Current Top 10 Most Expensive Movies
September 17th, 2011 | 
Author: The following ranking is based on the highest production cost. Here we take a look at the top 10 movies with detailed information including release date, approval rating and total lifetime gross. Browse through the list and find the top 10 most expensive movies of all times. The following data has been calculated in 2008 and adjusted for inflation. Keep in mind that the source is based on estimates by professional researchers and movie industry writers.
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – Final product cost was about 6.6 million
The movie was directed by Gore Verbinski. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End was released May 25, 2007 and grossed 4,732,820 over the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 45% overall approval rating. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End made 9,420,425 in total domestic box office receipts.
2. Cleopatra – Final product cost was about 4.6 million
The movie was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Cleopatra was released June 12, 1963. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 40% overall approval rating. Cleopatra made $ ,777,778 in total domestic box office receipts.
3. Superman Returns – Final product cost was about 4.6 million
The movie was directed by Bryan Singer. Superman Returns was released June 28, 2006 and grossed ,535,096 over the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 76% overall approval rating. Superman Returns made 0,081,192 in total domestic box office receipts.
4. Titanic – Final product cost was about 2.6 million
The movie was directed by James Cameron. Titanic was released December 19, 1997 and grossed ,638,131 over the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 81% overall approval rating. Titanic made 0,788,188 in total domestic box office receipts.
5. Spider Man 3 – Final product cost was about 2.2 million
The movie was directed by Sam Raimi. Spider Man 3 was released May 4, 2007 and grossed 1,116,516 over the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 62% overall approval rating. Spider Man 3 made 6,530,303 in total domestic box office receipts.
6. Waterworld – Final product cost was about 1.2 million
The movie was directed by Kevin Reynolds. Waterworld was released July 28, 1995 and grossed ,171,780 over the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 40% overall approval rating. Waterworld made ,246,220 in total domestic box office receipts.
7. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines – Final product cost was about 7.8 million
The movie was directed by Jonathan Mostow. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was released July 2, 2003 and grossed ,041,440 over the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 70% overall approval rating. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines made 0,371,112 in total domestic box office receipts.
8. King Kong – Final product cost was about 1.9 million
The movie was directed by Peter Jackson. King Kong was released December 14, 2005 and grossed ,130,145 over the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 83% overall approval rating. King Kong made 8,080,025 in total domestic box office receipts.
9. Spider-Man 2 – Final product cost was about 1.6 million
The movie was directed by Sam Raimi. Spider-Man 2 was released June 30, 2004 and grossed ,156,227 over the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 94% overall approval rating. Spider-Man 2 made 3,585,825 in total domestic box office receipts.
10. Quantum of Solace – Final product cost was about 0 million
The movie was directed by Marc Forster. Quantum of Solace was released November 14, 2008 and grossed ,528,882 over the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 64% overall approval rating. Quantum of Solace made 8,368,427 in total domestic box office receipts.
Keep in mind that the list is based on the highest production cost. The movies are not ranked according to the highest approval rating.
Source:
RottenTomatoes.com
Boxofficemojo.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_films
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Are Movies Getting Less Interesting?
This is a good question which I always thought of. Are Movies Getting Less Interesting?’
I’m afraid I have to agree that movies are getting less interesting. From my point of view, movies were much better in the past.
Yet there have been a mix of good and bad movies. But not always are they fully positive in front of people’s eyes. It can be a bit of the opposite too!
Some of the best movies I have watched before are not always liked by everyone. At least one person hates your movie that you think is best. Even critics give a lot of negative information regarding the movie.
The fact you need to remember is that everyone likes what they want to like. So be it the classic 1950 movies.
I enjoy many film genres such as horror and thriller. But it doesn’t mean everyone will like these genres. My niece always complains to me about watching horror movies because she is too afraid. She hates watching horror movies. But she enjoys High School Musical. In fact, High School Musical is her best movie out of everything. But I hate it because I think its boring. Yet, High School Musical a very popular movie and I was surprised despite that fact that they worked really hard.
So you see? Everyone has a right to choose their type of movie they enjoy.
Even though the technology today is splendid. Many people don’t find enough movies interesting. Yet it is hard to create something totally fresh. Movie watchers don’t want to watch a movie similar to something else.
These days, I have seen that movies are changing. There are several things that movies are including now than they did before. Below are a few things:
Sexual activity
As years have gone by, nudity has increased in many movies. Although, back in he 70′s, there were quite a few movies with nudity. But now, this has increased so much that nearly in all movies that rate above 15 have a fair bit of nudity in them.
