#that may or may not have been because of Mr. O'Hara (it most definitely may)

[samantha-scribbles]

Mr. 2099

4 months to the day I first saw Across the Spider-Verse, I conquered my fears and not only drew him, but I coloured him as well 💪

It took me two months to simply work up the courage to try and draw his stupid (affectionate) face!

[scarlettrhettelizabethrichard]

Chapter 3. Impression, Rising Sun, my GWTW fanfiction

Chapter 3 of The Robillard Boutique

Charleston, December 1873 Sitting back in a comfortable chair, Rhett nervously inhaled the smoke from his cigar, a sheaf of documents in one hand. The other was gripping the armrest firmly. Without taking any notice, his fingers were mechanically scratching the already worn leather of the good old Chesterfield.     He had waited so long for this divorce certificate. As soon as he returned from Atlanta and his altercation with Scarlett, he had gone straight to his notary's office after leaving the station to give him the form signed by Scarlett O'Hara. "Don't flinch! Break the bond now. » And then the wait for the official notification began. For the next three weeks, his nervousness put Eleonor and Rosemary to the test. They could not enter the library. The place reeked of alcohol and the ashes of burnt cigars. At the slightest signal from old butler Michael to open the front door, Rhett would appear, looking for a courier to deliver the envelope. He hoped for it, he dreaded it, he looked forward to it, he hoped it would never happen... How many times had he had to restrain himself from rushing to his solicitor's office and ordering him to cancel his divorce petition! His constant changes of mind had finally caused him stomach cramps. "Thank God I held out! Free at last! "Rhett Butler chuckled to himself. It's true, he had doubted. Scarlett had clouded his judgement with her incongruous declaration of love when Mrs Wilkes died. After twelve years of desperate waiting! But no, it was too late. The little pest had succeeded in drying up her capacity for emotion. In any case, Bonnie had taken all her love with her. "That Scarlett should cry in turn is only fair! » And besides, did she really love him? From the speed with which she had accepted the end of their marriage, he doubted it. When he arrived in Atlanta last November with the divorce form in his pocket, Rhett anticipated many months - even years - of struggle before Scarlett agreed to stop calling herself Mrs Butler. Dumbfounded, he had seen her stand up, take the pen with a determined air and sign "Scarlett O'Hara" at the bottom of the document. Without a fight. A twinge of guilt surprised him, but he quickly banished this emotional reflex. Ah, if it had been for Ashley... All those long years during which she had waited patiently for this vain puppet. But in the case of Rhett, her "great love" miraculously revealed according to her, two months had been enough for the distraught lover to annihilate her patience and to probably change her love target again. "Definitely, no, there is nothing to regret. No more Mrs Scarlett Butler. The rope with which you strangled me for twelve years is cut. It's over, Scarlett! A clean, sharp break. Brutality suits you so well! From now on, there will be no more ties between us. No more enduring your whims and cruelty, no more being in your presence, no more drowning in your emerald eyes, no more wrapping your long locks of hair around my neck, no more being able to touch you... Never again, Scarlett..." He celebrated his new status as a divorced man with his stash of whisky and shut himself up in his room for three days. A week later, judging it best to avoid the ire of a mother outraged by his "abandonment of wife and children", he had run away - "as usual", Scarlett could have said. "Of course not, it's not running away. I'm just going to enjoy my single life. » *************************

