How are Christian films so awful?

[ringil]

The makers of these films are less concerned with winning awards, their primary goal is to get every viewer “saved” (that includes those Catholics).

Yep, in Courageous there certainly aren’t any Catholics- even the Hispanic guy!

And a bunch of guys drinking SODA at a bar-b-que!!! PLEASE!!

 

[Publisher]

Yep, in Courageous there certainly aren’t any Catholics- even the Hispanic guy!

And a bunch of guys drinking SODA at a bar-b-que!!! PLEASE!!

I’ve been to many BBQ’s where we drank soda or water…no alcohol…I’ve been to a BBQ with my evangelical friends that numbered in the hundreds…not a beer can in sight…nor any tobacco for that matter…you bet…a bunch of guys just drinking soda…not strange to me at all.

 

[SGTTOM]

It’s strange because Hollywood used to make great Christian movies. The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, The Robe, ect. Now it’s so sicky sweet and bad acting that they are truely unwatchable. I put the Sr. Terese movie in there as well.

The thing is Hollywood isn’t making these Christian movies, amateur filmmakers are .

 

[ringil]

I’ve been to many BBQ’s where we drank soda or water…no alcohol…I’ve been to a BBQ with my evangelical friends that numbered in the hundreds…not a beer can in sight…nor any tobacco for that matter…you bet…a bunch of guys just drinking soda…not strange to me at all.

Hmmm. . . . sounds like a real hoot.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

The makers of these films are less concerned with winning awards, their primary goal is to get every viewer “saved” (that includes those Catholics).

Yep, that’s pretty much why I generally avoid films who carry the label. Though to be fair, I find some old Catholic films who carry the same feel (take the famed movie The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima).

It’s because of the stigmas that I’ve come to avoid putting the Christian label on the things I write. I put in religious elements sure but only so I can have something to contrast against the more realistic concepts/elements and blunt concepts that I try to express in my stories.

 

[Cat]

I’ve been to many BBQ’s where we drank soda or water…no alcohol…I’ve been to a BBQ with my evangelical friends that numbered in the hundreds…not a beer can in sight…nor any tobacco for that matter…you bet…a bunch of guys just drinking soda…not strange to me at all.

Same here.

And those were good times.

 

[wondrousgnat]

Am I the only one who was bothered by the movie COURAGEOUS having so many blacks being criminals? One family was good but all the rest were bad.

 

[ringil]

Am I the only one who was bothered by the movie COURAGEOUS having so many blacks being criminals? One family was good but all the rest were bad.

Yes, I noticed that, but I don’t think that is was hurt this movie. THe worldview of evangelicals can be kind of limiting so you are just going to have this sort of thing.

 

[Castello]

Yep, that’s pretty much why I generally avoid films who carry the label. Though to be fair, I find some old Catholic films who carry the same feel (take the famed movie The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima).

It’s because of the stigmas that I’ve come to avoid putting the Christian label on the things I write. I put in religious elements sure but only so I can have something to contrast against the more realistic concepts/elements and blunt concepts that I try to express in my stories.

Tiny bit off topic, but, are you a member of the Catholic Writers Guild? catholicwritersguild.com/

 

[AlwaysCurious]

The makers of these films are less concerned with winning awards, their primary goal is to get every viewer “saved” (that includes those Catholics).

I saw *Facing the Giants *and Fireproof, but have not seen Courageous. I saw the first while still a Protestant, and even then found it wincingly bad. *Fireproof *was a tiny bit better thanks to Kirk Cameron, whom I fondly remember from Growing Pains

The biggest problem is that the films are only capable of preaching to the choir. An audience who already believes exactly what the film is harping about may love it, but everyone else is basically excluded. I agree with the OP that subtlety is key–beauty has a way of drawing people towards the Faith without being preachy.

 

[maryjk]

I saw *Facing the Giants *and Fireproof, but have not seen Courageous. I saw the first while still a Protestant, and even then found it wincingly bad. *Fireproof *was a tiny bit better thanks to Kirk Cameron, whom I fondly remember from Growing Pains

The biggest problem is that the films are only capable of preaching to the choir. An audience who already believes exactly what the film is harping about may love it, but everyone else is basically excluded. I agree with the OP that subtlety is key–beauty has a way of drawing people towards the Faith without being preachy.

Courageous is a teeny tiny bit better than Fireproof. Of course, I would rate Fireproof a zero out of 5 stars.

According to the movie, if you believe in God, your life will be peachy. If you don’t, you will end up dealing drugs and in prison. Oh, except for the cute little girl that dies. Of course that just brings Daddy back to church. So we are back to if you believe in God, your life is peachy.

 

[SGTTOM]

I don’t mind a film having a religious message as long as it isn’t to grating. As long as it is mainly story telling centered and not centered around promoting the message itself.

 

[Havard]

So I watched this movie “Courageous” which is a Christian-themed movie about Fatherhood. It was pretty awful. This review from Rotten Tomatoes sums up my sentiments nicely regarding this filmspecifically, but also much of the Christian movie making industry in general.

