Christmas: A Christmas Angel (For Better or For Worse)

Christmas  The Flashback 

  Previously on Joshuaonline: Back during Halloween we dipped into a special based off the comic strip "For Better or For Worse" We now dip again for Christmas with the 1992 special "A Christmas Angel".

    The special starts with father, John Patterson, and his two kids : Elizabeth and Michael come home with a Christmas tree. (Getting right into the Christmas, this Christmas special is) The mother, Elly , doesn't seem enthused by the tree.  She does feel  stressed out by the whole Christmas thing in the first place. Elizabeth wants to do Christmas stuff, but everyone seems to be on their own mode. Michael is going out an cleaning driveways of snow to buy Christmas stuff. In fact, he even sings a song. He even turns down his friends' offer to go sledding. (whoa)

 
      While Elizabeth was working on the tree, her little sister, April, breaks her mother's angel. (Her favorite angel) Elizabeth feels the middle kid blues and sad about the angel.  She thinks about making an angel to replace it. (that was nice of her)   Meanwhile, Michael is at the mall (teen heaven until the internet ruined things or whatever)  and looks around for Christmas gifts. The father is making something for Elizabeth. (That was nice of him) When he checks on her, April is into stuff again and he his displeased with Elizabeth.  This makes her feel bad some more.

        Now some sledding. (That's fun)  Elizabeth couldn't ride on one of the sleds with a bunch of other kids because they were full, and she gets bumped off. It's just not her day.  She finds another spot and the camera shows us a plot convenient "No Sledding allowed" sign. (Uh oh danger)   Then she hits her head against a tree and is out. (The music gets scary)

  More after the jump

Christmas: Jack Frost (1979)

Christmas theFlashback 

     
      We dip into another Rankin-Bass and one that turns 40 in 2019.  "Jack Frost" premiered on NBC on December 13th 1979; it's one of the later Rankin-Bass specials.  Interestingly enough, this is the second it's the second time that they have personified Jack Frost  though in this story they have a different canon.

           This is another Rankin Bass Christmas special you could watch in February and not be judged. (What? That was a strange thing to say)

           The February thing was not just a throw away line of mine, I mean the special starts in February with a groundhog named  Pardon-Me Pete , voiced by Buddy Hacket, whom you may know from some older Disney movies. Pete (we are going to call him Pete) is getting ready to do Groundhog Day. (This special will loop)   When he gets scared by his shadow, he explains that wasn't his shadow but Jack Frost. So, before bed he wants to tell us about Jack Frost.  Leading to the theme music. Jack Frost is personified as figure who likes being around the people, in this special it will focus on a town called January Junction.

Gather round me, I shall tell you a story/ Copyright Warner 

            January Junction is kind of in a bad spot there is an evil king named  Kubla Kraus, who ha made the town his serfdom. He takes all the money and makes everyone poor. During winter the town benefits from the snow and cold because people can exchange ice money. (I'm not  sure how this economy works in the first place if a crazy man owns all the money, how do you have a business?)
                   

         Now Jack gets close to the people of January including a girl named Elisa, who likes Jack Frost and he hears this and takes it as something else, I think.  I love the creativeness of this special as Jack's home is  in the clouds they personify winter as Father Winter who run a whole winter operation. There's a guy name Snip who makes the snowflakes, there's a sprite named Holly who is in charge of a White Christmas (they must have fired here around here) and there are some other weather figures. 

Holly and the ivy/ Copyright Warner

   
         Jack has decided that he wants to be a human because has fallen in love with the girl.  He has gone to Father Winter to request this, and after  a song Father allows it. Father says that it's tempoary, Jack has to get a house, horse, gold, and wife before spring and he'll be human permanently. (Well that's a list)

The lady of his affections/ Copyright Warner 

              Now human, Jack meets with Elisa and goes by the name Jack Snip.  (Could have told her he was Jack Frost but apparently that's hard) Father Winter decides to send Snip and Holly to human life as well to assist Jack. (He's using this power a little too much) Jack finds out that January Junction is not the best place to get a house, gold, or horse.