Paris, January 1874 He left for London where his English partner was waiting for him. It was while talking to industrialists that he got the idea of starting a new business. "We'll see when I get back to Charleston. I've got time to work on my project. » Then he crossed the Channel to spend a few weeks in Paris, his favourite European capital. There, too, the wealthy businessman planned to do some business and invest in successful ventures. As on his previous visits to the French capital, Rhett the art lover admired the architecture of the Eternal City and its museums. He made a few days' foray into the provinces to visit the châteaux of the Loire. Rhett the epicurean enjoyed the sophisticated gastronomy, the Parisian life and its nightly shows. Rhett the jouster found above all his refined places of priced pleasures. The seductive American with the enticing smile was welcomed with open arms, of course. Every evening he greedily chose his playmate for a few hours, never for the whole night. On Tuesday, this one was chosen because her blond hair contrasted with Scarlett's hair, which was as black as darkness; on Wednesday, this one accompanied him because her skin was the colour of gingerbread, contrasting with the pearly whiteness of Scarlett's body; on Thursday, he preferred the third one because her hips were wide, contrasting with Scarlett's slim waist. It was unconscious. He didn't even notice. At social functions with friends, he was often placed next to young girls to be married. In France, his situation as a divorced man did not seem to panic the families of good society. On the other hand, his bank account was certainly attractive. Jacqueline, a pretty young person with blonde curls, had been his date on trips to the theatre and the opera. She blushed. Rhett, who had been out of the habit of dating "maiden" since a certain barbecue, was flushed. Had the 16-year-old Scarlett blushed at Twelve Oaks in 1861? No, certainly not to him, but perhaps to Ashley... He admired the young Frenchwoman's literary and artistic knowledge. It was a change from his ex-wife, whom he had taken to slyly mocking because of her poor school education! After a few discreet caresses exchanged, kind words spoken, the prospect that the lady would probably become a perfect housewife, submissive to her husband, cultured, pleasant, loving and... so boring, he grew weary. "To my great regret," he confided to her apologetically, "my duties call me back to America. Rhett Butler, a great aesthete since his adolescence, took advantage of his stay in Paris to indulge in more cerebral pleasures. On 15 April 1874, following the advice of his friend Jean, he went to 35 Boulevard des Capucines in Paris, to the studios of the famous photographer Nadar. 30 artists had gathered for the first time to show their paintings, sculptures and engravings for a month. Most of the exhibitors were unknown to Rhett. Their common denominator was an innovative, provocative and revolutionary style, according to the art critics. One of the critics, in mockery, later called them "Impressionists". He did not linger long in front of Berthe Morisot's painting, "The Cradle": a young mother leaning tenderly over her sleeping baby. Scarlett had never taken the time to admire her precious Bonnie in her little bed. Rhett stood petrified before a painting entitled "Impression, Rising Sun". The author of the work, Claude Monet, observing this elegantly dressed American, took care to comment on his creation, the effect of the mist on the port of Le Havre. Rhett thanked him warmly. A disturbing emotion made his imagination wander. He was mysteriously caught up in the scene: an orange sky, symbol of fire, of burning passion; in the background, port buildings and boats reflected in the water, with blue pigments similar to the eyes of his dear little girl; finally the sea, a gradation of green hues: water green, like a tear-fogged eyelid; pale green surrounded by a thousand shining sequins, like eyes flooded with sweetness after love; emerald green, a hard, raging green, heralding flashes of anger, Scarlett's last look on that November day in 1873. He inquired about the price and immediately reserved the painting, making sure that it would be shipped to him in Charleston as soon as the exhibition was over. He cut his visit short. On the way back to the hotel, he stopped at his travel agent's and booked his place on the first boat to leave for America the next day. Rhett was looking forward to seeing "Impression, Rising Sun" in his armchair in Charleston. Perhaps he would install it in his room so that he could not take his eyes off it until he fell asleep. ********************** Charleston, May 1874 When she returned, Eleonor gave Rhett a big hug. As usual, her favourite son had spoiled her and Rosemary. Packages were piled up in the hallway, between Parisian-style trinkets and boxes of chocolate pralines. "I'm finally turning the page! "he thought with conviction. He immediately contacted his solicitor to check that he had not received any letters from Atlanta sent by Henry Hamilton, Scarlett's solicitor and uncle by marriage. "Not that I care in the least, by the way! "he convinced himself. It was high time to manage his business. These were difficult times and Rhett had to take a serious look at his investments. He couldn't help but chuckle as he recalled the ironic coincidence between the resounding financial crash on the New York Stock Exchange in September 1873, triggering a string of industrial bankruptcies, and the day Rhett left Scarlett and Atlanta. The Nothern Pacific Railway was ruined that day, followed by 89 other railways. Fortunately Rhett had divested himself of the company and sold all his shares earlier that year. One of his partners who had speculated on the rail frenzy had not had the same reflex. Overnight he was ruined. Yes, divorcing Scarlett seemed like an earthquake, even on the New York Stock Exchange, he quipped. "And I'm afraid I'll continue to feel the seismic tremors for some time to come," he said bitterly. The former war profiteer Rhett Butler had proved to be quite adept at managing the improperly earned Confederate money. Of course, large sums had been invested in hedge funds. So he too had suffered some losses. But nothing that would threaten his fortune. When Bonnie was born, in order to protect the future of his beloved daughter, he had embarked on a vast real estate project in New York, in Yankee country. In this bustling city, every piece of land was now prohibitively expensive. In 1869, Rhett had acquired a large area of wasteland in a fast-growing district. He had built buildings of about ten storeys. Rhett demanded that his high-end properties be equipped with all the comforts of new technology, lifts, good ventilation and sanitation. Central heating fed by a low pressure steam circuit ensured comfort for the lucky occupants. To make the most of every precious yard, the ground floors opened onto large glass galleries with shops. In short, Rhett Butler's property portfolio on that May day in 1874 was impressive. "Fortunately, I took the precaution a long time ago to convert my financial liquidity into gold bars! "The businessman congratulated himself once again. Unlike many of his acquaintances, who had to endure the catastrophe caused by the decision of the US Congress and its Coinage Act*. Overnight, their fortune in bundles of money was deflated. Thanks to his foresight, flair and experience, Charlestonian Rhett Butler had managed to weather the financial and economic crisis without much damage. Rhett was very rich. "Rich enough to continue paying Scarlett's expensive pension." Deep down he knew he would continue to protect her financially well beyond the five years agreed in the divorce. He laughed under his breath at his ex-wife's incomprehensible and in no way deserved show of generosity. Ex-wife... " It's been seven months, and I still can't get used to it..." Rhett shrugged. "Scarlett, you can continue to squander part of my fortune without fear of running out! "He hoped, with a childish reflex, that Clayton's former county belle would hear him in Atlanta.       ***************************** Endnotes to Chapter 5: *Coinage Act: On 12 February 1873, the US Congress voted to change the monetary standard from silver to gold.

