The Golden Compass

Aaleel

Aaleel

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I read about all the controversy, and I'm a Christian, but I went to see this yesterday with my Goddaughter and we enjoyed the movie.

I thought the little girl that played Lyra did an excellent job, and I thought the special effects were great especially on the polar bears.

I haven't read any of the books, but I just went in looking at it as just a fantasy movie, and I enjoyed it.
 
Read the book soon as I heard about the controversy - they're getting all bent out of shape over nothing. The movie held as close to the book as could be expected and is really a good film to go see.

Rather than being afraid of it and just telling their kids to stay away, concerned parents should see it with their kids and talk about it afterwards.
 
What's the controversy all about? I heard something about God being portrayed as the "bad guy" in the movie. Sounds to me like more stupid soccer moms with too much time on their hands found the newest thing to bitch about. Remember when Pokemon came out? What about Harry Potter? Yeah, those were just filled with satanic messages....fuckin idiots
 
I haven't read the books, but I've heard a little bit about the controversy. Basically if you over-simplify the plotline of the books, they're about how the church controls the world, does evil stuff, seeks to control other worlds, and at the end of the books the kids kill the church's God. The author is an outspoken Atheist, and when asked about the books in an interview, he said (paraphrasing) "It's about two kids who kill God".

Naturally, anytime anything even remotely touches on religion or Christianity in any way, shape, or form people are going to piss and moan and make snap judgements without actually seeing or reading it for themselves.

Personally, I've actually been trying to get a hold of the books for some time, but there's about a 5 month wait at the library due to the controversy, and I don't want to buy them without knowing if I'll actually like them or not.
 
Fellina said:
I haven't read the books, but I've heard a little bit about the controversy. Basically if you over-simplify the plotline of the books, they're about how the church controls the world, does evil stuff, seeks to control other worlds, and at the end of the books the kids kill the church's God. The author is an outspoken Atheist, and when asked about the books in an interview, he said (paraphrasing) "It's about two kids who kill God".
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Well, at least the bitchy soccer moms have some basis for their accusations this time. If people want to write their reviews about how ungodly this movie is to warn all their Christian friends that's fine, but I sure as shit hope they don't try to start a movement to get this movie banned or rated R or some dumb shit like that that I've seen them do before.
 
It's a good movie. I was kind of annoyed how they ended it without any real resolution, but it makes sense when you consider they'll likely make the other movies. The christian overtones of the Magistrate(the church) are pretty toned down for the movie; if you didn't know about the controversy, you probably wouldn't make the connection that easily just based off the movie. I'm sure if they make the other movies it'll become more pronounced.

As soon as they showed the triumvirate of the Magistrate, I knew they had to be complete evil(even without the backstory). Any time you see a council that includes Saurumon(Lord of the Rings) and The Master(Doctor Who), you just know they're going to start some shit.
 
The religious groups admit up front that the movie tones down the author's message. Their major concern is the movie may make kids want to read the books, where they'll get the really "offensive" stuff. I don't think it's a bad thing to expose kids to the idea that organized religion isn't always a force for good, so it doesn't bother me.

I thought the movie itself felt too rushed. It needed more character development instead of dashing from plot point to plot point. I'll probably pick up the books and do my part for the atheist agenda, ha-ha.
 
The books are amazing.

I hope to catch the film later this week.
 
I never read the book, what's this controversial thing? O.o
 
Elemmire said:
I never read the book, what's this controversial thing? O.o
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I haven't read the books, but I've heard a little bit about the controversy. Basically if you over-simplify the plotline of the books, they're about how the church controls the world, does evil stuff, seeks to control other worlds, and at the end of the books the kids kill the church's God. The author is an outspoken Atheist, and when asked about the books in an interview, he said (paraphrasing) "It's about two kids who kill God".
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lol letters
 
The Movie was absolutely amazing! <3
I loved it. I actually made it a point to go get the first book, that night as well.
 
I see.. sounds like the real church and controlling the world and whatnot D:
 
It's cool if they kill a made up god named... umm... Calipolytos! But if the god they kill is the Bible God, then a lot of christians will be angry about it. It's like if I made a movie about a guy that goes to the middle east and exposes the Koran is BS and then kills Alah (or whatever their god is called), they would be extremely mad at me. And with good reason.
 
Negorissimo said:
It's cool if they kill a made up god named... umm... Calipolytos! But if the god they kill is the Bible God, then a lot of christians will be angry about it. It's like if I made a movie about a guy that goes to the middle east and exposes the Koran is BS and then kills Alah (or whatever their god is called), they would be extremely mad at me. And with good reason.
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It's the same god christians/jews worship. Just to make sure we get that clear. Allah is just arabic for "god" I think and isnt his actual name. I dont want a big can of worms being spread from misinformation like that.
 
Khajit said:
It's the same god christians/jews worship. Just to make sure we get that clear. Allah is just arabic for "god" I think and isnt his actual name. I dont want a big can of worms being spread from misinformation like that.
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Oh sht, then that movie is in problems. With christian families I mean. Putting the church as the bad guys. I'm a grown up man, I can take anything. But we can't mess with the little ones. ; ;

Where will people run next time Vampires and Demons attack? O.O
 
Negorissimo said:
Oh sht, then that movie is in problems. With christian families I mean. Putting the church as the bad guys. I'm a grown up man, I can take anything. But we can't mess with the little ones. ; ;

Where will people run next time Vampires and Demons attack? O.O
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I shoulda known that previous stament was gonna be misinterpreted. I was responding to you implying that people of the Islamic faith worshipped a different god that Christians/Jew when infact Muhammed was influenced by a christain monk before the rest of the revelations from god came to him.( learned it in high school so if that's inaccurate or my memory failed let me know)
I didnt mean to make you think the god in the Golden compass was the christian/jewish/islamic one even if the author might be implying it and the antagonists in the story sound remarably similar to Christian leaders a few centuries ago.

Christianity was only adopted by rome in the first place as a means of controlling the people and as such any attempts to use faith to persuade me to do anything mean nothing despite me being christian myself. The leaders of the church also got very drunk on thier own power and were corrupt as a result.
 
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Yes power corrupts and I think the Pope knows a lot of things he can't say because he'll get shot. The Church and State theme has been going on for years, I first read about this in an independent comic book of the 80s called Cerebus the Ardvark (made by Dave Sim, with backgrounds by Gerhard).

I will have to go check this movie anyways (I love Craig's badass acting), but I won't dare to take my daughter to see it.
 
it bashes church?! fuck yeah goin to go see it now just because of that :D
 
Novolo said:
it bashes church?! fuck yeah goin to go see it now just because of that :D
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You're going to be disappointed if that's what you want to see. As has been pointed out, the anti-religion stuff has been removed from the movie.
 
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