1. 18E Friday, December 25, 2009 GO 386: COMICS The Daytona Beach News-Journal The Daytona Beach News-Journal GO 386: ENTERTAINMENT Friday, December 25, 2009 3E
BLONDIE PEANUTS
‘Christmas Story’ has
leg up on holiday films
he first time I saw the
movie ‘‘A Christmas
Story,’’ I was discom-
bobulated.
T When I was a tyke growing
up in Los Alamos, N.M., I
hadn’t noticed Jean Shepherd,
the guy behind ‘‘A Christmas
GARFIELD GASOLINE ALLEY Story,’’ hanging out with my
Disney/Pixar family around Christmastime.
The sky’s the limit in ‘‘Up,’’ Fanboy’s top film of the year. I hadn’t noticed Shepherd tak-
ing notes as my Old Man be-
came . . . er, perturbed with
the ‘‘assembly required’’ toys. I house on Christmas Day to set
hadn’t witnessed Shepherd the TV to TNT, which always
smiling and nodding while my airs ‘‘A Christmas Story’’ for 24
Top TV shows, films of 2009 mom advised me and my two hours straight beginning at 8
s 2009 comes to a
close, we wrap-up the Tom Iacuzio brothers to ‘‘Don’t break your p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Fanboy Awards with neck!’’ when we went sledding Merry Christmas, Ralphie.
the top five TV shows and on the snowy hills around our In other Christmas news . . .
A home. P Dear Santa,
films of the year.
First up, TV. Shepherd was the writer Speaking of childhood
HI AND LOIS BEETLE BAILEY 5. ‘‘True Blood’’: Of the top five whose short stories and semi- Christmas memories, I remem-
TV shows of the year, three of autobiographical, humorous ber you bringing me G.I. Joes,
them are on HBO. We kick anecdotes became the book ‘‘In toy tanks, plastic toy soldiers
things off with my favorite God We Trust, All Others Pay and play rifles and pistols — all
vampire-based soap opera, Cash,’’ which later became the this on the day when much of
FANBOY comical movie ‘‘A Christmas the world is celebrating the
‘‘True Blood.’’ I’ll admit, on its
surface this Alan Ball Story.’’ Prince of Peace.
produced project suffers from I was convinced after seeing Those war toys didn’t warp
story line with Jimmy Smits me, and I’m not ungrateful. Still,
crazy story lines, bad acting the film (released in 1983) that
as a District Attorney who I’m just sayin’ . . . .
and an overused theme. But Shepherd had somehow mag-
finds out Dexter’s secret. Associated Press file P The mystery of Boxing Day
put together, the series is one ically channeled my childhood
Adding John Lithgow this John Lithgow’s star turn in solved: Internet sources say
of the most addicting I’ve ever Christmas experiences.
year was a real coup. Boxing Day, which is observed
watched. Forget Team Jacob ‘‘Dexter’’ put this show OK, I don’t recall my Old
Honorable Mention: Dec. 26, derives from the British
or Team Edward, it’s all about over-the-top for Fanboy. Man scoring a sexy leg lamp
‘‘Community,’’ ‘‘Big Love,’’ tradition of giving seasonal gifts
Team Eric and Team Sookie. around Christmastime. But
CATHY WIZARD OF ID ‘‘House,’’ ‘‘30 Rock,’’ ‘‘Nurse (in the form of a Christmas box)
4. ‘‘Hung’’: Sad sack divorced when Ralphie, the boy hero of
Jackie.’’ 12 months than this Pixar to servants and other laborers
dad and high school teacher ‘‘A Christmas Story,’’ notes
And now, in what was a creation. Featuring the voices who had to work on Christmas
burns down his house, has an that his dad, his ‘‘Old Man,’’
monster year for terrific films, of Ed Asner and Christopher Day.
unstable job and two awkward was a Picasso of blue lan-
we give you the best movies. Plummer, ‘‘Up’’ tells the tale Nope. Boxing Day got its
kids. He also needs money. guage, I figured Shepherd had
5. ‘‘Big Fan’’: Comedian Patton of 78-year-old Carl name from a tradition that dates
Solution? Male prostitution. been spying on my Old Man,
Oswalt took a big risk trying Fredricksen, a widower who back to ancient Mesopotamia —
The HBO show’s main stars, whose artful cussing made
his hand at drama in this film sets out to fulfill the lifelong a tradition that developed in
Thomas Jane as Ray Drecker Shakespeare’s language seem
about a fanatical football fan dream he shared with his any family with two or more
and Jane Adams as his pimp, like a gorilla’s grunts.