Disclaimers : I do not own the history and the characters of the book and movie of Gone with the Wind, which beloong to Margaret Mitchell.

#novel, #writer, #fanfiction, #GWTW, #Gone with the Wind, #historic novel, #french painters, #Impressionnists, #1875's krak

[joyofcrime-elinorhigh]

Top 5 Obscure Christmas Specials You Should Watch:

 Rolls off the tongue there, doesn't it? 

 Hello everybody, my name is JoyofCrimeArt and I don't know about you, but I love Christmas. There's just something about this time of year that's just magical. Everybody seems to be in a better mood, people hate each other slightly less, and we all come together in order to celebrate kindness and brotherhood with your fellow man. There are plenty of things about Christmas to love besides that though. The music, the food, and especially the specials.  I've always been a bit of a Christmas special nut. I grew watching the classics. The Frosty's, the Rudolph's, the Charlie Browns (ect.) However, as time's gone on and I've gone older I realized that I was only scrapping the top of the iceberg. Because for every Christmas special that becomes a holiday icon, there are about a hundred that don't. Everybody wants a piece of the Christmas pie. And that'd why I'm here, to count down five of these weirder, less well known Christmas specials. That way you can check them out before Christmas time.  Now a couple of things that I want to specify before getting into this list. One.) These are a list of specials that you should watch. I'm not saying that there actually good, from an objective point of view. Some of them are, but some of them fall into "so bad it's good" category or just have some kinda cheesy quality to them that you just can't help but find endearing. Because even a lot of bad Christmas special that I found tend to have at least something enjoyable in them. Also I'll be ranking this list by how much you should watch them. Something that's very "so bad it's good" can be higher that something that's just technically better if it provides more enjoyment. Also keep in mind that, in general, I'm not very good at ranking things. My opinions on things tends to change very often, so like my list of top Toonami Ad's this list will be focusing less on ranking and more on just showcasing the best and worst of Christmas weirdness. So take the numbers with a bit of a grain of salt.  So anyway with all that said, let's dive right in. Number 5: Rapsittie Street Kids: Believe In Santa (2002)  I'm putting this one at the bottom of this list because, while still definitely obscure, it has been growing a cult popularity ever since online reviews like Pan Pizza, Mr. Enter, and The Nostalgia Critic started talking about it. It's the Rapsittie Street Kids: Believe In Santa and OH MY GOD!

 This...animated?- special follows the adventures of the Rapsitte Street Kids, specifically Ricky. He's a wannabe rapper who has a crush on the classes spoiled rich girl, Nicole. (Side note, how come in stories like this the main character always has a crush on the spoiled rich girl who's always super mean to them.) He decides to give her a teddy bear as a Christmas present, but Nicole decides to throw it out because it's so cheap.

 Hmm, no this scene doesn't feel right. I think it's missing something...

