The Other Worlds Shrine

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  • The Passion of the Christ. It's art.  Rambling thoughts inside...

  • Your favorite band sucks, and you have terrible taste in movies.
Your favorite band sucks, and you have terrible taste in movies.
 #58049  by Ishamael
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:40 pm
<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif"; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>Gotta keep this short. Point blank, the Passion of the Christ is brilliant. Sure that's a word that's thrown around like beads at Mardi Gras, but in this case, the subject earns truly it.

A Few Quick hits:

- The violence? Is it too much? This is what a Roman flogging was all about. The tools used are historically accurate. None of this is Hollywoodinized for effect. Many people did not survive the Roman floggings to be crucified.

- Anti-Semetic? No.

- Accuracy? Possibly the most accurate "Jesus" film to date in the sense that it weaves well with what's in the
Bible. With all Biblical movies, interpretation is important and Mel's interpretation of these events are interesting. For example, many people complain about Pontius Pilate's portrayal in the movie, claiming he's shown as much too nice a guy compared to the Pilate from history. The same charge is also leveled at the Biblical version incidentally.
However, I thought Mel's presentation of Pilate was masterfully handled. Pilate is presented as a figure who's put down Jewish rebellions in the past (and thus, crucified many insurgents) and is conflicted as what to do with Jesus because either choice (crucify or not) may result in another rebellion which could result in his removal by the emporer of Rome. Thus, tries to satisfy the part that wants Jesus's head by flogging him, while still placating those who support him (by initially not crucifying him). Anyway, this is an interesting interpretation of the
Pilate's motivations...

- Overall? Again, brilliant. This may go down in history as one of the greatest movies of all time, though it's too
early to make this kind of far reaching call. I want to see it a few more times to catch little details I missed.

Tons more thoughts on this film, but no time to write 'em down</div>

 #58052  by Lox
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 2:34 pm
<div style='font: bold 9pt ; text-align: left; '>I thought it was amazing also. I agree with all of your thoughts. I may add more later when I have the time.</div>

 #58053  by Flip
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 2:39 pm
<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>Some guys at my work are Catholic and they would agree with you. They also think that non-religious people just wont get it, since you have to be pretty well versed in the Bible ans passionate about Jesus for it to really affect you.</div>
 #58054  by Ishamael
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 4:16 pm
<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif"; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>Mel doesn't provide a ton of background material to get you up to speed on the story of Jesus. He drops you right into his last hours, with only a few glimpses into the past to juxtapose what's happening in the present.</div>

 #58061  by NEO_Ronin121
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:49 pm
<div style='font: 10pt ; text-align: left; '>I agree completely, it is a masterpiece of a movie, and Mel G. is going to make all the money back, plus some...I hope he donates some earnings to charity or something like that.</div>

 #58062  by Flip
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:53 pm
<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>hes already said he is, i think. I saw some reporter hinting at that Gibson made the movie for the money, god i hate the media.</div>

 #58064  by Kupek
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 7:29 pm
<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>I haven't seen it, but I disagree. I see it as a story about a man. I'm not going to "accept Jesus into my heart," but I can still be moved by the story of a man's persecution. Don't know if I will, but it is a movie, and that's what movies are often designed to do.</div>

 #58065  by Ishamael
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 7:51 pm
<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif"; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>There really isn't much story there though. It's literally about the final 12 hours of his life, with some of his past interspersed into the present day.</div>

 #58067  by Ganath
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 8:09 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>That's why I've stayed away from it so far. I've heard it's mostly just the gory details about his last half day, sans story.</div>

 #58068  by Julius Seeker
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 8:13 pm
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>I have heard from my friends that it is a great movie, I haven't seen it yet myself, I guess I would fall into the category of someone who knows the bible inside out, and the philosophies behind it, but not of the Catholic or Protestant faith.</div>
 #58070  by SineSwiper
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 9:18 pm
<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>Of course, it wouldn't have any real plot to it, since the whole purpose is to see Jesus get tortured for two hours. And there will be the fucking dumbasses that take their 7-year-olds to this movie just to try to scare kids into religion.

