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Hollywood plays to the faithful, finds hits with God
Reuters ^ | 04/20/2014 | Ronald Grover and Chris Michaud

Posted on 04/20/2014 5:32:35 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

(Reuters) - Hollywood has embraced God in a big - and lucrative - way.

The movie "Heaven is for Real," which depicts the story of a young boy who claims to have visited heaven during a near death experience, is the fourth faith-based film this year to stir movie-going audiences with impressive box office numbers.

Made for $12 million, the film, which stars Greg Kinnear, collected $21.5 million over the Easter weekend in U.S. and Canadian theaters, finishing third at the box office behind bigger budget films "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" from Walt Disney and "Rio 2" from Fox.

Two other Christian-based films also cracked the top 10. "Noah," from Viacom's Paramount Pictures, stars Russell Crowe as the biblical figure and was ninth. It has generated more than $93 million at domestic theaters since opening in March, according to the site Box Office Mojo.

"God's Not Dead," about a religious freshman college student who debates his professor over the existence of God, was tenth and has totaled $48 million over five weeks, despite playing in only about half the numbers of theaters of Hollywood's larger films.

Fox's "Son of God," an adaptation of producer Mark Burnett's

10-hour TV mini series "The Bible," generated more than $59 million in domestic ticket sales after opening earlier this year.

"This audience has long felt left out by Hollywood and it certainly looks like this isn't the case anymore," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior market analyst of box office tracking firm Rentrak, in an email. "The numbers will encourage studios to make more of these types of films."

(Excerpt) Read more at ca.reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Religion; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: god; heavenisforreal; hollywood; moviereview

1 posted on 04/20/2014 5:32:35 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

I saw “Heaven is for Real” and loved it. Friends saw, “God’s not Dead” and loved it, so I plan to see that, too. Passing on this version of “Noah”


2 posted on 04/20/2014 5:34:50 PM PDT by HokieMom (Pacepa : Can the U.S. afford a president who can't recognize anti-Americanism?)
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To: SeekAndFind

God’s Not Dead was a very good film. We saw “Heaven...” today and enjoyed it, too...just not as much as GND.

“Son of God” was our least favorite as it seemed to be a bit loose with the Biblical content.


3 posted on 04/20/2014 5:39:43 PM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: SeekAndFind

AMC has a great history based drama series. “Turn” is on Sundays at 9 eastern. Its about Washington’s Culper spy ring during the British occupation of NY.

Jamie Bell plays Abe Woodhull who was a loyalist driven to turn by British abuses.


4 posted on 04/20/2014 5:43:16 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: SeekAndFind

I just finished reading the book, which I would recommend.


5 posted on 04/20/2014 5:58:19 PM PDT by Vinylly (?)
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To: HokieMom

Yeah Heaven was my favorite. Just much better done than God.


6 posted on 04/20/2014 6:56:25 PM PDT by RIghtwardHo
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To: SeekAndFind

Heaven is real earns$21 million. I guess 20 million came from quix and followers


7 posted on 04/20/2014 7:21:41 PM PDT by Cronos (ObamaÂ’s dislike of Assad is not based on AssadÂ’s brutality but that he isn't a jihadi Moslem)
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To: Cronos

I saw God’s Not Dead and loved it.


8 posted on 04/20/2014 7:39:31 PM PDT by Ciexyz
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To: SeekAndFind

I saw God’s Not Dead on Friday night. It’s as subtle as a Mack Truck and presents a very black and white world and is pretty much preaching to the converted.

That said, I really enjoyed it. So the secular professor and the anti-religious reporter are shown as mostly one-note jerks who are made to look like idiots. Can’t us Christians have a little fun at the movies? Usually, we get ridiculed.


9 posted on 04/20/2014 7:51:27 PM PDT by Our man in washington
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To: Cronos

Quix still giving the shivers, eh? Still living rent free in your head?


10 posted on 04/20/2014 7:56:45 PM PDT by mdmathis6
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To: mdmathis6

Nah. One remembers the village fool’s funny antics long after he’s locked up in the asylum


11 posted on 04/20/2014 8:40:29 PM PDT by Cronos (ObamaÂ’s dislike of Assad is not based on AssadÂ’s brutality but that he isn't a jihadi Moslem)
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To: Ciexyz

Good. I suppose its worth watching if you say so, I just remember ole qixer was ga ga about it


12 posted on 04/20/2014 8:42:10 PM PDT by Cronos (ObamaÂ’s dislike of Assad is not based on AssadÂ’s brutality but that he isn't a jihadi Moslem)
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To: Ciexyz

Good. I suppose its worth watching if you say so, I just remember ole qixer was ga ga about it as well as area 51


13 posted on 04/20/2014 8:42:34 PM PDT by Cronos (ObamaÂ’s dislike of Assad is not based on AssadÂ’s brutality but that he isn't a jihadi Moslem)
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To: SeekAndFind
Went a half hour early and did not get in.

Saw Captain America in a half empty theater. If you don't get a scene in which Scarlet Johansson isn't beating the hell out of a guy twice her size, you get a closeup of her lips.

14 posted on 04/20/2014 8:59:06 PM PDT by Last Dakotan
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To: SeekAndFind

I saw God’s Not Dead last week. It was fantastic. Read the book Heaven is for Real and I’m thinking about seeing it in the theater. Saw Son of God on TV. Noah, no way!


15 posted on 04/21/2014 12:29:02 AM PDT by Waryone
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