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Mel's Passion

James Caviezel as Christ in The PassionThe trailer for Mel Gibson's new movie about the last hours of Christ's life is up and it is a downer - very bloody and spooky. James Caviezel, who is a notably vocal Catholic (he didn't want to do a nude scene with Jennifer Lopez in Angel Eyes), stars as Christ and the entire movie is in Aramaic. Aramaic!

There's been fuss over this movie since Mel Gibson decided this should be his directorial followup to Braveheart, first being that he was going to (1) shoot a film about the last days of Christ and (2) in Aramaic. Then U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops complained and then apologized for blasting the film, based only on unauthorized copies of the script they had read. The Anti-Defamation League also critized the film, both groups basing their thoughts about the film on the stir Mel Gibson's father caused. Hutton Gibson, or as Gothamist likes to call him, "Crazy Old Man Gibson Who Doesn't Believe that Osama Bin Laden Was Behind the WTC Destruction or That the Holocaust Happened," was profiled in the Times a few months ago and questions about a possible connection between father's and son's beliefs emerged. Mel Gibson has stated: "'The Passion' is a movie meant to inspire not offend. My intention in bringing it to the screen is to create a lasting work of art and engender serious thought among audiences of diverse faith backgrounds (or none) who have varying familiarity with this story."

Gothamist likes The Last Temptation of Christ as its "the last days of Christ" movie.

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  • Holly

    Hey i have not seen this movie but i have heard of it and it looks gross and really realistic and bloody. im 14 and ppl say i shouldnt see it. i am kinda curious tho. plz email me and tell me what u think.

  • Holly

    Hey i have not seen this movie but i have heard of it and it looks gross and really reslistic and bloody. im 14 and ppl say i shouldnt see it. i am kinda curious tho. plz email me and tell me what u think.

  • Mel is the man

    Mel gibson is the man he is the greatest director of all timehis hand was in the passion he nailed J/C to the cross he was in braveheart braveheart i think that the message from the passion was for us to relize that jesus made hell for all the dirty little jews

  • Princess

    I loved this film I ope Mel is very proud. I cried through the entire thing.

  • Bong

    The ten people who label the movie as a/an :"anti-semetic" "gore-fest" or plainly "Gibson's autobiography of his ego" are lost and fully devoured by a "new" religion that persecutes not only Christianity but also Judaism, Islam, Buddism and etc...

    That religion is materialism and ignorance.I'm 14 and a Filipino and, men our world is getting in a lot of s***, there are a hundred or more died in Spain, skirmishes are fought in the Middle East and N. Korea threatens the whole world. And those ten people still manage to critize this movie-Mel's interpretation of Jesus' last 12 hrs. to ransom as back from sin. They have shallow perspectives and sadly they remain hostile to views that offer them salvation.

    PS: I admire Mel's and Mullin's fortitude and for those who write to defend their faih, God bless

  • heyheypaula

    I think most of the negative comments are a result of people who have this little box that God should go in---according to their opinion. When Christians dont measure up to their idea of God, they consider the whole religion a lot of crap. Well, you cant judge the future by the past because the one constant of life is change. It is good to have ideals and hold to them, but to ignore new information or reject it out of hand without even experiencing what it might be about. These people will not believe even though they see miracles because for the most part, they would then have to admit they have been living with lies. God Bless 'em everyone!

  • ashley

    I agree. Mell Gibson had a lot of guts to do this movie. I am 14 and Loved it. I cried and now i feel like I am changed. It takes soemthing like this to change you forever. Seeing what we really did put him through. And anit-semitism is completely out of the picture the jews themselves didn't put Jesus on the cross we all did! But yes This is a great movie and I encourage everyone to go watch it and please keep an open heart and mind.

  • matti

    the movie was powerful, if you are a true christian, you know it is the reality. This movie will be the principle edition from the new testament without any moidification. If you are not a christian beliver it is obvious you wont like it. I support mill gibson for making this movie.

  • Lendsey

    I'm not some kind of a biblical scholar but I really thought the movie was good, regardless if it was based on facts from the Bible or whatnot... And also, Jim Caviezel did a really good job in that movie.. And yah.. I think he's the most handsome and most talented actor on this planet!!

  • KAB

    I think that Mel was brave to do this movie and that anyone who is saying that it is anti-semetic obviously hasn't seen the movie. There is nothing on the subject at all. I also think that all of these boy-cotts and crap is unnecessary. Mel took the movie right out of the Bible and exagerated it just a little bit. It's not like he made up some crazy story, made it into a movie, and called it the story of Christ. That's bull. I would also like to say that I feel sorry for atheists. They don't know what it feels like to let God and Christ into their hearts. They turned away God's sacrifice of his only son.

  • Greg Gregg

    Gibson’s picture will finally reveal that much of X-inanity is but a sadistic, brutal, pre-xian pagan death-cult, overlaid with the thinnest of 'X-ian' veneers. Sick and degenerate this dangerous and destructive cult threatens to destroy the earth and all creatures upon it.

    It may have been an understandable faith for a geographically isolated pre-literate nomadic society of agriculturalists...but few of us lead this type of life any longer. Further, if Jesus could see what Christianity has evolved into, he'd never stop vomiting.

  • spin

    while i think nullified just amade an incredibly stupid, ininformed, uninformative and offensive post, i would also like to point out that it is a movie, it will not be perfectly accurate, because of, if nothing else, the metephorical/illiteral quality of the bible, and should thus be watched with a grain of salt in either hand

    -later

  • Nullifid

    You know making a movie about a person who never existed, based upon a book that was written but a bunch of sex starved monks, and then actually believing that its all TRUE, has got to be the biggest fucking joke I've ever heard. No wait a minute Mel is the big joke here, just ask his Daddy.

