Mr Birdman's Movie Reviews · Joshua Birdwell

Jack Frost (1998)

·35 min·2 clips
Jack tells Charlie, 'As long as someone is in your heart, you can never lose them.'
1. Mr. Birdman's Movie Reviews covers Jack Frost (1998), a Christmas comedy that he says was celebrating its 25th anniversary. 2. Mr. Birdman is the solo host, and he frames the review with his own holiday-movie commentary and box-office research. 3. He asks whether Jack Frost deserves another look despite its critical and financial failure. 4. He says the film cost somewhere between $40 million and $80 million, based on his look at IMDb and Box Office Mojo. 5. He says Jack Frost made about $34 million to $35 million domestically in the U.S. 6. He says the film opened on December 11, about two weeks before Christmas, and debuted at number three. 7. He names A Bug's Life, The Rugrats Movie, and The Waterboy as major family-film competition. 8. He adds that Star Trek Insurrection earned about $21 million to $22 million that weekend while Jack Frost made about $7.4 million. 9. He argues that a Christmas film would have benefited more from a Thanksgiving release and more word of mouth. 10. He says Jack Frost also sat behind Michael Keaton's post-Batman Returns career slowdown. 11. He introduces Michael Keaton as Jack Frost, Kelly Preston as Gabby, Joseph Cross as Charlie, Mark Addy as Mac, and Mika Borum as Natalie. 12. He says the opening scene shows Jack Frost and his band finishing with 'Frosty the Snowman' to an enthusiastic crowd. 13. He describes Charlie joining a snowball fight at school, where the middle-school bully Rory Buck wears a late-1990s haircut. 14. He says Jack and Charlie build a snowman together, then Jack gives Charlie an old harmonica and says he can hear it when Charlie plays it. 15. He says Jack forgets Charlie's hockey game because of a recording session and a Christmas-party performance request. 16. He says Jack dies in a car accident after choosing to drive toward the cabin in a snowstorm. 17. He says one year later Charlie is grieving, Gabrielle is mostly off to the side, and Mac steps in while Charlie rebuilds a snowman. 18. He describes Charlie playing the harmonica, Jack returning as a snowman, and the film turning into a mix of snowball fights, sled chases, and hockey redemption. 19. He says the episode fits viewers who like Christmas comedies, 1990s nostalgia, and family grief stories. 20. He says it may not suit viewers who want polished effects or avoid sentimental holiday movies.

As heard by us

A messy Christmas movie recap that still finds the heart under the snow.

Mr. Birdman gives Jack Frost a clear-eyed, affectionate read, treating it as a 1998 holiday comedy built around Jack, Gabby, Charlie, a magical harmonica, and Jack's return as a snowman after the accident.

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Why you'd press play

Press play for an overlooked 1998 Michael Keaton Christmas comedy that becomes a snowman story with real sentimental bite.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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