Musician Jack White lashed out at celebrities who greeted former President Donald Trump at last weekend&#8217;s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 290 event in Las Vegas by saying that even briefly conversing with Trump is a step too far. 
White specifically called out podcast host Joe Rogan, director Mel Gibson, actor Mark Wahlberg, and celebrity chef Guy Fieri for greeting the former president and showing him “respect,” calling them “disgusting” human beings. The crowd that night had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ufc-crowd-cheers-as-trump-enters-packed-vegas-arena" target="_blank" rel="noopener">different feelings</a> toward Trump, as the former president entered the T-Mobile arena in Vegas with UFC President Dana White to much fanfare. 
“Anybody who ‘normalizes’ or treats this disgusting fascist, racist, con man, disgusting piece of s*** Trump with any level of respect is ALSO disgusting in my book,” White <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cuhbc6br2_D/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> to Instagram Monday. “That&#8217;s you Joe Rogan, you Mel Gibson, you Mark Wahlberg, you Guy Fieri.”
“This is a statement from me, not a discussion/debate,” White added. 
His post included photos of the celebrities with Trump at the UFC event, though it appears the image he included of Mel Gibson saluting the former president — in which White circled Gibson — is <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/07/13/mel-gibson-caught-on-camera-saluting-trump-at-ufc-match/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">actually</a> from the UFC 264 event two years ago. 
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Throughout Saturday night, Trump was photographed with Rogan, Gibson, and Fieri, and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meetthepressblog/trump-attends-ufc-fight-joe-rogan-roger-stone-mel-gibson-rcna93303" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> briefly chatted with Wahlberg. Trump&#8217;s meeting with Rogan caused a stir on social media, as many wondered whether a Trump appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience” might be in the works. 
White, the former lead singer of The White Stripes, is not a new critic of Trump. After Twitter owner Elon Musk reinstated the former president’s account, White left the platform and criticized the move. 
“So you gave trump his twitter platform back. Absolutely disgusting, Elon,” White <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClMlNxWhtsM/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> to Instagram at the time. “That is officially an a**hole move.”
White went on in the post to claim Trump “incited violence” and blamed his “rhetoric” for breaking families apart. Musk <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-elon-musk-to-reinstate-trump-on-twitter-trump-has-repeatedly-stated-he-wont-come-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reinstated</a> Trump in November after 51.8% of users voted for it in a Twitter poll. “The people have spoken,” Musk tweeted. “Trump will be reinstated.”
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1688831213092000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1PLjNvPE9xhE43TkDJzri8">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
“That’s not &#8216;free speech&#8217; or &#8216;what the poll decided&#8217; or whatever nonsense you’re claiming it to be; this is straight up you trying to help a fascist have a platform so you can eventually get your tax breaks,” White claimed.  
White also posted a lengthy message on Instagram after Roe v. Wade was overturned last summer, <a href="https://americansongwriter.com/jack-white-takes-aim-at-donald-trump-christianity-and-supreme-court-abortion-decision-in-recent-instagram-post/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blaming</a> Trump and calling him an “unchecked egomaniac” partly because he nominated Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch, who each voted to overturn Roe.

Jack White

Musician Jack White Calls Joe Rogan And Mel Gibson ‘Disgusting’ For Speaking With Trump

Jack White Calls Joe Rogan And Mel Gibson ‘Disgusting’ For Speaking With Trump

Celebrities

Donald Trump

Joe Rogan

Mel Gibson

U.S.

UFC President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-is-f-america-what-we-can-learn-from-dana-whites-stand-against-cancel-culture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dana White</a> announced on Saturday that he had given his employees free tickets to see the movie &#8220;Sound of Freedom&#8221; — based on a true story about human trafficking.
White shared a video explaining that he had offered his staff the chance to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-takes-top-spot-at-box-office-on-fourth-of-july" target="_blank" rel="noopener">see the film</a>, and challenged other executives to do the same for their own employees. &#8220;YOU MUST SEE THIS MOVIE @SOFMovie2023,&#8221; White captioned the video he shared on Twitter.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
YOU MUST SEE THIS MOVIE <a href="https://twitter.com/SOFMovie2023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SOFMovie2023</a> <a href="https://t.co/vQ1ThcqW5d">pic.twitter.com/vQ1ThcqW5d</a>
&mdash; danawhite (@danawhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/danawhite/status/1677840090780028933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Hey, everybody, I&#8217;m Dana White,&#8221; he began. &#8220;There&#8217;s a new movie out called &#8216;The Sound of Freedom,&#8217; and it&#8217;s about human trafficking. More importantly, it&#8217;s about the trafficking of children. This is a disgusting, horrific issue that&#8217;s happening all around the world, and it&#8217;s not getting better, it&#8217;s getting worse.&#8221;
&#8220;What I&#8217;m going to do, is I&#8217;m going to give any of my UFC employees that want to see this movie free tickets to go see it, and I would like to encourage other executives to do the same at their companies,&#8221; he continued.
White then shared video of actor Mel Gibson — who has been promoting the film from the beginning — explaining why he believed the movie was so important.
&#8220;One of the most disturbing problems in our world today is human trafficking, and particularly the trafficking of children,&#8221; Gibson said. &#8220;Now, the first step in eradicating this crime is awareness. Go see &#8216;Sound of Freedom.'&#8221;
The film <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-film-based-on-a-true-story-exposes-horror-of-human-trafficking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stars Jim Caviezel</a> – who played the role of Jesus in Gibson&#8217;s &#8220;The Passion of the Christ&#8221; — as Tim Ballard, a federal agent who quit his job to save a young girl from sex slavery in South America.
&#8220;After rescuing a young boy from ruthless child traffickers, a federal agent learns the boy’s sister is still captive and decides to embark on a dangerous mission to save her. With time running out, he quits his job and journeys deep into the Colombian jungle, putting his life on the line to free her from a fate worse than death,&#8221; a press release stated.

