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Xavierlives
Guest
Hmmm… I completely forgot about LoTR and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Classic books, excellent movies.
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Classic books, excellent movies.
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Teneas
Guest
Good point about Narnia! The entire theater was standing and applauding at the end of the first one!
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Libertarian_FL
Guest
Man of LaMancha (musical) >>> How can one see Sophia Loren in her prime and NOT think there is a God that is glorious - if your a man?
Seriously I will add three others but that is a darn good reason. The Color of the Cross >>> Jesus as a black man and racism being part of the reason He was killed it was very interesting. Kingdom of Heaven >>> Showed the good and extremist positions in Christianity and Islam a very interesting movie. And a TV Show >>> Babylon 5 and oddly it was very pro-religion with a respect for alien and the human faiths and a very good show dealing with moral issues as well.
Seriously I will add three others but that is a darn good reason. The Color of the Cross >>> Jesus as a black man and racism being part of the reason He was killed it was very interesting. Kingdom of Heaven >>> Showed the good and extremist positions in Christianity and Islam a very interesting movie. And a TV Show >>> Babylon 5 and oddly it was very pro-religion with a respect for alien and the human faiths and a very good show dealing with moral issues as well.
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wmscott
Guest
I watched Fireproof; I thought the acting was cheesy and low budget. However, the message was spot on and inspiring. I would recommend everyone see it at least once.
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Teneas
Guest
I saw Facing the Giants. The delivery guy that delivered our electrical material to the job site asked if I had seen it, and handed me a dvd. It is a good movie for it’s message. Can get a bit over the top however. It made me cry, as it as a rough time in our lives, as with most these days.
Course, I cry at most movies with meaning.
J
Janet1983
Guest
Yes I have seen Fireproof and it is great!!! A lot of people should go ahead and see it to realize that marriage is making an inseparable bond… It’s the best movies for couples ever!! I would recommend it!
In Him,
Janet
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Xavierlives
Guest
But God doesn’t want me to sin.Man of LaMancha (musical) >>> How can one see Sophia Loren in her prime and NOT think there is a God that is glorious - if your a man?
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Byzantine_Wolf
Guest
Interesting question.
A childhood favorite of mine was The Greatest Story Ever Told, with Max von Sydow as Jesus Christ. The spirituality in it is somewhat more subtle than other films, and I always loved the scene where Christ heals the blind old man in Nazareth, the only one to treat Him kindly. You see Jesus approach him, He touches his eyes, and the man begins to speak to Him. Yet when the old man looks up, no one is there.
Another childhood favorite was The Robe. When I saw it as a kid I sympathized with Richard Burton’s character, because his detest of the robe seemed to be what my own spirituality was, even into my adulthood - I knew of Christ, but this sensation of loving God was altogether new to me, and I didn’t know what to make of it. As an adult I love it even more, in particular the ending. As the two main characters are being led away to martyrdom, the Emperor Caligula is cackling madly, “They’re going into a better kingdom! They’re going to meet their king!” Words of mockery that are words of joy for those who believe.
During my Muslim days I saw The Passion of the Christ, and although it didn’t convert me it had a big affect on me, and it still does to this day. I know many still criticize it for the violence, but I always defend it by saying it’s the “Saving Private Ryan of crucifixion movies.” What I mean by this is when a soldier got hit by a 50-caliber bullet in Saving Private Ryan, the movie showed you what getting hit by a 50-caliber bullet looked like; similarly, when The Passion shows the Roman scourging Jesus, they show you what scourging looked liked. I also greatly appreciate the human aspect that Gibson gave Christ and His mother - when I first saw the film I was crying at the scene where the Virgin Mary has the flashback of Jesus as a little boy and goes running to Him. It’s easy for us to read that the Theotokos was at the foot of the cross, but it’s difficult for us to imagine what it must have been like for a mother to see her son be mocked publicly, scourged, beaten, and then crucified.
One film that isn’t necessarily religious but which I think has a lot to say is There Will Be Blood. Even though the only Christianity shown is a crazy Charismatic church run by preacher Eli (Paul Dano), I think there’s a lot to be said about the character of the oil baron Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis) and his experiences there. There’s a scene where he “confesses” before the whole church, and supposedly does repent in a later scene, but then in the very next scene is shown to have not changed at all - he repented outwardly, but not inwardly.
Some honorable mentions: Children of the Corn and the original The Wicker Man. Although these films probably aren’t going to be liked well by most Christians, what took me by surprise was that although both films dealt with the subject of religion, neither film seems to look at Christianity negatively. The kids in Children believe a mockery of Christianity as taught to them by a demon, and the protagonist even tells them that they’re following a false faith, adding that any religion without love is not a real religion. As for Wicker Man, the policeman who visits the island is a devout Christian who is shocked by the pagan rituals on the island, and although tempted he never loses his faith, right up to the surprising ending. I also couldn’t help but notice that the film seemed way ahead of its time: aren’t we now forsaking the Christian God for the pagan gods of old, who rely on pleasure and what we perceive nature to be?
Just some thoughts
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Xavierlives
Guest
Man. I haven’t seen any of these (Besides the Passion).Interesting question.
