Snow Day

Oh boy! Nothing in the world as much as a snow day... except that cartoon nurse on Tiny Toons.

So when a recent snowstorm blanketed the east coast I invited 4 of my closest pals to watch a marathon of snow related features:


Snow Day: This film started the day off... and rightfully so. It's from the year 2000 and it tells the story of a few groups of people and what they did on a snow day. Chris Elliot drive a snow plow as the younger kids try and stop him. Meanwhile, the older kids try and find romance as Chevy Chases stands around not being very funny.


Snowball Express: This is a Disney picture from 1972. In it Dean Jones inherits a hotel in the mountains so he tells his boss (Dick Van Patten) to take a hike.
I kept waiting for the boss to re-emerge from his figurative 'hike' because you don't hire Van Patten for just one scene.
Or maybe you do.
Suffering massive Van Patten withdraw I kept hoping Dick Van Patten would return. Heck, after 30 minutes I would have settled for Timothy... or even Vince (well, not Vince.)
Anyway, the movie was loads of goofy fun.


Mickey's Magical Christmas- Snowed in at the House of Mouse: Following up some Disney live action with some recent animated stuff seemed a good fit.
This is a feature based on the House of Mouse show. The plot of the show is that Mickey owns an nightclub where famous Disney characters perform and fill the audience. Sorta like the Muppet Show (sans the Ruth Buzzi guest spots.)
In this one the gang is stranded at the club because of the snow, so they watch cartoons.
At this point I realized that I was stranded inside because of the snow and suddenly Dick Van Patten entered the room and made a hysterical, off the cuff, quip. Chevy Chase tried frantically to write it down, but he couldn't remember it so he cried and cried.
I was about to laugh at him, but even his sorrow isn't funny.


Jack Frost: This is a weird movie. Really, really weird. Micheal Keaton plays a father (named Jack Frost) who doesn't have time for his son because he is on the road with his band. For about 35 minutes the film deals with the drama of a family being apart and how tough it is on the parents and the kid. Then a gig almost forces Keaton to miss Christmas. But, he decides to return home (despite icy road conditions) and he dies in a car crash.
Now, if you have never seen this movie hold on to your pants. This is gonna shock you.
Micheal Keaton then returns from the dead in the form of a talking snowman.
Let me say that again:
Micheal Keaton then returns from the dead in the form of a talking snowman.
I had seen this movie 8 years ago when it was new so I knew this was coming. I would love to show this movie to someone that wasn't expecting it.
For over 1/3 of the movie you are watching a family drama... then BAM.. talking snowman. Silly talking snowman who gets in snowball fights and worries about dogs whizzing on him.
Then right before it ends (spoiler) it gets serious again.
What a strange freakin' movie.


Snowboard Academy: The only film ever to star Corey Haim and Jim Varney, Snowboard Academy is a gem for many reason. Actually just that reason. And... I am probably the only person around that finds that to be a big deal.
This is a silly kids vs. authority film where Haim and his snowboarding pals keep getting kicked off the hill until a competition is staged between skiers and snowboarders.
Along the way Ivan Drago's girlfriend shows up in a bathing suit.


Snowbuddies: I have been meaning to write a junk article on the Air Bud series for a while. It's longevity is amazing. Currently they seem to be on a pace of one direct-to-DVD film every 10 months. Snowbuddies came out in 2008 (2009 will see the release of Spacebuddies and Santabuddies) and had the "buddies" acting as a dog sled team.
The film is a step above most direct-to-DVD flicks and certainly has it's moments.
I didn't notice that because of was far to busy focusing on the child star of the film.

The child is introduced as "Adam" so I assume it's a boy. After all Adam is the name of the first male on earth. How could this be a girl.
But, then again, he does a have feminine way about him and a rather wispy voice.
Could Adam be an Eve?

Maybe this is one of those odd movie names. Like when they call a girl "Charlie" or "Sid" or "Omarosa." Perhaps it's not a boy.
A scene in the kid's bedroom gives us no clues. The decor features paintings of ducks and old maps. No sports stars or stuffed animals... NOTHING that would give any clues.
But, Adam has to be a boy.

Doesn't he?

I missed lots of plot points as I searched for clues. He or she? I hoped that the kid would be seen entering a public restroom or something. It boggled my mind.
Thankfully eventually one of the dogs referred to Adam as a boy. So case closed... except... what do dogs know?

I hope it doesn't snow again. This snow day was far to taxing on my brain.