Humour
Ok I don’t know if you will agree with me but I believe that humour has changed as well. People think a lot of stuff could be funny. But as years have gone, humour has changed dramatically. Before, a lot of people laughed at things which no one even finds funny today.
Here is an example:
Many centuries ago, people laughed at comments such as this:
My pants ain’t catching any men!
Yes I know your not laughing! You think its not funny? Well it probably was once upon a time!
And now in 2008, people laugh a lot regarding sex. Yes it is true! When I am in college, my friends always make comments about sex. And they all laugh too much. Ok I admit I laugh as well! But you see? Humour has always something new! And continue to change as time progresses.
So I think movies will change too! With all the technology and stuff, they should! But will movies improve? Who knows?
For more reading, please check:
How To Save Money At Movie Theatres
What you will need to go to the movies for free and save money on concessions
Internet access
Printer
Go to Gofobo.com and check in their search bar to see if they have free movie screenings in your area. If they do, sign up for Gofobo.com. They will send free movie screenings to your email. You can also go to their website and check for the free movie screenings.
Print out the free movie screenings. Gofobo.com will give you four free movie screenings for the particular movie you checked. Take your family or friends to the movie with you. Warning-with free movie screenings always show up one hour early. Free movie screenings are on a first come first serve basis. You see the movie before it comes out in the theatre.
Saving money on concessions. Many movie theatres have rewards clubs that can save you on concessions. AMC movie theatres have the Movie Watcher rewards club that will save you money on concessions. Every time you go to a movie, you get points. The points give you money off at concessions, free concessions, and free movies. The Movie Watcher rewards club allows you to get free small popcorn every Wednesday. There is a coupon for free popcorn on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesdays for this summer. You need to buy a ticket to get the free popcorn.
With the free small popcorn coupon, you can upgrade to large popcorn (with a free refill) for one dollar more. This upgrade will save you money and give you a much larger popcorn.
Going to the movies for free and saving money on concessions is very important today. This is especially true with our economy and with so many people out of work.
There are other places where you can get free movie passes. Tampa has free movie passes through tborewards.com. Make a search in your area for places like this who will give you other free movie passes.
It is always important to weigh your options when going to the movies. Free movies can save you money. Saving money on concessions can make an expensive venture to the movie theatre a little bit cheaper.
A last option-If you cannot find free movies in your area-make a search on EBay for coupons to save you money on movies and concessions. There are smart people on eBay, who do the work for you, and often, you can reprint their coupons and use them more than once.
Tips
Do a search on Gofobo.com for free movie screenings in your area
Always show up one hour early
You can upgrade a small popcorn at AMC to a large for one dollar
Share the info you find with other people
Rpg Metanoia: A Must-See Excellent Movie That Breaks New Grounds in Animation And Video Game Cinema
Nico and his friends are skillful and avid players of the MMORPG Game known as Metanoia. But although Nico is very much courageously heroic in his virtual universe, in real life he is awfully clumsy and not much the physical type of kid. Eventually, he learns that he should also enjoy a kid’s life, away from video games. But when new online villains turn out to be destructive computer viruses, Nico and his friends log in back to the world of Metanoia and stop the destruction of the virus by vanquishing these foes in online battle.
There had been already many animated Pinoy movies that have come out over the years, but almost all of them are in traditional animation. RPG METANOIA, on the other hand, is the first fully CGI animated movie, and for something that is new to local cinema, it is more than impressive. Of course, you cannot compare it to movies done by Pixar films, but if you do, the difference is only so little. Maybe a mere two or three levels apart from Pixar standards.
If ever you’re one of those stubborn people that will indeed compare it to Pixar movies, you’d probably say that the animation lacks some fluidity at first, and some of the dialogues looked out of sync. But after the first fifteen minutes of the movie, you get used to it, and in your mind, it’s as fluid as life itself. You gradually ignore the little flaws and the little “imperfections” because the story and the characters are engaging and real; they never feel “artificial”
All the pessimistic impressions of the movie have been countered with what is truly a movie that is not only decent and satisfactory, but truly impressive. One of the pessimistic impressions that were shared by many when the trailer was released was that this was merely jumping the bandwagon of RPG gaming and 3D animation. But when you watch the movie itself, you will find that this really was an earnest depiction of online gaming.
