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.

[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. :)

[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.

[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.