historical3, john-gielgud, political4, spectacle2, spiritual1
Monday, February 07, 2005
Sneakers
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: Although it has a lot of high-recognition actors playing parts in it (check out the Actor/Role table, below), this movie was one of those that was better in the remembering than in the re-viewing of it. Even my mother thought so, and she's only seen it once.
It strikes me as a vanity project, which is why I passed it on to our local library. I haven't had the urge to check it out since I gleaned it from my collection. The wikipedia article on this film, linked below, records some pretty surprising dissension among critics, and, yet, apparently audiences liked it. Well, not this audience.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Robert Redford Bishop/Bruce Ben Kingsley Cosmo Sidney Poitier Donald Crease David Strathairn Irwin Emery Dan Aykroyd Darren Roskow River Phoenix Carl Arbogast Mary McDonnell Liz Ogilvy James Earl Jones Bernard Abbott
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1992
Directed by Phil Alden Robinson.
Labels: ben-kingsley, david-strathairn, mystery2, period5, robert-redford, thriller2
Sexy Beast
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I am also a devotee of Ben Kingsley's work. I find his portrayal in this movie thrilling. I'm sure my mother would ask, when it was over, "Now, what exactly was the point to that?!?" So, I don't imagine I'll ever invite her to watch it, nor will she express interest in it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Ray Winstone Gary Dove Ben Kingsley Don Logan Ian McShane Teddy Bass Amanda Redman DeeDee Dove
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2000
Directed by Jonathan Glazer.
Labels: ben-kingsley, dramaB, dream1, me-favorite3, neo-noirC, ray-winstone, violence3