(An yes, I did trace that Hawkmoth symbol, but hey if this special is allowed to be lazy then why can't I?)  -But when Nicole discovers that the teddy bear was actually the last thing that Ricky's mom gave to him before she died, she has a change of heart and tries to get it back. However the story of the special is nowhere near as interesting as the real life story of the special.  This special, (which was suppose to kick off a franchise) aired only once on the WB. And from 2002 all the way to 2015 the special was considered lost media, with no copies or home media releases ever made. Only a few pieces production art and a handful of people on the Toonzone forums served as evidence of the specials existence. It's actually kinda scary if you think about it. Imagine you're channel surfing in 2002 and find this on TV. You go on early internet to look up what the hell you just watched and then...nothing. You then go over a decade, possibly wondering if the special was real or if it was just a fever dream.  I don't know how this special actually got to air though. Very little is known about the production of this special, but the budget was at least five hundred thousand dollars. Now with a special this cheap looking, even by 2002 standards, you'd imagine that the voice acting would be about as bad as the animation would be. But no, this special actually has an all star cast, featuring Mark Hamill (Star Wars, BTAS) Paige O'Hara (Beauty and the Beast), Nancy Cartwright (The Simpsons), and Grey Griffin (Avatar TLA, The Loud House) just to name a few.  But let's ignore the animation for a second. How is the special itself. Honestly, if it had better animation, it would probably be fine. It's nothing fantastic or anything, and it is a bit cliche at points, but it's not terrible or anything. It be your average, generic Christmas special. The voice acting is pretty decent and there are actually some pretty good songs. Also Nicole actually getting an arc instead of just being the generic mean rich girl was a bit of a pleasant surprise. However, with the bad animation, coupled with a lot of moments that are just filled with odd spaces of dead air, it easily becomes a great "so bad it's good" Christmas special in the same vein as say Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.  The special is available in full on Youtube. Usually I am very much against watching things online when there not released officially, because I believe that it's better to support the animation industry in any way you can. But here I'm willing to make an exception here. Given the fact that it was lost for thirteen years, I think it's clear that this special will never be put up on iTunes, Amazon, or DVD. If you love bad Christmas specials as much as I do, it's definitely worth checking out. Number 4: Nestor The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)  Ah, What kind of Christmas list would be complete without talking about Rankin/Bass Productions. To some there the company that defined your Christmas. To others, there the company that defined your nightmares. I fall more into the former category. (though I can totally understand the latter.) Sure there hockey, campy, and have the budget of half of a ham sandwich but hey, I grew up with them. And thus I will love them forever, despite how awful they are. That's just how nostalgia works.  Rankin-Bass became the king of animated Christmas specials in the late sixties and early seventies, pumping out hits like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Clause is Comin' To Town, Frosty the Fu*kboi, and A Year Without a Santa Claus just to name a few. However, as we moved into the late seventies and the early eighties, they were kinda starting to reach the bottom of the barrel in terms of ideas for specials. Thus resulting in some lesser known specials that most people aren't as aware of. One of these specials was 1977's Nestor, the Long Eared-Christmas Donkey.  The story follows Nestor, a donkey who was born with freakishly long ears. He is considered a misfit by the other donkey's in the stable, but little does he know that the thing that makes him a misfit may actually be the only thing that can save Christmas. The first Christmas to be exact.  And if this premise sounds familiar to you, that congratulations, you know what Rudolph is.  This special is a Rudolph rip off. Blatantly. Rankin-Bass made a rip off to there own special. However, as odd as this is going to sound, I actually like this special more than Rudolph. And I don't just mean in a "so bad it's good" way. I actually think that this special is better. Now why do I think this. What does this special have that Rudolph doesn't? Honestly, I think it's the heart.  Not to say that  Rudolph doesn't have any heart or anything, and it does have it's memorable lines, moments and characters, but I do sort of see it as one of the lesser Rankin-Bass specials for this reason. If you go back and re-watch Rudolph it's actually a very mean spirited special. Everybody is a jerk to Rudolph, from his father to frickin' Santa himself. Yes, they learn there lesson at the end, but it is honesty a pretty depressing watch up until that point.  However, in this special the only people who make fun of Nestor are characters were suppose to hate, and the other...um...

