National Catholic Register "Brokeback Mountain" review?

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Does anyone have a copy of the National Catholic Register’s review of Brokeback Mountain? I got the impression from someone I was talking to that it didn’t necessarily say the movie was bad. That’s about all the info I got. This surprises me, as the NCR is usually seen as the orthodox Catholic newspaper.

Anyone know anything?

Thanks,
UK
 
The NCR’s film reviews are written by Steven D. Greydanus of decentfilms.com. Here is a link to the decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/brokebackmountain.html. He gave it an F overall, -4 for Moral-Spiritual Value, and 3.5 stars for Artistic-Entertainment Value.

He rates films separately on both of those, because it is the only fair thing to do.

Yours in Christ,
Thursday
 
Wow. I expected a lot more from the NCRegister. I found that review to be very soft on the film. Unfortunately it seems that Catholics have bought into the secular idea that we should judge art apart from God. How can this film receive 3.5/4 stars for its artistic beauty when it’s so morally corrupt? Do we honestly care about the beauty of the camera angles or “realness” of the characters when the cameras are showing evil behavior?

Catholics shouldn’t even be wasting their time reviewing a movie like this. There should be a statement from the Bishops simply asking Catholics to stay away from this disgustingly immoral film.

What has happened to our Church?! Can you imagine St Paul going to some scandalous Greek play and then writing a review on its artistic beauty? I can’t! He’d write about how it’s one more sign of God’s coming judgement and how Christians should have no part in the wickedness of this world.

God help us!
 
I commend Stephen for both his moral stand and his rating of the film. He was strong on it, unlike the USCCB, but he also realized that simply because a film is offensive does not mean it automatically merits no stars. Ars gratia artis. The condemnation of the message off hand without a recognition of the artistic strength of a film makes us look reactionary and neuters us. For our cause to be successful we can’t look just like fundamentalist nutjobs who dismiss everything without giving rational reasons why. People will just tune us out.

Even many Jews realize Triumphe Des Willens is a masterpiece, but they recognize how evil it is.
 
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BillyT92679:
The condemnation of the message off hand without a recognition of the artistic strength of a film makes us look reactionary and neuters us. For our cause to be successful we can’t look just like fundamentalist nutjobs who dismiss everything without giving rational reasons why. People will just tune us out.
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Here’s the rational reason: We reject this film because it mocks God and His plan for sex. It depicts one of the Sins that cry to Heaven for Vengence as benign and normal.
 
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Thursday1:
The NCR’s film reviews are written by Steven D. Greydanus of decentfilms.com. Here is a link to the decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/brokebackmountain.html. He gave it an F overall, -4 for Moral-Spiritual Value, and 3.5 stars for Artistic-Entertainment Value.

He rates films separately on both of those, because it is the only fair thing to do.

Yours in Christ,
Thursday
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Mods,
In a sleep deprived state I messed up the link, I did url=review instead of url=http. . . If you could fix the link, that would be great.

Yours in Christ,
Thursday
 
It is my understanding it was the Canadian Catholic Register which published a favorable review of BrokeBack Mountain. I have already thrown it out but here are a couple of letters to the editor found online.
Movie is offensive
While Michael Swan is entitled to his opinions I do not think they belong in our Catholic newspaper (‘The truth will set movie-goers free,’ Feb. 19). Perhaps he should express this type of opinion in other, more secular, politically correct media.

In his article he says that Brokeback Mountain is ‘filled with lush Christian imagery which recalls Jesus the good shepherd.’ I find this disrespectful and objectionable. I cannot understand how a movie about homosexuality can recall our Lord Jesus.

It may be appropriate to remember that the American Catholic bishops have classified this movie as offensive.

Say it’s wrong
In the Feb. 19 article by Michael Swan, ‘The truth will set movie-goers free,’ he states that the movie Brokeback Mountain does not condemn or advocate homosexuality. I disagree. It is very much promoting it. It is dulling our sensitivity to the issue by making it seem like any other situation involving people in love. As Catholics, we are taught that homosexuality is a sin. As always, we must love the sinner, not condone the sin.

The column in the same issue by John Bentley Mays, ‘No two thumbs up for this one,’ was a fairly credible review until he added this quote from Catholic News Service, ‘the (movie’s) universal themes of love and loss ring true.’

Is it too much to expect a Catholic newspaper to step up and tell it like it is? Also, couldn’t your columnist quote a strong Catholic source, one totally in line with the Holy Father? It has been my experience from reading articles from Catholic News Service, that they are both radical and ultra-liberal in dealing with Catholic issues.

Why does a Catholic newspaper shy away from saying that something is wrong? As Catholics we look to your publication for truth and direction.
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catholicregister.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=10&page_id=1714
 
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