Thursday, December 24, 2020

Thursday Movie Picks-Holiday Action Movies

 

Nothing says Christmas than an action film where one sees a Christmas tree in the movie....that's about it. Well, maybe there is a party going on before carnage explodes...literally. Let’s check out Wandering Through The Shelves and find out which films everyone else has chosen. I am late because it is Christmas Eve and I celebrate tonight so I had a lot to do....anyways, here are my 3...

1. LETHAL WEAPON-1987

Nothing says Christmas until a bad guy comes through a window and kicks the Christmas tree over. Mel Gibson plays a man on the edge( how appropriate) after he loses his wife, and is ready to commit suicide. Oh yes, he is also a cop and is partnered with a 50 yr old veteran, played by Danny Glover who is ready to  retire and is too old for this shit. Although they clash at first, they become great partners and good friends. This is a film all about ruthless drug people and a nutso Gary Busey(could there be any other but him acting nutso?) whom you know will meet his end at the hands of equally nutso Mel Gibson. This takes place during Christmas and it is the first time, but not the last, where Glover’s home is damaged including the poor tree.

2.  DIE HARD- 1988

I bet this will be a very popular choice and, no, I do not consider this a Christmas movie. It could have been a party any time of the year, the execs decided to choose Christmas as the  time to kick some ass. This film takes place in a big tower with the people, working for some nice mega business guy, are having a Christmas party. His right hand man is the estranged wife of Bruce Willis who is a cop. Enter bad guys lead by the superb Alan Rickman whom I still miss as he died way too young. His right hand man is played by Alexander Gudonov who was actually a top ballet dancer for the Bolshoi Ballet. In the 70s , when the Bolchoi came to New York City, he asked for  political asylum which caused a major incident between the U.S. and the Soviet Union even making a TV movie about this called Flight 222. It was quite intense since the Cold War was going on but Gudonov was able to stay. It’s sad that he died of acute alcoholism. Oh yes, back to this movie. Good rebel cop Bruce realizes something bad is afoot and he does his best to kill almost every bad guy in the film as he loses more clothing to show off his beefcake look. His one ally is a copy on the ground who believes him when other cops don’t because they are morons.

3. BAD SANTA- 2003

This is a very dark comedy but filled with some action. Billy Bob Thornton plays a self hate, alcoholic, bad ass who, along with his midget friend...sorry...little person, played wonderfully by Tony Cox dress up as Santa and his merry elf to work in the department stores so they can rob the place and take off with the huge amount of loot when the stores close for the holidays. Tony Cox is fed up with his safe cracking alcoholic Santa who pisses himself in the Santa chair and tells kids that his wife is “unclean”. John Ritter is the head of the store who now regrets hiring these 2 and asks the head of security, played Bernie Mac to keep an eye on them. John Ritter was perfect as the Puritan but creepy manager and this was, sadly, his last film. Bernie Mac was great as the head of security and Billy Bob is priceless as this most decrepit Santa you will ever know. He does have a heart(believe it or not) when he meets the sad kid who is bullied for being a true oddball kid. He stays at the kid's home with grandma played by Clovis Leachman(so funny) since  the kid’s dad is in prison. The ending is a big shootout as Bad Santa tries to bring snotty kid a pink elephant. It is dark, full of vulgar language and well, he does piss himself while sitting in the Santa chair but I love this film. It is not for everybody.


Merry Christmas everyone! I have a picture of my library and we are get a big storm so a white Christmas..I’m so excited. I have also given a video of Gudonov as a ballet dancer...a big difference from his turn as a bad guy in Die Hard. 





14 comments:

  1. Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie... IT IS THE CHRISTMAS MOVIE!!!! Everything else can go fuck itself.

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  2. Merry Christmas Birgit!

    How can you go wrong with Die Hard? It's an action flick but so well put together and played it's so much more, probably why it became so influential. Love that Bruce Willis insisted on Bonnie Bedelia to play his wife instead of some generic bimbo. Her innate grit makes her both a great match for him and allows her to make Holly a forceful character in the film.