Jacks? okay Jacks.  It's only the other Jack's who pick on him. This is a lot less mean spirited because it's children picking on children, not adults And even the kids let up at some point. When there celebrating the Winter Solstice, (Remember, this is B.C: Before Christmas.) The other donkeys let Nestor celebrate with them and even apologize. Also unlike Rudolph, Nestor has much better parental figure in the form of his mom, who actually comforts his son when he's upset about his ears.  I don't want to go into spoilers here, but there are some moments in this special that are actually emotional. I know, I can't believe that either! Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey is genuinely emotional! Also there are some actually interesting ideas in it. Like there's this one character who's a Cherub. She has a very baby-ish looking body, sort of like a stereotypical Cupid. But when she talks the voice is this adult woman's voice. I don't know if it was an artist choice, or just laziness when casting the role but I love the juxtaposition of it. It creates this very other-worldly, almost alien vibe to the character, which fits given the fact that character is a servant of God. If it was a creative choice, it was a very interesting one in my personal opinion.    I'm not going to act like this specials perfect. It's cheesy as heck, and you if you have any knowledge of...the Bible, you know exactly where the special is going. (SPOILER ALERT: Jesus is born.) But for a special called Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey, I think it's the best that we can get. This could of easily just been a one for one Rudolph rip off, and in some regards it is. But I think they add just enough changes to make it worth watching in addition to Rudolph. I try to watch it every year. (Though full disclosure, I haven't actually seen it this year yet as of the writing of this review. I usually try to rewatch things before writing reviews of them, but I think I've seen this special enough times in the past to have a pretty firm opinion on it. But I did want to throw that out there just for transparency.) I think it's definitely a special worth checking out if you haven't seen it.  Also, the film The Star totally stole this films premise. Like, I'm sure it's just a coincidence, but still. How are there two specials with this premise?!

Number 3: A Cranberry Christmas (2008)  Okay, I know that some of you guys probably think that it was a bit unprofessional of me to talk about Nestor without re-watching-  OH MY GOSH! A baby donkey is called a Jack. Jack...ass...  That's funny.  -Anyway I know that some of you guys probably think that it was a bit unprofessional of me to talk about Nestor without re-watching it first. And unfortunately the same is true with this entry. However, I have a good reason this time. This time, I couldn't actually find the special. Like, anywhere. I looked on Amazon for a DVD or a buy able streaming version, I checked Youtube and only found one clip, I even looked on websites I'm usually against using, just to see if it was on there and came up with nothing. I looked on the Lost Media Wiki page and didn't see anything, so I'm assuming this special is out there somewhere. But I can't find it. It doesn't even have a Tvtropes page. So Instead I'll use my memory (as well as some other info I've found on other sites.) in order to tell you all...of the legend...of A Cranberry Christmas. Because I refuse to let this special become the next Rapsitte Street Kids. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0q3VFW47Yo

