I didn’t say it didn’t really make money, I said that no matter how much money these make it’s not going to matter IF the ultimate goal is “transforming” the popular culture by getting more religious-right subject matter into the industry. Because the industry is, despite some evidence contrary, neither stupid nor careless with it’s money.

People following the business side of this know the score: That the Christian Film audience doesn’t respond to product - even when it’s aimed at them - unless they knows it’s been made “by the community, for the community.” That’s why B-grade entries like this, Omega Code, Left Behind, etc. have a turnout and the pious-to-a-fault “Nativity Story” didn’t: Because the Christian “market” is a seperate self-sustaining entity and no one involved in making that film was in “the family.”

Ooooh, gosh, I’m all aquiver. Tell me, when you knelt down at Hollywood’s knee for those many days to get this gem of thought, did you manage to get Hollywood’s other gem as well? You know, the one that goes ‘Making films that trash America just proves how much we love her’.

You do realize, of course, that no matter how many of these crack the top ten it’s not gonna make much difference because they always come with that asterix, the one that says: “boxoffice take owed chiefly to insider marketing effort in community that wants nothing to do with you.” When one of these pulls it off without drafting ministers as pitchmen or church groups block-buying tickets to inflate the gross, it’ll be more impressive. The only lesson to be gleaned here is that striking a solid amount of prints and heavily marketing to a niche audience - with heavy emphasis on the notion of ticket-purchase as political-statement - is a good way to turn a profit on an independent B-movie; and that hasn’t been news since “Billy Jack.”

It’s the same thing with Tyler Perry - his success doesn’t prove that the Black Middle Class is an economic bloc worth pursuing, it just proves that they go to see a lot of Tyler Perry movies.

Did anyone SEE Fireproof? yes
It would be great if it’s actually a good movie, too!
it ok Movie.

Nikki Finke is forced to admit it had “the year’s highest grossing opening weekend return of any film (except 3-D Hannah Montana) released on 1,000 screens or less.”

But she got her revenge in the next paragraph when she snipped “…not all Christian-themed movies do well: in fact, most don’t..”

“Most don’t?” Sheesh, they just won’t give up, will they?

The “partner” bit is just a cheesy way of connecting the main character’s occupation as a firefighter with his marriage.

Don’t you mean “Karma’s a bitch?”

I agree with your point.