Dear Santa! – My film wish list for Christmas (2012 edition)
Dear Santa!
It’s Jessica writing again. Do you remember me? I wrote to you about this time last year, sending you my film wish list for Christmas.
It looked like this:
- A working business model so that people can keep making different sorts of movies, making a living on it in years to come. Something that would get people going to the independent theatre in my city, something that would grant us a greater variety than the sequels and remakes dominating the box office list.
- More women in the director’s chairs.
- 3D that makes movies better, not worse
- Freedom to make film for everyone, including Jafar Panahi and other filmmakers who are in jail or risk to get there for wanting to exercise their freedom of speech.
I had great confidence in you and considering that I had been a good cinephile, keeping quiet at the theatre and never downloading anything illegally, I thought you would grant at least one of my wishes. But alas – that didn’t happen and frankly I’m a little bit disappointed with you.
Perhaps I overrated your abilities? Perhaps I hadn’t lived up to your standards after all and the blame is on me? In any case I guess we should put this behind us and make a new try this year.
Seeing how hard it was for you to help me out, I’ll settle for something smaller. This year I will make a very short list.
My wish list for 2012:
1. A noise- and smell-free snack to replace the popcorn
Seriously, the popcorn issue is growing on me. I can’t stand the smell, I can’t stand the rattling sound of it and – above all – I can’t stand that it’s all over the floor, since the theatre staff don’t have time to clean the room between the screenings.
I can’t take it anymore. Get rid of it! Come up with a solution, Santa!
If people necessarily have to eat, give them something else. Small bowls of fruit salad? Chewing gum? Just as long as it doesn’t smell, sound or inexplicably jump to the floor, I’m fine.
2. Spoiler-free trailers
Santa, I don’t know what’s up with those people in the marketing department, but they seem to be pretty clueless about how to make trailers. The idea of trailers is that they should raise your interest in watching a certain movie. They are not supposed to be a Reader’s Digest summary, revealing everything.
My reserve option
So, that’s my wishing list for this year. Just two items. I hope you can work it out somehow, Santa.
But with the experience from last year, I’ll also ask for something more tangible, in case the major wishes turn out to be too hard to grant. I would love, love, love to get a Moon poster, preferably one that is signed by Duncan Jones. It’s such a brilliant movie and a beautiful poster that I’d really love to put on my wall.
I know you’re going to have a busy time this month, but don’t forget to have a break once in a while. Just take off the costume for a couple of hours, slip into the theatre incognito and watch a movie. A hint: The Hobbit is soon about to open. I bet you’ll get along well with Gandalf.
And if you feel like it, I’d love to see you here in the café for a drink afterwards.
love
Jessica
The Velvet Café 
Wonderful season inspired article. Thumps up for the shout out to Moon, one of the most thoughtful science fiction films in recent years. Happy Holidays Jessica.
Vicki Love
November 30, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Thanks Vicki! I know we’ve got a shared taste for this kind of films. It’s a great little sci-fi movie, where the emphasis is on ideas, not on an over-sized budget.
Jessica
November 30, 2012 at 3:48 pm
This is a lovely post. Well I think you can count the 3D wish sort of granted- Life of Pi is one of the best uses of 3D ever.
That Moon poster is a beauty.
Nikhat
November 30, 2012 at 3:53 pm
Thanks! It sounds great if Life of Pi makes good use of 3D. So far my experience has been that its best doesn’t hurt the movie (Prometheus), at its worst it’s disastrous (John Carter). The poster is hypnotic, isn’t it?
Jessica
December 2, 2012 at 9:52 pm
Brilliant post! Let’s hope Santa makes some of those things come true!
Caz
November 30, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Thanks! Let’s hope for that!
Jessica
December 2, 2012 at 9:52 pm
What a picture – Santa and Gandalf hanging out together ;). Perhaps Dumbledore will join the party too?
I’m really sorry for you for hating the smell of popcorn – personally, I just love it. It’s part of going to the movies for me (not eating it every time, just smelling it).
mettemk
November 30, 2012 at 4:55 pm
The three great beards! That would make for a great party! Re popcorn: I guess I wouldn’t feel as bad about it if it was just a little sniff in the entrance or something. But it’s everywhere and that’s just too much.
Jessica
December 2, 2012 at 9:55 pm
Really like this post Jessica 🙂 I hope Santa brings you all that you want. You could have turned this into a blogathon! My big wish is for my local cinemas to show a more varied selection of films, not just the big blockbusters.
Terry Malloy's Pigeon Coop
November 30, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Thanks Terry! You’re absolutely welcome to write a similar post (as a matter of fact there usually turns up a number of wish lists at the movie blogs this time of the year.)
