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Whatever you do, don't confuse thisJack Frostwith the 1997 comedic horror flick of the same name (its tagline: "He's chillin... and killin'"). This family film stars Michael Keaton as Jack Frost, an aspiring musician, loving husband, and occasionally absent father. Frost's life is unexpectedly cut short by a car accident, and a year after his death he comes back as--you guessed it--a snowman, to help his family heal (Kelly Preston and Joseph Cross as wife and son Gabby and Charlie, respectively). The sudden death may affect sensitive younger viewers, but by the time Frost returns the movie is more light-hearted, and the film's message is a worthy one. There's an underlying theme that supports independence, and Gabby isn't saddled with a new dude by the film's end. There's also a good rapport developed between father and son, and especially mother and son. If an audience can take that huge leap of faith to accept the premise (as youthful audiences will no doubt be able to do), this is entertaining family fare.--N.F. Mendoza
This potentially could happen to you. Be careful. 2 winters ago I took my 4 year old neighbor and his little friend sledding. Needless to say it got a little boring, so I decided to kick it up a notch. These kids really liked the new Star Wars movies so I put my wooden sled in the middle, and tied each of their plastic ones to it about 6 feet out on either side of me. It was just like the pod-racer in Episode I. In theory it should have worked great, but instead my neighbor couldn't control his side of the pod racer and ended up with a broken ankle at the hands of my wooden sled. The other kid (who was around 6) stood up for me in exchange for some Pokemon cards so I didn't get in trouble. (in hindsight I don't really think it was my fault anyway)
Later that same month I was assigned to babysit my 4 year old neighbor at his parent's house. I figured it would be easy money, since he was in a leg cast so he couldn't run around and do things. To make it even easier I decided to prop him up in front of a movie. I rented this movie "Jack Frost" because I had seen it when it was out in theatres. Basically, without giving too much away, Michael Keaton dies in a car accident, leaving his young son without a father. However, he is magically regenerated as a snowman so he can look over the boy. He is kind of like a guardian-angel that protects the boy from bullys. The special effects are alright, but it just didn't seem believable to me.
But it did seem like a great movie to cheer up my neighbor's kid, seeing as he couldn't go out and play. I figured that the only part of the movie that he might have a hard time with is the Michael Keaton's fatal car crash. But he does love Disney movies, and parents die regularly in the Disney universe.
Now I had planned to just use their computer while the kid watched the movie, but I started to get a soft heart for the poor kid (once again, NOT because I think I was responsible for the sledding accident). I got an idea to go that extra mile for the kid since he was incapacitated and probably felt like a sledding failure. I set the kid up on the couch, gave him some crackers and popped the movie in. My plan was to make it so that when the movie was over he would have his very own guardian angel snowman, right outside his bedroom window. I had roughly 90 minutes so it seemed easy.
I dashed out to the backyard and began rolling the bottom segment of the snowman. I got a little too ambitious however, and used up most of the available snow back there. This first section was easily 4 feel tall. I had to think quick about how to get more snow. In the family's garage they had a wheelbarrow and a snow-shovel. I ran it over to the church parking lot down the street and filled it up and wheeled it back to start on the middle segment. Once again I got carried away, and now the 2/3 done snowman was around 6 feet tall, and I still hadn't made it's head! According to my watch I had a half hour left. I carted in more snow and made it's enormous snow-head. It was so humungous that I had to break almost entire branches off of their trees to make the arms. I used barbecue charcol for eyes and mouth. I couldn't produce a carrot on such short notice, so I used a rolled up newspaper from the front porch. When I was finished I had a roughly 8 foot tall snowman staring down at me. I snapped a few pictures with my camera-phone and headed back in.
The credits were rolling on the movie, just as I had estimated. But something was wrong. The kid seeme really spooked and freaked out about something. I tried to talk to him about Jack Frost, but he kept asking why the snowman had to kill people. I got freaked out when he said that Jack Frost had "knocked someone's head off" and about how he "chopped someone with an axe", and someone getting there face getting burned. Something was deadly wrong but I couldn't figure it out. His parents were due home soon and I had to work out a mess that I didn't understand.
I popped the tape out, and the label clearly said "Jack Frost". What was the problem? After a few moments of deliberation I decided to rewind and check out the video. To my absolute horror this movie was indeed about a snowman that is alive, but a snowman that brutally murders people. These scenes are just too wild to mention, and were done in a fairly realistic manner that even scared me a little. This was a completely different movie that just happened to have the same title. I felt sick inside. I tried to explain to the kid about how someone may have inadvertantly switched the 2 movies at the store or something, but he was too terrified to listen.
Then, the parents came home. I needed to act quickly. I collected my money from the boy's dad (Chuck), while the mom was helping the kid's mom helped him brush his teeth. I said a quick goodbye and ran out full speed to the backyard. There was no doubt in my mind that I absolutely HAD to destroy the snowman I had built before the kid saw it and was scarred for life. I threw a running karate kick at the snowman. Then, a flurry of punches. It was no good because I had packed the snow too tight. I ran to the garage to get the shovel. Just as I ran back to the snowman I heard a series of loud shrieks coming from the kid's room. He had seen it. He was SEEING it. The light flicked on inside just as I laid into the snowman's torso full force with the shovel. I kept swinging and tearing at it, but by then it was too late. The garage lights turned on there was Chuck (the dad) looking at me like I was insane, while I was fighting the snowman.
In conclusion I guess the parents thought I was purposefully trying to scare their child. I showed them the video to try to explain what had happened. They both thought it was completely irresponsible to have left him alone for 90 minutes watching an R rated gore movie. Needless to say, I was banned from ever babysitting the kid ever again. I would have given the Michael Keaton movie 3 stars, but I'm lowering it to 2 because it's just to easy to rent the wrong one like I did. I think the film company and video store are the "irresponsible" ones. Later.
howardtuttleman.com
One of my all time favorite movies I am a grown woman but have a soft spot for this movie. I could watch it everyday till the day I die and never get sick of it. The soundtrack I even like. Micheal Keaton is amazing in everything. I must warn you though, bring the tissues. I cry like a baby during this movie. It's sad. A struggling musician who dies when his son Charlie is 11 on christmas. Then a year later things are hard for Charlie and Gab (the wife). Jack (the dad) comes back as a snowman and freaks Charlie out. It gives a good message. You can always talk to someone when they're in your heart. Never let go of that. One of my personal favorites.MAGIC HARMONICA Although I happened to like the similarly titled movie (it was a hoot), this one is a real tearjerker, so get out the hankies. JACK FROST stars Michael Keaton, who doesn't get much screen time as Keaton, but instead voices a marvelously effected snowman. The human Jack Frost is a struggling musician who is just about to make it big, but sadly he dies in a car crash. Although not a bad father, in his quest for notoriety, his wife and son suffered some in not having a lot of quality time together. A year after the accident, Frost miraculously (via a "magic" harmonica) returns as a snowman and decides to make up to his son for his lack of attention. From this point, we get some nifty scenes of father/snowman/son bonding, and by the time the movie reaches its unavoidable climax, if you haven't sniffled a little, you're colder than a snowman! Keaton is very good; Kelly Preston looks lovely and delivers a solid performance as Gabby; and Joseph Cross, though limited in his abilities, nonetheless is touching as Charlie. JACK FROST has a wonderful message that some might consider schmaltzy, but for those who have lost a loved one, it inspires you to remember that life goes on and the memories you cherish in your heart will always keep that loved one near. I think this is a marvelous movie.