UFC 290: Whittaker v Du Plessis

UFC President Gave His Employees Free Tix To ‘Sound Of Freedom,’ Encourages Others To Do The Same

UFC President Gave His Employees Free Tix To 'Sound Of Freedom,' Encourages Others To Do The Same

Dana White

Entertainment

Human Trafficking

Jim Caviezel

Movies

Filming is reportedly set to get underway in the next few months for the highly-anticipated sequel for &#8220;Passion of the Christ&#8221; with Mel Gibson working on multiple drafts of the screenplay.
The 67-year-old actor, director and producer has reportedly been working on the &#8220;The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection,&#8221; a sequel to the hit 2004 Gibson film, for nearly a decade, <a href="https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/entertainment/2023/january/mel-gibsons-passion-of-the-christ-sequel-resurrection-to-begin-production-this-spring">CBN News.com</a> reported.
&#8220;Gibson has been hard at work on the screenplay with &#8216;Braveheart&#8217; screenwriter Randall Wallace,&#8221; Veteran film journalist Jordan Ruimy shared.
&#8220;There have already been six drafts,&#8221; Ruimy added.  &#8220;&#8216;Resurrection&#8217; would focus on the twenty-four hours encompassing Jesus&#8217; passion and the events that occurred three days between his crucifixion and resurrection.&#8221;
Jim Caviezel will reportedly be reprising his role of Jesus along with several other original stars like Maia Morgenstern as Mary, Christo Jivkov as John, and Francesco De Vito as Peter, the outlet noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&#39;More story to tell&#39;: Mel Gibson&#39;s Passion of the Christ sequel to begin filming in 2023<a href="https://t.co/foVyyWeXcW">https://t.co/foVyyWeXcW</a>
&mdash; Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) <a href="https://twitter.com/dcexaminer/status/1611926321369579525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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In 2016, Wallace told the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/mel-gibson-planning-passion-christ-901299/">Hollywood Reporter</a> that the &#8220;evangelical community considers The Passion the biggest movie ever out of Hollywood, and they kept telling us that they think a sequel will be even bigger.&#8221;
&#8220;I always wanted to tell this story … The Passion is the beginning, and there&#8217;s a lot more story to tell,&#8221; he added.
Gibson previously talked about how big the subject was and said it was going to take some time to tell the story, the <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/mel-gibson-tells-greg-laurie-passion-of-the-christ-sequel-the-resurrection-may-be-next-movie-168722/">Christian Post</a> noted.
&#8220;It&#8217;s called The Resurrection,&#8221; the superstar shared at the time.  &#8220;Of course, that&#8217;s a very big subject and it needs to be looked at because we don&#8217;t want to just do a simple rendering of it — you know, read what happened.&#8221;
&#8220;But in order to read it, experience and explore probably deeper meanings of what it&#8217;s about, it&#8217;s going to take some doing and Randall Wallace is up to the task,&#8221; he added. &#8220;He is also, as well as a brilliant writer, he is a great director. He directed &#8216;We Were Soldiers&#8217; and &#8216;Heaven is for Real&#8217; and stuff. So, he is a good writer and director.&#8221;
The 2004 film was rated R and was a huge success, bringing in more than $600 million on just a $30 million budget, CBN News noted.

