Love thy neighbor?

I saw The Passion of The Christ yesterday. For a noon movie, it was packed. The reason I go the movies in the afternoon is so I can avoid people, specifically people who talk during movies. Since this film's subject matter is intensely sensitive, I figured it was safe from annoying yappers. Nobody is going to talk while Christ is beaten to a bloody pulp, right?

Wrong. Two women, the next aisle over from me discussed the movie the entire time. THE. ENTIRE. TIME. At first I thought they were praying, which wouldn't have made it any less annoying. But no, one of the women had to explain the movie to her friend, and then the friend would repeat what her friend said to her. Ladies, this isn't Bible Study, this is a movie. Shut up!!!

I wanted to stab them. Had I not been surrounded by a hundred devout Christians feeling the spirit, I might have. Plus, there is nothing like the image of a Jesus being nailed to a cross to put a little guilt in your heart for wanting to staple stranger's mouths shut. Love thy neighbor. Jesus, does that extend to the noisy bitch in the theatre?

Comments

[Andreah]

"Stab" is such a beatiful verb. How waas the movie anyways and do you like to go to movies by yourself because I do... that and no one will ever go with me :(

I might take up knitting.. you make it sound cool:)

[Carrie]

LOL, I just had to laugh... with all the controversy surrounding this movie, yours was just so eloquently put! LOL

[getupgrrl]

HAHAHAHAHA. I'm sorry. Is it sacrilegious to laugh this hard?

[Kathleen]

between talkers and noisy eaters, my movie going experiences are frought with me being pissed off beyond all belief. all the time.

[Simone]

And what of the movie? I want to see it but couldn't even stomach Reservoir Dogs! Let alone 11 minutes of Roman scourging. That word alone makes me want to put my hands over my ears.

[Michele]

Andreah, If I see a movie, it is usually by myself. I like it that way, because I get to sit as close to the screen as I want. And see what I want. And I go during the day.

I was hesitant to write my opinion of this movie, because I don't want to offend anyone. And if you want to piss people off, Jesus is a good place to start.

Simone, this movie is VERY bloody. The scourging part of the movie was tough to watch. Jesus was walking raw meat after that, literally. It was gory. I covered my eyes quite a bit, and I jumped in my seat more times in this movie than any other movie I've ever seen.

I know Mel Gibson wanted to show how much Jesus suffered for our sins, and how important tolerance is, but I could have used a bit more "story" in there and less beatings.

Maybe Mel thinks that because a lot of people have a "relationship" with Jesus, that he doesn't need to form a connection between Jesus and the viewer. This is probably because I'm an evil sinner who doesn't get it, but I needed more of that connection. It would have helped to see more of Jesus, "the man." Yeah, the movie is about Jesus, and we all know who he is, but HELLO, that is not Jesus on the screen, that is an actor portraying Jesus, so I need MORE more personal story to feel for the actor on the screen. Does this make sense? Or am I going to hell?

From the start of the movie, people around me were sobbing. So obviously, these people's experience differed from mine. The most touching moments for me was when they cut between Jesus being nailed to the cross to him in the past talking about how he wants everyone to love one another. That was the only time I cried. But, that is me.

I'm glad I saw the movie. And I think it is worth seeing. However, I will not watch it again.

[Julie]

I haven't seen the movie, but I keep wondering about the gore. I mean, isn't the whole point of the story that Jesus transcended Earthly life and death? It sounds like the movie dwells a little too lovingly (almost fetishistically, perhaps) on the pain, the blood, the broken skin, rather than on the transcendence of same.

Oh, and plus, shut the fuck up, theatergoers.