Films 'Risen' and 'The Young Messiah'

[KarensMusic]

BTW: I read through Jimmy Aiken’s article that he posted, as well as many (including yours) replies. I found your argument quite compelling in those responses. Again, I hope people can appreciate your knowledge. Thank you.
Karen

Hi there. Thanks for reading my stuff!

I didn’t review Risen but I saw it and thought it was excellent and contained nothing contrary to the Catholic faith, as Young Messiah does. It was a classic example of how a film can expand upon what we do know from the Bible, without contradicting either the Bible or Catholic doctrine. I absolutely loved it.

 

[Neithan]

I saw both films and enjoyed both of them. Risen may be the more orthodox and scripturally based; but I wouldn’t discourage anyone from seeing The Young Messiah.

In The Young Messiah there are some Christologically questionable scenes, for example one scene where Mary tells Jesus about the Annunciation, and Jesus asks her if his father is an angel. Although this is confusing because the young Jesus already calls God his father. It seems almost Arian at times, so I respect Dave Armstrong’s critiques. I appreciated how “devotion-friendly” the film was for Catholics (as CNS’ John Mulderig put it in his movie review) and thought the characters of Jesus’ family, especially Mary and Joseph, were well portrayed.

To avoid unjustly condemning what are genuinely moving works of devotional fiction, I would suggest not viewing these films as catechetical material, but as flawed works of art produced by people who have an imperfect understanding, but clearly a deep admiration for Our Lord and his life on earth.

 

[Neithan]

I am glad that these films are out in the mainstream. It shows that there still is a religious presence in Hollywood. I hope these films succeed.

I hope so too. Risen has done fairly well at the box office, but The Young Messiah is struggling to break even. Hopefully they get a second wind after Easter, unless cinemas drop them for lack of revenue.

 

[NM505StKate]

So anyone heard of “Miracles From Heaven”?

 

[StudentMI]

I have to be honest, the first thing that came to mind when I read about The Young Messiah was… “does Sean Bean die in it?”

 

[GraceSofia]

I saw both films and enjoyed both of them. Risen may be the more orthodox and scripturally based; but I wouldn’t discourage anyone from seeing The Young Messiah.
…]
To avoid unjustly condemning what are genuinely moving works of devotional fiction, I would suggest not viewing these films as catechetical material, but as flawed works of art produced by people who have an imperfect understanding, but clearly a deep admiration for Our Lord and his life on earth.

I think that’s a very good point. Christians should be happy to have something that reverentially looks at Jesus. There is so much truly spirit-damaging stuff out there that I don’t get all the negativity thrown at this.

The director was born into a Muslim family; I think what he has to say is interesting.

catholicnewsagency.com/news/from-the-stoning-of-soraya-m-to-the-young-messiah-a-filmmakers-journey-42983/

Born in the U.S., his parents moved him back to their native Iran as a boy for several years, and he was drawn to visit again as a young adult.

But it’s in his faith journey and his career as a filmmaker that Nowrasteh has really found himself caught in between worlds. Raised secularly by his culturally Muslim parents, Nowrasteh began a long conversion to Christianity after marrying his Christian wife in 1981.

I have to be honest, the first thing that came to mind when I read about The Young Messiah was… “does Sean Bean die in it?”

That’s probably the question that keeps the dramatic tension going the most. Haha.
To be honest, the main reason I want to see this film is to see Sean Bean in historical costume with a sword in his hand doing his brilliant understated thing.

 

[JB_Brother_4446]

Is that quote supposed to be “How do we explain God to his own son?” or is something else supposed to be implied by using the word sin?

Oh, sorry. I meant Son.