Passion of the Christ-2

Filming Will Soon Get Underway For ‘Passion Of The Christ’ Sequel: Report

Faith

Hollywood

Earlier this year, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bruce-willis-reveals-diagnosis-that-is-taking-him-out-of-the-hollywood-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bruce Willis retired from acting</a> after revealing his battle with aphasia, a medical condition that impacts a person’s speech patterns.
The announcement didn’t stop the flow of Willis projects in the pipeline, though.
“Wire Room” hit theaters in September and “Paradise City,” which teams him with screen legend John Travolta, is set for a November release.
We’re still waiting on three “Detective Knight” films with Willis playing the title character and a thriller dubbed “Die Like Lovers,” all completed before his announcement.
That’s on top of Willis’ 2022 release list, which includes “Wrong Place,” “White Elephant,” “Vendetta,” “Corrective Measures,” “A Day to Die,” “Gasoline Alley,” and “Fortress: Sniper’s Eye.”
They all have plenty in common: They’re action-packed, low-budget vehicles that draw little love from critics and let Willis shoot his scenes quickly and go. And each benefits from Willis’ star presence and fan base, commercially speaking.
And none will have a fraction of the cache he earned from “Die Hard,” “Pulp Fiction,” or “The Sixth Sense.”
Now, there’s another Hollywood icon who may be ready to take his place.
Mel Gibson’s A-list status collapsed in 2006 when video emerged of him shouting anti-Semitic slurs at police officers following a drunken driving arrest. More ugly headlines followed, including audio of the “Braveheart” star admitting to hitting his then-girlfriend.
Gibson stepped away from the spotlight, returning years later in a series of indie films that let him slowly build back his industry goodwill.
It worked.
He eventually snagged a prominent directorial project, 2016’s “Hacksaw Ridge,” a critical and commercial success which earned him an Oscar nomination. He didn’t win, but enough of the industry forgave him for his ugly past.
He’s currently directing and starring in the fifth film in the “Lethal Weapon” franchise and may helm the sequel to his box office sensation “The Passion of the Christ.”
Yet he’s suddenly one of Hollywood’s busiest stars in the Willis mold. He’s cranking out action films with smaller budgets that typically go straight to VOD (Video on Demand).
This year alone Gibson has eight feature films to his credit. Most traditional movie stars may have two or three films per year, at best. Stars like Denzel Washington work at a more leisurely pace, taking care to pick the best projects for their skill set.
Not Gibson. And only one has big studio packaging – “Father Stu” featuring Mark Wahlberg.
Most of the Gibson projects feel like films Willis might have considered had he kept on working. They’re genre films, brimming with action, intrigue and mayhem, and Gibson now often plays supporting players despite his Hollywood pedigree.
Take “Hot Seat,” the story of a talented hacker (“Entourage” alum Kevin Dillon) trapped to an explosives-laden chair. Gibson co-stars as a bomb squad cop trying to save the hacker.
Or “Bandit,” which follows a smooth criminal (Josh Duhamel) forced to collaborate with a gangster (Gibson) to support his new love (Elisha Cuthbert).
Why would iconic stars like Willis and Gibson wallow in the B-movie muck in the first place? 
Well, it’s a gig, for starters. These projects often pay well considering the tiny work load in question.
And, given Hollywood’s youth obsession, steady work into one’s 60s and beyond isn’t insignificant. Willis is 67, while Gibson turns 67 in January 2023.
Other established talent, like 58-year-old Nicolas Cage, similarly grab B-movie projects to keep busy and fatten their wallets. Cage famously did so, in part, after getting <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/nicolas-cage-defends-vod-films-debt-1235211377/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">collared by the IRS</a>.
<blockquote>“When I was doing four movies a year, back to back to back, I still had to find something in them to be able to give it my all … They didn’t work, all of them. Some of them were terrific, like ‘Mandy,’ but some of them didn’t work. But I never phoned it in. So if there was a misconception, it was that. That I was just doing it and not caring. I was caring.”</blockquote>
For Willis, his busy pace may have been to secure money for his family knowing his medical condition would soon prevent him from working.
Movie stars no longer sell tickets as they once did, witness star-laded bombs like the recent “Amsterdam.” Their names still matter on the international market, where many of these B-movies blossom, financially speaking.
They also help elevate lesser-known titles with names like “Bandit” and “Wire Room.”
There’s another difference between Willis’ late-career choices and the path Gibson may be following. Critics routinely noticed Willis phoning in his performances, citing the lack of enthusiasm he brought to these minor roles.
His health deterioration may be to blame here but given his past work it proved impossible not to compare and contrast.
That’s not the case with Gibson. <a href="https://filmthreat.com/reviews/hot-seat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here’s FilmThreat’s take on “Hot Seat”</a> and what the “Max Max” star brings to the indie thriller.
<blockquote>&#8220;But really, acting-wise, it is Gibson who enlivens the proceedings. His constant viewing of everything as a chess game feels natural to the character, and the actor is clearly having fun with the fast-talking, smartest guy in the room part. Gibson is as charming as ever and proves what made him a superstar.&#8221;</blockquote>
Variety called the actor’s “Panama” &#8211; <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/panama-review-mel-gibson-1235206203/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mel Gibson Movie of the Month Club</a> – but couldn’t deny the star’s screen presence against a younger colleague, “Yellowstone’s” Cole Hauser.
<blockquote>&#8220;Trouble is, Hauser can barely hold up his share of the bargain whenever he’s on screen opposite Gibson, even when the latter tones down, slightly, his propensity for wild-eyed, crazy-vibes scenery-chewing.&#8221;</blockquote>
Show business isn’t just a catch phrase. The term reveals the unglamorous side of Hollywood, and the cold realities even the best stars often face. The screen legacies of Willis, Gibson and Cage are just more proof of that truth.
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

“Blood Father” – Photocall – The 69th Annual Cannes Film Festival

How These Veteran Actors Use Low Budget Action Flicks To Keep The Fire Burning

Bruce Willis

Nicolas Cage

Readers Pass

Mark Wahlberg is not shy about sharing his Catholic faith. The 50-year-old actor recently encouraged his 18 million Instagram followers to pray the Rosary. 
“I&#8217;ve been getting a lot of messages from people who have been praying every day and finding peace. And especially sending wonderful messages about doing the Rosary with me on the <a href="https://hallow.com">Hallow app</a>,&#8221; Wahlberg said in a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CclvydTPhzb/">video message</a> on the social media platform.
&#8220;Let&#8217;s do the Rosary together and stay prayed up. You got to stay prayed up. God bless you,&#8221; he continued.
According to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/mark-wahlberg-peace-prayer-rosary-hallow-app">Fox News</a>, the meditation app Hallow launched a partnership with Wahlberg earlier this month and is the most downloaded and used Catholic app in the world. This coincided with the actor&#8217;s new film &#8220;Father Stu.&#8221; 
The film tells the story of the real-life boxer who became a priest and also had a degenerative, incurable muscle disorder. Father Stuart Long’s story inspired Wahlberg so deeply that he invested his own money to get the movie made. 
“The reason why [Father Stu] was so effective was because he was authentic,” Wahlberg said while discussing his inspiration for the film. “He was speaking the truth from experience, and that’s invaluable … He’s such a remarkable man. It was an honor for me to portray him in the film and to tell his story.”
During an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/mark-wahlberg-interview-raymond-arroyo-fox-nation-father-stu">interview</a> with Fox Nation in February, the actor discussed why it was so important to him to get “Father Stu” to the big screen.
“People need to have faith and hope,” he said at the time. “I just knew that I needed to make this movie, and this was my calling and this was my mission. And, now, it’s needed more than ever.”
“Hopefully, it will do some really important work and help a lot of people,” he continued. “It’s certainly a turning point for me in my life … I need to stop focusing so much on Mark and start doing much more work for God and for people and for people that are less fortunate people.”
Back in 2018, according to Fox News, Wahlberg already released his stringent prayer schedule, which involves “a 2:30 a.m. wake up that kicks off with prayer at 2:45 a.m.”
The “Fear” actor told Piers Morgan during a 2012 interview, “I pray to be a good servant to God, a father, a husband, a son, a friend, a brother and uncle, a good neighbor, a good leader to those who look up to me and a good follower to those that are serving God and doing the right thing.&#8221;
“Father Stu” got generally bad ratings from critics, but audiences have loved it, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/critics-pan-new-faith-based-film-father-stu-but-the-audience-loves-it">reported</a>. It is currently in theaters.

