Death and the Maiden
My latest addition to my favorite film list is this Roman Polanski thriller. “Death and the Maiden” concerns the intrigue between a houseguest and a woman who think he was the man who once tortured her unmercifully. Ben Kingsley is the suspected sadist and Sigourney Weaver plays the victim. The film started as a play by Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfman, so the dialogue is palpably gripping. Kingsley and Weaver give unflinching performances. And you wonder up till the end whether Kingsley is really a bad guy or if Weaver has simply lost her mind.
By the way, Kingsley will appear later in my list of favorite films. He’s probably our greatest living actor.
Duffy’s 10 favorite films of all time
Fantastic Mr. Fox is my first choice for this addition to my blog. The other nine films will come over the next few weeks.
Based on the classic book by Roald Dahl, the film should not be dismissed as child’s fare. The humor is definitely high-brow and it’s one of those films that gets funnier the more you watch it and catch all the little intricacies.
The scene above features the explanation of the game “whackbat.” This is exactly what it sounds like when someone tries to explain cricket to me.
The funniest exchange:
“Coach, do you think I’m getting better?”
“Well, you’re sure as cuss not getting any worse.”
