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| Do you have some personally favorite films that have impacted you in a spiritual way? Send me your list. I am putting together a top 100 list of spiritually significant films. |
TOP GREAT FILMS
OF SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE
1999 postings
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 We are putting together a visitors' list of the most spiritually significant films of all time. Please e-mail me your favorites. Include your reasons if you wish. |
WHAT FILMS HAVE IMPACTED YOU THE MOST IN A SPIRITUAL WAY?
Thanks to John Schuurman for suggesting this project.
1999 postings
2000 postings
2001 postings |
HERE ARE THE SUGGESTIONS SO FAR: |
FROM JOHN SCHUURMAN
Chariots of Fire
Tender Mercies
Dead Man Walking
The Ten Commandments
Sling Blade
Shawshank Redemption
Black Robe
The Mission
Places in the Heart
It's a Wonderful Life
The Apostle
Shadowlands
The Crucible |
From Colin Bosher:
Here are my top films. The 1st is way in front of the rest. They are in no particular order of priority.
1. Jesus of Nazarath
2. Moses - Burt Lancaster or Charlton Heston
3. The Robe
4. Ghost
5. Superman
6. Highlander
7. The Lion the Which & the Wardrobe
- Cartoon - CS Lewis NARNIA Stories
8. The 5th Element
9. The Stand (I & II)- Stephen King
10. E.T |
ALAN WILLCOX'S TOP FILMS
June 11, 1999.
Some for being "uplifting," but, as a Christian, it's more refreshing to see movies that, though perhaps far something I would agree with, are in touch with what the questions are, including:
Crimes and Misdemeanors - perhaps Woody's best film, and probably his most serious
Faraway, So Close and Wings of Desire - Wim Wenders's against-the-cute-and-cuddly depiction of human life -- as viewed by the Angels. Forget City of Angels -- go see the real thing!
Babette's Feast -- so simple, so profound, so earthy Secrets and Lies -- ditto Ladyhawke (cult film, but fun, and God-centered) -- fantastic fairy tale
Blade Runner -- disturbing to say the least
Chariots of Fire -- wonderful character study, and also wonderful to see an unapologetic, realistic portrayal of a genuinely godly man.
Tender Mercies -- Strength for the weary
The Mission -- How deep does your faith go?
Malcolm X -- Questions the Church ignored
The Apostle -- no description needed
Sling Blade -- makes Forrest Gump look like a box of melted chocolates
Ulee's Gold -- moving portrayal of the value of people and relationships
Taxi Driver -- brilliant snapshot of the insanity and disconnected-ness of modern life. Interesting pair with Ulee
L.A. Confidential -- What is integrity?
The Crucible -- What is righteousness?
The Double Life of Veronique -- Who am I?
Breaking the Waves -- the beauty of sacrificial love Being There -- I totally disagree with this film, but it nonetheless points out, again, the absurdity of much of modern life.
Do the Right Thing -- What would you do?
Strangers in Good Company -- Everyone has a story Unforgiven -- Sometines we'd rather be right than forgiven ... |
JOE'S TOP 10 MOVIES FOR TEACHING BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES
September 9, 1999.
1. Braveheart: You can teach freedom in Christ, having a firm foundation for what you believe in, or how "All men die, but not all men live!" The list goes on!
2. Dead Poets Society: You can teach "Gather your rosebuds, while ye may!" Carpe Diem, O Captian, my Captian. There is so much there!
3. Episode 1 The Phantom Menace: Like I even need to explain?
4. Star Wars Trilogy: May The Force "God" Be With You! Never tell me the odds, There is no try, do or do not! This ain't no cave?
5. The Godfather I: Loyalty to the Father! God has made us an offer
we can't refuse!
6. Tombstone: The part towards the end when Johnny Ringo wants to have it out with Wyatt, just like Satan wants to have it out with us! But instead of meeting up with Wyatt, Doc Holliday (Jesus) shows up and fights our battles for us! Satan is shaking saying, "My fights not with you!" Doc (Jesus) replies, "Oh I beg to differ, we started a game we never got to finish, for BLOOD, remember?" SAY WHEN!
7. The Karate Kid: The importance of spiritual discipline.
8. Scent of a Woman: Loyalty, the importance of spirit, and walk by faith not by sight!
9. Serpico: Integrity, perseverance, and the whole undercover thing! Don't be an undercover Christian!
10. Sergant York: Watch it if you don't know what I'm talking about! |
ANTELL'S TOP FILMS
O.K......
No 1 HAS to be 'The Shawshank Redemption' ( what a class film!)
2, perhaps suprisingly, 'Scum' ( Yes i know no one's heard of it but it deeply affected me)
3, hmmmm probably 'Braveheart'
(FREEEEEEEEEDDDDDDOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
4, 'Schindler's List' ( Extremely moving)
Also, 'Seven', 'Daylight', 'In the Mouth of Madness', '187', 'Saving Private Ryan' , ''White Squall', and 'Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves all left their mark on me.
Many others also but I'd be here all night!!!
P.S please don't post my address |
FROM ROBERT SWEENEY
BEN HUR --In looking through the various lists already posted I couldn't help but wonder, hasn't ANYONE seen In looking through the various lists already posted I couldn't help but wonder, hasn't ANYONE seen BEN HUR? One of the best films about Christ ever made. One of the most moving as well. Excellent depiction of God working in the life of one man.
Steve Martin's LEAP OF FAITH amazed me with it's overtly Christian themes that it never put down or made light of. The ending is astonishingly deep (but read some of the secular reviews, even the ones that liked the film overall didn't understand the ending. How sad.).
