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The Knights Templar theme is also the plot of the new hit film, "National Treasure." We talked with the authors of "Templars in America" to see how their research matches up with the fictional movie. Who were the Knights Templar? On the surface they were a medieval, monastic order who gave the appearance of being part of the church and devout Christians. In actual fact, they were anything but that. Yes, they were a monastic order, they’d been approved by the pope, and they were virtually independent of all civil and other church authorities, being responsible through their grand master...

Maybe it's all that Thanksgiving tryptophan, but Hollywood executives don't seem to have the energy to put out any new wide releases this weekend, which will likely lead to a carbon-copy of last week's box office chart. After claiming the No. 1 position for two weeks in a row, Nicolas Cage's thriller National Treasure should see a 55 percent drop to $14 million this weekend, but should still cross the $100 million mark in its third week of release. Two family-friendly successes, The Incredibles and Christmas with the Kranks, will battle for the runner-up position with about $12 million each,...

I believe National Treasure implies that Freemasons are a POSITVE influence on our country. Anybody that knows the TRUTH about Freemasonry rather than the propaganda they wrap themselves in will NOT be takin in by the positive portrayal in this movie. Please America, wake up, don't buy into the guys who brought "Seperation of Church/State" to America, model ISLAM as the highest truth (the Shriners), label the Holy Bible as "Furinture" in a lodge, and outlaw the name of "Jesus" in any lodge. I know I will get flamed by 10,000 Masons and Mason supporters on this, but if you...

Despite mediocre reviews, 'National Treasure,' the action adventure film starring Nicolas Cage, took home first place at the box office this weekend with a take of $35.3 million. 'Treasure' narrowly defeated the favorite, 'The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,' which took in $33.5 million. 'National Treasure' was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, who has already released 13 films that finished with domestic grosses of over $100 million. His recent hit, 'Pirates of the Caribbean' was the second highest grossing film of 2003. Despite tepid reviews, exit polls indicated that audiences gave the film high marks. 'I don't read reviews, and I don't listen...

National Treasure," a surprise box office hit from Hollywood, demonstrates once again the embarrassing gap between cultural elite and the general public. This splendid adventure movie starring Nicholas Cage drew overwhelmingly negative reviews, and leading critics even predicted its commercial failure. Ordinary moviegoers, however, have expressed gratitude for the film — a clever romp with a patriotic heart and a family friendly "PG-rating," spinning an enjoyable yarn about a treasure map left by the founding fathers on the back of the Declaration of Independence. ...

As long as I am confessing less than elevated interests today, I might as well admit that I really enjoyed the new film National Treasure. This is probably the first Jerry Bruckheimer-produced movie I have ever praised, unless you count Team America, which is a parody of his extravagent explosion-filled action movies, acted by puppets. Sure, it is a highly-implausible adventure film, but it has a number of redeeming values. It is first-rate storytelling, with nary a dull moment, and a mostly coherent narrative line. It is basically a treasure hunt, comparable in many ways to Raiders of the Lost...

The black 'slip of a girl' who grew up in the segregated Deep South was made the US secretary of state last week and is being spoken of as a potential president. Antonia Felix charts the rise of a woman who has used her brilliant mind and iron will to break the political mould Stanford University, about 35 miles south of San Francisco, has one of the most beautiful campuses in America. Oak, palm and eucalyptus trees surround a cluster of red-tiled “California mission” buildings on 8,000 acres in sight of San Francisco Bay. One evening in 1987, Brent Scowcroft,...

Sorry for the Vanity, but my wife and I attended the movie National Treasure with another couple on Saturday evening and I think that everyone needs to go to this film. This film is very well made and a true family vilm that will get your kids (and yourself) excited about American History. It's been a long time since I left the theatre feeling good about the message of a movie. I'm posting this fully expecting to get railed, but I think we can tell hollywood with our money that these are the kind of films that Americans want to...

Securing the Future of Conservatism Jerry Falwell Thursday, May 27, 2004 What do you get when you cross Jesse Helms, Jerry Falwell and a plethora of college students who are anxious to impact the culture with our time-honored conservative values? Well, if you ask Sen. Hillary Clinton she’d likely tell you that it is further evidence of a “vast right-wing conspiracy” that is out to destroy her husband’s so-called legacy and steer the nation toward mindless servitude to Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. (Maybe I should write the Democrats’ talking points.) But the correct answer is: The new Helms...