             The villain is ,of course  Kubla Kraus. They made him a very interesting one, he's greedy, mean, and yet he is sad and lonely because he is mean and greedy. He even has a robot army, and robot mice because even the mice don't want to be around him. There's also a dummy he has named Donnie. Also, I'm going to get this out of the way now, he will be dead by the end of special, it's not even reform him special or something, no he will be dead. Not even go away or something straight up dead.
   
      More on that later.  More after the jump

Christmas: Frosty's Winter Wonderland

Christmas  The Lookback 

 
           Frosty Returns isn't a direct sequel in anyway to "Frosty the Snowman" (1969 by Rankin Bass)  this special is.  From 1976 it's  "Frosty's Winter Wonderland".

      I don't think Rankin Bass were expecting to make a "Frosty 2" really, they may have just saw the popularity of the first one and thought "sure,let's do it." The funny thing is this one first aired on ABC, not CBS like Frosty, so it's weird way to sequel if  CBS is airing original "Frosty". It happens since Rudolph aired on NBC, later CBS, while "Shiny New Year" aired on ABC.

        First off, there is Karen at all.  Did she really stay on that roof and died? Nobody knows, she's not here.  The narrator here is Andy Griffith.  I can't say anything mean about Andy Griffith unless I want to be scumbag and a liar. (What?)  The kids, different kids than the past special kids, are sad that Frosty hasn't shown up. Andy Griffith tells them don't be sad because he promised he'd be back some day. (It's been 7 years , Frosty, hurry up!) 

Wow Andy Griffith just lives on our town,nice!/ Copyright Warner 

     The special cuts to Frosty who is in the North Pole.  The animation is different styled than the first special.(I'm sorry I keep mentioning the first one)  I do like the designs of the people and Frosty, they have a nice refined style, and really the design I associate with Rankin-Bass 2 D animation.  How long has Frosty been gone?  Anyway plot convince newspaper flies in his face, and it's winter in the  City. (Capital C, not the most creative name for a city, neither was Town)  Frosty decides to travel to the City.  (He has a nice house) The kids are happy that Frosty is returning.

Nice house, how much does North Pole housing go for?/ Copyright Warner

    Andy Griffith tells us that Frosty has a surprise coming for him. oh that's nice. I hope will be surprised with him.  Frosty took a wife.  (Whoa he spoiled it right there, rude!)  Since, I think Professor Hinkle was reformed ( and now does floor shows in Vegas!) we needed a new antagonist; so meet Jack Frost. So apparently, the embodiment of winter cold is our enemy is special, what?  Not sure it's good to fight Nature.  He's jealous that Frosty gets more love than he does.

Hello I'm Jack Frost, like me, please like me!/ Copyright Warner

     They can see Jack Frost (This is  a strange universe).  His goal is to take Frosty's hat to then become beloved. (So, his plan to get the children to like him is to take away their friend? Genius?) Jack Frost thinks he took Frosty's hat, he took a horse's hat because horses wear hats. We're minutes in and there's no Frosty wife action. (I what?)  Frosty is lonely outside , especially when the kids have to go in. Elise's , the main red head girl, idea is that he needs a wife. (That was her first idea, not a snow dog or something? Well, alright.) So, the kids with Frosty design a wife. (Uhhhh ok)

It's hard to create life/ Copyright Warner 

      They think up a name, and Frosty picks the name Crystal. (nice name) There is one problem, how do you make a second snow person come alive? (Witchcraft?)  Oh, Jack Frost figured out that the hat was the wrong hat.  How will he get out of this? Find out after the Jump.

Christmas: The Magic Hockey Skates

Joshuaonline CA 

           CHRISTMAS 

     
           This time we are looking at the 2012 Christmas special called "The Magic Hockey Skates"   It , so far airs yearly on the CBC.  It has also aired in the UK , Ireland, and the US.  So let's talk about this Christmas special that involves hockey, because Canada.  (A Curling special would have also applied.)

        It starts with hockey, to be honest, that's how it should start. No magic hockey skates yet, but hockey. The main character is a boy named Joey "The Flea"  Mack and he's playing against larger hockey players.   There's another hockey player named Rocky St. Jean.  They are apparently, the only two hockey players on the team; because that's fair.  Then Joey stumbles and the other team wins the Stanley Cup (TM?) . It was a dream, I was confused there.