    Lethal Weapon isn't nearly in the same class but as action films go is one of the better ones. Gibson hadn't descended into the crazed bigot yet and still had that movie star charisma happening.

    I've managed to avoid Bad Santa all these years and intend to keep doing so.

    I usually try to skirt the obvious picks but just couldn't not include Die Hard but my other two are less apparent I think.

    Die Hard (1988)-NYPD cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) has come to LA for Christmas to attempt a reconciliation with his highly successful wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia). Arriving at the high rise where her company’s holiday party is taking place things are tense between them but they are about to get much more so. Within moments a group of terrorists lead by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) take all but McClane, who is unseen, hostage and the pace from then on is relentless. McClane singlehandedly takes on the group in an ever-escalating series of attacks in an effort to save his wife and the day! Willis, Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia are all great in this standard setting action flick.

    Reindeer Games (2000)-Newly released from prison as the Christmas holidays approach ex-con Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) plans to stick to the straight and narrow starting over with Ashley (Charlize Theron) who he became involved with through letters while he was in the slammer. But he discovers Ashley’s brother, the psychotic Gabriel (Gary Sinise) has other plans. Gabe thinks that Rudy has inside info about a casino he wants to rob and pressures him to join his cohorts in carrying out the scheme. Everyone has secrets and as they are revealed the damage and bodies mount.

    The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)-Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) is a small-town schoolteacher and single mother to little Caitlin (Yvonne Zima). During the Christmas season Samantha is out running a quick errand when she is involved in a minor car accident sustaining what seems a minor bump on her head, but almost immediately she begins to be able to perform precision defense moves. Turns out Sam has only been in town for eight years having washed up on shore a pregnant amnesiac. As memories flood back she realizes she was a government assassin. When her former bosses learn she has been reactivated the hunt is on to either re-recruit or silence her.

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  3. Hi, Birgit!

    I've been waiting for your post since 6 this morning, dear friend! :) Ironically, Billy Bob is my favorite actor in this post and I have seen the first two action flicks, but not his Bad Santa. Now it's must see. Interesting how Alexander Gudonov turned into Boris Badenov in Die Hard. I still prefer Bruce Willis in Moonlighting. Such a shame that John Ritter died young. Who knew that his TV daughter Bridget in 8 Simple Rules would go on to such great success as Penny on Big Bang Theory and is now executive producer and star of The Flight Attendant?

    Your library looks beautiful. Merry Christmas to you and your family, dear friend BB!

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  4. Die Hard came to mind immediately. I would also choose Batman Returns and The Ice Harvest. Merry Christmas!

    Love,
    Janie

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  5. Sorry, Birgit, but I'm on the side of it's the ULTIMATE Christmas movie. All others pale in comparison. Even White Christmas and the one with Jimmy Stewart can't compare. Guess what? I've seen this one!! Yippy ki yea!!!

    Merry HO, HO dear friend. I wish you and your husband a joyous, safe, and healthy Christmas. Your home is glorious.

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  6. Alexander Gudonov was also in the film Witness with Harrison Ford, as an Amish man. Looks like he found something to do after his dancing career. I admit that I haven’t seen any of these films! Time to catch up? :)

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  7. Oh yes, you said look out for Die Hard! A rare occasion when our posts overlap. Happy Christmas!

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  8. Die Hard was my first thought. Also like Lethal Weapon. Never saw Bad Santa. Merry Christmas.

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  9. Die Hard sure would be my top pick followed by Lethal Weapon. I'd go with Gremlins over Bad Santa though, was some action in it haha

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  10. Ah yes, the Die Hard debate. I can't take one side or the other. I can easily argue both sides, and I don't much care one way or the other, so I just watch the fireworks. Good choices. Funny how many action movies do have a tie in to Christmas.

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  11. Bad Santa is so great. I never bothered with the sequel but I appreciate the first one.

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  12. Not sure I'd call Bad Santa an action movie, but I love it so much I'll take it. Great choices, all of 'em!

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  13. We match with the first two picks and I certainly enjoyed your third pick! :-D

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