  • shamrock

    When all is said and done, we all have to make a choice.I seriously think that the effects of this movie might very well change the world forever.I wonder if God is not giving us one last chance to repent for our sins, and turn to HIM. I truly think that must be the reason for this movie at this time in history.There are several references to Sodom and Gomorrah.These towns could never compete with the sin of our "modern world" today.It is as historically correct as was able to accomplish, and Mel Gibson had many advisors who know what it is all about, experts in their fields.

    Jesus Himself said 365 times in the Bible, "FEAR NOT"...that's once for every day of the year. This is for all people for all times. We should be thinking in terms of this being a tremendous gift from God, through the work of Mel Gibson and the actors, to bring God (Jesus) to the people, and the people to God. Who among us can be certain of one more minute, day, or longer? My prayer is that everyone take this opportunity to come closer to God, and indeed to be saved, for this might be your, and my, last chance to do so. I will see this movie in a day or two, when it opens.And I know I will never be the same person again.

    To say who killed Jesus is not the point, we all did.....the point is , who is this Jesus who died for me?

  • Leigh

    Oh, dear. I don't understand at all how this movie could spark anti-semitism. Jesus' death cannot be blamed on the Jews, for several reasons. Well, think about it! What do you think Jesus was raised as? A Jew! And so were his disciples. And it was Jesus' decision to die. He had but to cry out, and be saved from the cross. The point is, Christ had to die, and he knew it. Those who put him on the cross were unknowingly acting for God. If Christ had not died, we would not be saved. If Christ had not died, there would be no Christianity. It was His choice, He did it for us all. If anyone is to be blamed, it is... everyone! Everyone who has ever lived, breathed, walked upon this earth has sinned, and that is why Christ died. To save us all. The movie should not be censored... we were the ones who hammered Him to the cross.

  • Anthony D

    I have not as yet seen this film, I have seen only a preview of it and some still shots, but I believe that all the hooha going on about it speaks for itself. If Mel Gibson made a movie about the death and ressurection of Jesus and it caused no controvesy then it wouldn't be a movie inspired by God. The fact that it has caused so much trouble tells me that it must be pretty near the mark, the fact that Jewish representatives??? are complaining and wanting to censore the movie tells me it must be nearer the mark than they are comfortable with, the fact that so many people on this page have resorted to name calling tells me it must be touching a pretty raw spot on some very dark hearts. I am grateful to God that someone has finally made a film of what I,through my sins,did to Jesus Christ 2000 years ago, it was me who killed him, it was me and you and the Romans and the Jews and the Irish and the Africians and the Hindus and the Muslims and the New Agers all of us! And I don't know about any of the rest of you people, but I NEED to see what I am responsible for. I can only hope that it will help me to ask God through Jesus to lessen my sinning, to propell me closer to God. I am a nobody, pretty much a loser at life, I have no job, no money, I don't own a home, I don't really envisage much of a future really, if the truth be known, I don't have a penny in the bank, but I am one of the richest men I know because I am known by God through Jesus. I don't know if Mel Gibson will ever read this page, but just in case he does, I would like to say thank you, from one brother in Christ to another, don't censor anything, don't change a single scene, let God's hand direct you. It upset the world when this man, this God, came and challenged everything, and if you do it right, if you do right by Him, it will continue to upset the world, the light came into the darkness, but the darkness didn't like it. Well done, Mel. I'm sorry you and yours have been hurt. We must pray for those who do us wrong. Can't wait to see the movie. God bless you all. Rich Mullins, cool stuff amego.

  • mochachocalatayaya

    Whew! that was a change in tone from the begining posts! Thanks "Rich Mullins" guy, you really told it like it is! You said everything I've always wanted to say to this kind of talk. You know your stuff. It's interesting how most liberal athiest types are always so arrogant and hateful! Gah!

  • Charles

    The only objection I would have to a presentation like that of Mr. Gibson is the fact that, as recent forensic facial reconstructions of Aramaic people have demonstrated, Jesus would have to be cast as an 'Aryan' white man. To be sure, the race of Jesus is not important on the one hand....after all, we all must be saved. But while I adore Gibson's penchant for painstaking accuracy in his films (I am a huge fan of this movie being spoken in the native tongues of the era) I deplore his use of an archaic and painful WHITE Jesus. Jesus as a Negro? That's not what I am saying. Take a look at the people of Judea today. Do they look anything like the central casting character utilized by Gibson in his film? Of course not. Thanks for reading this and God Bless.

  • Saviour land

    The time Christ was on the cross he said forgive them father they do not know what they are doing. We also forgive, but not deny the facts; yes Christ peace on his name was crucified died and rose on the third day. Come on guys we are close to the end of time. Sodom an Gomorrah, let us pray for these soles that may they see the light of our saviour and believe me sooner or later they will meet the judge.

  • thesmooch

    Well,,,,,I can't believe someone can hate Mel Gibson...And I truly believe that if you don't see the movie it will be soley for fear of believing in something you know in your heart is real and then you would have to really take a long hard look at yourself and that scares you because you know your not gonna like what you see.

    I know because I've been there and I sounded alot like you but don't be afraid it only hurts for a little while and then it is awesome...you feel lighter than air and Happy for a change..When you hear Jesus calling your name...just answer!!! You'll be glad you did,I promise!!!!

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