Your wish sounds very reasonable. I hope Santa listens to you.
Jessica
December 2, 2012 at 9:57 pm
The problem with a theoretically great 3D movie ever coming out post-Avatar is that I’ve been so burnt out on bad 3D that I probably will skip the next one that uses it well.
Anyway, soft croissants for all!
Bondo
November 30, 2012 at 5:39 pm
The problem is that they always use the theatre with the big screen for the 3D version while 2D is screened in a very small room with about 30-50 seats, barely any bigger screen than a home video system… I think the screen size matters, so I tend to end up watching 3D for that reason. But what I would love is 2D on a huge screen. Something to put on the wish list I guess.
Jessica
December 2, 2012 at 9:59 pm
I think you have misunderstood the whole belief-thing. When wishes are not granted, you can never ever blame the omnipotent being. Either the fault lies in you or he has in his everlasting wisdom decided against the fulfillment of them 😉
That aside, it was a very nice post with completely reasonable wishes for the coming year. Happy advent sunday!
Sofia
November 30, 2012 at 6:15 pm
Thanks Sofia! I’ll try not to be so greedy…
Jessica
December 2, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Like very much.
Steve Kimes
December 1, 2012 at 1:14 am
Thank you!
Jessica
December 2, 2012 at 10:10 pm
I am with you with the popcorn! I worked at an art house cinema in college and had to clean the popcorn maker enough times that I get slightly nauseated every time I get a whiff.
Steven
December 1, 2012 at 1:41 am
What a punishment! No wonder you got sick of it!
Jessica
December 2, 2012 at 10:11 pm
At one of the last movies I went to they put the “Zero Dark Thirty” trailer and the trailer for whatever that new Billy Crystal/Bette Midler movie is where they go to see their daughter side by side, and what just a master class in how the former made this fantastic, absorbing, spine-tingling trailer without really giving anything away and how the latter just went ahead and told the complete story.
There should be classes for Trailer Makers.
Nick
December 1, 2012 at 3:41 pm
Yes, you really don’t HAVE to spoil it. It’s definitely doable to make a trailer that makes you want to see the movie without telling everything.
Jessica
December 2, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Great post, Jessica. Hope Santa makes your dreams come true. These are some very wise things to ask for.
fernandorafael
December 2, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Thanks Fernando! I hope Santa comes your way too!
Jessica
December 3, 2012 at 11:19 pm
😀
fernandorafael
December 4, 2012 at 5:15 am
Great post! Yes, the smell of all that stale, bagged popcorn and oily fake butter gets to be a bit much.
Stephanie
December 3, 2012 at 5:45 pm
Thanks! Thankfully enough people don’t use that much butter on the popcorn in Sweden. But it’s bad enough as it is.
Jessica
December 3, 2012 at 11:18 pm
That is a nice letter and I hope your wish about the popcorn is honored. I personally don’t mind it, although I personally don’t eat much of the stuff.
If I would write a letter to Santa I’d only ask him for one thing. There is a documentary called “Breath Control: The history of the human beatbox”, which was never released and only shown at festivals. Reason for it were copyright issues. Every couple of months I search the internet in the hope of finding a copy, which I never managed to do until recently. A library in Florida has a VHS copy (http://ucf.catalog.fcla.edu/cf.jsp?ix=nu&st=144613022) and I would ask Santa if he would be able to deliver me a copy of that tape.
Nostra
December 6, 2012 at 3:20 pm
I love your request for Santa. If anyone should be able to get that for you it’s him. I keep my thumbs crossed!
Jessica
December 6, 2012 at 11:40 pm
In case he needs my email address it is myfilmviews@gmail.com 😉
Nostra
December 7, 2012 at 9:06 am
Moon is a great film, I think that was one of the best performances I’ve seen in the last few years as well. That’s one of my favourite posters of all time as well, In fact both the posters for Moon were! I like the other one of Rockwell standing in the corridor as well.
filmdrivel
December 12, 2012 at 12:31 am
I swear I don’t usually use the phrase ‘as well’ that often!
filmdrivel
December 12, 2012 at 12:32 am
Then I think Santa should give you one as well.
Jessica
December 12, 2012 at 7:36 am
I worked a concession stand at my local university recently, and they don’t use butter in popcorn. They use “Flavacol” to “drive more traffic to your stand” thanks to that manufactured aroma. I would love to have some healthy fruit at theaters. I’m certainly never eating popcorn again.
George Watches Things
December 28, 2012 at 8:00 pm
“Flavacol”. I have no idea what it is, but it has a very chemical sound to it.
Jessica
December 29, 2012 at 2:18 pm