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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Author
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Topic: Bad Santa
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Jason Black
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1723
From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 11-25-2003 10:25 PM
Billy Bob as a completely disillusioned, rude, obnoxious, self destructive, drunk Santa.
Yeah, that makes for a good movie.
10 minutes into the film I wished it would end. Sadly, it did not.
***EDIT***
Actually, now that I've had time to think about what I saw, Bad Santa wasn't that bad. I did get tired of hearing "Fuck-MotherFucker-Shit-GodDamnit-Son of a Bitch" every other word, but as someone else pointed out below, it was different than what people would expect. I cant' wait to see the refund desires today and the weekend. The car scene with Sanat and the chick got a huge laugh out of me anyway...
I guess that sometimes it helps to think about what you've seen rather than posting off the cuff. [ 11-27-2003, 12:31 PM: Message edited by: Jason Black ]
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Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 12-01-2003 09:38 AM
I liked the movie. While it wasn't as good as I expected, it still gave me a reason to watch a movie in a weekend where most of the top 10 movies are either for kids or just plain mediocre. I mean you had to choose either formulaic bad kid movies like Cat in the Hat or Haunted Mansion, or mediocre grownup movies like The Missing or Gothika.
Billy Bob Thornton was pretty funny. Lauren Graham does a nice job in her role. Because of the cynical first half, it was easier to take the sappy second half compared to the sap overdose I got in the second half of Elf(a movie that is pretty good for families, but a bit too kiddish for grownup singles).
John Ritter has a small role and disappears from the movie in the final third. Bernie Mac is good as usual. The guy who played the fat kid was annoying at first, but that was intentional as it would put us in the role of actually agreeing with some of Billy Bob's nasty comments.
What I didn't like are the stupid parents who brought their little kids to this movie(there were at least 10 or 15 preteen kids). As a guy who has seen mostly grownup movies as a kid and didn't like too many of those made for kids movies, I tend to support parents who don't overprotect their kids. As far as the Santa myth being destroyed for kids, I don't care about that either because you have to be a special ed student not to know Santa is fake by the time you are 8 or 9. But this movie is not a Godfather. It is like attending a ratpack roast with a bunch of kids. It's like one of the groom's buddies bringing his kid to a bachelor's party. In short, I just feel a bit raw because it is bad etiquette to your fellow moviegoers. I can't laugh as much at some of the F me Santa scenes with a lil kid laughing out loud right next to me. I can't laugh as much when some parent has to take her kid who is whining about getting bored. If your kid is really a precocious movie geek, then by all means, feel free to bring your kid to this movie. Other than that, if you are just bringing the kid to save on babysitting, I have a suggestion. Drop your kid off at another movie in the multiplex. If you think your freaking kid is old enough to watch Bad Santa, then maybe he is old enough to watch a movie without your presence at the multiplex.
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Evans A Criswell
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1579
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 12-09-2003 09:54 AM
Attendance: 2003/12/09 19:10, Regal River Oaks Cinema 8, Decautr, Al, Auditorium 8 (28 ft. wide), Flat, screen 26 ft wide.
I enjoyed this movie. There were a total of around 8 people in this Monday night showing, which isn't bad considering this is in Decatur.
I loved the way this Santa was so crude. This is another "suspend your logical thinking" movie. A Santa that acted like that in a large popular mall wouldn't last a day. The public outcry would be terrible, probably leading to media coverage of the complaints, if that scenario actually happened.
I think it's great to see a Santa tell kids off and use profanity in front of them and show up to work drunk. It's something you don't see used in movies and TV shows that much.
The kid and his grandmother had a lot in common. They both had just enough brain to make them function. I loved how "Let me make you some sandwiches" seemed to be their most often spoken line. In real life, I don't think that kid wouldn't have been able to make C's on his report card.
Spoiler (maybe)
Near the end of the movie, I guess they figured, "Hey, there's an element of many movies we haven't had yet -- murder and mayhem -- let's have some murder and mayhem now". It seemed a bit out of place in the movie.
All in all, I recommend this one. I think it'll be a good party movie. Unfortunately, its Christmas theme limits the time of year that most people will want to see it.
The presentation was flawless, as is typical for this theatre. However, a new record was set for number of commercials played. 13 (yes, thirteen) commercial things were played before the previews. 7 out of the 20 minutes of pre-movie material were composed of commercials instead of movie previews. Someone's definitely working overtime in Colorado at Regal.
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Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001
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posted 12-14-2003 12:53 PM
AMC Hamilton, 12/13, 5:45 PM matinee. Hall #2, attendance ~40-50.
No, I wasn't flustered by all that was in Bad Santa. No, there was only 1 pre-teen boy (he sat with his father). Yes, I got to laugh my ass off.
Willie T. Soke could have been my father! He too was drunk, mean, chased women and p9^%ed off everyone. At least Willie T. got to kick other people's ass.
Also, this must be a year for dwarfs in Xmas movies. Tony Cox is Willie T.'s elf and does it well. Peter Dinklage had a part in Elf as the children's book author called in to do a pitch on Xmas Eve. (Dinklage was in the arthouse hit The Station Agent.)
Bad Santa oughta be a contender for Best Picture and Best Actor. Unfortunately the Academy doesn't look too kindly on comedy. OTOH this was from Dimension, the B-movie division of Miramax, so there might be some latitude.
Presentation: Image was good -- I don't think I saw the CRAP Code. If the CRAP Code is missing score one for Miramax! Sound was good in Dolby SR -- it defaulted to SR at the "Feature Presentation" > R1 join. Digital preshow was dim; the bulb was getting low.
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