The House of Sand and Fog

This is definitely not a feel good movie. This is a feel terrible movie. That said, I think I like it. I haven't read the book (written by the son of the Dubus who wrote the novellas on which We Don't Live Here Anymore was based--I'm having a Dubus Moonth), but the movie was very well acted. You've got Sir Ben Kingsley, who's awesome, and Shohreh Agdhashloo is really fantastic. Her audition tape is on the DVD, and was really cool to see. Jennifer Connelly is fantastic, although she's kind of frustrating, because even while completely depressed and having the worst string of luck known to one woman, she's still gorgeous. The story has its overblown moments, but I thought that it kind of had a Greek tragedy feel to it--one thing leads to another, to another, to a shocking climax.

I actually watched this in three sittings, not on purpose, it just happened to work out that way. I think that that worked out well because it is so relentless.