 This special, which is based off a book from 1976, aired on ABC Family (Now called Freeform.) What made this special unique was that it always aired without commercials. However, there was a catch to that. While the special wasn't interrupted by commercials, it was a commercial. Because this special was proudly sponsored by Ocean Spray. From my memory they weren't to blatant about the brand itself. (They never said the brand by name or anything.) But the special did talk a lot about cranberries, and how "Christmas isn't Christmas without cranberries" or something to that effect. (It's kinda like Frosty Returns in that regard.)  But that's not where this specials weirdness ends. The plot of the movie (And keep in mind I'm reciting this from memory, so some details may be off) involves a cranberry bog that freezes over every winter. All the kids love skating on the bog, but a crotchety old man named Cyrus Grapes..REALLY- tries to ban the kids from skating because he claims that the bog is on his property. However, a nice old man named Mr. Whisker's also claims that the bog is on his property, and he's find with the kids skating on it. So Mr. Whiskers, along with a young girl who's apparently named Maggie according to IMDB, have to find the documents proving that Mr. Whisker's own's the bog. Yay, land disputes. And cranberries...the true meaning of Christmas!  The special is odd. Also..this is going to sound bad, but just hear me out. I think that Mr. Whiskers is mentally handicapped. The special never says he is, but the plot doesn't make sense if he isn't. Because this special's ticking clock as it where, is Mr. Whisker's sister coming to visit for the holidays. She doesn't like how much of a mess Mr. Whisker's house is and think's he's unfit to live on his own. So Maggie and Mr. Whiskers have to also get the house in order because if Mr. Whisker's sister doesn't approve of the state of his home, she's going to make him move in with her. And if Mr. Whisker's leaves, than Cyrus Grapes get's the bog. It's weird because Mr. Whisker's is a grown adult, yet the special implies that his sister could make him move in with her, even if he doesn't want to. Mr. Whisker also acts kinda odd thought the special, never seeming to grasp the importance of the situations that he is in. So is the idea that he's mentally handicapped, and the sister could convince the courts that he's safer with her? I dunno. It's all kinda unclear. Maybe I'm over analyzing it.  The art style of the special isn't that bad, and kinda reminds me of Martha Speaks. However the actual animation is very...well...2008 flash. Though according to IMDB Jeff Bennet and Rob Paulson are in it, so that's something.  I'd say check it out, because this is a great "so bad it's good special" but I honestly don't know if you can check it out or not. If you can find it, send me a link in the comments. It would be much appreciated.   Number 2: Jack Frost (1979)  Rankin/Bass's Jack Frost was always a special that I would see listed on the TV guide website, but for years I never actually watched it. I mean when all your other specials are about Santa or Rudolph, Jack Frost just kinda seemed like a bit of a D-list Christmas character. However, when I actually sat down and watched it a few years back, I was actually surprised to find that Jack Frost was actually one of the best specials that Rankin-Bass had made.  The story is about Jack Frost, who comes to visit the town of January Junction, the most depressing yet somehow optimistic town you'll ever did see. The town is ruled by the evil Kubla Kraus, who steals all the money from the towns people. However the town is able to get by creating there own artificial currency currency by shaving down icicles to make "ice money." Because of this, the people love Jack, and Jack loves a wide eyed girl named Elisa. Jack is so smitten that he asks Father Winter to become human. A deal is made that if Jack can get the four human essentials (A house, a bag of gold, a horse, and a wife.) by winters end he can stay human forever.  So yeah, apparently if you don't personally own a bag of gold or a horse, you are deemed as less than a person from the perspective of the winter gods. Heck, I don't own any of those things.  Can Jack woe Elisa and defeat Kubla Kraus before winter's end? Oh and he also has help from two other winter spirits named Snip and Holly. They...honestly don't contribute much and are really only there so Jack has someone to talk to about his situation.  There's this earnestness with this special. Everyone is really likable, from Jack to Elisa to Elisa's parents, to even Kubla Kraus. He actually reminds me of the Ice King from Adventure Time. He's just this lonely guy who thinks that stealing money, (and later Elisa's hand in marriage) will make him happy. He even have his own Gunther in the form of a metal hand puppet that he talks to. It's a lot more sympathetic than other Rankin-Bass villains.  Now the special does fall into the Frosty Returns/Legend of Frosty the Snowman category of specials, where it's less of a Christmas special and more of a winter special. Heck, Groundhogs Day serves a bigger role in the plot than Christmas does. However there is a scene at Christmas, and it's my favorite scene in the special. It's Christmas, but everybody in the town is to poor to buy each other presents. So instead they decide to give each other "dream" presents. i.e) An empty box. They then imagine the present that they just received. It's very sad, but also uplifting as you see just how genuinely happy everybody is to get literally nothing. I honestly think it's one of the best scene in any media in terms of capturing the true essence of Christmas, right along side the final scene of The Grinch. I highly recommend this special if you haven't seen it. While no means perfect or anything, Jack Baby Donkey is a special that I think it's still well worth a viewing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pROJxFuELQU

 Oh, also interesting fact that I learned while researching this list. Apparently most Rankin-Bass films and specials had there animation outsourced to Japan. So thus you could make the very real argument that Rankin-Bass is technically anime! Just thought that I would share that fact with you all.

