Game Grumps - Wheel of Fortune Part 1

Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss (1988)

Strange name but "Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss" is actually the sequel to "A Christmas Story" it's the actual #2, you might say, even though that name is taken.

Whereas "A Christmas Story 2" was clearly just a cheap cash grab, this does actually feel like a real movie - it feels like a real sequel even though the first is a classic and this is not.

First off, Jean Shepherd was actually involved in this one, reprising his role as the Narrator and as writer. That's 90% of it. Secondly, there are actual actors here doing believable work. You can think of these characters as real people. You got Jerry O'Connell as Ralphie (remember Jerry O'Connell?), the dad is played by Doogie Howser's dad and the mom is the girl from "Mama's Family". Oh man, "Mama's Family". That's a post in itself.

The impact of these actor is a really big factor and a stark contrast with "ACS2". The Jean Shepherd/slice of life style means the entire movie hinges on believing that this is a real family. On the one side of the spectrum, you have "ACS2" with cartoon cut out characters and on the other side is "ACS1" where I refuse to believe that those people were not a real family. This one works because it's closer to the latter. There is a point in the movie where the mother is yelling upstairs to get everyone out of bed and as she yells her voice goes up into annoying screeching territory and it perfectly captures that feeling. Likewise the annoying younger brother is actually annoying and, similarly, reminds you of growing up and knowing kids like that.

The plot is simple: the first half of the movie is the family anticipating their upcoming Summer vacation, the second half of the movie is them driving to Michigan for their Summer vacation. That's it. I was surprised as I was watching it that there wasn't really a central plot, exactly, just a series of episodes but Shepherd's style is to write about life and that's life. The road trip where there is no central plot but consists of simply a series of things go wrong is pretty much the same idea as "National Lampoon's Vacation".

It's funny that this movie and "A Christmas Story 2" both start with Ralphie being years older and both have plots that revolve around him getting his first job. The fact that ACS2 flirts with the Teen Comedy genre and this movie keeps him respectable - focusing just on how tortuous the job is - is a telling contrast.

This was a made-for-tv movie, made by Disney (and PBS) and there are parts where it shows. I mentioned the good story and actors but some of the direction is pretty rough. It also drags on a bit towards the end. Let's face it, it can't compare with an absolute classic and even if it could, Summer vacation as a concept can't compete with the magic of Christmas.

A Christmas Story 2 (2012)

"A Christmas Story 2" isn't the worst movie in the world. If you're looking for a real "so bad, it's good" movie, this won't suffice.

Several years after the first movie, Ralphie is in his teens and dreaming of getting a car.  He's also dreaming of a certain girl at school. His dad is still wrestling with the furnace and trying to save money on a Christmas turkey by ice fishing for Christmas fish. Oddly, his father is played by Daniel Stern who was the narrator on "The Wonder Years" which was inspired by "A Christmas Story".

If you watched it having never heard of the original, you'd say it was competent, not good, but not terrible. The problem is it's SUCH a terrible, terrible idea. Every moment that you try to connect this movie to the first one in your head, you're reminded how this movie is horrible by comparison. It doesn't help that so many of the jokes are direct references to the first movie. This is a sequel 20 years removed from the first but they still try to make it a formula. There's also some bad green screen - fine, it's a low-budget movie, but, again, the first movie's low-budget never shows for even a single frame.

There's one strange, mind-bending aspect of this movie that was interesting. As Ralphie and his teenage friends get into embarrassing and compromising situations, it almost becomes a slight "teen sex comedy." But the first one was, in many ways, about Ralphie getting embarrassed; it makes sense that that would continue when he was older. In that way, there's a similarity between "A Christmas Story" and "American Pie" that I never considered.

Anyways, there are two other "A Christmas Story" sequels, making this "A Christmas Story 4" in a way. I'll be trying to find the other two.

Late Night - Conan Visits Lucasfilm

Here is the link.

There is some debate out there about whether Jordan Schlansky is a real person. This is evidence that he is. This video is from before he was a regular on the show (or even known). And it's clear that you can't write this. I mean, you don't know the Darth Vader suit details ahead of time, research every detail and then give someone lines to say in regards to those details. You need an actual obsessive nerd to be able to react in real time.

I have no doubt that Jordan's developed a shtick and is playing things up for comedic effect these days but the essence of the Jordan Schlansky character is a real person.

JonTron - Kid Nation

[Edit: Oh good, it's doing that thing again where embedded youtube videos disappear. Here is the link.]

I never understood the uproar that this show caused. First off, it's obvious that the claim of "no adults" is a lie, every second they're there they're there's an adult with them. The best part is when the kids talk to the camera about how weird it is to not have adults while an adult holds the camera and asked the question. Secondly, for generations, American kids used to go to Summer Camp. How is this worse than Summer Camp? It's better. There are no cameras at Summer Camp. Also, they don't periodically ask the kids if they want to go home at Summer Camp (as far as I know).

Not saying the premise interests me in the slightest, just that I didn't see what the big deal was.

The Last Dance and The Last Waltz

A few things I've watched recently that might be of interest...

The Last Dance (2020)

If basketball was your thing in the 90s - and especially if you followed Michael Jordan and the Bulls teams of that era - "The Last Dance" is a 10 part documentary from ESPN that follows that team throughout their two three-peat runs. It's extremely well done, interviewing all the people involved now, with the benefit of hindsight and the benefit of so much time elapsing that they can speak freely about what was really going down. The main focus of the series is the last season the Bulls were all together (1997-1998) but in each episode it will flip between the "present" and the "past" so that eventually the entire era will be covered.

The split timeline is a little disorienting but I get it, it allows for more of the "cliffhanger", "let's make them binge watch it" style that keeps you wanting more.

Extremely interesting, highly recommended.

Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band (2019)

Apparently there's a "new" documentary about The Band and it flew under my radar until now. This is another Martin Scorcese project and, therefore, focuses a great deal on Robbie Robertson rather than treating the group equally. You might say the documentary is about the entire band but from Robbie's perspective.

After "The Last Waltz", my knee-jerk reaction to Robbie Robertson-centrism is to wince but, after all, the book "This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band" and the documentary "Ain't in It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm" told other sides of the story so it's only fair to get Robbie's.

A lot of time is spent on the relationship between Robertson and Levon Helm - how they were closer than brothers back in the day but then grew apart, eventually turning into something approaching enemies. This is, again Robbie, telling his side, justifying himself. The problem with Robbie's perspective, though - and this documentary - is that he's struggling to grasp Levon's point of view and then and then arguing against his own vague theories. This makes his arguments seem disingenuous, at best.

Why would you not read Levon's book, or watch his documentary, or read the articles where you can get specific quotes, the thoughts stated by Levon himself and respond to those? We live in the age of the printed word and have lived there for hundreds of years. Let's get Robertson's side, sure, but how much more valuable would the documentary be if it provided an exchange of ideas between Robbie and Levon that neither got in their lifetimes?

As it is, the film leaves the conflict to everyone's imagination. "Oh, there are two sides to history and who can say who is right and who is wrong?, etc." And it will probably stay that way forever. There may be a hint though in the fact that, as long as we're forced into the realm of imagination, we have to wonder why it appears one side is dodging the issue.

In the end, I don't know who's right or wrong or even where the gray area stops. My head tends to think Robertson may be right but my heart is still with Levon and the rest of the band. Overall, a well-made documentary worth watching if you're interested. The music and video footage are amazing.