Posted on 12/09/2006 3:38:57 AM PST by Mel Gibson
Call it a Hollywood shocker: Mel's Apocalypto will have a bigger weekend opening than his Braveheart. Despite scandal, an R-rating, subtitles because of an ancient dialect, no stars, and direct competition from movieland AAA-listers Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz, Gibson's Mayan epic won Friday's matinees and evenings, I'm told. At first, box office gurus were warning me that the weekend victor among three very competitive films all opening against each other would be too close to call. cameron_jude.jpgBut now I've learned it looks certain that Apocalypto will win the weekend -- bearing out my reporting back on December 1st when I was told that early tracking showed Mel's movie (playing in 2,465 theaters) would edge ahead. Tonight, I'm told Mel's movie took in nearly $6 million Friday for what's expected to be at least a $15 mil, and possibly $16 mil, weekend total -- exceeding Disney's hopes for the box office gross. That easily beats Mel's Braveheart, which made $9.9 mil for Fri-Sat-Sun when it opened in 2,037 theaters during Memorial Weekend back in 1995 ($12.9 mil for the four-day holiday) and went on to make $75.6 mil in the U.S. and $210.4 mil worldwide, helped by winning the Best Picture Oscar. Based on today's matinees, the No. 2 spot went to Sony's The Holiday (in 2,610 playdates), a date movie from director-writer Nancy Meyer, known for capturing that man-woman zeitgeist. The studio's hard work to deftly market this PG-13 debut (also starring Kate Winslet, Jack Black and Jude Law) obviously paid off because the movie earned $4.5 mil Friday despite all the rivalry. In 3rd place was Warner Bros' Blood Diamond (in 1,910 theaters), an African-set action-adventure pic. Important to note that this film is playing in 500-to-700 less theaters than the other two films...
(Excerpt) Read more at deadlinehollywooddaily.com ...
BINGO!
Remember all shiite threw at him by the 'jewish community' before Passion Of The Christ was even released or a trailer shown (maybe even while still in production, can't recall that part.) That was outright religious BIGOTRY, PREJUDICE and HATE.
Unfortunately Christians (and Catholics) don't have any storm trooper org like the ADL scrounging around for every perceived slight and then to attack in high dudgeon with bullshit accusations on every news show they can get their puss on to play their role as perpetual victim. (run on sentence rant - off)
The Passion, but I went to it anyway, not wanting to judge him and his film unfairly.
I thought that film was awful, for many reasons. I found it to be profoundly anti-semitic, and filled with untruths.
The Passion was taken from the New Testament...written by Jews, about Jesus who was a Jew and the apostles who were also Jews. So who actually is being anti-semitic?
Thax, it's already on my bookmark. When you read the weekly box office reports, they almost never adjust for inflation or refer to ticket sales.
I heard that on Rush too, interesting commentary by him. I have to admit because of that commentary my interest was piqued. I still am not sure if I will be seeing it or not.
Why the quotes around "jewish community?"
I have said it before and I'll say it again. Mel is a master at ginning up interest in his projects, even it means cynically using the Jewish community. HE is the one who rolled his film out by showing it to Christian groups first. HE is the one who generated controversy around the film. By the time trailers were being shown in theaters many people had already seen the film in screenings. And some - Jewish and not Jewish - didn't like it. He is also the one by the way (or his people) who claimed the Vatican had put in it's blessing on the film, and that was a lie. Mel created pre-release hype and them whined about people judging the film before they saw it. Give me a break.
AND - he proved the critics of The Passion right, when he went on his tirade again Jews.
And I thought the film stunk, as did others. Just because Mel made a film about Christ does not inoculate him against critics. He (and some here) acts as if any bad review is an affront to his brand of Christianity, which by the way, is idiosyncratic and not fully mainstream.
Are you some born again type? Never understood nor desire to know that stuff. I never heard of born again in the bible. Catholics luckily are born at Baptism so we are cradle to grave Christian or Catholic whatever you call it. It is a shame that you chose fake over substance, but that is your chose no big deal to me. When you see all the Catholics going to Heaven I hope you don't regret your decision.
I agree with everything in this review. I hope you will take this time to read it and consider what it says.
that mother-in-laws were a pain in the a$$ back then too! LOL!!
I'm with you. I will be going to see the movie. I don't think he's nuts. I think he is just like you and me, except maybe richer. I still pray for him, his family and his sobriety.
How does an historical (with creative license) depiction show its producer's 'dark side?" Did you see Braveheart, Passion of the Christ or Patriot? Or, did you see, from other, more 'acceptable' sources, Saving Private Ryan?
All damned bloody movies, but within range of historical.
Much of our history is dark, and if some hadn't sacrificed ALL, none of us would be sitting here fat and lazy behind our computers in a free country.
Although Tarantino's movie are violent you rarely actually see the violence. It happens just off screen. In Gibson's movies he has a fetish for showing the violwnce.
Apparently Mel does gruesome even better than Tarantino and the other splatter directors, and Hollywood expires from resentful envy.
But I sure like how the "Variety" establishment types get rocked back on their arrogant heels by Mel and his antics. Squeal, whine, squawk. I love it. A subtitled movie about ancient Mayan civilization, no stars (! no pretentious political lectures by Hollywood airhead actresses! ) and it's beating the competition.
There's a point. All the remakes of old sitcoms! Bewitched, etc. Will I Dream of Jeanie be coming soon?
There's nothing coming out of Hollywood movie studios as good (or, fun) as the television we've had recently..."Battlestar" "Lost" "Alias" "24 Hours"...it's not new-release movies I get from Netflix, it's excellent TV series.
The liberal elite and Hollywood don't mind the violence - the reason Apocalypto is attacked is that it destroys the liberal myth of the "Noble Savage". The crimes of which liberals love to blame Western civilization for causing are shown to be practiced widely among the Mayans - slavery, human sacrifice, torture, cannibalism, ageism . . . .
I don't want to give away the details, but what saves the hero of the movie at the end (and the average Mayan) is the arrival of the Spanish on the beach with a cross. Western Christianity saves the Mayans from torture and death by the Mayan cult of death, IMO. A great movie.
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Please show me where I said any such thing.
Of couse Cathilics believe in Jesus. It's about the only part they get right, thankfully it is the most important part.
I was raised Catholic and to believe that Jesus died for my sins. It was the foundation for my faith today.
It's just that some of us build upon the foundation and others say the foundation is the entire building.
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John 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
1 Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
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I never heard of born again in the bible
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Now you have.
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Interesting you mention momonism to justify Catholicism.
Not very discriminating or discerning.
So not following the bible is "no big deal"?
How about not following the U.S. Constitution?
Is that "no big deal" either?
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