It was probably inevitable that he'd play a character like Ricky Bobby, and from people who've seen the film the result isn't that bad.
BTW, if he'd played another Mustafa or Mugatu, would the same people be complaining?
Posted on 08/08/2006 1:05:33 AM PDT by balch3
AgapePress) - Although funnyman Will Ferrell's new movie, Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby, finished first at the box office this past weekend, the comedy was not a winner as far as Christian movie reviewer Ted Baehr is concerned.
Baehr, publisher of Movieguide.org, is waving the yellow flag over the film about a dim-witted NASCAR racer with a gung-ho, win-at-all-costs attitude. According to Associated Press (AP) reports, the Christian media reviewer describes Talladega Nights as "a racist, bigoted work that ridicules the Bible Belt, Southern white men, Christianity, Jesus Christ, the family, and American masculinity."
The Movieguide review of Talladega Nights describes the film as "politically correct," in that it ridicules faith, family, traditional values, Southerners, white males and other ideas and groups that are fair game to those who share typical liberal notions of what is "PC." The review also notes that Ferrell's movie contains "lots of blasphemous and borderline laughs," along with "strong sexual references, excessive foul language and strong homosexual content."
Baehr is particularly incensed over Talladega Nights' satirical references to Christianity, such as the lead character's prayers to "baby Jesus" and his "running around ... mocking God" at different points in the film. "A couple of scenes in the movie are just extremely blasphemous," the movie analyst observes; yet he feels this kind of anti-Christian bigotry gets a pass in Hollywood, while other kinds of religious bigotry are denounced.
Baehr points to the recent incident involving producer, director and actor Mel Gibson and the anti-Semitic remarks he allegedly made during his arrest on suspicion of drunk driving. "If we take the position that what Mel Gibson said is religious bigotry," the Christian film reviewer contends, "then [much of the content in Talladega Nights] is religious bigotry too."
It is a simple case of "what's good for the goose is good for the gander," Baehr insists. "You need to be balanced in all of this," he says. "Now, if we're worried about Mel Gibson apologizing for his anti-Semitism, I think it should be equally just for Will Ferrell to apologize with his writing partner for his anti-Christian bigotry."
Although Talladega Nights did well with moviegoers this past weekend, Baehr believes the movie will probably be overtaken and passed when the more meaningful and faith-affirming film, World Trade Center, debuts this Wednesday. He predicts that next week, the fact-based film on the 9/11 disaster will replace Ferrell's anti-Christian comedy as the nation's number-one movie.
Anything Will Ferrell is associated with I want no part of.
Yup. Very true in principle. People would seemingly rather face death than be the subject of ridicule and derision.
Don't know the facts in this particular case, though.
You mean the Protestant Revolution? There's a fine line between "a personal relationship with God" and simple disobedience to authority, or pride.
Matthew 18:17The existence of sinful clerics shouldn't have come as a surprise to Martin "Bible Alone" Luther.If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Matthew 13:24-30And then, Jesus did choose Judas as one of his Apostles.Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "
Thanks for the ping!
Reading the statement I wrote,and you highlighted I have to disagree with myself. Damn me.
A large part of reformation had to do with counts and kings jockeying for power right here on earth.
The scripture you quoted is material for another thread... or several volumes of discussion.
How many riots and deaths were there when The Passion was released?
How many days of riots and deaths, when a newspaper printed a cartoon?
Please don't try to equate moral or social equivilancy with Christianity, and slimes. They are like apples and maggots!
Granted some people don't know the difference between Following Christ, and being obnoxious for Christ. Don't judge the majority of us by looking to Jimmy Swaggert as our role model. He isn't.
I like these kinda characters by WF. They are the only ones he does well. Kinda like Adam Sandler, has only one character also. Granted they are both the same one, but that is what they do well.
I'm gonna wait for the dvd on this one. Popcorn's better, and coke doesn't cost 50$ a gallon.
LOL!
me think that can make a great tag line :D !!! did he leave anything out? what else can we be offended by?
I wasn't nuking you. I was pointing out the de facto agenda in many films. Cinema is a powerful medium. Often the agenda is very subtle. Often--when it's Politically Correct--such as bashing Anglo hetero males--it's quite overt--although it's very often done as 'humor.'
Nope, didn't see the movie.
But a toast to good clean fun always.
It was probably inevitable that he'd play a character like Ricky Bobby, and from people who've seen the film the result isn't that bad.
BTW, if he'd played another Mustafa or Mugatu, would the same people be complaining?
I guarantee you the original poster would. The Taliban burnt or shut down all the theaters when they were running Afghanistan. Even now I don't think they allow women in the ones they reopened.
Anyway, the movie looks pretty funny. 'My two sons, Walker and Texas Ranger' heh
Ted Baehr complains about movies with 'humanistic' themes. He's Jack Chick with a press pass. If stereotyping Southern White males is the big complaint William Faulkner should bear a large part of the blame since he was a pioneer in the field.
Why do these guys always insist on calling themselves "Dr."? Did they go to Medical School? If not, they shouldn't be engaging in such misrepresentation.
Yet another White Exploitation film for our youth to wastetheir money and their minds.
He has a J.D. from N.Y.U.
Jeeze, louise, take a pill and lighten up.
I'd like to know WTF decided that Will Farrell is funny and kick their teeth in. He makes me laugh as much as watching paint dry. If he's the best comedian this country can produce, we've totally lost our sense of humor.
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