Tag: Christmas

Knowledge Kids is all Geared up for the Holidays!

Knowledge Kids has a huge lineup of #child friendly holiday specials that’s now playing online throughout Canada, on television (in British Columbia) and through the app

knowkidsxmasEven adults can enjoy youth oriented programs with their children as Christmas time approaches. Knowledge Kids has a huge lineup of holiday specials that’s now playing online throughout Canada, on television (in British Columbia) and through the app (android and ios) which is sure to delight. There’s 38 shows in all, and instead of one-offs, they are running periodically all month long.

Molang and Paw Patrol have the most to offer, and who doesn’t want to get fuzzy with Shaun the Sheep? Even the Stinky & Dirty Show proves they can get to the spirit. This American-Irish-British animated series is all about finding creative ways to solve problems, and for “Sleigh Riders/Snow Problem,” they have to save the holiday!

A sampling of the schedule includes:

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When Home Sweet Home Alone is Managed Under Disney

This film isn’t ultimately bad, it just needs to be properly understood so those fans of the Home Alone franchise won’t scream it sucks because Disney now manages this property instead of 20th Century Entertainment that they now own.

The tagline "No parents, no problem" and a boy holding large toy gunsAvailable on Disney Plus
Spoiler Alert

Some movie franchises should never be rebooted, or continued after a prolonged absence on the big screen. Home Alone and its sequel are still enjoyable to this day and doesn’t need any continuation. Macaulay Culkin has a charm, innocence and mischievousness to make those films hits and I’d be more excited had it continued with him as an adult dealing with his own kids, and accidentally leaving one behind. 

Home Alone 3 brought in a new lead who didn’t exude those traits and because of that, never succeeded. The fourth film tried to get back to basics, and return to look at the life of the McCallisters. But due to the years gone by, the original actor is much older and another child actor, Mike Weinberg, was put into the role and studio producers hoped nobody would care. Everybody did and this film was universally panned.

Home Sweet Home Alone is the latest entry that introduces a new family, and does something different with the formula. Like the McCallisters, The Mercer family are preparing to enjoy the holidays abroad instead of staying home. Bits of dialogue and a lot of the humour get recycled. The family problems Max (Archie Yates of Jo Jo Rabbit fame) faces are similar. Though this young actor isn’t chummy enough to carry the film, his nemesis, Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2) surprisingly is. This veteran of comedy saves it. The story is more about him, as Jeff McKenzie, who is forced to sell the home. Luxury comes at a cost, and little does he realize that a family heirloom can save them.

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Christmas Time is Here with WARPs Up SANTA Connection

From all of us at Otakunoculture.com, we’re wishing everyone ….

Warp UP Santa Present Wrap

Even though we’re on break, articles are planned and are being authored. They will appear in the New Year.

To get into the festive mood, we do have two shout-outs to fans of WARPs UP word-wide.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw6BD32pSTw&w=560&h=315%5D

Japanese-Chinese male dance collective WARPs UP released a new music video for their track ‘Cloud 9’ on YouTube today, December 24, 2020. Following the release of ‘Hali Gali’ in November, WARPs UP collaborated on ‘Cloud 9’ with producer/songwriter team Tony Esterly and Paige Blue, whose past hits include ‘Satisfied’ by Sia and several tracks for BTS.

The group includes two members from Japan and two from China. In addition to RIKIMARU, the Japan side also features SANTA, a top-level dancer who has earned the title of World Champion at a world-renowned dance battle. Meanwhile, Chinese members MINGJUN and LANBYI gained performing experience as trained idols in China.

Have a safe break!

The Vintage Tempest’s Open Letter to Santa & Thoughts for the New Year

Ed Sum aka The Vintage Tempest
By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Dear Santa,

Yes I know this letter is late, very very late, and I hope I can still get a surprise come Christmas day.

Before I take a break from this blog for a much needed R&R, I have to write to someone about all thats transpired in the past year. It’s been tough because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some folks have changed their behaviours and others have gone into hiding until authorities say it’s safe to resume a different kind of normal.

I’m surviving and consider this season a time of hope. Yes, you’ve heard all this goodwill ambassador stuff before but I feel the world really needs it as we go into this new decade. 2021 won’t feel too different. With a tentative vaccine not everyone will want, I’m debating it. I miss my comic book conventions. I’m glad to have taken on all of Fan Expo Vancouver before the lockdown, and if any shows take place at the end of the new year, I believe it’ll be one of trepidation. I’ll sound off on this in a different editorial though.

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Want Some Christmas Scares? All the Creatures Were Stirring is Sure to Chill!

The bigger story, concerning Max and Jenna who are watching these stories along with other non-merry makers is that one of them must be in on the gag. If there’s to be a payoff, perhaps that, for the season, it’s better to make merry with friends or family, and enjoy life so that you don’t end up like them!

All the Creatures Were Stirring Movie PosterAvailable to Stream on Shudder, Amazon Prime, iTunes and Google Play.

‘Twas the night before Christmas,
when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse;
When no one’s around,
but the sound of a scream.
All anyone can hope is
the scare was a dream.
When out on the lawn
there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed
to see what was the matter.
The moon on the breast
of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday,
of broken people seen far below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
I shuddered, I muttered, “oh dear, oh dear!”

All the Creatures Were Stirring is a gentle horror anthology by Rebekah and David Ian McKendry to remind viewers about what the holiday is about. My play on Clement Clarke Moore’s poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” reflects upon the changes these two producers have done to the holiday classic. They’ve effectively switched the cheer to create some holiday fear, as some people want to enjoy a scary Christmas story as the time nears. Usually that’s a tale about phantoms, and we do get one of the four stories within a story play with that idea.

All is not safe in the theatre Max takes Jenna to. They’re on a date and they have no idea what they’re about to witness. They must be checking out a Winter Fringe Festival; the episodes are performed with minimal props but when we jump into those tales, they are fully realized nightmare fuel.

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On Dec 25th, FEMM’s Holiday Gift to Fans Worldwide is…

FEMM — JpopRocksLooking for a Japanese way to take on Christmas Day? Electronic dance duo FEMM has a suggestion! These two gals performance art approach is unique. They pretend to be mannequins coming to life, and their costumes spotlight the latest in fashion. Nothing going to stop them from touring as they have fans worldwide. In the meantime, they have something to offer in the digital realm.

Fresh off the release of their new hyper-pop EP ‘404 Not Found’ last month, this group announced ‘Tic Toc’ will chime in the holiday December 25! (JST). This new track was teased at on their social media accounts. A short clip can be seen on YouTube (see below), and more details are to come.

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