chris_sc77

Well, I dont know about you guys but this is one of my most anticipated films of the year. Yes, I am an atheist but if it's possible I hope this doesn't become an ant-Maher or pro/anti religion thread. I think the film has the opportunity to entertain and enlighten many who are amazed how people can believe in such fantastical ideas with no evidence. I think the movie will no doubt be preaching to the converted anyways so I don't think its gonna impact anyones personal religious views.
This first link is to the official trailer that was just released along with statements from Director Larry Charles and Star Bill Maher.
http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/06/06/...er/#more-11900


This next link is to the films official (and very well done ans extensive) website:
http://disbeliefnet.com/

MBoyd

Looks great. Only Maher could pull this one off! Personally, I will be there the first day. Can't wait to see how it's protested.

At least it looks much better than Morgan Spurlock's last effort.

Rypro 525

well if he gets as much flack from this bit
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it'll be quite amusing.

RagingBull80

I'm a big Maher fan and this is a must for me.

wm lopez

I'm a big Maher fan. And his HBO cable sure talks a lot about Jesus, 2nd coming and stuff like that.

coli

I love Bill Maher, but I think his religious rants get to be a bit much, and I am not even a religious person. I understand Maher and the left get annoyed with the Religious Right and how they push their views on people, but I think he turns off people like me who don't go to Church every Sunday, and just have a simple faith in a higher power. He rails that ALL Religion is bad, and pretty much mocks anyone who defends it on his show, but there are a majority of people like myself who grew up with some religion in their life, and are quite at ease with the way they feel towards religion, and are not ones to push their faith on anyone. I never tolerated guys like Robertson or Falwell, but the problem is Maher and his lefty friends bunch EVERY person who has some type of faith with these guys, and I think that is just as polarizing.

Ky-Fi

As a Christian, I fully plan to express my anger at this hate-speech film by setting my car on fire on the day this film is released.

Jason Bovberg

Finally a release date! Can't wait!

Doughboy

I'm not a very religious person(I believe in a higher power, but I don't go to church), but Bill Maher's rants are getting tiresome. I don't like religious people forcing their views on me, but at the same time, I don't like non-believers shoving their atheism down my throat. And that's what Maher does on a regular basis on his show. He pretty much insinuates that if you believe in God, you're an idiot.

And don't get me started on the rest of the BS he spouts every week.

chris_sc77

^WTF? If you dont like him dont watch him. How is he "shoving it down your throat"? Nobody is making you watch or listen to him. If you dont like or agree with him don't watch him. Its like a morbidly obese person who goes and orders 3 big macs or whoppers and eats them all up. Nobody forced him to buy the sandwiches and certanly no one (but the said person) is shoving them down their throat.

Artman

Couldn't one say the same with any "religious right" people? (not all religious people are on the right btw)

I fully support Maher's freedom to make the film, but I fully support people's freedom to criticize it and tear it apart. Works both ways.

Doughboy

I don't watch him very much anymore. Politically Incorrect was an entertaining show. Real Time is left wing propaganda. But the occasional clip of Maher still surfaces online with him saying something stupid about religion or wishing death on the Vice President. Those are hard to avoid.

kstublen

Absolutely agree with you on both points. Maher and the "religious right" are very similar to one another, albeit with completely opposite belief systems.

While I am not a fan of Maher, this does look interesting (although I am sure, and from the trailer I can already see, it is going to be very biased and spun towards Maher's own personal viewpoints and beliefs). I agree that it is unfair to put anyone who is the least bit religious into a category with some of the more extreme believers, which Maher is clearly doing. Just because you are spiritual or religious does not necessarily make you an idiot.

In any case, I doubt I will see this in theaters, simply because I feel I would get the same effect of seeing it on my small TV. I can't justify paying to see this in theaters when there will almost certainly be a movie worthy of the bigscreen around at the same time.

EDIT: While I think Maher is in general a prick, I tip my hat to him in regards to this:

Brack

I think what some fail to see is that Maher is more than willing to believe in "God," but there's no proof of "His" existence, so why dog on the guy for that? He seems to be targeting organized religion, where there's the idea that there's a god(s) who gives a shit about us. while you may think Maher's pigeonholing religious people, the ones who are knocking him haven't really been listening to what he's had to say.

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J.J.A. Sabadoz

No, because the religious right is not content to just make arguments. They are actively trying to change laws (like to have creationism taught in school) or prevent laws from changing when they should (like with gay marriage).

That is very different from simply saying 'i don't agree with religion, and here's why:'

mcnabb

I think Maher has every right to express his opinion about religion, the same way the religious right has the freedom to express theirs. But what extreme sides don't understand is you can't sway people by either mocking them or shoving it down their throats.