Gotta love a religion that focuses more on the man's pain than what he did to the community.</div>

 #58071  by Flip
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 9:29 pm
<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>true, i refuse to see it simply because i KNOW there will be people bawling and maybe large african american women yelling amen to the screen and all out ruining my movie going experience.</div>

 #58072  by Kupek
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 9:35 pm
<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>Okay, so the protrayal of a man's persecution.</div>
 #58073  by Ishamael
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:11 pm
<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif"; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>The movie fills out some stuff, but it seemed to me anyway, that a lot of stuff was assumed to be known by the viewer. Is that fair? In most movies, no. But it is a brilliant move here.</div>

 #58074  by Ishamael
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:14 pm
<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif"; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>Some will take it that way, I'm sure. But I wouldn't let my contempt for that minority be a self-riteous justification to avoid the film...</div>

 #58075  by Ishamael
 Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:15 pm
<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif"; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>None of that happened at the theater I attended.</div>
 #58078  by Lox
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 9:18 am
<div style='font: bold 9pt ; text-align: left; '>You: Gotta love a religion that focuses more on the man's pain than what he did to the community.

I'm not saying there is nowhere that this attitude is taken, but this is not what Christianity is about at all.
If you think it is, then you're not informed enough to make statements like that.

Yes, we focus on his pain but we're not focusing only on that. Rather we are concerned with what that means for us. Since I believe he died of his own acccord, for us, then his pain is only a testimony to this and is not something that overshadows what he died for. Seriously, Sine, you have to learn before you say things.</div>
 #58079  by Flip
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 9:54 am
<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>Experience dealing with the people of a particular group. I'm not trying to defend Sine, but the Christian fallback of "You just dont understand" really bothers me. This attitude is very condescending and only provokes non-religious people more since Christains think they are, not better, but 'above' normal people. Again, this is stereotyping, but you have to see that there is a basis. If 90% of the people you met from a particular group always rubbed the same nerve and said the same crap over and over then you may start to believe it from everyone.</div>

 #58080  by G-man Joe
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:00 am
<div style='font: 11pt "Fine Hand"; text-align: left; '>The "condescending tones" come from both non-religious and religious sides.</div>
 #58081  by Lox
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:03 am
<div style='font: bold 9pt ; text-align: left; '>and that still doesn't change the fact that a stereotype is a stereotype. I don't care where it comes from. I also know that it's human nature to do this. I do it. You do it. We all do it, so I'm not angry or anything, but I wanted to inform Sine so he knows.

And I hope you know that I wasn't saying "You just don't understand", I was saying "you don't have accurate information to make a blanket statement like that." There is a big difference there.</div>
 #58082  by Lox
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:07 am
<div style='font: bold 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Flip, you just did the same thing in your response! :)

I am a Christian. I do not think I am "above" other people in any way. I consider myself equal to people who share my faith and people who don't. If anything, I try to be humble in my attitude towards others.

With Sine, I don't think I am better than him at all even if I believe his opinion is an uninformed one in this case.</div>

 #58083  by G-man Joe
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:16 am
<div style='font: 11pt "Fine Hand"; text-align: left; '>I think you're better than him. I think we all are. =8^)</div>
 #58084  by Flip
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:25 am
<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>Above as in others are lost and only Christains's heads are clear because they have faith while others are clouded. That we need help because your so pure now that you have tons of faith.</div>

 #58085  by Flip
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:28 am
<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>Yeah, Flip sucks! oh wait.</div>
 #58086  by Flip
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:28 am
<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>Above as in others are lost and only Christains's heads are clear because they have faith while others are clouded. That we need help because youre so pure now that you have tons of faith.</div>

 #58087  by G-man Joe
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:30 am
<div style='font: 11pt "Fine Hand"; text-align: left; '>Swinewiper, foo!</div>

 #58088  by Flip
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:52 am
<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>Also, its not a stereotype if its true, and like i said 90% of religious people i meet are like this, so.... Anyways, i still think you and Ish rock so whats the difference? :)</div>
 #58089  by Lox
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:57 am
<div style='font: bold 9pt ; text-align: left; '>I meant to say I didn't think I was above Sine, not better than Sine. (we're all better than Sine ;) j/k) :) I can't claim I'm perfect. :)

But that still isn't the way a Christian attitude should be making you feel. If it is, then those people are not doing what they are supposed to be (at least, if they truly consider themselves Christians). They should never make themselves appear to be above anyone at all. And they shouldn't consider themselves "pure". If anything, they should be more aware of how impure they truly are.