CinemaCon 2014 – CinemaCon 2014 Off And Running: Opening Night Studio Presentation From Paramount Pictures

‘Stay Prayed Up’: Mark Wahlberg Urges His 18 Million Followers To Say The Rosary With Him

Film

Mark Wahlberg

Critics and the general public are at odds over the new faith-based film &#8220;Father Stu,&#8221; released in theaters last week.
At least 75 film critics have collectively rated the Catholic film with a dismal 44% rating, <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/father_stu/reviews?intcmp=rt-scorecard_tomatometer-reviews">according</a> to popular review website Rotten Tomatoes. The audience, on the other hand, praised the movie as a resounding success, with more than 500 reviews averaging a high 95% rating.
The film takes viewers through the life of troubled amateur boxer-turned-Catholic priest Father Stuart Long, who suffered from a rare degenerative and incurable muscular disorder called inclusion body myositis. Critics, clearly, were not convinced of the film adaptation.
&#8220;This ill-conceived, frequently irritating biopic trots out every stale genre chestnut while focusing on a relentlessly unlikable main character who comes across as a stubborn, argumentative bully,&#8221; complained Common Sense Media&#8217;s Jeffrey M. Anderson.
Movie Reelist&#8217;s Monti Lee Stormer mocked, &#8220;The message seems to be &#8216;In the End, Stu became a priest, and everybody clapped.'&#8221;
&#8220;Its clumsy, inert storytelling seems less interested in converting nonbelievers than in convincing us of Wahlberg’s piety,&#8221; Washington Post critic Michael O&#8217;Sullivan said.
James Verniere of the Boston Herald said actors Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson had their performances &#8220;blocked&#8221; by the &#8220;mediocre screenplay by first-time director Rosalind Ross,&#8221; who is Gibson&#8217;s girlfriend, adding that the film is &#8220;a total bore.&#8221;
The general public, though, appreciated that the film was &#8220;a pleasant change&#8221; from &#8220;all the other movies available&#8221; with both &#8220;excellent acting&#8221; and a &#8220;profound message.&#8221;
&#8220;Great message and amazing performance by actors and actresses it teaches us how to be tolerant and persistent at the same time,&#8221; one audience review said.
&#8220;Humanized priest &amp; faith life relatable highly recommended!&#8221; a reviewer named Alison wrote. &#8220;Will watch again!&#8221;
&#8220;Absolutely loved this movie,&#8221; a user named Brian D. commented. &#8220;Keep Bringing us these kind of movies that uplift us and inspire us to be better souls on this earth. Thank you.&#8221;
&#8220;Thoroughly enjoyable movie. Mark Wahlberg was excellent as usual. Entire cast was great,&#8221; another review said. &#8220;I would recommend it to anyone who would enjoy a real life story of someone succeeding after much adversity.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_370042" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-370042" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-370042 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Screen-Shot-2022-04-18-at-8.23.20-AM-1024x331.png" alt="" width="1024" height="331" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/04/Screen-Shot-2022-04-18-at-8.23.20-AM-1024x331.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/04/Screen-Shot-2022-04-18-at-8.23.20-AM-300x97.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/04/Screen-Shot-2022-04-18-at-8.23.20-AM-768x248.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/04/Screen-Shot-2022-04-18-at-8.23.20-AM.png 1498w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Rotten Tomatoes</div>
Despite critics&#8217; reaction, &#8220;Father Stu&#8221; meant a lot to Catholic actors Wahlberg and Gibson; the former privately financed the project and the film was written and directed by Gibson&#8217;s girlfriend, Rosalind Ross.
Moreover, the film seems to be signal of what&#8217;s to come from Wahlberg.
&#8220;I feel like this is starting a new chapter for me in that, now, doing things like this &#8212; real substance &#8212; can help people,&#8221; the 50-year-old actor <a href="https://www.etonline.com/mark-wahlberg-on-father-stu-and-leaving-hollywood-sooner-rather-than-later-exclusive-182177">told</a> Entertainment Tonight. &#8220;I definitely want to focus on making more. I wouldn&#8217;t say necessarily just faith-based content but things that will help people. So, hopefully this movie will open a door for not only myself but for lots of other people in Hollywood to make more meaningful content.&#8221;
Wahlberg added that it will be &#8220;sooner rather than later, probably,&#8221; that he&#8217;ll be leaving Hollywood.
Gibson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/people-want-it-mel-gibson-discusses-faith-based-films-like-father-stu-the-passion">told</a> Fox News that he has long understood that there is a &#8220;real thirst&#8221; for faith-based content, referring to smash hit &#8220;The Passion of the Christ,&#8221; which was co-written and directed by the actor.
“You know, I had a pretty big experience with ‘The Passion,’” he said. “That was an interesting journey to understand that there’s a real thirst for this kind of content out there. People want it, and they respond well to it. So it’s a privilege to be a part of that delivery.”
“I think ‘Father Stu’ offers that,” Gibson continued. “It’s a little different. I wouldn’t really call it a faith-based film, but I think it hits all those cravings that the community wants. But at the same time, it’s not preaching to the choir. It’s got F-bombs, so you do have to weather those things to get to the jewel.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="FATHER STU - Official Trailer (HD)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DHREzAdyCPs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/even-critics-really-hate-woke-cinderella-remark-level-of-badness-unmatched">Even Critics Really Hate Woke ‘Cinderella’ Remake: ‘Level Of Badness’ Unmatched</a>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dave-chappelles-rotten-tomato-standup-reviews-are-amanda-prestigiacomo">Dave Chappelle’s ‘Rotten Tomato’ Standup Reviews Are In. They’re Exactly What You’d Expect.</a>
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Columbia Pictures’ “Father Stu” Photo Call

