PASSION

There are only two movies I am looking forward to seeing: The Return of the King and The Passion. Michael Novak has seen the latter and writes:

THE NICENE CREED, recited by the world's more than two billion Christians every Sunday, declares that Jesus Christ "suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried."

More than anything else, these ten words are the theme of "The Passion," Mel Gibson's new movie. Although not scheduled to be released to theaters until Ash Wednesday, "The Passion" generated this spring more discussion than any film in recent memory: endless op-eds, press releases, debates, and denunciations--all about a movie, in Aramaic and Latin, that none of the commentators had seen.

Perhaps in response to all this publicity, both negative and positive, Gibson released a trailer for "The Passion" on July 14. And then, on July 21, he brought a rough cut of the film (with English subtitles) to Washington for a few commentators and interested writers to see.

It is the most powerful movie I have ever seen.

The article is an excellent analysis of the controversy surrounding the film -- Jewish groups are concerned that its portrayal of the Sanhedrin will spark greater outbursts of anti-semitism. Novak argues that the ADL should have nothing to worry about here. Must-read and must-see. Oh also it seems Novak doesn't realize that Baptists never recite creeds in worship services -- although we could all stand to at least learn the Nicene, Apostle's, and Athanasian creeds.

Also it occurs to me that both movies I mentioned deal with very similar themes -- going through a trial of enormous suffering, enduring through to victory, the salvation of the world, the battle that brings evil's final defeat. And both Tolkien and Gibson are Catholic believers. Oh there is a thrid movie I'm interested in: Matrix Revolutions, and wouldn't you know it, the themes are (or should be, only with more esoteric philosophy, computers, and gung-fu) similar to ROTK and The Passion.