A childhood favorite of mine was The Greatest Story Ever Told, with Max von Sydow as Jesus Christ. The spirituality in it is somewhat more subtle than other films, and I always loved the scene where Christ heals the blind old man in Nazareth, the only one to treat Him kindly. You see Jesus approach him, He touches his eyes, and the man begins to speak to Him. Yet when the old man looks up, no one is there.
Another childhood favorite was The Robe. When I saw it as a kid I sympathized with Richard Burton’s character, because his detest of the robe seemed to be what my own spirituality was, even into my adulthood - I knew of Christ, but this sensation of loving God was altogether new to me, and I didn’t know what to make of it. As an adult I love it even more, in particular the ending. As the two main characters are being led away to martyrdom, the Emperor Caligula is cackling madly, “They’re going into a better kingdom! They’re going to meet their king!” Words of mockery that are words of joy for those who believe.
During my Muslim days I saw The Passion of the Christ, and although it didn’t convert me it had a big affect on me, and it still does to this day. I know many still criticize it for the violence, but I always defend it by saying it’s the “Saving Private Ryan of crucifixion movies.” What I mean by this is when a soldier got hit by a 50-caliber bullet in Saving Private Ryan, the movie showed you what getting hit by a 50-caliber bullet looked like; similarly, when The Passion shows the Roman scourging Jesus, they show you what scourging looked liked. I also greatly appreciate the human aspect that Gibson gave Christ and His mother - when I first saw the film I was crying at the scene where the Virgin Mary has the flashback of Jesus as a little boy and goes running to Him. It’s easy for us to read that the Theotokos was at the foot of the cross, but it’s difficult for us to imagine what it must have been like for a mother to see her son be mocked publicly, scourged, beaten, and then crucified.
One film that isn’t necessarily religious but which I think has a lot to say is There Will Be Blood. Even though the only Christianity shown is a crazy Charismatic church run by preacher Eli (Paul Dano), I think there’s a lot to be said about the character of the oil baron Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis) and his experiences there. There’s a scene where he “confesses” before the whole church, and supposedly does repent in a later scene, but then in the very next scene is shown to have not changed at all - he repented outwardly, but not inwardly.
Some honorable mentions: Children of the Corn and the original The Wicker Man. Although these films probably aren’t going to be liked well by most Christians, what took me by surprise was that although both films dealt with the subject of religion, neither film seems to look at Christianity negatively. The kids in Children believe a mockery of Christianity as taught to them by a demon, and the protagonist even tells them that they’re following a false faith, adding that any religion without love is not a real religion. As for Wicker Man, the policeman who visits the island is a devout Christian who is shocked by the pagan rituals on the island, and although tempted he never loses his faith, right up to the surprising ending. I also couldn’t help but notice that the film seemed way ahead of its time: aren’t we now forsaking the Christian God for the pagan gods of old, who rely on pleasure and what we perceive nature to be?
Just some thoughts
That is the great thing about this thread: maybe I’ll get to see some good movies!
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Byzantine_Wolf
Guest
If you see any of them, I highly recommend The Robe. The final scene between Richard Burton and the emperor is fantastic. It has a lot to say about spirituality, faith in Christ, as well as personal redemption. It’s just a well done movie, and still packs a punch even today.
R
ralphinal
Guest
The Robe is a throwback to Hollywood at its bestIf you see any of them, I highly recommend The Robe. The final scene between Richard Burton and the emperor is fantastic. It has a lot to say about spirituality, faith in Christ, as well as personal redemption. It’s just a well done movie, and still packs a punch even today.
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4Squarebaby
Guest
Robert Duvall’s The Apostle
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AmateurPianist
Guest
What about “The Sound of Music”
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Brywan
Guest
Yes, The Apostle. Another Duvall film: Tender Mercies.
“Babette’s Feast” which I consider an extended metaphor for the Eucharist.
Chariot’s of Fire
Ghandi
Shawshank Redemption
Les Miserables
Brideshead Revisited–the book, not the film. The recent film took a decidedly anti-Catholic slant which I didn’t detect as strongly in the book. I don’t think the screenwriter’s “got it.”
LOTR trilogy
Ben Hur
Shadowlands
etc etc etc.
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Byzantine_Wolf
Guest
Daaah! How could I have forgotten that! First time I saw it was at my old church right before Great Lent. Wonderful movie to watch at that time.
If any one has ever read the lives of monastics, especially Orthodox monastics, it is the perfect film to watch. It’s like all those stories put to film. Also a fine example of those Russian monks who chose to be “fools for Christ.”
If any one has ever read the lives of monastics, especially Orthodox monastics, it is the perfect film to watch. It’s like all those stories put to film. Also a fine example of those Russian monks who chose to be “fools for Christ.”
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Xavierlives
Guest
Ben Hur and Chariot’s of Fire were on my list too.
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4Squarebaby
Guest
Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself
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Xavierlives
Guest
Ruh-roh… next is going to be Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
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4Squarebaby
Guest
His vehicle might be comedies but what is the underling message of Perry’s work?
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Xavierlives
Guest
To be quite honest, I have never seen a movie by Perry (and this is coming from a person who will see almost any flick).His vehicle might be comedies but what is the underling message of Perry’s work?
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