Critics Pan New Faith-Based Film ‘Father Stu,’ But The Audience Loves It

Catholicism

Religion

Mel Gibson is no stranger to making faith-based movie projects, even in the face of enormous controversy. “The Passion of the Christ” remains one of the most monumental movies he’s ever worked on. So Mark Wahlberg teaming up with Gibson to get his recent project, “Father Stu,” onto the big screen just made a lot of sense.
The “Braveheart” actor reflected to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/mel-gibson-mark-wahlberg-resistance-father-stu-faith">Fox News</a> on what made him want to get involved. &#8220;You know, I had a pretty big experience with ‘The Passion,’&#8221; Gibson explained. &#8220;That was an interesting journey to understand that there’s a real thirst for this kind of content out there. People want it, and they respond well to it. So it’s a privilege to be a part of that delivery.&#8221;
&#8220;I think ‘Father Stu’ offers that,&#8221; the actor continued. &#8220;It’s a little different. I wouldn’t really call it a faith-based film, but I think it hits all those cravings that the community wants. But at the same time, it’s not preaching to the choir. It’s got F-bombs, so you do have to weather those things to get to the jewel.&#8221;
“Father Stu” tells the true story of an amateur boxer who suffered from a degenerative and incurable muscular disorder. He leaned on his faith during tough times and eventually, he became a priest, Father Stuart Long. Wahlberg was so inspired by the story that he chose to invest his own money to get the movie made. He also stars in it.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="FATHER STU - Official Trailer (HD)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DHREzAdyCPs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“The reason why [Father Stu] was so effective was because he was authentic,” Wahlberg said of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-was-my-calling-mark-wahlberg-explains-why-father-stu-was-a-turning-point-for-him">inspiration for the film</a>. “He was speaking the truth from experience, and that’s invaluable … He’s such a remarkable man. It was an honor for me to portray him in the film and to tell his story.”
“People need to have faith and hope,” he said during an interview with Fox in February. “I just knew that I needed to make this movie, and this was my calling and this was my mission. And, now, it’s needed more than ever.”
“Hopefully, it will do some really important work and help a lot of people,” he continued. “It’s certainly a turning point for me in my life. … I need to stop focusing so much on Mark and start doing much more work for God and for people and for people that are less fortunate people.”
According to Fox, the Catholic church wasn’t fully on board with how often the “F-word” is used during the course of the movie. Wahlberg insisted that using that type of language was authentic to the real story, however. He said the script perfectly captured Long’s real journey from &#8220;self-destruction to redemption.&#8221;
“Father Stu” debuted in theaters on April 13.

‘People Want It’: Mel Gibson Discusses Faith-Based Films Like ‘Father Stu,’ ‘The Passion’

Actor Mark Wahlberg experienced a devastating loss while filming the dramatic biopic “Father Stu.” The 50-year-old Hollywood veteran lost his mother, who was 78, after her battle with dementia.
&#8220;It was tough,&#8221; Wahlberg told Extra during an <a href="https://extratv.com/2022/04/04/mark-wahlberg-recalls-saying-goodbye-to-his-mom-alma/">interview</a>. &#8220;She was very sick, went home to visit her … say goodbye … FaceTiming constantly … We knew that it was inevitable&#8230; I just tried to hold on and be as positive as possible.&#8221;
“She was an amazing person,&#8221; the actor continued. &#8220;She taught us all through all the difficulties that we had and face … She was very proud that we turned our lives around.&#8221;
Wahlberg said he turned to work while grieving, focusing on telling the story of the real-life boxer who became a priest and also had a degenerative, incurable muscle disorder. Father Stuart Long’s story inspired Wahlberg so deeply that he invested his own money into the project so it could get made. It took six years and a lot of work to get it done, but now the actor is proud of the story that’s being shared.
&#8220;The reason why [Father Stu] was so effective was because he was authentic,&#8221; Wahlberg said of the inspiration for the film. &#8220;He was speaking the truth from experience, and that’s invaluable … He’s such a remarkable man. It was an honor for me to portray him in the film and to tell his story.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="FATHER STU - Official Trailer (HD)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DHREzAdyCPs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The “Fear” star shared his thoughts on why this film is so important to him personally, plus how the world can benefit from its message during an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/mark-wahlberg-interview-raymond-arroyo-fox-nation-father-stu">interview</a> with Fox Nation in February.
&#8220;People need to have faith and hope,&#8221; he said at the time. &#8220;I just knew that I needed to make this movie, and this was my calling and this was my mission. And, now, it&#8217;s needed more than ever.&#8221;
&#8220;Hopefully, it will do some really important work and help a lot of people,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;It&#8217;s certainly a turning point for me in my life … I need to stop focusing so much on Mark and start doing much more work for God and for people and for people that are less fortunate people.&#8221;
Wahlberg said he’s a devout Catholic himself and that’s part of what made this story so appealing. During an <a href="https://www.catholicnews.com/wahlberg-real-life-father-stu-has-him-continuing-to-carry-on-his-message/">interview</a> with Catholic News Service, the actor said his faith meant “everything” to him.
“There’s so many wonderful things that happened to me — the good, the bad and everything else in between. I’ve been able to appreciate and have gratitude because of my faith. After I’ve done my last interview, I’ll know how to articulate it,” Wahlberg said.
He continued, “This message, this conversation and this commitment to service does not stop when the movie comes out. It’s only a start.”
Mel Gibson is also part of the cast as Stu’s father. During an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mel-gibson-talks-new-film-faith-the-sooner-you-realize-theres-something-bigger-than-us-the-easier-life-will-be">interview</a> about the role, Gibson said “the sooner” a person comes to “realize there’s something bigger” than all of us, the “easier” things are going to be in one&#8217;s life.
“Father Stu” premieres in theaters on April 13, 2022.
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Steven Tyler’s 2nd Annual GRAMMY Awards Viewing Party To Benefit Janie’s Fund Presented By Live Nation – Inside