I know what you mean though. When I was in high school, I considered myself an athiest. The family down the street was Christian and the mother was not a nice person. Well, she was to your face but then she was a gossip and everything. It really turned me off and I never wanted anything to do with people like that. I stereotyped everyone the exact same way. So, believe me, I totally understand. I just want to clear up some of the misconceptions that exist. :)</div>

 #58090  by Lox
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 11:00 am
<div style='font: bold 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Well, we do rock. :) hehe But, seriously, these people aren't representing the Christian faith they way they should be then cuz I know how that can happen.</div>

 #58091  by Kupek
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 12:52 pm
<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>Yes, generally ignorance and intolerance.</div>

 #58092  by Kupek
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 12:54 pm
<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>So, Christians think they're right and everyone else is wrong. Wait, let's see... yup, that describes damn near everyone.</div>

 #58093  by Flip
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:02 pm
<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>heh, yeah at its base i suppose it does look like that.</div>

 #58094  by G-man Joe
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:15 pm
<div style='font: 11pt "Fine Hand"; text-align: left; '>Hells yeah. Atheists think they're right all the time. =8^)</div>

 #58095  by Lox
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:27 pm
<div style='font: bold 9pt ; text-align: left; '>That is a very true statement.</div>

 #58100  by Ganath
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 4:10 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Heh.</div>

 #58101  by Ganath
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 4:10 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>That's because we are! :)</div>

 #58102  by Zeus
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 6:31 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>I agree. I'm not religious and I thought it sucked ass as a film</div>

 #58103  by Zeus
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 6:43 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Just so you know, it's super gory, even by today's standards. And like the rest have said, the story is quite minimal</div>

 #58104  by Zeus
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 6:44 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Those are elements on occasion, yes. But often, it is the truth (ie. behaviour, looks, etc) that start the stereotypes. No stereotype gains a lot of acceptance without a lot of truth behind it</div>

 #58105  by Ganath
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 7:20 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>For example, all black males are hella hung, ain't that right, Eric?</div>

 #58106  by Zeus
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 11:33 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Yes, in the same way all Arabs are terrorists :-)</div>

 #58107  by G-man Joe
 Tue Mar 02, 2004 11:35 pm
<div style='font: 11pt "Fine Hand"; text-align: left; '>But you're wrong! =8^)</div>

 #58109  by Shellie
 Wed Mar 03, 2004 1:05 am
<div style='font: 10pt georgia; text-align: left; '>Nah, s'why Im an Agnostic. I think everyone is wrong, and we should all just get along for the hell of it. You dont need someone to tell why you should be a good person.</div>

 #58112  by SineSwiper
 Wed Mar 03, 2004 5:30 am
<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>Depends on how many Southern Bapists are going to attend.</div>
 #58113  by SineSwiper
 Wed Mar 03, 2004 5:45 am
<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>Take off the one thing that Christ doesn't want to be symbolized for. Damn, I can only imagine Christ just looking down at the planet, shaking his head, and say "Why must they commercialize my death, the one thing that cause me such agony and pain? Where is the message in these people? Remember me by my message, not my pain."</div>

 #58114  by SineSwiper
 Wed Mar 03, 2004 5:49 am
<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>Hey, some stereotypes are more truthful than others. There's a difference between acting upon stereotypes and discussing them.</div>

 #58115  by SineSwiper
 Wed Mar 03, 2004 5:53 am
<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>As we are both men of faith, Kupek, I'm sure we both understand this.</div>

 #58118  by Zeus
 Wed Mar 03, 2004 1:33 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Notice I added in "gain wide acceptance" into my original post</div>

 #58120  by Ganath
 Wed Mar 03, 2004 4:17 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Heh, I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist myself. :)</div>

 #58121  by Ganath
 Wed Mar 03, 2004 4:19 pm
<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>No I'm not! You are! So there!</div>