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Has Hollywood lost its 'Passion?'
By Dick Rolfe
I have been waiting eagerly for the preliminary nominees to
be announced by this year’s awards shows. The People’s
Choice Awards, The Golden Globes, the Academy Awards and the
Top Ten movies of 2004 by the noted film critics dominate
the entertainment news each January.
I was certain that Hollywood would give proper
acknowledgement and honor to the amazing creative excellence
and staggering box office success of Mel Gibson's "The
Passion of the Christ." [Click
here to read my review.]
The public has spoken, and with some surprisingly varied
results. During the 31st Annual People’s Choice
Awards on Sunday, January 9th, “Fahrenheit 9/11”
and “The Passion of the Christ” won the most votes for Best
Movie and Best Movie Drama respectively.
The People’s Choice Award is the only one actually voted on
by the public. It is given to a wide variety of
entertainment categories from best movie to best smile.
The nominations were determined by editors at Entertainment
Weekly, the People's Choice production team and a panel of
pop culture fans. Winners are determined by Internet voting.
See the “Box Office Surprises…” story below for a complete
list of this year’s winners.
The word is also out from Hollywood insiders...and so is Mel
Gibson's "Passion." This magnificent work and everyone
related to it managed to miss the radar screens of virtually
everyone in the industry-wide Film Awards community and the
major critics.
Whether the MIA status of "The Passion" is a nonverbal snub
by Hollywood insiders, or a reflection of their disconnect
with the values and tastes of 150 million Americans who
responded favorably to the film, is up for speculation. The
fact remains that "The Passion of the Christ" is obvious by
its absence from the list of nominees for the Golden Globe
Awards and the Top Ten lists of most major film critics.
The 2004 Oscar nominations have not been announced yet. But
the prognosis is not good when you look at the list of top
contenders touted by the pundits.
The attached article by Govindini Murty, Co-Director of the
new Liberty Film Festival in Los Angeles casts a revealing
perspective on things.
There is one long-term solution to these "creative
differences" between Hollywood and the majority of
movie-goers. Families must endure and continue "voting" for
movies with redemptive themes, and support those films that
reflect the values they hold dear. Regardless the outcome of
the award shows one thing is clear. Hollywood is taking the
family audience seriously. We see that reflected in the
increase of G and PG movies populating the movie screens.
Box Office Surprises Win People's Choice
Awards
PASADENA,
Calif. (AP)
-- Two controversial films that defied the odds to earn
millions at the box office joined a familiar green ogre to
take top honors at the 31st Annual People's Choice Awards on
Sunday
(more)
More Hollywood Snubs of Gibson's
'Passion'
by Govindini Murty
It seems Hollywood just doesn't want to accept Mel Gibson's
record breaking "Passion." Dismissing the tremendous success
of "The Passion of the Christ" as a fluke, Hollywood critics
and awards shows continue to snub Mel Gibson's biblical
masterpiece.
(more)
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