Halloween Day By Day: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

Just as it wouldn't be Christmas without watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas", it wouldn't be Halloween without watching, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"... so I did.

It's Halloween, and the Peanuts gang is trick or treating... except for Linus.

He's waiting... waiting for the mysterious Great Pumpkin to rise, and bringing Halloween goodness to the world.

I'm probably going to sound biased since I've been a fan of Charlie Brown since I was a kid, but that's because I am biased. LOL

This is one of those cartoons that is just a relaxing, charming tradition for me. There's an innocence to it that is charming, and allows you to forget the sort of things that are part of our modern world. There's no moral to the story- you're not being preached to about this thing or that thing. It's simply meant to make you smile and forget your cares for a bit.

Yes, the animation is dated- but in my opinion, that makes it all the more charming. It's perfectly in keeping with the simplicity of the story, and the childhood wonder of the characters.

And that's why I love watching it every year. It's just a great way for me to pop my feet up, scarf down some Halloween candy, and simply relax and smile. For that reason, it sits firmly in "The Good" for me.

Comments

#CocktailHour: Slushtail

Summer approaches, inspiring thoughts of sunshine, backyard parties, and having a tip and sip with friends. With that in mind, I bring you this week sunny beverage. To make a slushtail, mix a can of frozen orange juice, a can of frozen lemonade (or limeade), a can of pineapple juice, a couple cups of black tea (or English Breakfast), and two cups of bourbon- such as Southern Comfort, in a pitcher. When it's all nicely mixed, put it in the freezer until it's a nice slushy consistency. Scoop the slush into a cocktail glass, and pour in some Sprite or 7-Up. Add a little umbrella for some frivolous fun, and a straw. Voila! Ready to enjoy. This is a very refreshing drink. The fruit juices, Sprite, and bourbon- when chilled makes for a great punch-like drink. The bourbon doesn't overwhelm juices. In fact, they are all nicely balanced in terms of flavors. The sourness of the citrus fruits contrasts well with the slightly sweeter Southern Comfort. It was refreshing enou

Unlock your fate with The Puzzle

When my dad wasn't working, building stuff or being my dad, he was making puzzles. It was a guaranteed way for him to unwind. So it was with great interest that I sat down to watch Italian filmmaker Davide Melini's award-winning short The Puzzle. You see, the mother in the five-minute film likes to relax with puzzles just like my dad. Unfortunately, her good-for-nothing son keeps harassing her for money. Losing herself in her favourite passtime, the mother soon discovers that completing this puzzle might unlock a nightmare. The Puzzle has been an official selection at more European film festivals than you can shake a stick at, and was voted Third Best Italian Film at the Rome International Film Festival in 2008. Having watched it, I'm not surprised. It's a tight little film that hits you hard in the final few seconds. You can tell Melini cut his teeth as an assistant director for legendary Italian filmmaker Dario Argento. But enough chit chat on my part. See if yo

The Animated Addict: "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011)

If you're a 40 + white dude, like myself, you may remember a comic series called " The Adventures of Tintin ". I know I remember them. This series, dating back to 1929, got turned into a animated feature film by Steven Spielberg in 2011. After buying a model of ship called The Unicorn, teenaged journalist Tintin finds himself on adventure that will take him from the high seas, to the low deserts, and from the distant past to the present. With his trusty dog, Snowy, by his side, Tintin uncovers a story connecting two men across the centuries.. . The story is really quite good. It's well crafted, and high paced- with just enough slow moments to build and develop the world and the characters. This is the sort of adventure story you'd find in the old serials of the 1930's and '40's. In fact, it felt like it was the sort of tale that you'd find Indiana Jones undertaking. I found myself swept up, and swept along as our hero swung from one e

Search This Blog