Many critics often have this belief that there are no good video game movies (even though Resident Evil movies have been successful commercially, they are thought of as really badly made movies). RPG: METANOIA is not based on an existing video game, but I now think of it as the best video game movie I have ever seen. It is one video game movie that really does mirror, interpret, and captures the essence of MMORPG gaming; from the designs of how the virtual universe of the game looks like, to the character designs, up to how the players are able to play their game (spell casting, creature summoning). In a manner of speaking, this is an adaptation of MMORPG gaming in general.
There is a serious level of detail that is injected in the movie. Unlike previous Pinoy-made animated movie attempts, this one ventures to be so much more intricate and detailed. From the spoofed brands, to the (Star Trek) Starship Enterprise model in one character’s room, to the VLC player program icon which is among the icons in one character’s PC wallpaper. All these details that spice up the characterization aspect of the movie. This film is bent on really creating a movie that wants to breathe in cinematic life rather than the cardboard attempts to merely jump on a trend.
There are also other details that nicely reflect very Filipino elements. The pinakbet and milkfish for dinner, and the chorizo with egg and rice for breakfast; and then there’s the highlighted object in the movie which is the “Evil” Mask that is obviously based on the mask used during the Moriones Festival. The fighting style of the main character Nico is itself an unannounced reflection of the fact (or popularized myth?) that early Filipinos used yo-yos as weapons.
The fighting was also impressive. It was able to utilize some manner of imagination or inventiveness in creating the sequences. There is even one action sequence where the heroes figured out how to escape their predicament because one of the characters applied his skill in sudoku. In addition, what is remarkable about the movie is that it even attempts to inject some scientific sense in how the (villainous) virus was created or how it works. It is in moments like these when you realize that this was a movie that there was really some real conscious effort to really make this movie more than impressive.
It’s also nice that the story actually gets to talk about the virtue that kids should learn to enjoy (traditional) outdoor games to at least balance out their love for online gaming. I was initially afraid that this movie was going to an end that glorifies gaming too much. But instead of being something that promotes video games; this one is more of a movie that depicts the feverish hobby of online gaming, and the aspect that kids should not rely on gaming too much.
All in all, RPG METANOIA is an excellently-crafted video game movie and a really nice family movie as well. High points on the graphics, high points on the story, the voice acting, the direction, the script, and even on the concept itself. I would not be surprised if this movie would end up dubbed in English and repackaged in the international market, and gain international fame. It is a great family movie that should not be missed. For me, this already is the Best Picture to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival.
The Top 10 Best Pixar Movies
Every single Pixar movie is special in its own way and worthy of recognition. Pixar has produced the best animated feature films in the last twenty years of filmmaking. I cannot think of any other film-maker in the industry that has successfully captivated the audience with its simplicity, storytelling and emotional depth. Every Pixar film is a masterful work of art that exceeds most of our expectations. With that in mind, here is my ranking of the top 10 Pixar movies. The following list is not based on public polls or official ranking. Feel free to share your list of top 10 Pixar movies.
1. Up
The movie was directed by Pete Docter. Up was released May 29, 2009 and grossed ,108,790 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 98% overall approval rating. Up made 3,004,164 in domestic box office receipts
2. Toy Story
The movie was directed by John Lasseter. Toy Story was released November 22, 1995 and grossed 29,140,617 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a #100 approval rating. Toy Story made 1,796,233 in domestic box office receipts.
3. WALL-E
The movie was directed by Andrew Stanton. WALL-E was released June 27, 2008 and grossed ,087,526 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 96% overall approval rating. Wall-E made 3,749,872 in domestic box office receipts.
4. Monsters, Inc.
The movie was directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by David Silverman. Monsters, Inc. was released November 2, 2001 and grossed ,577,067 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 95% overall approval rating. Monsters, Inc. made 5,873,250 in domestic box office receipts.
5. Toy Story 2
The movie was directed by John Lasseter. Toy Story 2 was released November 19, 1999 and grossed 5,852,179 in domestic box office receipts. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 100% overall approval rating.
6. The Incredibles
The movie was directed by Brad Bird. The Incredibles was released November 5, 2004 and grossed ,467,623 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 97% overall approval rating. The Incredibles made 1,441,092 box office receipts.
7. Ratatouille
The movie was directed by Brad Bird. Ratatouille was released June 29, 2007 and grossed ,027,395 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 96% overall approval rating. Ratatouille made 6,445,654 box office receipts.
