MEL GIBSON SNUBBED

The Conservative Voice ^ | Jan. 25, 05 | Joel C. Rosenberg

[brigada]

By Joel C. Rosenberg

After writing and directing the most brilliant and controversial motion picture of 2004, and turning an investment of some $35 million of his own money into a $700 million worldwide box office take -- plus an additional $245 million in DVD and video rentals and sales -- Mel Gibson was not nominated for a "Best Director" Oscar. Nor was The Passion of the Christ nominated for "Best Picture."

Did you catch that?

Create the first film in a generation based on the "greatest story ever told" that actually gets people thinking and talking about the things that matter most in life and it's not even worthy of an Academy Award nomination.

Turn thirty-five million into a billion and you're not even the same lofty category as Mike Leigh.

Mike who? Oh, the guy that directed Vera Drake. Vera who????

The Passion did receive three nominations (makeup, music and cinematography). But that is a snub by any definition.

It seems the Oscar this year goes to....religious bigotry.

Hollywood is so repulsed by people of faith it can't even bring itself to consider -- forget reward, just consider -- a powerful, provocative film about the most influential person in the history of mankind.

It's sad to see the world's greatest entertainers so hostile to faith in general, and to Jesus Christ in particular. With all the separations, divorces, affairs, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and suicides going on in Tinsel Town these days, Jesus is the special effect that city needs most.

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

[LauraleeBraswell]

Was it that good of a movie? Really? Would it have been enjoyable and or meaningful to non Christian me?

[silent_jonny]

This isn't a surprise.

[OneTimeLurker]

Movies that make the most money aren't always the best movies.

[hoosiermama]

According to the AP, the film did get three nominations....M. Moore got NONE!

Mel Gibson's religious blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ" missed out on main categories, but did pick up nominations for cinematography, makeup and original score.

Michael Moore's gamble to hold his hit film "Fahrenheit 9/11" out of the documentary category - to boost its best-picture prospects - backfired. The movie was shut out across the board.

[atomicpossum]

If Mel was expecting accolades, he was mistaken. Hollywood sent him away, claiming it wouldn't work, and he proved them wrong. He hit them both in their arrogance AND their philosophy. They will never give him a single inch on this.

[brigada]

I can't speak for you. I felt it was one of the most powerful films I have ever seen.
I suppose it depends on how open minded you are?

[afnamvet]

Liberal controlled Hollywood.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

That's a good question. It really was a work of art, and I think non-Christian you would have appreciated that aspect of it. You probably like Handel's Messiah just because it is beautiful music. Or Michelangelo's David, or things such as that. The Passion of the Christ was art at that level. Seriously. It was beautiful, whether it has religious significance or not. And it is educational to those who maybe understand little about the Christian message or redemption. So yes. I think you might enjoy it.

[LauraleeBraswell]

Was it that good? Really, isn't it like 2 hours of violence?

I'm sure it meant allot to believing Christians, but to me, I would have probably been sickened by the violence.

[pillbox_girl]

Big deal.

I don't give a democRat's A** what the academy thinks. I don't watch the "Oscars", and I don't pay any attention when a DVD has "Academy Award Winner" printed on its cover (probably less). An academy award has no more relevance to me than a razzie. It's just the hollywood nutballs patting themselves on the back, and that's all it is.

[Yo-Yo]

At least Hollywood was fair and balanced. They snubbed Michael Mooreon too.

[My2Cents]

Do you think Mel cares, or was surprised? I don't. In fact, I would consider a snub by the Academy to be a badge of honor.

[Lil'freeper]

Turn thirty-five million into a billion and you're not even the same lofty category as Mike Leigh.

Argh! Box office sales are no measure of a movie. Plenty of *great* films fly under the radar and never make much money. The reverse is true, too - take Fahrenheit 9/11.

Besides, The Passion got three nominations for technical categories. That's three more than Moore got.

[LauraleeBraswell]

I have a question, does Jesus perform any miracles in the movie or is it just him being crucified. I don't want to see some guy hung from a cross.

I never ever got that. I didn't grow up with much religion (We never went to church but had one) but I know that every time I went to church the crucifix scared me. It really really did. Maybe, it's because I can't comprehend the meaning behind it from a personal level.

[My2Cents]

It really was a work of art, and I think non-Christian you would have appreciated that aspect of it.

That's probably why it got nominated for best cimematography.

[Tempest]

It's a powerful, moving and emotional film. But it's not good in the traditional sense. Very graphic yet thought provoking beyond just it's gory surface.

It definitely fit the criteria to be considered by the academy, yet sadly it wasn't.

[ken5050]

amen to that, brother..we are indeed known by our enemies..

[LauraleeBraswell]

At least Hollywood was fair and balanced. They snubbed Michael Mooreon too.

No, the Democratic party in trying to appear more moderate is separating themselves publically from the Michael Moores. The Democratic party and the Hollywood elite go hand in hand.

[silent_jonny]

I haven't seen it, either, for the same reason--the violence. I'm not squeamish about violence, but as a Christian I am hesitant to see Someone I love--and Someone I know loves me--being tortured and beaten. I know that it happened, and why, but I don't think I could sit there and watch it.