‘This Was My Calling’: Mark Wahlberg Explains Why ‘Father Stu’ Was A ‘Turning Point’ For Him

Mel Gibson talked about faith and ego as he explained that &#8220;the sooner&#8221; a person comes to &#8220;realize there&#8217;s something bigger&#8221; than all of us, the &#8220;easier&#8221; things are going to be in one&#8217;s life.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mel-gibson-weighs-hollywood-scandals-james-barrett">66-year-old actor</a> appeared Friday on &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr9U33JL0fc">Jesse Watters Primetime</a>&#8221; to discuss his new movie &#8220;Father Stu.”
Watters asked Gibson if the film was about human “suffering,” and how, if one is grateful in suffering, they can receive &#8220;God&#8217;s grace.” Gibson agreed that it was “one of the main themes” of the film before he explained further that we all are carrying &#8220;something around.&#8221;
&#8220;Everbody&#8217;s got a boulder, man,&#8221; Gibson said. &#8220;And everybody&#8217;s got to drag … something around. And of course, something&#8217;s going to come by and knock you down at some point in your life. Now, later.&#8221;
&#8220;And how do you stand up from that, you know?&#8221; he added. &#8220;How do you not only stand up, but find the purpose in that? There&#8217;s a purpose for all of this. So, it&#8217;s looking for that purpose.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Mel Gibson&#039;s REACTION To Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gr9U33JL0fc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;I think if we&#8217;re too self-involved,&#8221; the superstar actor continued. &#8220;I think if your head’s too big, put it that way, it&#8217;s an easier target to get hit. And if your ego’s not that healthy, if you actually realize there&#8217;s something greater than you and find a little bit of humility, you&#8217;re not going to get hit as hard, even if you do get hit, because you’re gonna realize that there&#8217;s a purpose in it, and you&#8217;re not the most important thing in the world, and that there&#8217;s a way to deal with that stuff, and almost be grateful for it.”
The &#8220;Braveheart&#8221; director and star explained that it&#8217;s about how a person will almost get to a point where they are &#8220;grateful&#8221; for the struggle.
The &#8220;Mad Max&#8221; star said another theme in the film is the fact that it&#8217;s &#8220;never too late to fix stuff,&#8221; noting how he has nine kids and he hasn&#8217;t &#8220;been a perfect parent.&#8221; He added that he&#8217;s “realized on a few occasions that you can kind of go back and fix stuff if you missed it the first time around.&#8221;
&#8220;The sooner you realize there&#8217;s something bigger than all of us, the easier it&#8217;s going to be in your life,&#8221; Gibson concluded. &#8220;Hard jump to make for a lot of us.&#8221;
“Father Stu” stars Mark Wahlberg who plays Father Stuart Long, a boxer who becomes a Catholic priest. A description on <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14439896/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">IMDb reads</a>:
<blockquote>Follows the life of Father Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-priest who inspired countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption.</blockquote>
At the end, Watters asked Gibson about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heartbroken-will-smith-announces-hes-resigned-from-the-academy">Will Smith</a> slapping Chris Rock at the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/will-smith-struck-chris-rock-in-the-face-at-oscars-after-he-cracked-a-joke-about-jada-pinkett-smiths-hair-loss">94th Academy Awards</a> after the comedian cracked a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head amid her hair loss battle.
Instead of answering, a voice came over from the background that announced the time had expired for their interview.
As previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heartbroken-will-smith-announces-hes-resigned-from-the-academy">reported</a> by the Daily Wire:
<blockquote>Will Smith announced Friday that he has resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and admitted he’s “heartbroken” about having to do so following “disciplinary proceedings” by the Oscars over him slapping Chris Rock.
“I have directly responded to the Academy’s disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct,” the 53-year-old actor shared in a statement, reported Deadline.
“My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable,” he added. “The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris [Rock], his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy.”</blockquote>
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Mel Gibson Talks New Film, Faith: ‘The Sooner You Realize There’s Something Bigger’ Than Us, ‘The Easier’ Life Will Be