I regret nothing. Number 1: How Murray Saved Christmas (2014)  An to finish off this list, we have "How Murray Saved Christmas." Not to be confused "A Very Murray Christmas," which is a different Christmas movie with a much punier name. This special is about Murray, a grumpy old butcher who lives in the town of Stinky Cigars, a town with a name so awful that nobody dares visit it. This is done on purpose because most the residence of the town are holiday mascots. Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, Baby New Years, ect. Murray does not seem to be a very festive person, and prefers to be left alone. But when Santa get's accidentally injured by a misfit elf named Edison, Murray actually becomes the most qualified person to deliver the gifts and save Christmas.  Now this special sounds as pretty generic on the surface. The "grumpy main character who has to become Santa and learn the true meaning of Christmas" plot is nothing new. However, it's the way the special does this plot that makes it stand out. The special was directed by Peter Avanzino who worked on Futurama and written by Mike Reiss who worked on The Simpsons and co-created The Critic. (As well as wrote the book that the special is based on.) These two bring an edge to the special that I was not expecting when I first watched it. The special's humor is very reminiscent of The Simpsons or Futurama. There are a lot of adult jokes and pop culture references that are both really funny, and also helps to make the special stand out from other similar specials. I'm honestly not sure who this special is made for. None of the jokes are really inappropriate, but a lot of it seemed pretty geared at adults. Sort of like Homestar Runner and especially Dan Vs, Y'know? I mean the town's doctor is actually named Doc Holiday.  It's that kinda special. To many people I can see how this would make the special feel disjointed, but personally I think it is one of the specials strongest strengths. It's genuinely funny, and most of the jokes really hit. The special is also told almost entirely in rhyme, which is a trope that I LOVE seeing in Christmas special. If you're special rhymes, there's a really good chance that I will really like it.  If I had a few nitpicks however, (and these are nitpicks.) Is that it could be a tad longer. There are a lot of ideas that the special throws out that could be interesting if expanded upon, but aren't. The film antagonist, Officer Bender, is the biggest offender of this as he only get's two scenes in the whole special. Though it is nice to hear John Ratzenberger in one of his few non Pixar roles. The animation also has that "Family Guy/Fox sitcom" kinda look to it, and while I've never personally minded that style too much I know it's something a lot of other people hate.  If you watch one of these specials this year, make it this one. I know I may not have seemed to go into as much detail with this special as I was with some of the other entries, but that's just because I don't want to spoil any of the best lines. Comedies can be hard to review sometimes because of that reason. But trust me, It's a special that deserves to become a classic. But don't watch the NBC version of it, because they cut a lot out. Including Officer Bender and Murray's entire backstory! Buy the DVD if you want to experience the special the way it was meant to be seen. It's four dollars on Amazon, and it's worth the price. (Note: I am not responsible for any refunds if you don't like the movie.)  So those are my to picks for five obscure Christmas specials that you should watch this Christmas. Obviously there are more than five, so I might revisit this topic in a part two at some point. Have you seen any of these specials? Are there any obscure or non-traditional Christmas specials that you watch every year? Feel free to tell me in the comments down bellow. Also if you do end up watching them, come back here and tell me what you thought of them. I'd love to know if you liked them. Please fav, follow, and comment down bellow if you liked the review or if you have any suggestions for future reviews or list. If it sounds interesting I might just end up covering it. Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and a Happy Holiday. I'll be back next week...for 2017 year in review. See you then.   (I do not own any of the images or videos in this review. All credit goes to there original owners.)

https://www.deviantart.com/joyofcrimeart/journal/Top-5-Obscure-Christmas-Specials-You-Should-Watch-720182965 DA Link

[rafia-jan]

A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017) REVIEW

While I enjoyed the entirety of the first season of one of the most anticipated shows of 2017, there were still a few aspects I felt this reboot lacked. However, there were still plenty of new features and artistic choices that I very much appreciated in Netflix's ASOUE.

I want to start by saying each episode portrayed a phenomenal marriage between vibrant and eerie colors amongst the sets and costumes. I felt the aesthetics of this show were wonderfully executed, it only made me want to watch it more. The CG effects weren't as mediocre as I'd thought they would be, in fact, they were more than decent. There were remnants of its 2004 movie version that felt familiar, but the producers still managed to form a completely new identity. My only wish was to include more gothic accents to the costumes and settings.

Which brings me to my next point. I watched the movie in 2004 when I was 10, and I was highly intrigued by the dark nature of the film, it's what led me to binge-watch this series. I thought I was coming in for a more mature depiction of a children's series. The story alone is whimsical enough to categorize itself as a series for younger audiences. A dastardly villain who will stop at nothing to destroy 3 clever children who use their unique skills to escape his evil clutches? It sounds thrilling and exciting enough to lure in a younger audience. However, most of the people who watched this were teenagers or adults because of the connection we have with the books and movie when we were children. I wished there was more grit and despair as we saw in the movie. The only despair that came to mind was when Lemony Snicket was on screen explaining how we should feel dismal about the Baudelaire children. While the quirky characters and breaking of the fourth wall were amusing, the rest of it felt too silly to empathize with. I get that adults don't listen and children are misunderstood, but the repetition was overdone.

I haven't read the books, so I'm not sure if this is what the author intended to emit from his books (if so, then I apologize in advance for the remainder of this review).

