Why the mainstream media doesn't get faith-based entertainment
When more than 1,000 New Yorkers rose to their feet to sing Amazing Grace in Broadways historic Nederlander Theater, it was difficult to stave off the tears. The play by the same name as the beloved hymn tells the story of songwriter John Newtons conversion and fight to end the slave trade. It has everything that critics wanta rapturous love story, soaring score, jaw-dropping special effects, and a Tony-quality cast.But unsurprisingly, the mainstream media was not impressed.ADVERTISEMENTCharles Isherwood of The New York Times called the play an overstuffed history lesson trimmed in melodrama. And Variety deemed it tough sledding. But as I think back to the tears flowing down so many cheeks in the room (I cried through the whole performance), I wonder why faith-based entertainment continues to baffle, ruffle, and enrage the mainstream media. All of this feels oddly familiar. Last year, I starred in an independent-film titled "Gods Not Dead. It scored a measly 16 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, a website which aggregates and averages the reviews of major film critics. The critics slaughtered it with impunity. But moviegoers, and especially religious consumers, found it to be a breath of fresh air. It earned a staggering $70 million in domestic box office sales and millions more in DVD sales, digital downloads, and merchandising making Gods Not Dead the highest grossing independent film of 2014.Our experience is not uncommon.In 2008, the faith-based film Fireproof from the relatively unknown filmmaking brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick earned a rotten rating of 40 percent, but earned more than $33 million. In 2011, the same duo released the film Courageous, which was given a measly 30 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but generated more than $34 million. And in 2014, Sony's Heaven is For Real also got a rotten rating of 46 percent while earning a staggering $91.4 million in domestic box office sales.You can expect this trend to continue as most major movie studios are actively developing similarly faithful projects. This summer, for example, Sony will release War Room, a film by the Kendricks that explores the power of prayer. With over 4 million trailer views so far, expect this film to shock Hollywood critics once again.Critics might tell you that the people supporting and seeing these films just dont know what good art is. They see themselves as the gatekeepers of how to tell a good story in film, television, and theater. But I think these films are lost on elitist critics because they dont understand the deep spiritual impulses these shows are exploring. And they have lost touch with the millions of consumers who continue to purchase tickets despite critics warnings.The mainstream media just doesnt get faith-based entertainment because they dont have faith. And they dont understand people of faith.Unfortunately for them, the box office belongs to audiences, not elitist critics writing from their ivory Manhattan towers. It belongs to working mothers who want to raise their children with a strong sense of values and devoted fathers who are coaching softball games after a long day on the job. It belongs to regular people in small towns and flyover states and middle-class suburban neighborhoods who are struggling with how to live meaningful lives in an ever-changing society. http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/07/17/why-mainstream-media-doesn-t-get-faith-based-entertainment.html
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They just don't get the crappy ones.
Well made faith-based shows have no problems gettingappropriate kudos.
This ole atheists enjoyedmovies like " Dogma " & " Saved " a lot, and thought " Saving Grace " was grandentertainment.
I will admit my built inprejudice against watching" Christian" movies though.
A mythology movie from other cultures never give me pause.If a shows story is built around Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Native American or any of the other great culture mythologies I can jump right in and enjoy or panit based on how the show was done but I'm always leery that the " Christian " stuffis only designed to be a sermon, not entertainment, so I always have to overcome my distaste for being preached at before even considering a movie built on Christian stories.