8. Finding Nemo
The movie was directed by Andrew Stanton. Finding Nemo was released May 30, 2003 and grossed ,251,710 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave a 98% overall approval rating.
9. Cars
The movie was directed by John Lasseter. Cars was released June 9, 2006 and grossed ,119,509 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 75% overall approval rating.
10. A Bug’s Life
The movie was directed by John Lasseter. A Bug’s Life was released November 20, 1998 and grossed 2,798,565 in domestic box office receipts. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 91% overall approval rating.
Feel free to share your list of top 10 Pixar movies.
Where You Can Find The Real Movie-Forumz.org
As many online movie fans know about 2 days the famous online movie site appeared to have changed their website and their domain transfer you to another new movie site claiming to be the new “Movie-Forumz.org”.
What many people and visitors to the site don’t know is that the site they are now going to is NOT movie-forumz.org but the site that hacked and stolen the domain name from the popular site.
For those of you who don’t know about movie-forumz.org I will tell you a bit about it. The site has been online for over 2 years now easily, and is known for having the best and quality movie links on the web. The site is very easy to use, is safe and free from viruses and has over 400,000 members and growing.
The members are very friendly and helpful. Although it was set up by the owner Tic Tac, he allows all users to be a part of posting movies and help keeping dead links and spam off the site. This is a great thing the admin has done because it gives the users a chance to earn a little money posting movie links they have upload to a video hosting site and allows them to help maintain a quality movie site.
Most other online movie site will not allow their members to post movie links because it takes away from the owner’s profit.
What Happened To Movie-Forumz.org?
Well for me I went to open their webpage the other night and kept getting the domain name does not exist. After about an hour of trying I decided to go to bed and give it the night to see if the site would come back online by the morning.
Next morning I logged on and typed in the web address and boom the link transferred me to some new looking movie site claiming to be the new Movie-forumz.org which was now called “Watchthisfree.com”.
This however, is NOT the original movie-forumz.org site nor is it the original owner that runs the site. Turns out about 2 days ago the owner of FLVZ.com Justin Seeney who runs a known illegal movie hosting site, had managed to hack the original movie-forumz.org owners email address and other information and used it to steal the domain name.
Where Can the Original Movie-forumz.org be found?
Since I have been a member of the site for over 2 years this got me looking into what actually happened and where the site had went to. After doing a bit of research I had found a post on yahoo answers from one of the other members I recognized that said they had to change domain names and now its http://www.movie-forumz.mobi/ which I checked. Now rests assure this is the original site in everyway. Only problem is the members are either having a hard time finding it again or they have been fooled by the other site that hacked and stole the name.
So if your one of those members looking for your favorite movie site or a visitor that uses the site all the time then relax because it still can be found here at http://www.movie-forumz.mobi/
Eighteen Classic Christmas Movies From The 1940′s
’Tis the season for holiday traditions, complete with a mug of hot chocolate and a plate filled with Christmas goodies. And what better way to escape the busy shopping malls and nasty winter weather than relaxing at home with family and friends, watching a Christmas movie?
Through the years, Hollywood has produced many excellent holiday films. But none compare to the classic Christmas movies of the 1940s. These timeless treasures are chock-full of wit, whimsy, and holiday spirit. Here are eighteen Christmas classics from yesteryear, arranged in order of their release. Without a doubt, they are some of the best Christmas movies of all time.
1. Beyond Christmas (1940). The first classic Christmas movie from the 1940s is Beyond Christmas. This film is a colorized version of an old black-and-white classic, Beyond Tomorrow. The story revolves around three ghosts who try to help two people they befriended on Christmas Eve when they were still alive. The film stars Harry Carey, C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Winninger, Richard Carlson and Jean Parker.
2. Remember The Night (1940).Remember The Nightis a romantic Christmas movie starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Beulah Bondi, and Sterling Holloway. The story centers on a young woman arrested for shoplifting during the Christmas holidays, and the assistant district attorney who falls in love with her.
3. The Shop Around The Corner (1940).The Shop Around The Corneris a charming Christmas movie starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan. Set in Budapest during the holiday season, the film revolves around two co-workers who strongly dislike each other. Yet they maintain a secret letter-writing relationship, unaware they are pen-pals. This film inspired several remakes, including the 1998 film You’ve Got Mail.
