Carmike Cinemas opts to not show ‘The Interview’ after new threats issued in latest Sony hack

Written by O’Boyd

Carmine Cinemas has become the first movie theater chain to decide it won’t run the Seth Rogan/James Franco film “The Interview.”

Sony reports it is moving forward with the planned Christmas release. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it has told theater chains that booked the film it has the option not to show it in their theaters. Carmike Cinemas operates 278 theaters across the country and is based in Columbus, Ga.

The news come amid more threats from the hacker group Guardians of Peace, which has claimed responsibility for the massive leaks of thousands of Sony employees’ private emails and files. The group also made its first threat towards theaters earlier Tuesday, stating a 9/11-style attack would happen if the film is released.

Just before midnight, THR reported the New York premiere for the film had been cancelled. 9/11 happened in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. Rogan and Franco have also cancelled planned appearances in the city for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tuesday, the hackers made good on their promise of releasing a “Christmas gift” by releasing an eighth batch of documents to the Internet. The Hollywood Reporter reports it appears to be the entire email account of Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Michael Lynton.

On Monday, Lynton told people at a town hall meeting: “This will not take us down.”

In Tuesday’s messages, THR said it warned: “We will clearly show [the remainder of the Christmas gift] to you at the very time and places ‘The Interview’ be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to.”

Also from THR:

Tuesday’s email message was sent to reporters with links to peer-to-peer sites that contained part one of GOP’s “Christmas gift,” which it promised over the weekend in a previous message.

“We have already promised a Christmas gift to you,” the message continued. “This is the beginning of the gift. … Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made. The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.) Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment. All the world will denounce the SONY.”

The note then mentioned the September 11, 2001, attacks, and stated that the “world would be full of fear.”

“Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made. The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.)”

Reviews from the past: ‘United 93’

Roger Thomas has written movie reviews for The Stanly News & Press and other outlets for years, long before starting this blog. So we decided it would be good to give readers a sample of his previous work, in addition to posts of reviews of current films. The following is a review that first appeared on Ethicsdaily.com. Other reviews will run daily.

Passengers try to take over the plane and prevent it from crashing like the others on 9/11 in the film ‘United 93.’

There are some people who have made watching “The Passion of the Christ” a part of their Good Friday traditions. I have friends and family members who make a point to watch the film each year. I have not seen “The Passion” since its first theatrical run in the winter of 2004. The images have stayed with me and I am not comfortable viewing it repeatedly. So I have never watched it in my home, and probably never will.

This is not to imply that “The Passion” is a bad film. I think it is a great artistic achievement. There are several scenes that I would love to see again: Jesus struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane, the conversation between Pilate and Jesus; the conversation between Pilate and his wife, and the most powerful moment in the film when Mary watches her son stumble on the road to Golgotha and remembers his tumble as a child. There are too many scenes between these which are too difficult for me to experience again; the images of violence are still intensely vivid in my mind.

“United 93” was the same kind of viewing experience for me. By now, most people know that 93 is the story of the ill-fated plane which ended up in a field in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. This movie which offers a possible account of everything that happened as the passengers overcame their terrorist captors is also a film of great artistic achievement.

Shot in a documentary style, it is compelling and often riveting to watch. Much of the film depicts the individuals on the ground; these men and women are responding first to a hijacking, then a disaster at the World Trade Center, and finally an understanding that this is an orchestrated attack on the United States of America. There is not a lot of politics or messages in the film; just an attempt to accurately portray the events of the day.

Then there are the incredible scenes on the plane designated United 93. Some of these moments are violent (though not coming close to the violence of “The Passion”), but mostly the raw emotion of these scenes is what takes a toll on the viewer. It is exhausting to watch the events unfurl, even though anyone seeing the film already knows what is coming.

There will be heroes who step up and do the right thing. These individuals should be remembered and honored always. Anyone viewing the film is forced to consider if they too would have the courage to act. Hopefully many would act as these did to stop the fourth plane from causing even greater destruction than our nation had already experienced that day.

When “United 93” was over, I asked myself if I would want to watch it again. Much like “The Passion,” I predict there will be many who will buy the DVD and watch it every year on September 11th so they will not forget. I will not need that sort of reminder.

I recommend “United 93” to all Americans over the age of 12. Everyone should see it. And the timing is right for this film. I am glad I experienced the film and what I saw on screen will stay with me in much the same way as some of the images of “The Passion” have remained fresh in my mind. Go see it, just do not ask me to go along with you.

 Box Office results

Domestic gross: $31,483,450

Foreign gross: $44,802,646

Production budget: $15 million

Opening weekend: $11,478,360

NOTE: Information from Boxofficemojo.com