There was a tsunami at the box office this past weekend with the opening of the Clint Eastwood film “American Sniper.” It was evident to Warner Brothers and most of Hollywood that this film was going to have a blockbuster opening unlike anything they had seen or expected. Indeed, on Friday, the film played to packed theaters and brought in receipts of over $30 million dollars its first day. By the end of the holiday weekend, the film had reached over $100 million dollars in revenue. You would think that Hollywood would be doing cartwheels over the great news. Not so fast.
This was a double-edged sword for Hollywood and the liberal elites. On one hand, they are delighted over the fact that this film could eventually be a billion-dollar mega-hit, but on the other hand, they are gritting their teeth because it goes against everything their liberal minds believe; the film is about God, guns and America as the “good guy.” How can that be? According to Dan Fellman of Warner Brothers, Middle America made a major difference. “It played great everywhere, in the big cities, in suburbs and red and blue states. If you look at the top 20 locales, you see places like Texas, Oklahoma and Albuquerque, which don’t normally turn out for R-rated films. It played like a superhero movie in places like Dallas, but this time the superhero was real, and that was what mattered.”
This happened recently in 2004 with the enormous success of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.” That film blindsided Hollywood as well when it scored huge audiences and box-office receipts of over $600 million dollars. At the time, it was the highest-grossing R-rated film ever. The Hollywood elites couldn’t wrap their heads around the fact that a film about Jesus and religion could garner such success. They still consider it some sort of fluke.
I write about this very subject in my new book, “What Women Really Want,” which I co-authored with Ann-Marie Murrell and Dr. Gina Loudon. I explain how the “new” Hollywood, since the 1960s, just doesn’t “get” the American people. They are constantly puzzled, confused and often flabbergasted over the fact that the average, hardworking, God-fearing, patriotic citizen of this country does not walk in lock-step with the far-left liberal agenda. Hollywood wants you to believe that all Americans think like the progressives, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
So Clint Eastwood makes a brilliant, fast-paced, accurate film about U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle that tells the truth about what our military is up against in battle and also what they face upon returning home. Bradley Cooper becomes Chris Kyle in an amazing performance, and it is no wonder the film is nominated for six Academy Awards. The critics praised it, and Hollywood grudgingly had to admit that yes, it is deserving of nominations because it is virtually flawless. One glaring omission is the snub of director Clint Eastwood without whom this film would not exist. Hollywood just couldn’t bring itself to honor with a nomination a man who blatantly supported Mitt Romney and had a conversation with an empty chair representing Obama. They had to twist the knife somewhere.
With the incredible news of the film’s success, the lefties are coming out of the woodwork to try and take it down. Michael Moore, who is no longer even relevant, just had to bash our military snipers and demonize them, and Seth Rogen equated the film to Nazism and propaganda. These two should think before they speak and realize that Chris Kyle and all of our military put their lives on the line so the Michael Moores and Rogens can spew their ignorant comments.
Hollywood and the leftist elitists just don’t want to recognize that they in fact are in the minority in this country. They panic when films like “American Sniper,” “The Passion,” “Captain America” or others like them capture the heart and soul of Americans. They also continue to be amazed that moviegoers in countries around the world go and see these films as well because they resonate with people.
Unfortunately, the progressives own Hollywood, and they will do whatever they can to push their agenda and bash conservative values. They will say whatever they have to in order to tear down or twist the message. That is what they do, and patriots like Chris Kyle have made it possible for them to be free to speak their message.
Thank goodness for “American Sniper”; it has come at the right time and hopefully will ignite a fire in the hearts of all who see it to better understand what our military deals with and how honored we are that they have our backs.
Media wishing to interview Morgan Brittany, please contact [email protected].
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