“Fails to answer the more pressing question of why religious sagas such as this treat subtlety as a sin”

Some religious movies I actually have enjoyed are “The Mission”, “Black Robe”, and “The Passion”- though this is a very specific type of film. These movies have great acting and impressive settings and present complex moral questions in a mature and intriguing way- at least the first two. The passion, I enjoyed more as a depiction of a specific event- the Passion ofcourse- so was presented in a different, but authentic and moving way.

Why are Christian movies so bad in general though as pieces of film making? Why do they lack any sense of subtlety and generallly, come at you like a moralistic sledgehammer to the head? This movie “Courageous” is a sachrine-sweet, American-as-apple-pie, shallow, and dry trolip through the most basic moral questions presented in the most obvious manner.

Have other folks noticed this and why do you think this is. I suspect that Christian film makers may be too worried that they could offend their audience, or don’t believe that their prospective audiences are sophisticated enough to grasp but the most basic moral dillemas…

Funny, I think the same thing every time I’m forced to watch anime.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Tiny bit off topic, but, are you a member of the Catholic Writers Guild? catholicwritersguild.com/

Not really. I’ve heard of it but a busy life makes signing up for ANY sort of writer’s group difficult.

Funny, I think the same thing every time I’m forced to watch anime.

If you’re trying to grab my attention, you’ve succeeded.

On a more obviously defensive note, I must speak up as one of this thread’s resident anime nerds.

Anime at the very least doesn’t have much moral lessons to be preachy with. Hence, calling it moralistic might ring true but a sledgehammer it is not.

Simple concepts such as honor, friendship, and romantic love are all easily expressed without religious reference. On the other hand, these religious movies are all about the religious, period.

I would also have to say that there are a good deal of anime movies out there who go by the “show, don’t tell” rule. Some critics go as far as to say that anime is more about show with just minimal morals as base. (And on that note, I have to admit that I enjoy watching two girls fight each other with oversized weapons first, their reasons for fighting second. )

P.S.

Needless to say, I too have come to prefer using simple morals and large doses of eye-candy compared to the horrible reverse of so-called ‘Christian’ movies. My writing experiments make the former easier to be subtle with messages than the latter.

 

[Havard]

If you’re trying to grab my attention, you’ve succeeded.

Come now, everyone knows the Lost Wanderer version of the “bat signal” is

HARRY POTTER/ROCK MUSIC/OUIJA BOARD/D&D ARE THE DEEEEVVVVVIIIIIIIIIILLLLLL

 

[MrZoom]

Courageous is a teeny tiny bit better than Fireproof. Of course, I would rate Fireproof a zero out of 5 stars.

According to the movie, if you believe in God, your life will be peachy. If you don’t, you will end up dealing drugs and in prison. Oh, except for the cute little girl that dies. Of course that just brings Daddy back to church. So we are back to if you believe in God, your life is peachy.

Speaking of the girl who dies in Courageous, did anyone else feel – and I almost hate to say this – that the movie spent too much time on the family grieving after she passed? I think there’s a difference between making the audience genuinely feel for a character that dies, and wallowing in it – and I think *Courageous *wallowed in it. I think one, or maybe even two, of the scenes could have been cut and it would have improved the film.

 

[Birdpreacher]

I am offended by this thread. Angels in the Outfield was one of the best movies of all time!

 

[maryjk]

Speaking of the girl who dies in Courageous, did anyone else feel – and I almost hate to say this – that the movie spent too much time on the family grieving after she passed? I think there’s a difference between making the audience genuinely feel for a character that dies, and wallowing in it – and I think *Courageous *wallowed in it. I think one, or maybe even two, of the scenes could have been cut and it would have improved the film.

YES…and the foreshadowing was foretelling.

I leaned over to my husband and told him “you know she is going to die, right?” about 10 minutes before she died.

Same with the drug dealing cop.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Come now, everyone knows the Lost Wanderer version of the “bat signal” is

HARRY POTTER/ROCK MUSIC/OUIJA BOARD/D&D ARE THE DEEEEVVVVVIIIIIIIIIILLLLLL

Bat signal? I’m sure such statements have attracted more than just me as a regular. Why not the “Avengers Assemble” call instead? (Then again, we’re talking a bit of fantasy here so maybe everyone just blinks/apparates/planeswalks in instead of classic superhero entrance XD) Talk about anime though and I can boast more ninja reflexes than anyone else here.

Speaking of which though, I find it quite telling that evangelicals prefer movies bad religious movies/fiction while having everything from no interest to outright condemnation towards anything with fantastical elements (even Disney movies). You’d think Prince of Egypt might be the exception but apparently it’s just as much a pro-Jewish movie as it is a Christian one.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I am offended by this thread. Angels in the Outfield was one of the best movies of all time!

I’ve seen a bit of Angels in the Outfield when I was kid. Comparing what I remember with what I’m skimming on the wiki page of Courageous, I’m sorry but I think you’re making a very imbalanced comparison.