Unlikely Fans

A fascinating little item in The New York Times this morning: Evidently, Michael Moore and Mel Gibson, directors of the two most polarizing films of 2004, are fans of each other's work. After the People's Choice Awards on Sunday, at which Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 was voted Best Movie and Gibson's The Passion of the Christ was named Best Drama, the two were interviewed and offered each other some pretty strong praise. Moore said he is a practicing Catholic and appreciated Gibson's vision, and Gibson -- much more surprisingly, from my perspective -- offered strong criticism of the Iraq war in addition to praise of Moore's talents.
Now, why am I more surprised at Gibson's comments? It betrays my own prejudices, I know. And this from someone who has delayed seeing Passion because I suspect I will be sickened by the violence.
Still, I'm glad that these two have found something to admire in each other's artistry. I wish for more of the same. I really am someone who believes there should be common ground between Democrats and Republicans, and that our government policies should be based on that common ground, rather than through tyrannical rule by the party in power (I almost said "majority" party, but I also truly believe we are a country split almost exactly down the partisan middle at this point, as little sense as that makes to me).