Every year, holiday Christmas movies tend to come packaged in a red and green container of the same clichés. Either Santa Claus is animated as a real life, jolly purveyor of Christmas cheer, or the movie forgoes the fabled white beard and instead weaves a tacky love story, connecting alienated families, strangers and John Cusack.
And just as with the repetitive dirge of Christmas music that dominates radio airwaves starting every November, we generally go along with it, attributing it to being “part of the Christmas spirit!” But sometimes you need a break. In a year where everything else seems upended and spun on its head, why shouldn’t holiday films? It’s at times like these when you most need to forget about the seriousness of what’s happening in the world and revel in 90 minutes of absurdist humor for absurdist humor’s sake.
Written and directed by brothers Eshom and Ian Nelms, Fatman is a ridiculous movie about an affluent spoiled brat (played by Chance Hurstfield) who receives coal for Christmas and decides to exact revenge, hiring a hitman to kill Santa. Jettisoning any and all previously held conceptions of Santa Claus, the film reimagines the jolly, red-suited effigy of Christmas as Mel Gibson.
Sporting a rugged, greying beard and adorned in haggard clothes that could have been stripped off a mannequin at an army supply store, Gibson’s Claus — whose vocabulary is largely comprised of various grunt noises — completes the disheveled look with a red jalopy of a pickup truck and an M1911 firearm. He’s Lethal Weapon’s Martin Riggs in retirement — a misanthropic, greying stoic.
Fatman replaces all the standard holiday movie banalities with a fresh set of clichés culled from the gritty, criminal underworlds of filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino or the Coen Brothers. While it doesn’t deliver at nearly the same caliber as the works from either director, it doesn’t try to. After all, none will watch Fatman expecting No Country for Old Men or Reservoir Dogs. It’s as absurd in its premise as Elf but isn’t weighed down by any of the insincere cheesiness. It’s a guilty pleasure action flick, imbued with firefights, kidnappings, extortion, and mass-murder. Once you’ve already seen Die Hard, what more could you want from a Christmas movie?
The humor in the Nelms brothers’ Fatman derives from the poker-face seriousness with which every scene is executed. Part of the joke is that Fatman doesn’t try to portray itself as a comedy — everything is situationally funny. 
In one scene, the slick-haired, prepubescent villain disappointingly finishes second place in his school science fair. His reaction? He has his hitman kidnap the science fair winner and intimidates her with electrocution into surrendering her first-place ribbon. In another scene, the hitman shoots a postal worker after discretely asking him where he delivers the letter to Santa Claus.
Along these same lines, in the world of Fatman, nearly every facet of your favorite childhood Christmas movie is flipped on its head. Santa’s sleigh rides aren’t the smooth, jovial flights as portrayed in such misleading songs as “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Ever wonder what really happens when Santa flies over Detroit or Chicago? In Mel Gibson’s world, Santa deals with anti-aircraft hoodlums firing slugs into his sleigh, as he climbs into bed with Mrs. Claus (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), nursing bullet wounds.
Have you ever considered the financial affairs of the North Pole? While most Christmas classics such as A Christmas Story conveniently gloss over crucial economic realities, Fatman tackles them head-on. Mel Gibson’s frayed and grizzled Santa not only deals with the whims of disgruntled children who send hitmen to kill him, but also with the heartless needs of a free market economy, as the US government threatens to cut his funding. Determined to keep Santa’s Workshop open and his fleet of elves employed, Santa resorts to taking up a military contract with the Department of Defense. Is there anything better than picturing Santa’s elves assembling parts for F-22 Raptors?
When Mel Gibson as Santa Claus finally meets his unnamed, bounty hunting adversary — played superbly by Walton Goggins, whose slick, withdrawn hair and bulging eyes checkmark all the boxes of a bona fide sociopath — on the snowy battlefield, Gibson alludes to a larger, and even more ridiculous backstory, exclaiming, “You think you’re the first?” 
Fatman isn’t Hollywood Oscar bait or fodder for critics — notwithstanding the small number of verified ratings, its <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fatman">Rotten Tomatoes</a> Audience Score, at 83% positive, dwarfs the critics, at 47%. It’s a simple yet original Christmas movie for everyone who fervently wants Die Hard to be a Christmas movie. It isn’t epic or bound for awards galas; it’s just plain fun. And in the holiday season of 2020, we could always use some plain fun.
Follow Harry Khachatrian on <a href="https://twitter.com/Harry1T6">Twitter</a>.

‘Fatman’ Is The Christmas Movie For 2020

Christmas

The trailer of a new film starring Mel Gibson has sparked debate online, including accusations of Hollywood racism, exploitation, and insensitivity, as well as expressions of support from the people who are supposed to be offended.
The film, &#8220;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10308928/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Force of Nature</a>,&#8221; directed by Michael Polish and co-starring Kate Bosworth and Emile Hirsch and set to release digitally on 30 June, tells the story of a gang of thieves who &#8220;plan a heist during a hurricane and encounter trouble when a cop tries to force everyone in the building to evacuate.&#8221;
The film takes place in Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria in September 2017, a category 5 hurricane that wreaked some $90 billion in damages, resulted in nearly 3,000 fatalities, and famously sparked an international political feud between the Trump administration and Puerto Rican officials, with both sides accusing each other of politicizing the tragedy and promoting waste and fraud.
Inevitably drawing comparison to that devastating natural disaster, the plot of the film centers around a category 5 hurricane slamming the island while Gibson, who plays the lead cop character &#8220;Ray,&#8221; and his daughter (Bosworth), battle the thieves, who are headed up by corrupt cop Cardillo (Hirsch).
In a follow-up post to his initial post of the trailer, Gibson notes, &#8220;For the record: this is not a Hurricane Maria film. The setting is Puerto Rico, the rest is fictional.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Force of Nature: Trailer <a href="https://t.co/gq81p0d3e7">pic.twitter.com/gq81p0d3e7</a>
&mdash; Mel Gibson (@MelGibsonFilms) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelGibsonFilms/status/1262487321745727498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
For the record: this is not a Hurricane Maria film. The setting is Puerto Rico, the rest is fictional.
&mdash; Mel Gibson (@MelGibsonFilms) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelGibsonFilms/status/1262694705608957957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
While the film looks like your typical boilerplate action movie, it immediately generated a whole lot of buzz – though not exactly the kind the filmmakers were likely hoping for.
As <a href="https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a32624021/mel-gibson-new-movie-controversy-force-of-nature/">Digital Spy</a> and other outlets, including <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/force-of-nature-mel-gibson-movie-puerto-rico-kate-bosworth-emile-hirsch-a9522366.html">Independent</a> and <a href="https://twitchy.com/brads-313037/2020/05/20/the-new-mel-gibson-movie-released-next-month-has-social-activists-screeching-about-racism-before-they-have-seen-it/">Twitchy</a>, have highlighted, Gibson&#8217;s new movie has inspired a ton of backlash from folks accusing the filmmakers of callously attempting to profit off of others&#8217; pain – and casting the &#8220;gringos&#8221; as the good guys and the Puerto Ricans as the villains.
But while the trailer has triggered fierce blowback from social justice-minded twitterers, others, including self-identified Puerto Ricans, are reminding people it&#8217;s just a movie and no one&#8217;s seen the full film yet.
First, some of the incensed responses:
<ul>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/mvriegil/status/1262580938229329920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1262580938229329920&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Fmovies%2Fa32624021%2Fmel-gibson-new-movie-controversy-force-of-nature%2F">It’s outright disrespectful</a> to the people who went through the traumatic experience that was Hurricane Maria, for Mel Gibson and any Hollywood company to come to Puerto Rico and make a movie where the islanders are the bad guys, and he and the white people are the good guys.&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/pielisse007/status/1262529999208415237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1262529999208415237&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Fmovies%2Fa32624021%2Fmel-gibson-new-movie-controversy-force-of-nature%2F">Approximately 4,645 people died</a> because of this hurricane. Approximately, because it was bad enough we don&#8217;t even have exact numbers. People buried their dead in their backyards. People were without food, water, homes, electricity, for MONTHS. This is not an okay movie to make.&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/andreagonram/status/1262511038093824001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1262511038093824001&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Fmovies%2Fa32624021%2Fmel-gibson-new-movie-controversy-force-of-nature%2F">lmao 3,000 Puerto Ricans died</a> after Hurricane Maria but sure let’s make a D-list movie set during the storm where the gringos are the good guys and the bad drug guys are the islanders, truly f*** offffffff&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/apadillafilm6/status/1262521644196773888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1262521644196773888&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Fmovies%2Fa32624021%2Fmel-gibson-new-movie-controversy-force-of-nature%2F">Painful to see</a> how tax breaks luring Hollywood films (and jobs) to Puerto Rico can produce films that disappear our very reality.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
And some examples of people coming to the film&#8217;s defense:
<ul>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/BasicEddie/status/1262530330122166276">As a Puerto Rican</a>, I can tell you it is. The movie is not mocking or disrespecting in any way the victims or what we endured. It’s just a movie.&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/MofongoPollo/status/1262576881473290240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1262576881473290240&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmetro.co.uk%2F2020%2F05%2F20%2Fmel-gibson-blockbuster-force-nature-criticised-stirring-trauma-puerto-rico-hurricane-12725264%2F">I&#8217;m Puerto Rican</a> and I don&#8217;t see anything wrong if Mel Gibson does a movie that he refuses to evacuate his home in Puerto Rico&#8230; What&#8217;s the controversy of this? I love Mel&#8217;s movies.&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/Foforito98/status/1262957902488354822">Well it not disrespectful</a> it is the truth we have major problems with gangs situation and he’s right people didn’t want to leave their home but I didn’t see any Puerto Rican though about doing a movie about Puerto Rico.&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/LuhmDesign/status/1263454154862854144">He’s an islander in the movie, correct?</a> The cops in the movie are islanders as well, correct? Have you seen the movie in entirety? Since when do we do full movie reviews based on trailers?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/Howling_Evil/status/1263115242252320769">It is in no way disrespectful to the people of Puerto Rico</a>. Puerto Ricans have gone through hurricanes on almost a yearly basis and recovered every time. And the bad guy is played by David Zayas a Puerto Rican actor who has played villains in his career. So get over it.&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/cj_michigan/status/1263077264125763584">I missed the part where this movie was a documentary?</a> I thought it was supposed to be fiction for entertainment purposes? Sit back, relax and eat some popcorn.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