In terms of acting, there were highs and lows. Neil Patrick Harris is super fun to watch, but at times I felt I was watching Barney from How I Met Your Mother in costume. Only when Olaf was disguised as someone else was I immersed into his acting. I'm sure in the next season NPH will have more of a feel for his character, and maybe then Count Olaf will be understood more through some backstory. I'm not completely mad at his portrayal, there were many instances in which I enjoyed the extra dash of drama and wit. In my mind, Jim Carrey's take on the role was more sinister, which was what made the movie stick out to me as a kid. He was a villain that scared the shit out of me, so that jarring cruelty is what I want most from NPH next season (which I'm positive he can pull off).

The children were fun to watch. They seem fairly new in the acting business, at some points in the series it was obvious, but they did a good job of emulating depressed, yet hopeful, orphans. I read somewhere that the ages of the actors are more accurate in this version, so kudos to the studio b/c that rarely ever happens in book-to movie/tv-adaptations. I enjoyed the family dynamic and the positivity they struggled to keep afloat when things felt down. There were numerous mini-lessons in each episode that are influential to younger audiences, which 20-somethings like me can appreciate.

Malina Weissman does a wonderful job at portraying Violet as a responsible, kind-hearted girl with a passion for inventing. One thing I caught was how gender-roles were challenged in this show, they were actually addressed here and there without it getting preachy. Louis Hynes wasn't too convincing as Klaus, but he did give off a sense of sophistication and more emotion than the movie Klaus. Sometimes I felt he wasn't likable enough. Though this show was all about the Baudelaire's, I felt I didn't get to know them as much as I wanted to. Usually after I watch a show or movie, I'll have favorite characters running through my mind all day, that didn't quite happen here. Hopefully that will change in the future installments. Sunny was great of course, not much acting involved, but she was adorable (only complaint: WHY WITH THE NEON GREEN CAPTIONS!?).

With the secondary characters, I was up and down. I loved Joan Cusack! Every role she plays is just bursting with flowers and teddy bears. She brings such sunshine and love to every project, even when she was under Olaf's influence. I just wanted to give her a big hug. Well done! K. Todd Freeman plays Mr. Poe. If his character is meant to be a nuisance, I believe Freeman achieved his goal. Every time he was on screen, I found myself suffering a migraine. He was so oblivious and imbecilic it hurt my head. Perhaps that was the goal, but at times it felt a bit overdone. Don't get me wrong, Freeman's acting was on point, but I just struggled not to scream whenever he was on screen.

The first of the guardians, played by Aasif Mandvi, was a delight to watch. Morty truly felt like that cool uncle we all wanted as kids. He was extremely likable and joyous. I genuinely felt those Billy Connolly vibes, but Mandvi made this character his own. Of course he met his unfortunate demise, but it was probably the only death I was saddened by.

Aunt Josephine played by Alfre Woodard wasn't the most pleasant to watch. I found the show slowing to a lull in the 2 episodes following her guardianship. It may have been the acting or writing, but I honestly didn't find that character was well executed. It also may be the fact that Meryl Streep played Josephine in the movie and she did a remarkable job . . . she, unfortunately, set the bar very high.

Finally, Catherine O'Hara. A SOUE alumni! She was very intimidating as Dr. Orwell. I felt she was more convincing as a villain than Olaf, to be very honest. Her acting chops were effortless, she knows how to play the part. I enjoyed her on the screen, though her death was rather anticlimactic. I'm not sure how it played out in the books, but it was super disappointing (visually??).

The plot is obviously something I've seen before. I expected much of it but there were new aspects regarding the mother and father and the Miserable Mills. I was hyped at the beginning, mainly due to nostalgia, but it slowly faded with the storyline (pacing issues). There was banter between characters that felt prolonged, which ties in to the "too silly" factor I've mentioned many times before. The acting faltered here and there, which lowered my interest, but the big picture led me back in. By the time we swept through the guardians I was back in! The main concern of the children were being addressed and there were actual dismal events that meant more to me as an audience member. It's a shame we got to the meat of the story so late into the show. Now all I want is the next season (probably the point).

Over all, I think this show deserves a second season. This first season showed how much potential ASOUE has in becoming a pop-culture staple in the generations to come, just as Harry Potter has. This show can grow into a beautiful rose for everyone to admire with proper deliberation on what should change and what should be enhanced. The main actors were chosen well and the world is displayed wonderfully whimsical through fantastic cinematography. It's definitely a show for children and adults, but it needs some work to flourish in the future. 7/10 because it has room for improvement.