Some Catholics do:
The Infant Jesus of Prague
Posted on 08/07/2006 7:16:54 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
Christian Reviewer Rants About Liberal Hollywood
LOS ANGELES -- Christian film reviewer Ted Baehr is no fan of this past weekend's top movie at the box office.
Web Site: See Baehr's Review The Movieguide.org publisher said Will Ferrell's "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" is "a racist, bigoted work that ridicules the Bible Belt, Southern white men, Christianity, Jesus Christ, the family, and American masculinity."
Baehr said the lead character's mocking prayer to baby Jesus shows anti-Christian bigotry and wonders why Hollywood isn't treating Will Ferrell like it's treated Mel Gibson, who has apologized for his anti-Semitic outburst.
"Don't count on Hollywood (or the news media, for that matter) to condemn and denounce Will Ferrell and his partner, writer and director Adam McKay. And, don't expect any self-righteous liberals to get on their soapbox and say that they will never work with Farrell or McKay, or see one of their movies," Baehr said in his review.
He said that "Talladega Nights" is one of the most "blasphemous, politically correct major movies ever released by a major Hollywood studio."
He continued his rant, saying that Hollywood and the mainstream media stood by silently while Dan Brown and Ron Howard mocked Christian beliefs and Roman Catholic leaders in "The Da Vinci Code" and when Martin Scorsese claimed in "The Last Temptation of Christ" that Jesus was a "mixed-up" and "weak-minded" wimp.
On its Web site, Movieguide describes itself as: ..."a ministry dedicated to redeeming the values of the mass media according to biblical principles, by influencing entertainment industry executives and helping families make wise media choices.
"Talladega Nights" tells the tale of Ricky Bobby, a man who was born when his Daddy was racing his Ma to the hospital and got so carried away by speed that a quick slam on the brakes is all it took to pop little Ricky out, according to TheMilwaukeeChannel.com reviewer Deb Scott. His Daddy takes a powder shortly after he is born, and as a result, Ricky grows up with a hero worship complex and the need for speed.
An emergency at a racetrack where he works pushes Ricky behind the wheel of a NASCAR vehicle in the middle of a race and everything just clicks, including a phrase his drunken Daddy once said to him -- "If you ain't first, you're last." So begins the raucous rise and fall of Ricky Bobby.
Meanwhile, actor John C. Reilly said he had no idea NASCAR was so popular until he made "Talladega Nights."
He was surprised to hear that some fans camp out for days before a race and turn it into an event. Reilly used to wonder why anyone would watch cars race in a circle, but now he said he knows "there's so much more going on than that."
"Talladega Nights" Races Into First Place
"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" claimed the checkered flag this weekend with a No. 1 finish at the box office.
According to studio estimates, the movie sped away with a cool $47 million.
Rory Bruer, president of distribution for Sony Pictures Entertainment, said the combination of Ferrell and NASCAR was sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Also entering the box office race with a surprising debut was the animated movie, "Barnyard: The Original Party Animals," which came in second.
The NASCAR parody made its big-screen debut in Talladega on Thursday with a free screening a day before it officially opened nationwide.
I'll have to see it myself.
I can't stand Ferrell's squealing screams in the commercial he did for that movie. I sure wouldn't waste the money on a ticket to go see it.
So it's OK to describe any criticism that you don't agree with as a rant?
There are just a whole bunch of "Christians" that are mad as hell that somebody, somewhere, is having a good time.
I know a lot of Christians, and I don't know any who pray to a baby Jesus.
that is soooooooo missing the point. But you do that ;-)
What is the draw for this flick?
Some Catholics do:
The Infant Jesus of Prague
Which reminds me, Hollywood must crap itself in delight every time another NASCAR movie comes along. How else could they have an excuse to fill up two-thirds of the screen with a car hood bearing the Wonder Bread logo and slap product endorsements all over their actors? Talladega Nights is incontrovertible proof that the studios have all the integrity of a Bangkok streetwalker while the 7th Fleet’s in town. This isn’t a movie, it’s an infomercial, and one with an honest-to-god Applebee’s commercial that airs during the movie itself. Looks like Sony has finally figured out how to circumvent all that criticism about ads playing before the movie; simply play them after it’s started
http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=9216
Reilly used to wonder why anyone would watch cars race in a circle, but now he said he knows "there's so much more going on than that."
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DOHHH!!!!
The only good movies that Ferrell has been in were the Austin Powers films. Everything else stunk up the theater.
How does it "miss the point"? It seems the attitude of some is to walk in to entertainment with a chip on the shoulder.
'"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" is "a racist, bigoted work that ridicules the Bible Belt, Southern white men, Christianity, Jesus Christ, the family, and American masculinity'
That's true but we can take it. Movie should definitely be rated R. DO NOT take your kids to see this. Bizare gay warning!
"Some Catholics do:"
Catholics pray to Jesus. Not to "baby" Jesus. YEESH!
I've only seen the previews, but at the very least it seems insulting to a large part of the U.S. population. OTOH, I've seen a number of previews for movies made by black people that insult black people. I guess it's okay if one does it to one's own - as long as they at least look alike.
How do you boycott something you weren't planning on seeing anyway?
Did anybody hear that Will Ferrell was fixing to do a NASCAR movie and seriously expect serious uplift from the result? I know I didn't.
Yeah. It looks funny to me and I can't stand Ferrel. But just the name Ricky Bobby is funny. And white Southern, Christian, males can handle being made fun of.
Um, I don't think he was in those, was he? I don't remember him in them.
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