K.A.C. 2025 - T - 13 Days ... [2009]

 

     Before we forget, we want to remind everyone that this year's Darkest Night Market will be happening in Peabody this Saturday (tomorrow!) from 5-9PM. Link below!

     https://www.facebook.com/events/58-pulaski-st-peabody-ma-01960-1800-united-states/darkest-night-market-witchery-oddities-dark-arte-krampus/1216475770309240/  

 

     2009 was another quiet year, weird-Christmas wise. It was the year of the first Avatar film, the passing of Michael Jackson and the beginning of Barack Obama's presidency ... and on August 26th of 2009, another historical footnote appeared: the beginning of our Conjure Cinema blog, home these many years to the K.A.C., where I wrote: "Cinematic Salutations and Welcome to the long-overdue Conjure Cinema website! I am finally bowing to the wishes of all the CC viewers, past and present alike, who have told me time and again, "You really need to have a blog!" So be it, your wish is my command! In the posts to come, I'll outline the history of how CC came to be, the films we have shown in the past, WHY we showed certain of those titles (as I'm sure many of you head-shakers out there would like to know! :)), the criteria I use to pick each title, and some trivia of interest behind each of our cinematic wonders. You'll also get an advance look at what's coming up in the future, as well as tangents on other films and shorts I've seen that I think you'll find interesting, and whatever else comes to mind in the Random Synapse Department. So thank you for coming, enjoy my site and I look forward to your comments."

     Our very first film reviewed was 1971's Simon, King of the Witches, which can read below:

     http://www.conjurecinema.com/2009/08/how-it-all-began.html 

      The K.A.C. itself had started a year earlier as a contest between my work-study students and me of who could find the worst Christmas LP album cover and expanded from there to oddball holiday stories, etc. One year later, it was folded in to the blog and has now reached global proportions. One of our features every year are the UK food ads from the major retailers, who all vie for bragging rights of the best ad of the year - here are some of the 2025 contenders.

     # 1 - Dawn French returns in her series of Marks & Spencer ads, and you won't see a more scrumptious holiday food spread anywhere - just plan your strategy how to GET to it!

     https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/37196871/marks-spencer-food-christmas-advert-dawn-french/
 

      

# 2 - Not gonna lie, softies that we are here, this is our favorite of the year, with a very sweet Love Actually riff starring Keira Knightly. Well done, Waitrose!

     https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/37285958/keira-knightley-waitrose-xmas-ad-love-actually/ 

 

     # 3 - The John Lewis ad for this year is a total punch to the heart, as they are most years. Rather than say more about it, just go watch it. We'll dedicate this one to our fellow K.A.C. Dickensian contributor Justin von Bosau.

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc5S4IV_NeA
     

       

     Which all leads up to ... this. McDonalds Netherlands decided to double, nay triple down with an AI-generated ad of non-stop Christmas Calamities, with the message being 'when you're life's gone to Absolute S***, come see us!' Want to take a bet how well THAT went? See below:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-YwjXEVGo8  

 

     https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czdgrnvp082o 

     There's only one way to end today's entry. You know what ALL these poor people need? A helping hand! No, wait, let's try that again ... a Helping Hand! Thanks to Debbie for putting this on our radar!

 

 

 

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