Monday, October 6, 2008

Religulous

[Movies] As a Salt Lake Film Society member, I’ve grown accustomed to the ample elbow room inside the theaters. So this weekend was a surprise with lines stretching out to the street and sold-out shows. The commotion wasn’t a Sundance event but opening weekend for Bill Maher’s documentary “Religulous.” It took three trips to get tickets which were some of the last seats, right in the front row. And this was for an early Sunday evening showing.

Sure, the movie was entertaining and hilarious, but was light on substance. Based on Real Time with Bill Maher, I was hoping for something more engaging. Regardless, Religulous beats some of the drivel out there. But maybe that's just preaching to the faithless. (Joseph Bateman)

4 comments:

  1. Funny show but I was disappointed that he didn't get the chance to address the religious oddity that is Mormonism. The Temple Square Mo-Feds were on Maher quicker and hotter than Brigham Young on a fifteen year old girl.

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  2. Yeah, I thought it was a bit of a disappointment, as much as I like Maher. I wrote what I thought about it here: http://livingliberally.org/drinking/chapter_blog/Religulous-review

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  3. I read your review, prole, and I disagree. You went to the theater seeking something that Maher did not promise. Maher promised a funny religion bashing and nothing more. That's what he provided. You aren't going to guide people away from religion (even those that question it) with a movie. So the fact that you were counting on this movie to do so is silly.

    Religious people, though they may be competent in other areas, are simple-minded when it comes to religious fairy tales - I believe that was what Maher hitting on; that people can be perfectly normal and intelligent and still believe in creationism, talking snakes, vengeful, jealous gods, Noah's fucking ark, a fiery hell, etc.

    It doesn't take quoting scripture to show that religion is stupid. I think pointing out a few bible fables takes care of that sufficiently, especially given that the religious nuts in the movie couldn't even refute that much. They'd never have been able to handle a real debate and that would have been boring and a little bit sad.

    If you want irrefutable facts to back your anti-religious views and provide to those that you feel may benefit, there are plenty of resources, including movies, that are better suited to the task.

    This movie was fun as hell and that's what it's all about - fun.

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  4. I saw the movie on opening day, the first time I've ever seen a movie on opening day.

    Religulous was never billed as a deep philosophical documentary. But then again, to disprove religion, you really don't have to go too deep.

    I like Maher's comparison of Bible fables to Jack and the Beanstalk. If Jack and the Beanstalk had been in the Bible and Noah's Ark had been a recent fairy tale, then we'd be believing in Jack.

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