movies report

[ellen_datlow]

In between reading for my albatross (aka YBFH) and for an original anthology I'm finishing up, I watched two movies Friday evening and one Saturday.
The Kingdom,the adventure movie about Saudi Arabia and terrorism is pretty good for what it is. Jamie Foxx heads a team of FBI forensic experts who fly to SA to investigate the bombing of an American Compound during a kid's softball game. Good action scenes, some cliches, a little extra grace note that emphasizes the depressing aspects of the situation.

For something completely different I watched Bad(der) Santa which is the unrated version of the theatrical release. I didn't see the original so I have no idea how it differs. It's foul and over the top and pretty funny, once you get past Santa's obsession with butt-fucking. Billy Bob Thornton is terrific and Lauren Graham is a totally charming bartender who has a Santa fetish.

Last night I watched Prime Cut from 1972. I never saw it before because from what I remember it got really lousy reviews. Lee Marvin is really handsome in it, something I don't remember noticing when I was younger. He plays an enforcer for the Irish mob in Chicago who is sent to brace Mary Ann, a totally vicious cattle rancher/meat packager who grinds up enemies into sausage and has a lucrative little side line that illuminate the extra irony of the title. Gene Hackman plays Mary Ann and Sissy Spacek plays a young innocent that Marvin tries to help. Nice contrast between the city hoods (all Irish) and country hoods--the latter are all adorable, well-muscled Aryan looking (but deadly) blond boys.

Comments

[satyrblade.livejournal.com]

*chuckle* I thought Bad(der) Santa was far funnier than it had any right to be.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I agree.

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to see The Kingdom, because Jennifer Garner is usually awesome in that kind of role (see ALIAS). So now I'm reminded that I should rent it. :)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

You'll like it then. She's fully armed and dangerous :-)

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Were you ever an ALIAS fan? It was a really fun show for at least the first 3-4 seasons. Got a bit crazy at the end, but it was a real addiction for awhile. :)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Never have seen it. I only watch tv now on netflix season by season, if there's a show I'm interested in.

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

Well, that's not a bad way. Then you don't have to wait for the next ep to come along. Instant gratification is sometimes really nice. ALIAS is really fun for at least the first 3 seasons, if you ever need a show to check out. Also I'd REALLY recommend at least season 1 of Prison Break, which is now in its 3rd season. It's totally great (puzzles, cliffhangers, interesting characters, drama and tension and a bit of humor), and I am so excited because it starts back up today. :)

P.S. Also the main character is completely gorgeous (see icon) and charismatic. Not that that has anything to do with anything... :)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

At this point, I've got several tv series in my queue: Deadwood, Carnivale, Prime Suspect, Dexter, and Angel.

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

My bf got me Carnivale for Christmas, since I'm interested in carnies for something I'm writing. Haven't started watching it yet; we're finishing up S1 of Joan of Arcadia.

I haven't seen the others, but my LJ friend guycc had a bit part on Deadwood. Oh, and Carnivale, it appears. I didn't even know about that one! Anyway, he thought Deadwood was great to work on.

Well, I guess Prison Break would have to wait, then. :) But it's totally fun if you do feel like checking it out: this complete genius engineer gets himself thrown into prison to break his brother out (brother was wrongly convicted, but no one believes him). He's got a detailed plan but of course you don't know each step until he gets to it, and the plan keeps changing, naturally. It's filmed in Joliet (in the actual prison) and it's very cool.

[14theditch.livejournal.com]

Ellen: Is Prime Cut the movie where they run the Cadillac into that giant threshing machine. I saw that movie when it came out and that scene impressed me. Also, I vividly remember Spacek's hand full of nickels.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Yes that's it. It wasn't Spacek but her friend in it Violet who had the nickels.

[plattcave.livejournal.com]

There are a few new scenes in Badder Santa, and several scenes have slightly different cuts or dialog. I think I actually prefer the less-Bad Santa. It's just as obscene, and a few of the lines are funnier (to me, at least) than in the unrated version.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

If I'd had a choice, I would have watched the less-Bad Santa version but Badder was what I got from netflix!