The Passion of the Christ
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| Thu, 02-26-2004 - 12:58am |
I knew it would be opening big, but I was surprised to find out this morning that one of the local 20-plexes was showing it to sold out crowds on every screen from 6:30 this morning to around 11:00 when their usual lineup started and The Passion only continued on a few screens.
I've been reading incredibly moving reactions to it like this one in National Review--
"THE PASSION IN HARLEM
I just got out of a screening at the Magic Johnson Theatres up at 123rd and Frederick Douglass in Harlem. The theatre was packed, with an audience that was about 85 percent black, and included many seniors (of course: daytime). The response to the film was just about universal: Loud applause at the end, and vocal endorsements of the movie as we exited. One sweet elderly lady, I’d say about 80 years old, was shaking her head on the way out, saying: “If you read the Bible, that’s exactly what happened.†Another woman, in her 30s, was brushing away tears. “It’s not the movie,†she said,†it’s the reality of the thing.†During the screening, the man I set next to—a guy in his 20s, tall, strong, and vigorous-looking, nobody’s wimp—gasped at some of the cruelties inflicted on Jesus. (When Jesus’ cross is turned over on its face so He can be nailed to it more securely, this man blurted out, “Oh, s***, that’s too much.â€) Before the movie started, there was a little film in which Magic Johnson explained the rules for his theatres: “No talking. . . . No hats or colors . . . . If you have a problem on the street, don’t bring it inside.†I couldn’t help thinking: There is a problem on the street, every street, and this movie is about the solution."
I wanted to see it this weekend, but now the local news is reporting that virtually every showing in Dallas through the weekend is already sold out, so now I have to wait til next Saturday.

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In fact, I saw the movie the other night with my husband and some church friends. Many were obviously touched, as was I, but I also found myself disappointed. Later, my husband said that if he could describe the movie in two words, he would say it was "shallowly intense" and I mostly agreed.
Let me explain why. The violence and suffering was intense and brought me to the point of tears a few times, but I thought it was shallow in the context of the movie b/c the actual film did little to lead up to and explain the true significance of the Jesus' suffering and the resurrection scene was almost an after-thought, though it was just as important.
I thought that many aspects of the movie were painfully drawn out and could have been shortened to add more "meat" to the story. It did not really allow the viewer to get to Jesus as a person like you and me before he endured the shame of the cross. I would also have to say that the movie is obviously not "exactly" as it happened. Even from a simple reading of the scriptures, one would realize that many liberties were taken in the creation of this film (as with any other). However, for the most part, I was happy to see a fairly accurate portrayal of the account.
In the end, I did find myself reminded once again of the significance of living a life worthy Christ's sacrifice. But I also hoped that people would not just take away from the movie an emotional experience, but see as a chance to go back to the Bible and read again the true and amazing story...and share it with their friends.
Always in love with my Lord,
J
The bottom line is that this movie does get people thinking. It got our attention. It got the story told.
I recently heard a joke. It goes like this:
A priest and a taxi cab driver died and went to heaven. The priest, who dovoted his whole life to the church was given a shack to live in. The taxi driver was given a mansion. The priest went to God and asked him why? God said that yes in fact you devoted your whole life to the church but the taxi driver got more people to pray to God.
I probably messed it up a bit. But the point is that you could spend your life going to church every Sunday but are you there heart and soul? Do you live a christian life beyond those doors?
Sorry guys. I got carried away with this post. I didn't mean to go into all of that. I guess that's what i carried away from the movie. Got me thinking that's for sure.
I just had to respond to what you wrote. You wrote it exactly how I was trying to explaign how I felt to my husband. I got lost in the movie and forgot I was even reading subtitles. I was lost in their(the actors)emotions.
People keep talking about how gory the movie was, how no child under the age of 16 should see it...I am not denying that the movie wasn't indeed gory, explicit in it's graphic nature...but, it seems that people tend to shrug off the goriness in numerous secular movies that are thrown at adults and kids much younger than 16. It seems that some parents have no problem letting their teenagers see movies such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, and all of the other blood bath movies that are out there...and they think nothing of the horrific violence that is portrayed through the minds of these vicious killers...yet, when a story is told of an innocent man who had to go through terrible hell and die for you and me..it becomes a problem.
I agree that there is too much violence in entertainment today..but the world should know the suffering that Christ went through for the greatest cause of all..and I commend Mel Gibson on his bravery and obedience in creating such a film.
Thanks,
Erin
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