What Maher says on Religion alot of times is probably true, but he does it in a such an in your face way, that is turns alot of people off, because he thinks anyone who is religious believes EVERYTHING. I am a Catholic, and I agree with Maher on the Priest scandals, as that was a disgrace.

When Maher was on ABC, he was alot more moderate in many of his views, and his show wasn't used as propaganda for getting his candidate elected. Heck, he wasn't even a democrat when he was at ABC, he voted for Nader in 2000.

But I have noticed that Maher consistently stacks the panel, sometimes with all Liberal guests, and they just rag on Bush for the whole hour, without anyone on the other side. What kind of debate is that? He is now just a mouthpiece to get Obama elected, the same way he rails against Fox News for doing the same for Republicans.

I can't wait til this election season is over so Maher can go back to the days when his show was funny and political, and not just a 1 hour advertisement for the Democratic Party. He did this up to the run up to the '04 election, and then in '05 he went back to having more diverse panels on the show, which leads to a better debate, which leads to a more entertaining show. When Maher comes back in September, it will be full fledged infommercial against McCain, Republicans, Religion, etc. Now he has every right to do it, but unfortunately he always loses me as a viewer every 4 years.

woofman

Can't wait to see this

Looks hilarious!!!

ToddSm66

I'll never understand why people get so offended and bent out of shape over what other people believe...or why there is always the need to pound your chest and try to convince everybody else that their beliefs are wrong and your beliefs are right. And it goes both ways. Just seems like an awful lot of insecurity to me. Believe what you want to believe and don't worry about everybody else. This movie looks like a colossal waste of time to me.

..and the "if you don't like it, then ignore it" defense seems just a tad hypocritical to me.

pjflyer

I saw about 45 minutes of this in Toronto. Bill Maher and Larry Charles were there and spoke and took questions. I would say if you are a fan of Maher that you will enjoy it. It is very funny.

Larry Charles doesn't take criticism very well. There are a couple scenes where they put "joke" subtitles under people speaking in their own languages. Someone pointed out that this belittled someone they were interviewing and took away from the rest of the film that allows people to hang themselves with their own words. Charles yelled at the guy to "make his own movie."

kstublen

Maher is just like them, as he is also actively trying to change laws and exert his influence in support of things he believes in. He is a founding member of this group called The Reason Project which is "devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society, as well as encouraging critical thinking and wise public policy." Seems to me that he too is actively trying to change things as well.

lol wow Larry Charles is an asshole. But it's not like that was an unreasonable comment/suggestion. It is totally valid, and putting false subtitles as a joke not only makes them looks like arogant assholes, but also takes away from their credibility. When I read subtitles, I expect them to tell me exactly (or as close as possible) what somebody is actually saying in a foreign language, not what a filmmaker thinks will make me laugh and make the subject look like an idiot.

Artman

Again, same argument... aren't people on the left also imposing their beliefs and values? We live in a democracy, whoever's on the losing end of the vote will always feel pushed around.

Brack

You're incorrect in thinking that Maher is a Democrat. he's always described himself as a Libertarian. he makes fun of Democrats just as much as Republicans if they screw up. He has given his reasons why he endorses Obama (since McCain= Bush 3rd term). Very rarely does Maher not have at least one conservative on his show.

chris_sc77

Also, Conservatives are probably not jumping for the chance to be on his show. Every time one seems to come on he completely owns them them by ponting out their inaccuracies and refusing to back away from the topic which the conservatives always tend to want to change.
He also does feature a conservative correspondent though in the form of that pretty young black chick who he seems to get along with and have civilized conversations with.

Brack

Not to get too political here, but it's funny that her stance on abstinence-only sex education most likely isn't very effective (no surprise here).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...060401735.html

mcnabb

He used to be a libertarian, but he has definitely changed over the past 5 years. When he was on ABC, he was a true libertarian, as he was for tax cuts, smaller government, pro-choice, etc, and I found myself really agreeing with Maher alot, cause I am a pro-choice moderate republican.

After he went to HBO, and became friends with many on the left, he has changed alot, and now his show is an infomercial for the democratic party. He only makes fun of democats like Hillary cause he supported Obama, but just watch his monologue, he rarely makes a joke on Obama. The ironic thing about the Clintons is that he used to defend Bill during the Monica impeachment stuff, and now he makes fun of Hillary for 'standing by her man'. Why? Because he is an Obama supporter, and has no use for Hillary at this point.

His show is essentially about the environment, the war, and how much he hates religion. Now of course the war is going to be a major topic, but the environment and religion has all of the sudden ruled his shows anymore, and sadly it is getting old, because it is the same old stuff everytime.

As for conservative panelists, he had 4 shows this year with all liberal panelists, and only once was the panel dominated by conservatives. His show on ABC used to be great with 4 guests, 2 dems and 2 Repub's, but now it so one sided, the show has gotten stale.

Although I will DVR it and FF to New Rules, as that is still great.