4. Meet John Doe (1941).Meet John Doe, a Christmas movie directed by Frank Capra, stars Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. The story tells of an unemployed man hired by a newspaper to impersonate a nonexistent “John Doe.” When Doe threatens suicide on Christmas Eve to protest society’s problems, he sets off a grassroots political campaign destined to change the country.
5. Penny Serenade (1941). Because of its holiday setting, Penny Serenade is often classified as a Christmas movie. The sad drama stars Cary Grant and Irene Dunn as a married couple whose big dreams turn into unexpected sadness. As they try to overcome their problems, they wonder if their marriage is worth saving. The movie unfolds in flashbacks, triggered by music recordings and memories.
6. Holiday Inn (1942).Holiday Inn is a Christmas musical starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds, and Virginia Dale. Set in a country inn that only opens on holidays, the story involves two song-and-dance men who vie for the love of a young performer. Featuring music by Irving Berlin, the movie it introduces the song, “White Christmas.” The film also inspired the 1954 holiday classic, White Christmas.
7. Christmas Holiday (1944).Christmas Holidayis a hard-to-find film noir loosely based on a W. Somerset Maugham novel. The story centers on a New Orleans night club singer who tells a stranded soldier the tragic tale of her marriage to a murderous scoundrel. This dark, obscure Christmas movie stars Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly.
8. I’ll Be Seeing You (1944).I’ll Be Seeing You is a sentimental Christmas movie based on an old-time radio drama. Starring Joseph Cotton, Ginger Rogers, and Shirley Temple, the film centers on a soldier suffering from battle fatigue who meets a female convict on Christmas furlough. Their mutual loneliness blossoms into romance, but can it last when the truth is discovered?
9. Meet Me In St. Louis (1944).Meet Me In St. Louisis a romantic musical starring Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, and Marjorie Main. The movie was adapted from a series of short stories by Sally Benson. Set on the brink of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, the film follows four sisters as they learn about life and love. It introduces the song, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”
10. The Bells Of St. Mary’s (1945).The Bells Of St. Mary’s is a considered a Christmas movie due to a Christmas pageant scene and a warm, touching spirit. Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman star as a priest and a nun in a big city Catholic school. Despite their friendly rivalry, they determine to work together to save their school. The film is a sequel to the 1944 film Going My Way, which introduced the Father O’Malley character.
11. Christmas In Connecticut (1945).Christmas In Connecticutis a humorous Christmas movie starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, and Sydney Greenstreet. The plot involves a food writer who pretends to be the perfect housewife. When her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her home for Christmas, she tries to cover her deception, with hilarious results.
12. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946).It’s A Wonderful Lifemay be the best-loved Christmas movie of all time. Directed by Frank Capra, it stars James Stewart, Donna Reed, Henry Travers, and Lionel Barrymore. The film tells the story of a compassionate but desperate man who receives a special gift–a chance to see what the world would be like without him. The movies is based on a Philip Van Doren Stern short story, “The Greatest Gift.”
13. The Bishop’s Wife (1947).The Bishop’s Wife is a Christmas classic from the 1940s starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven. It centers on an angel who is sent to earth in answer to a bishop’s prayer. His mission is to guide the bishop and the people around him, but something unexpected happens along the way.
14. It Happened On Fifth Avenue (1947).It Happened On Fifth Avenueis a Christmas comedy starring Don DeFore, Ann Harding, Charles Ruggles, Victor Moore, and Gale Storm. The story revolves around a hobo and his friends, who take up residence in a mansion while the owner and his family are away on Christmas holiday. The film introduces the song That’s What Christmas Means To Me,” which became a 1950s hit for Eddie Fisher.
15. Miracle On 34th Street (1947).Miracle On 34th Streetis a perennial holiday favorite starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, and a young Natalie Wood. Set in New York City following Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the film tells the story of a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus, and a young lawyer who decides to defend his claim in court. The movie inspired the popular 1994 remake.
16. The Miracle Of The Bells (1948).The Miracle Of The Bellsis a sentimental drama starring Fred MacMurray, Frank Sinatra, Lee J. Cobb, and Alida Valli. It focuses on a Hollywood press agent who takes a dead actress back to her hometown for burial. To pay tribute to the girl and generate interest for her film, he convinces the churches to ring their bells for three days. Poignant flashback scenes, particularly one involving a Christmas Eve dinner at a Chinese restaurant, make this one a Christmas movie.
17. Come To The Stable (1949). Although Come To The Stableis not strictly a Christmas movie, it embodies the spirit of the holiday season. The whimsical little film features Loretta Young and Celeste Holm as two French nuns who visit a New England town and enlist the aid of the townspeople to build a children’s hospital.
