Left Behind? oh no, good subject, horrible movie. I see where you are getting at. I didn't want POTC to be nominated because it was a Christian based film. I just wanted it to be recognized for the effort that Mel Gibson put into this film as far as risks, critics, and much more, thats all.

I guess it just would be nice to see a Christian film succeed the same way Secular movies do. Of coruse, Poster5, you know that I am strong believer in my faith and am always basing my comments on what I, notice I said "I", believe to know what is true. I didn't mean anything by posting why POTC should be nominated. :D

Mel certainly made a movie he believed in personally, but I don't think he risked much. He dumped $20-$30 million of his own money into it. If it was a flop, the risk was he'd have to somehow suffer and struggle by in life with his other $100 million and change.

Many, many filmmakers pour their blood, sweat and tears into deeply personal projects, many taking far greater financial risks than Gibson did. I applaud Gibson for following his heart, but there are hundreds of other filmmakers not as famous as him who do the same thing all the time.

I would argue that's just what happened. What is wasn't was a particularly good film (and I know some reasonable people argue otherwise.) That's one reason it didn't get nominated or get very good reviews, in general. What it was was a film that (for reasons I admit escape me) struck a very powerful chord with many people. That's why it absolutely blew out every box office estimate that existed and found its way into the lives of many church goers. Heck, it was even sold in a "Fifty copy church pack." And it won a People's Choice Award which is admittedly half a step up from winning a free copy of Alien vs. Predator, but I guess it's something. :)

Just because its a christian film doesnt meant you have to fight it! Filmaking has no religion and no political aspects, Its a story, well told. Mr.Spielberg did a movie about the horrible holocust, a moving film with great acting and screenplay, but not everyone in the wolrd is a jew, A!!! Correction...big-studio-heads are..... so..instead of fighting the film, embrace it! Its unjust, the passion of the christ, like it or not, was the perfect marriage between feelings and screen acting, fx used to serve the movie instead the other way around...musical scoring cannot stand on its own...without the film is just ambient...but its an excellent score with the film! I Must be honest...this was one of the artistic films that hollywood DOES NOT Make very often. A One man's strugle to achieve something that in his field was named "controversial" or "unsutable" . We had a conversation about open water and how the filmakers told themselve "what ever it takes...we'll just do it!" TPOC is a testimonial for that... Photography, acting...great budgets spilled into a wondermaker Crew! and at last, a movie with cruel violence that actually has a purpose...and a movie where the director doesnt claim "artistic" expressionism like "violent scenes represents the chaos of our society". A Slap to pop-corn, and a more bigger slap to the academy. now that i think about it, an academy award will actually stain the production...better nothing!

S_Coaster,

No one is fighting "The Passion of the Christ" because it's a Christian movie. Chris praised "The Gospel According to St. Matthew", a movie that the Catholic Church itself recommends Catholics to watch. Also, please bear in mind that there have been many religious movies that have won Oscars and other movie awards, including "Ben-Hur", which is also known fully as "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ".

Eddie

Well.. I was disappointed that POTC and Fahrenheit 9/11 both didn't get nominated. That would've be awesome to watch the two square off for best pic. kind of like a red states vs. blue states thing.. haha. I'd bet the ratings for the show would've be through the roof if those two had be contending. Right now as is, the movies nominated for best pic, etc. aren't even very popular. It definately hurt ratings.

I think the show would've been so dramatic if those two been nominated. And, if F 911 won, dude, all those conservatives and religious people would be fuming about how liberal Hollywood is. Maybe hollywood was afraid of the potential controvery over that. And, NO, i dont' think hollywood is liberal... look at Reagan, and Arnold.. both republicans. Conservatives and religious people like Rogue complain about Desperate Housewives, Simple Life, etc.. What they don't understand is that those shows are on the air, because they make money for the channels. Hollywood is a business, and they only sell what will make them money. If violence and sex weren't popular, then "liberal" studios would sell something else. Look at FOX, it has a conservative news channel, but has a tv channel that sells sex, and violence. The same studio that produces "The O' REilly Factor", produces "The Simple Life", "Trading Spouses", "Point Pleasant", "The OC", "24".

Anyways, that was way off the main point.. Does anyone agree with me on any of this?

S_Coaster,

So, are you trying to say that "The Passion of the Christ" ISN'T a religion/religious movie?

Eddie

viter, I think you've got a good point. When people say Hollywood is "liberal", they're really referring to the fact that some outspoken actors are liberal. Sometimes, it's also code for anti-semitism but that's another story.

Are the studios and studio heads liberal? Ha! Whether they're registered dem or repub, they're as ultra-orthodox as it gets when they run their business. And Hollywood movies themselves? Has there been any greater factory for the production of conservative, conformist ideology than Hollywood over the years?

Csjlong,

I have to agree with everything you have said. I also have no great love for Mel because as a historian I can say that Mel is a big problem.

Just for the record. We have corrected the article with right amount of nominations to Finding Neverland and now also mentions Million Dollar Baby.

Thanks for letting us know.