Passion of the Christ

~terry Fri, Mar 19, 2004 (13:58) seed

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST / **** (R) February 24, 2004 Jesus, the Christ: James Caviezel Mary: Maia Morgenstern Mary Magdalene: Monica Bellucci Pontius Pilate: Hristo Shopov Caiaphas: Mattia Sbragia Judas: Luca Lionello Claudia: Claudia Gerini Gesmas: Francesco Cabras Satan Rosalinda Celentano BY ROGER EBERT FILM CRITIC If ever there was a film with the correct title, that film is Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." Although the word passion has become mixed up with romance, its Latin origins refer to suffering and pain; later Christian theology broadened that to include Christ's love for mankind, which made him willing to suffer and die for us. The movie is 126 minutes long, and I would guess that at least 100 of those minutes, maybe more, are concerned specifically and graphically with the details of the torture and death of Jesus. This is the most violent film I have ever seen. I prefer to evaluate a film on the basis of what it intends to do, not on what I think it should have done. It is clear that Mel Gibson wanted to make graphic and inescapable the price that Jesus paid (as Christians believe) when he died for our sins. Anyone raised as a Catholic will be familiar with the stops along the way; the screenplay is inspired not so much by the Gospels as by the 14 Stations of the Cross. As an altar boy, serving during the Stations on Friday nights in Lent, I was encouraged to meditate on Christ's suffering, and I remember the chants as the priest led the way from one station to another: At the Cross, her station keeping ... Stood the mournful Mother weeping ... Close to Jesus to the last. More at http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/cst-ftr-passion24.html

~autumn Sun, Mar 21, 2004 (20:59) #1

I have not personally seen this film, but my husband took his mother and they both thought it was awesome. If you've seen the preview where the nail is put in Christ's palm and you see a hammer-wielding hand coming down to drive it in, that is Mel Gibson's hand. It symbolizes how each of us (as Christians believe) is responsible for nailing Christ to the cross by our sin.

~MarciaH Thu, Apr 22, 2004 (10:16) #2

Autumn, go see it. I plan to buy the DVD as soon as it is available so we can watch it semi-regularly. It is one movie during which we did NOT buy popcorn to eat.

~MarciaH Thu, Apr 22, 2004 (10:18) #3

The only "Catholic" thing about the movie that I noted was the emphasis on Mary. But, as a mother I could relate more to what she was experiencing watching things done to her son better than I could to my "Savior"

~AlFor Sat, Apr 24, 2004 (16:31) #4

I'll wait until they double-bill it with "The Life of Brian".

~MarciaH Sat, May 15, 2004 (17:53) #5

Hmmm what a concept. I found The Life of Brian so hilarious. But POTC is a moving event unto itself. Perhaps Brian might have the succeeding evening?

~AlFor Thu, May 27, 2004 (09:03) #6

My sister, who is rather more religious than I am, saw this movie and was disappointed; well, not really, as she didn't expect much from it. She noted that part of the Garden of Gethsemane scene ran exactly the opposite to Biblical text. Jesus was NOT tempted by an apparition of Satan at Gethsemane; he was, rather, strengthened by an angel sent by God. She also found the table joke to be inappropriate, being more suitable for Mel Brooks or the Python than for a supposedly accurate interpretation of the Scriptures. Far from being repulsed, or moved, she fell asleep during part of the film. She said to me that the only idea she got from the film was a reaffirmation that the police and the political system have always been brutal and will always be brutal. The violence that so many have talked about is, according to my sister, no worse than what appears on Jamaican TV news on a daily basis.

~terry Fri, May 28, 2004 (08:10) #7

Sam, do you have your own blog yet? I'm offering you one at Spring or one of our other websites if you want one. BlogBlog?

~AlFor Mon, Jun 7, 2004 (22:13) #8

What's a blog?

~CherylB Tue, Jun 8, 2004 (09:36) #9

It means web long, which is kind of internet journal.

~terry Wed, Jun 9, 2004 (10:42) #10

You can see one in action at either http://austinblogger.com/ or http://bastropyrealty.com/wordpress

~AlFor Wed, Jun 9, 2004 (19:24) #11

Looks interesting; how do I get one?

~terry Wed, Jun 9, 2004 (19:37) #12

I can set it up for you on spring.net. What do you want to call it? blobblog?

~AlFor Thu, Jun 10, 2004 (22:04) #13

"Miscellaneous Ramblings", if that's not taken.

~MarciaH Tue, Feb 22, 2005 (21:33) #14

Hmm. I watched the POTC movie with a theater full of born again very devout Christians and they each and every one was moved and loved it enough to see it again immediately or order it on some sort of home-viewing format. I guess like with anything else, each of us has his own idea of what is appropriate and touching. I liked it very much.