18. Holiday Affair (1949). Rounding out the list of classic Christmas movies from the 1940s is Holiday Affair. The romantic comedy stars Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey, and Harry Morgan. Set during the holiday shopping season, the movie focuses on a young widow and a war veteran–and their sweet but complicated holiday romance.
For Further Reading
The Best Classic Christmas Movies Ever: A Baker’s Dozen
Nine Lesser-Known Classic Christmas Movies From The 1940s
Sources
Rationality Versus Irrationality in The Movie “agora”
After I saw the movie Agora http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186830/ I felt that, while I enjoyed the movie, it would a movie that I would quickly forget. Since then however, I have started to see more to it. I think this movie needs a second look.
The Story
Agora is the story of the pagan Greek philosopher Hypatia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypatia) and the events that led to her death at the hands of Christian fanatics in Alexandria Egypt in 415.
The first part begins with Hypatia as she teaches some of her students, several of who are important later in the story. The first part of the story ends with the destruction of the Library of Alexandria by the Christians.
The second part of the story happens years later, after the Christians have become dominant. The second part is about how Hypatia becomes involved with the political conflicts that lead to her murder.
Scientific Inaccuracies
The movie has Hypatia use experimental science 1,200 years before Francis Bacon first articulated the concept. She proposes the sun centered universe 1,100 years before Copernicus and the elliptical nature of the planetary orbits 1,400 years before Kepler.
With my background in science, I am usually a stickler for accuracy, but I can see that the moviemakers introduced these inaccuracies to support the theme of the story. While it is set in the world of 400 A.D., the message of the movie is for the people of the modern world.
The actual contributions of Hypatia would not resonate with modern audiences. The use of scientific discoveries that most audiences would be familiar with will help them see her as someone of great intellect.
Historical Inaccuracies
Several reviews I read about the movie criticised the movie for historical inaccuracies. My knowledge of the history of this period is not as good as my knowledge of science, so I didn’t notice this while I watched the movie.
One example is the destruction of the Library of Alexandria. The movie seems to have it all happen in one day. In reality, the destruction happened over a period of hundreds of years from the conquest of Julius Caesar in 48 BC to the Muslim conquest in 642. One comment I read said that if you pay close attention to the movie that it makes clear that this was only one episode in a longer story of loss. I don’t remember this.
The movie has Hypatia’s religious beliefs as the motive the murder, while it appears that the primary reason was her political positions.
These changes make a more compelling story with the events put into a tighter time frame. I am not sure I would have made the same changes, but then my intent would have been different.
Non-Sensationalized Violence
Moviemakers are often criticised when they sensationalize reality for dramatic effect. This movie actually tones down the details of Hypatia’s murder. While the various sources do not agree with each other, the earliest source, Socrates Scholasticus, reports that while still alive her murders cut the skin and flesh from her bones, then set her on fire. The murder scene in the movie is not nearly so gruesome.
I think the moviemakers made this change to be symbolic of how history has come to view Hypatia. She has come to represent the Greek philosophers that the Christians of the time rejected. Centuries later, Christians came to accept and admire those same philosophers.
Davus the Slave
Davus is a slave of Hypatia and after she frees him, he joins the Christian group that later is responsible for her murder. After I saw the movie, I wondered if Davus and not Hypatia is the protagonist of the story. Other reviews I read say that Davus is the only main character not based on a real person. The moviemakers intend him to be the eyes of the audience.
Through the course of the story, Davus deals with internal conflicts over his feelings for and about Hypatia. In the first part of the story, Davus feels both lust for her body and respect for her intellect. Later, her kind consideration for him after her father whipped him, creates a more complex relationship. By the end of the first part of the story, he has joined the Christians against the pagans.
In the second part of the story, Davus has become an active member of a group of fanatical Christians. Several times he and Hypatia see each other in the streets, but while Hypatia seems to look at him, Davus chooses to avoid her. Since we know that the Christians will eventually murder Hypatia, much of the dramatic tension is over what role Davus will play in her death.
Orestes the Prefect
In first part of the story, Orestes is a pagan and a student of Hypatia. In the second part, he has become a Christian and the Prefect of Alexandria, the civil authority of the city. Orestes development has some parallels to that of Davus. In contrast, though, his conversion to Christianity seems to be more for political convenience than from a deep felt change in his beliefs.