New Mel Gibson Trailer Triggers Blowback, Defense; Gibson Clarifies ‘For The Record’

Puerto Rico

Memorial Day is meant to celebrate the lives of the courageous men and women in all branches of military who have sacrificed everything so America can be free. 
Throughout the years, Hollywood has also paid tribute to these brave soldiers for protecting our freedom and liberty. Here is a list of ten patriotic war films to binge watch on this Memorial Day weekend:
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418689/">Flags Of Our Fathers</a> (2006) &#8212; Directed by Clint Eastwood, this film tells the story of the U.S. servicemen who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi after the battle of Iwo Jima during the Second World War. 
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fx8PnTqQT1k" width="854"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277434/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">We Were Soldiers</a> (2002) &#8212; Based on the nonfiction book &#8220;We Were Soldiers Once&#8230; And Young,&#8221; the movie dramatizes the Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War. 
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wYK4jrhepdU" width="854"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053580/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">The Alamo</a> (1960) &#8212; John Wayne directed and starred in this film about an epic battle that took place during the Texas Revolution. 
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QYtguIsp2B8" width="854"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4172430/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">13 Hours</a> (2016) &#8212; Michael Bay directed this retelling of the 2012 invasion of the American embassy in Benghazi, which the Obama Administration would later pass off as a protest against a YouTube video.
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5MBjAN7jqsQ" width="854"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066206/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Patton</a> (1970) &#8212; This biopic tells the story of the infamous US General George S. Patton played by stars George C. Scott. It explores his history throughout the Second World War. 
<div class="embed video fluid-video">
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g-0dTpzNzwo" width="854"></iframe></div>

</div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">The Patriot</a> (2000) &#8212; Directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger, this film revolves around a guerilla troop active during the American War of Independence. 
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P5u1am7pmrw" width="854"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Saving Private Ryan</a> (1998) &#8212; Tom Hanks stars in this movie about an American unit sent deep into frontlines to rescue a fellow soldier during the events of the Second World War. 
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RYID71hYHzg" width="854"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0279111/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Gods And Generals</a> (2003) &#8212; This Civil War epic tells the story of the war&#8217;s beginnings from both the perspective of the Northern and Southern generals during one of the worst tragedies in our nation&#8217;s history. 
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nzghvqz7ZC4" width="854"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373283/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Saints And Soldiers</a> (2003) &#8212; The Malmedy massacre is dramatized in this independent film taking place during the Second World War. 
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lZqfZQUC08o" width="854"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2179136/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">American Sniper</a> (2014) &#8212; Clint Eastwood directs this biopic of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper during the Iraq War. The film stars Bradley Cooper as the title character and explores the effects of PTSD on our soldiers. 
<div class="embed video fluid-video"><iframe loading="lazy" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5bP1f_1o-zo" width="854"></iframe></div>
On this Memorial Day weekend, look for ways to pay tribute to the brave men and women in uniform who give so much so that we can live a life of liberty and freedom.

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