Weird Movie Weekend

Last weekend I saw two disturbing films, Savage Grace and the Fingersmith. I did not intend to watch two movies of such a freaky nature all in one weekend, but Netflix has control over my movie watching habits and decided it would be a good idea.

First, Savage Grace. This movie is about the real life murder of Barbara Baekeland who was killed by her son. Wait, that’s not the freaky part. The mother and son have a sexual relationship according to the movie makers – and that’s just something you don’t want to see on film – the whole family is weird as a matter of fact and I think the movie makers decided to take a strange real life story and make it even weirder. There are great actors in this movie though: Julianne Moore, Stephane Dillane, Hugh Dancy, and a newish cutie on the movie scene, Eddie Redmayne as the disturbed son (Redmayne is also Angel in the latest Tess of the Durbyville, FYI) Despite good acting and lovely filming in Spain, I can’t imagine why anyone would want to see this movie. I can’t imagine why I wanted to see this movie.

Next, weird movie on the docket, Fingersmith. Based on a Susan Waters historic novel, Fingersmith imagines a lesbian love story in Victorian England. The movie has mysterious twists and turns with mistaken identities and babies switched at birth etc. and even a tyrannical uncle who collects pornographic books. It’s sort of a modern take on a Dickens-like plot. It was actually quite good and definitely not predictable. Plus, my new favorite actress, Sally Hawkins, from Happy-Go-Lucky is in it. Strange, but worth seeing. It was originally shown in the UK on BBC and is a two part mini-series.