What is the Message of the Movie?
Some people have characterised the movie as anti-Christian or anti-Catholic. The director reportedly said that the message of the movie is anti-fundamentalist.
I feel that the movie promotes rationality over fanaticism. Hypatia is the symbol of the scientific and rational approach to life. In contrast, the Christians symbolize the anti-scientific and irrational. Some characters, most notably Davus, struggle with the conflict within themselves.
While the Christians symbolise the opposition to science and rationality in the movie, they represent groups in the modern world. Whether Christian or non-Christian, these groups are a threat to science and rationality. It is these groups that the target of the moviemakers.
The movie also shows the struggle between the rational and irrational as an internal struggle that everyone must face in their life. In this view, Hypatia and the radical Christians represent two aspects of our own personalities.
Other Reviews
Before I wrote this review, I read several other reviews of the movie. Here are a couple of reviews that I recommend.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100721/REVIEWS/100729996/1023
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctentertainment/2009/09/ends-of-the-world-as-we-know-i.html#more
Tips for Choosing Appropriate Movies for Children
As a parent, it’s important to make informed decisions about what movies you allow your children to watch. Although the entertainment industry has a rating system for movies, this may or may not coordinate with your own standards for your family and children. You have to consider your child’s individual maturity and developmental level and what you feel is appropriate for them. The cover of a DVD and the rating are helpful, but doesn’t always give enough information for you to decide if a movie is right for your child.
Tips for choosing appropriate movies for children
Do you prefer watching movies at home or in the theater? A downside to watching in theaters …you can’t push an off button if something is inappropriate and it’s more costly than renting or purchasing movies.
Watch movies with your child. Assess their reactions. Create a dialog about the characters and scenes to see how they engage with certain types of movies.
Ask for suggestions from friends who have similar standards as your own and who have children.
Read movie reviews. Many online sites, that sell movies, also have user reviews.
Preview movies before allowing your child to watch them. Most libraries have movies you can borrow or set up an exchange with friends.
Some movies are based on books. Reading the book before allowing your child to view a movie can be helpful. Keep in mind…there can be some differences between the movie and book, but generally the book will give good insight.
Check ratings. Although ratings are only a basic and rather narrow guideline, they offer a starting point.
Movies have ratings as follows:
G - general audience, typically appropriate for young children, including preschoolers
PG – parental guidance suggested, may contain brief nudity or sexual references, moderate violence and a few profane words
PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned, under age 13 is not advised due to more violence, sexual references, possibly drug use and more profane language
R – restricted, may contain female or male nudity, explicit situations, graphic violence, sex, strong language and use of drugs
NC-17 – no one under age 17, while not pornographic, may contain sex scenes, explicit sexual or profane language, or excessive violence
Your child’s personality should also be considered, along with age and maturity. If a child is overly sensitive, you have to be even more careful about choosing movies. While a movie may be age appropriate, it may contain scenes that are upsetting for your child specifically, such as a pet getting lost or dying. On the other hand, your child may be the adventurous type and bores easily with the more tame movies.
Attention span should be considered. A preschooler normally doesn’t have the attention span of an older child. Short animated or educational movies created for this age group may be best. For older children, find out what interests them and let them help choose movies that are appropriate.
Set guidelines early in your child’s life, so that choosing movies doesn’t become a conflict, but an enjoyable venture.
The Five Best Dog Movies of All Time
Dog movies are an American staple. When listing the five best movies of all time you may think that it would be the ones that made the most at the box office, but this leave out many classic dog movies. The five best dog movies of all time are: Old Yeller, Homeward Bound, Marley and Me, Best in Show, and Benji.
Old Yeller, perhaps one of the biggest tear jerker movies of all time, is a well loved classic adapted from the 1956 novel. This is the story about a family in the antebellum south. The father is away trying to earn money. Old Yeller is a stray dog who befriends the family and even defends them from a rabid wolf. This movie is popular among adults and children alike. This is the first movie that focused on the love between a boy and his dog, and it spurned many other films and books with a similar theme.
Homeward Bound: the Incredible Journey is a great family movie. This 1993 film is a remake of the lesser known 1963 film The Incredible Journey. Homeward Bound is about the journey of two dogs and a cat as they make their way home. The animal personalities rule the film. Chance, the American Bulldog, is a scrappy wanderer who tries to put out an air of not needing anyone. Shadow, the loyal and older Golden Retriever is a caring soul who watches out for the other two animals. Sassy, the long haired cat, is a prissy, pampered pet who longs to return to the comforts of home. Together these three have funny adventures as well as heart rending ones in their journey to find their loved ones. This movie helped to establish the idea of animals having individual personalities as many pet owners will attest to.
