Ben-Hur (1959)

More like Ben-Hurry up and be over.  I fell asleep at least 6 times trying to finish this movie.  This almost-4 hour juggernaut has some great moments, hence the 11 Oscars it won.  There is a killer sea battle scene, the famous Chariot scene, and some touching moments when Jesus pops up on the radar.  But it is also one of the most boring movies I've ever watched.  Heston has a way of slowly...pacing...scenes with his long, awkward pauses between lines.  I won't mind if I never again have to watch his chiseled mug talk through gritted teeth and furrowed brow.  Sorry,  I just don't have the Heston fever.  

This movie presents a fictional story of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince, who finds himself betrayed into slavery only to rebound into royalty in Roman government, similar to the story of Joseph (the one with the technicolor coat).  The story takes place during the life of Jesus in the Roman Empire, and I love the clever criss-crossing paths of Ben-Hur and The Christ.  As Ben-Hur is betrayed early in his adulthood and thrust into captivity, Jesus is just starting his active mission.  Then as Ben-Hur rises back through the ranks to his highest bearing, Jesus is bound in captivity.  A mirrored interaction happens between Judah and Jesus at two key moments, drawing attention to their switched statuses/stati.  As a final show of favor, Jesus heals two of Judah's special people in the midst of His Passion.  This draws another comparison between the two men, contrasting Jesus' love in the midst of suffering with Judah's hellbent mission to enact revenge on his betrayer.

I give Ben-Hur the stamp of "Never Gonna Watch This Again."  However, I can appreciate the beauty of the story itself.  If you can handle a slow-moving epic speckled with a few big action scenes hours apart from one another, then you may enjoy this movie.  If you like horses and lepers and rowing then this film has you in mind.  If you like naps, then rent it today.