Dear Hollywood

Dear Hollywood, the other day I took my children to see the lovely movie The Adventures of TinTin and we loved it!  The movie was fantastic and we were really impressed with all the amazing 3D graphics; however, we have a problem.  See, when I went up to the ticket counter I almost had a heart attack when the agent announced that I owed him $49  for one adult and three children.  I thought he had it wrong.  How could it cost so much to go to the movies?  He simply stated to me that since the movie was 3D that it was $12 a piece for the children and $13 dollars for me.  I asked him if they were offering it not in 3D and he told me yes, but not until much later that evening.  Of course they weren't offering it in 3D during the day because that would mean less money for them.  I just about turned around and took the children home except I didn't want my children to cry since mommy had promised them we could go see a movie.  I think you stink!  You are counting on us moms not to walk away.  The thing is though many moms who are much smarter than me are staying home because they simply just can't afford to take their children to the movies anymore.  I counted the number of people in the theater and there were a total of 15 people with at least another 135 seats available.  I guess you can't do the math, but that is a lot of tickets unsold.  The theater should have been packed given it was opening week.  I use to think it was the movie theaters who were jacking up the prices until I read that the theaters make very little money from the actual movie and makes their profit from the concession stands.  No wonder  why it cost practically your first born child for a popcorn and drink.  Here is a suggestion.  Maybe, you don't need to hire famous actors for your cartoon movies.  The children don't care who is behind the voice and actually the parents don't either.  This should save you some money and you can pass the savings on to the moviegoer.  I grew up going to the movies.  One of the first movies I remember seeing was Silver Streak with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor.  While it wasn't a child's movie I thought it was pretty funny.  The next movie was Pete's Dragon we saw this for Valentines at a drive-in movie theater.  I can still hear Helen Reddy singing from the Lighthouse the song Candle on the Water, and I remember hanging on the edge of my seat for Bernard and Bianca who were trying to save Penny from the bad guys in the movie The Rescuers.  I love going to the movies.  It allows you to go on an adventure or visit another country without even having to own a passport.  When I went to see Out of Africa, I traveled to Africa.  When I saw Under the Tuscan Sun, I went to Tuscany and the movie NINE took me to Positano, Italy.  Karate Kid took my children to China.   While I am at it Hollywood, my husband and I can't really afford to go to movies anymore either. It simply is just to expensive by the time we pay for the babysitter.  Tell me why Tom Cruise needs to make $15 million a film.  That is more than some countries gross national product.  Really how can he spend that much money in a lifetime.  Maybe if actors in Hollywood would stop getting married and divorced every other day they wouldn't need to make so much money.  Hollywood, I love going to the movies, but I think I saw my last movie at the theaters.

Sadly,

A movie lover!