Marley and Me, the newest film on this list, is guaranteed to be a classic. Based upon the book by John Grogan, this film depicts the lovable but worst dog ever, Marley. Marley gets into disaster after disaster from tearing his home apart to shaking in his boots at every thunderstorm that rolls across Florida. Marely and Me depicts the life of Marely from puppyhood up to old age and the journey he has with his family along the way. The love for a dog that never seems to do the right thing is one that many pet owners will connect with.
Best in Show, the 2000 mockumentary about contestants in a dog show, is a hilarious look into the world of dogs and their owners. This movie is more about the people who love their dogs than about the dogs, but dog owners everywhere will love it anyway. There are five dogs featured in the film: a Norwich terrier, a Bloodhound, a Weimaraner, a Shih-Tzu, and a Poodle. These dogs represent pretty common entrants into dog shows. Their owners back stories, however, are what really brings personality to the film from the over-obsessive yuppy pet parents to the Weimaraner to the quirky owners of the Norwich terrier.
Benji, a classic dog movie from the 1970’s, is a great one for anyone who has ever adopted a stray, mixed dog. This movie includes as a great mystery as Benji works to save two children who have been kidnapped. This film is guaranteed to be loved by the whole family as much as Benji, the stray dog, is loved by so many people in his town. Benji was such a popular dog character that his character was reprised for additional films all the way up to 2004, thirty years after the first Benji film debuted.
Dog movies are an American staple. When listing the five best movies of all time you may think that it would be the ones that made the most at the box office, but this leave out many classic dog movies. The five best dog movies of all time are: Old Yeller, Homeward Bound, Marley and Me, Best in Show, and Benji.
Old Yeller, perhaps one of the biggest tear jerker movies of all time, is a well loved classic adapted from the 1956 novel. This is the story about a family in the antebellum south. The father is away trying to earn money. Old Yeller is a stray dog who befriends the family and even defends them from a rabid wolf. This movie is popular among adults and children alike. This is the first movie that focused on the love between a boy and his dog, and it spurned many other films and books with a similar theme.
Homeward Bound: the Incredible Journey is a great family movie. This 1993 film is a remake of the lesser known 1963 film The Incredible Journey. Homeward Bound is about the journey of two dogs and a cat as they make their way home. The animal personalities rule the film. Chance, the American Bulldog, is a scrappy wanderer who tries to put out an air of not needing anyone. Shadow, the loyal and older Golden Retriever is a caring soul who watches out for the other two animals. Sassy, the long haired cat, is a prissy, pampered pet who longs to return to the comforts of home. Together these three have funny adventures as well as heart rending ones in their journey to find their loved ones. This movie helped to establish the idea of animals having individual personalities as many pet owners will attest to.
Marley and Me, the newest film on this list, is guaranteed to be a classic. Based upon the book by John Grogan, this film depicts the lovable but worst dog ever, Marley. Marley gets into disaster after disaster from tearing his home apart to shaking in his boots at every thunderstorm that rolls across Florida. Marely and Me depicts the life of Marely from puppyhood up to old age and the journey he has with his family along the way. The love for a dog that never seems to do the right thing is one that many pet owners will connect with.
Best in Show, the 2000 mockumentary about contestants in a dog show, is a hilarious look into the world of dogs and their owners. This movie is more about the people who love their dogs than about the dogs, but dog owners everywhere will love it anyway. There are five dogs featured in the film: a Norwich terrier, a Bloodhound, a Weimaraner, a Shih-Tzu, and a Poodle. These dogs represent pretty common entrants into dog shows. Their owners back stories, however, are what really brings personality to the film from the over-obsessive yuppy pet parents to the Weimaraner to the quirky owners of the Norwich terrier.
Benji, a classic dog movie from the 1970’s, is a great one for anyone who has ever adopted a stray, mixed dog. This movie includes as a great mystery as Benji works to save two children who have been kidnapped. This film is guaranteed to be loved by the whole family as much as Benji, the stray dog, is loved by so many people in his town. Benji was such a popular dog character that his character was reprised for additional films all the way up to 2004, thirty years after the first Benji film debuted.
Check out hundreds of photos of dogs at the popular dog website http://www.dogsonline.com