The Da Vinci Code Opens

—1. Overview
—2. Cast and Crew
—3. Photo Pages
—4. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—5. Posters (Tom Hanks)
—6. Production Notes (pdf)
—7. Spiritual Connections
—8. Presentation Downloads

HJ FLASH VIDEO REVIEW by david bruce
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“Sony is hoping God is on its side this weekend,� says Variety. “(It) hits theaters this weekend with gigantic hype...and tracking to match.�

It opens to 3,735 USA theaters and 11,930 situations overseas. Estimates are as high as 80 million and as low as 60s. Sony did not screen the movie to reviewers before hand (usually a sign of a not-so-good film). However, Sony claims it wanted to keep the hype and mystery surrounding the film alive. Some initial reports of the film from those who have seen it are not glowing –saying that it is overly long, and sometimes boring.

Greg Wright reports, “The screening of the film at Cannes was less than a resounding success. Toward the end of the movie, when an as-yet-undisclosed revelation is made by Tom Hanks' Robert Langdon, the audience responded with hoots and catcalls; and when the film concluded, it was greeted with not even a smattering of applause…�
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In a book review of The Da Vinci Code Breaker, Kevin Miller suggests that “no matter where you fall along the theological spectrum, I encourage you to read The Da Vinci Code and The Da Vinci Code Breaker hand-in-hand. If your mind is truly open to all of the facts, I think you will pleasantly surprised by where you wind up at the end..� More here.

Sony and Grace Hill Media are making available downloadable study guides and papers from major Christian leaders. Go here.

Check out the HJ DaVinci Code forum

Family Films are not doing well

...JUST MY LUCK opened under 6 million at the box office, making it Lindsay Lohan’s poorest showing. — Review by MARK STOKES

… Disney’s Family animation THE WILD pulled a mere $9,684,809 on its opening weekend?

…HOOT from Walden Media sink at the box office with $3,368,197 on its opening weekend? Walden Media is the family-friendly group behind the Narnia mega success. Are the faithful not supporting “the right kind of things� at the box office? Are they abandoning Walden Media?

Interestingly, the ICE AGE 2: The Meltdown has done extremely well with a gross of $183,435,937 as of May 7, 2006. I say interesting, because this CG toon supports the idea of Global Warming and Evolution. –which are not “conservative� and “fundamentalist Christian� friendly issues.

Bottom line: It is not necessarily true that families support family entertainment. Nor is it true that the public is hungry for so-called family-friendly entertainment! Does Dr. James Dobson, Ted Baher and the Dove Foundation know about this?