Would be a strange hockey game 

          Joey is awakened by his mother and he is glad that it snowed! (Glad some one is)  He's happy because he likes outdoor hockey, even though his brother, Zach, says he' s not a good skater.  Joey wants skates by the hockey player mentioned above, Rocky St. Jean.  Zach wants a new hockey mask and they both cost lots of money.  The shopkeeper, who looks like Santa, and I am thinking that is on purpose because he looks like Santa and this is a Christmas special, and hockey skates. (Keep it along) oh yeah, sorry,  storekeeper guy says they good second-hand skates. (insert quip about second foot skates, laugh here)

He totally is Santa Claus 

           Oh his name is Nick, oh come on!  The skates that totally that is Santa offers are 90% off. (of what?)   So, they get those skates.  Totally is Santa tells Joey that they are magic hockey skates (roll those credits)  and that he has 3 wishes; all he has to do is believe.  There's also a dog in this special, and he's good boy.   Joey works to learn how to skate on ice. (or Ice-skating as I like to call it)  People make fun of him falling down because falling is funny(?)  Joey makes a wish that he was a better skater and apparently, witchcraft is real! (or magic) 

Maybe the wish works 

more after the jump

Christmas : Frosty Returns (1992)

Christmas The Flashback 

   So, you are watching one or both of the two showing of "Frosty the Snowman" on CBS and it's a 30 minute special. Then you see something called "Frosty Returns" come on and you might be befuddled at what this is special.

  It's NOT  a direct sequel of "Frosty the Snowman" from Rankin Bass , but CBS doesn't have rights (as of this writing to that special) they do have rights this one!  From 1992, this is "Frosty Returns".

      This special's animation looks like a Peanuts special and that's not because some random dude was trying to rip-off Peanuts. The animation is done by  Bill Melendez  and his production company. The same Bill Melendez who did the Peanuts specials.  The music sounds like Rugrats, why does it sound like that, because it's done by Mark Mothersbaugh, who also did music on "Rugrats". 


 On the special!

        They do copy the hallmarks of a Rankin Bass special by having a narrator. In this case it's narrated by Johnathan Winters.  This narrator can ride snow flakes because science.  I cut here before we get to rest of the special, it's not going to mention Christmas, there's some winter carnival so it can  place anytime between December and March. (That means a)using the Christmas tag was a weird thing for me to do, and b) I can watch this special in March) I'm only mentioning this now, not because it bugs me , but to make sure you know that it doesn't mention Christmas.

          At first there's a song with kids singing how much they love snow (yeah pro-snow agenda) while, the adults complaining about it in the same song.  Our main character is Holly DeCarlo  and she also has this friend who looks like Marcie from Peanuts had a son. His name is Charles so I have my own ideas.

Charlie Brown and Marcie had a son?/ Copyright CBS 

More after the jump

The Golden Globes Nomination 2019

The Golden Globes  Awards

          The 77th annual  Gloden Globes (R) nominations have been announced. The awards show airs on January 5th at 8pm/5pt  on NBC


 Here are the list of nominations 

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Niko Tavernise
1917
The Irishman
Joker
Marriage Story
The Two Popes


Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Dolemite Is My Name
Jojo Rabbit
Knives Out
Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood
Rocketman


Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Renée Zellweger, Judy



Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes


Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Awkwafina, The Farewell
Cate Blanchett, Where'd You Go Bernadette?
Ana de Armas, Knives Out
Beanie Feldstein, Booksmart
Emma Thompson, Late Night


Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Daniel Craig, Knives Out
Roman Griffin Davis, Jojo Rabbit
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood
Taron Egerton, Rocketman
Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name



Best Director - Motion Picture
Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Todd Phillips, Joker
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood


Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
Bong Joon-ho and Jin Won Han, Parasite
Anthony McCarten, The Two Popes
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood
Steven Zaillian, The Irishman


Best Foreign Language Film
The Farewell
Les Misérables
Pain and Glory
Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire



Best Animated Feature Film
Frozen 2
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
The Lion King
Missing Link
Toy Story 4


Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat, Little Women
Hildur Guonadóttir, Joker
Randy Newman, Marriage Story
Thomas Newman, 1917
Daniel Pemberton, Motherless Brooklyn


Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Beautiful Ghosts" (Cats) — Taylor Swift & Andrew Lloyd Webber
"I'm Gonna Love Me Again" (Rocketman) — Elton John & Bernie Taupin
"Into the Unknown" (Frozen 2) — Robert Lopez & Kristen Anderson-Lopez
"Spirit" (The Lion King) — Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Timothy McKenzie & Ilya Salmanzadeh
"Stand Up" (Harriet) — Joshuah Brian Campbell & Cynthia Erivo



Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Annette Bening, The Report
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Margot Robbie, Bombshell


Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood


Best Television Series - Drama
Big Little Lies
The Crown
Killing Eve
The Morning Show
Succession



Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
Olivia Colman, The Crown
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies
Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show


Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
Brian Cox, Succession
Kit Harington, Game of Thrones
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Tobias Menzies, The Crown
Billy Porter, Pose


Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical
Barry
Fleabag
The Kominsky Method
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The Politician



Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Kirsten Dunst, On Becoming a God in Central Florida
Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag


Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Bill Hader, Barry
Ben Platt, The Politician
Paul Rudd, Living With Yourself
Ramy Youssef, Ramy


Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Catch-22
Chernobyl
Fosse/Verdon
The Loudest Voice
Unbelievable



Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Christopher Abbott, Catch-22
Russell Crowe, The Loudest Voice
Jared Harris, Chernobyl
Sam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon
Sacha Baron Cohen, The Spy


Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kaitlyn Dever, Unbelievable
Joey King, The Act
Helen Mirren, Catherine the Great
Merritt Wever, Unbelievable
Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon


Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Patricia Arquette, The Act
Toni Collette, Unbelievable
Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies
Emily Watson, Chernobyl
Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown



Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
Kieran Culkin, Succession
Andrew Scott, Fleabag
Stellan Skarsgard, Chernobyl
Henry Winkler, Barry

Christmas: Frosty the Snowman (1969)

Christmas   The Flashback 

    One of my problems is that I kind of assumed everyone knows about  the same collective things, case in point: this special. I at least assumed everyone has seen this special and really , I shouldn't. That's one of the reasons why I never really jumped on this special to write about. I also really do like looking up stuff people really probably haven't seen or I've not seen my self to show my thoughts to all.    Since this is a special year for this special, I think it's time to write about it.

  Now This is "Frosty the Snowman"

       So, this special premiered on December 7th 1969 on CBS and has aired there ,as of this writing, for all 50 years. (In Canada it airs on CBC)    This special is based off the song of the same name written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson.  The history of the song is for a different blog, for this blog, I'm going to be writing about how Rankin-Bass (The Kings of Christmas)  took that song and figured out how to write a whole dang story around it. 



      Per tradition in Rankin Bass Christmas specials there is a narrator , this time it's Jimmy Durante!  So, it's the day before Christmas and kids are in school while the first snow of winter has fallen. (Why are the kids in school on Christmas eve? I don't know)   The teacher hires a Professor Hinkle, a magician, to come to the class Christmas party. He's not a very good magician. (He also has a rabbit named Hocus Pocus, who is best rabbit.)  Anyway, school's out (FOR SUMMER, I mean Christmas)  and the children , the main girl is named Karen, start to make a snowman.  (Also the kids are dressed in shorts and short dresses because people were tougher in the old days--weakling!)

Tougher Days/ Copyright NBC Universal 

More after the Jump

But First These Messages: Merry and Bright Edition

But  First These Messages 

           
        Christmas means commercials. "Santa Claus vs Elvis" will be back but first these messages...

       Christmas brings Christmas themed products like Christmas cakes, Christmas toothpaste and even Christmas Captain Crunch.



The kids seem over joyed that Captain Crunch broke into their house.
     

Eat my cereal  , It tastes like Christmas 

                       So anyway I need buy stuff but where? Amazon? No! Walmart! What?  Target? Maybe.   Kmart? They barley exist. I need a real store.

  For our Joshuaonline UK audience.

        The shots of this ad are interesting because they give you the feeling that you are a giant looking inside a doll house.  They also do these strange  zoom into the products like hey this is the price, this is the product, here you go.  The ad also has no words until the end.

I don't know why she's upset, that's a good price. 

  The one type of commercial that screams to me Christmas more than anything else are perfume ads; they seem to run in more excess around Christmas time than anything else and there are some that I only remember running around Christmas time.  

 More after the jump first