whose meeting with his idol wife. To do so, he attaches children. It refers to the day af-
both received Golden Globe Ralphie yearns for Santa to
goes horribly wrong. It pays thousands of balloons to his ter Christmas when, inevitably,
nominations for their bring him a BB gun, but his
off. house and flies away to see one child would notice his-her
performances. mom always applies the ‘‘classic
4. ‘‘Food Inc.’’: It’s rare that a South America. sibling received a cooler toy
3. ‘‘Eastbound and Down’’: HBO’s mother BB gun block: ‘You’ll
movie changes your life. This ‘‘Up’’ is probably the most from Santa, and they’d duke it
rookie smash was a real love it shoot your eye out!’ ’’ My per-
DILBERT MIDDLETONS documentary about the adult-friendly Pixar film to out for possession of that lone,
or hate it sensation. Starring petual childhood Christmas
industry of food and how it date with scenes that might really cool toy.
Danny McBride as disgraced dream — a scooter. But my mom
comes to our table is one of even be considered too P The mystery of Boxing Day
major league baseball player would always apply the classic
those films. It’s a must see but I unsettling for children. (A mother scooter block: ‘‘You’ll solved, part two: Some
Kenny Powers, the series guarantee you may not look at man falls to his death for break your neck!’’ Christmas historians theorize a
revolves around the typical certain things the same way pete’s sake.) On a side note, if No shaman-like Santas, no different origin of Boxing Day.
big fish in a little pond again. the first 15 minutes of this film magic elves, no miracles, no It refers to the day after
scenario. Although in this 3. ‘‘Up In the Air’’: Nine Golden don’t make your tears well up, reindeer and no time-traveling Christmas when, inevitably,
series, the big fish is an Globe nominations. Nine. This you may not be alive. angels appear in ‘‘A Christmas toys begin to snap, break and
egotistical, drug addicted jerk George Clooney project about Honorable Mention: ‘‘Star Trek,’’ Story.’’ It’s simply an Everyman disintegrate like toothpicks in
who mistreats everyone a human resource ‘‘District 9,’’ ‘‘Inglourious . . . OK, an Every Family tale the jaw of Godzilla. Such toys
around him. But it sure is administrator who practically Basterds,’’ ‘‘Avatar,’’ ‘‘The about a semi-dysfunctional mid- are, of course, unceremoniously
funny. lives his life on an airplane Lovely Bones’’ dle-class clan holding on to sim- dumped into the toy box — nev-
2. ‘‘Glee’’: I can’t remember the seems destined for Oscar Lastly, thanks to all my ple Christmas dreams while er to be seen again.
last time a new show created greatness.
FRANK & ERNEST HAGAR THE HORRIBLE devoted Fanboy readers for navigating the hassles of daily Happy Boxing Day.
as much buzz as Fox’s high 2. ‘‘The Hangover’’ Not only is
another great year. Merry life.
school comedy/musical. this a breakout film for stars
Christmas and see you in 2010. Yet several polls have named Rick de Yampert is The Day-
Garnering three Golden Globe like Ken Jeong, Bradley
nominations including Best ‘‘A Christmas Story’’ as the tona Beach News-Journal’s en-
Cooper and Zach Galifianakis,
tom.iacuzio@news-jrnl.com most popular Christmas flick of tertainment writer. He can be
TV Series Comedy or Musical, it’s one of the funniest
the show has created new stars Accent writer Tom Iacuzio all time. reached at rick.deyampert
comedies in recent memory.
including Jane Lynch who has scours the pop culture It’s become a tradition at our @news-jrnl.com
Take that, Judd Apatow.
gone from ‘‘Oh, that lady’’ to a (Sorry Judd, you know we universe for the latest in
household name. love you.) entertainment news. Fanboy
1. ‘‘Dexter’’: I didn’t think that 1. ‘‘Up’’: Yep, a cartoon. I can can be found online as CONTACT US
the Showtime serial killer honestly say that no film Fanboy 2.0 at go386.com/ Send GO 386 Calendar events to e-mail: accent@news-jrnl.com;
drama could top last season’s touched me more in the past fanboy fax: 386-258-8623; mail: Accent Dept., The Daytona Beach News-
Journal, P.O. Box 2831, Daytona Beach, FL 32120-2831