John Boorman's EXCALIBER is filled with spiritual concepts which can provide hours of interesting discussion.
MIGHTY APHRODITE --Woody Allen gives a wonderful example of loving the sinner without condoning the sin in MIGHTY APHRODITE. The sacred bonds of marriage are tested and found true in this film as well. (The language used by the title character will totally offend most "Christian" viewers, but hey folks, Jesus came to recapture the lost, not just hang out with the good and pure. Whoever THEY are!)
GROUNDHOG DAY has Bill Murray learning a hard lesson: Fulfillment comes from loving others more than yourself.
In TRAPPED IN PARADISE three dopey bank robbers spend Christmas Eve trying to escape a small town with the loot they've just stolen, but are won over by the overwhelming love and kindness of their victims. This film depicts the love of Christ as it SHOULD be lived, and has more real Christmas Spirit than any holiday movie since Miracle on 34th St. (1947 version)
SCHINDLER'S LIST vividly depicted how God can even use a non-believer to do His will (Schindler is shown to be a Catholic, but apparently a lapsed Catholic, if he ever really believed at all). Also, the list itself is fascinating. Many people helped Jews survive during the war, but Schindler is the only one to my knowledge who made a specific list of people he really didn't know or have any personal connection with (other than having worked in his factory). Could descendents of Schindler's Jews be part of the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation?
And I would be very much remiss if I failed to mention LILIES OF THE FIELD. A great statement about simple faith.? One of the best films about Christ ever made. One of the most moving as well. Excellent depiction of God working in the life of one man.
Your website is most interesting, thoughtful rather than judgemental. I am enjoying the exploration of it very much. Please keep at it.
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TED'S TOP TEN
It's A Wonderful Life- Intercessory prayer, intervention of saints and angels, the dignity & significance of daily compassionate living- WOW!
A Clockwork Orange- which is worse- to permit the possibility of vicious evil or to destroy the freedom to choose that evil? That plus the hallucinagenic Stanley Kubrick visuals, the witty manipulation of language from book author Anthony Burgess, and a haunting music score by Walter/Wendy Carlos!
Blade Runner- When humans assume God-like powers, we will have a Lucifer to rise against us. Yet in the end, even it may find the Way of Christ.
The Last Temptation of Christ- Flawed & heretical yet well-meaning, insightful & profoundly moving. The Scourging & Crucifixion scenes really hit me in the gut. And David Bowie as Pontius Pilate was totally incisive.
The Rapture- Michael Tolkin's story of Mimi Rogers as a debauched woman, turned Christian wife & mom, turned homicidal fanatic who in the end must choose whether to accept the Grace & Truth that is starting her in the face.
The Seventh Seal- Max Von Sydow, a returning Crusader, plays chess to keep the Black Death from claiming his companions. Is the film a denial or an affirmation of faith? The Apocalyptic ending would seem to be a denial but for the Life that survives & affirms God in the end.
Slaughterhouse Five- A man unstuck in time jumps thru his life in random points, as he is studied by aliens who want to see what the mystery of humanity is. He ends as the Adam in their laboratory Eden, mated with a lovely new Eve.
That is exhaustive by far but it's enough for now
Ted |
From Mat Hemater
A Man for All Seasons La Promesse(France)
Onibaba(Japan)
The Seventh Seal(Swedish)
Sophie's Choice
The Truman Show
Farewell, My Concubine(PR China)
La Strada(Italy)
The Big Blue (France/Italy)
Like Water for Chocolate(Mexico)
Tampopo(Japan)
Jean de Florette (France)
Green Card White |
| FROM REID BAILEY
As far as Favorite films: Blade Runner is way up there . (Was I supposed to say Jesus of Nazareth) The effect of atmosphere is really unsurpassed in BR. Ken Branagh's Henry the Fifth is another great one. The Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep take top honors in Film Noir, The Last of the Mohicans for adventure, the Bond flicks are good but it's just not the same with no Soviet Union. And any thing with Cyd Charisse or Louise Brooks, but especially Cyd Charisse. She's the most beautiful, glamorous woman to ever be captured on film. And no, it's not open for discussion.
And don't forget a movie that actually changed my life:The Princess Bride. When I came out of that movie I promised myself that I would learn to fence. I have since studied both modern sport fencing and historical rapier fencing.
But back to the Jesus of Nazareth Zefferelli was good, really good. His Romeo and Juliet is still the best.
A good offbeat one is The Duelist, probably the best sword action ever shot. William Hobbes did the fight direction and it was his best. His has never come close since. Robert Anderson did the fights for Mark of Zorro (A fun, fun movie) and did a superb job, as did Banderas. I'm not trying to sound like a know it all, it's just an area of interest. I hate watching bad swordsmanship!
So no, I don't have a favorite one but many of them.
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FROM MARY CARPENTER
The Crow, only the first one, the second one had problems |
FROM SMITH
My favorite movie is "Braveheart." There's a sequence in it where Robert the Bruce is confronting his father. In it his father is trying to persuade him to take the easy way to fame and power. Interestingly, the son ties in belief in his rebuke. He leaves his father and later takes a stand. The metaphors to the Bible are flying right and left everywhere! It is a powerful example of denying the world to accept Christ. There are so many wonderful allusions to spiritual things, muttled at times by worldliness, but the picture at the ending is so striking! "The Shadowlands" is a more perfect film about spiritual things. It affected me a lot, in my understanding of relationships.
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FROM ANTON FLORES
Here are my top films...
1. Gandhi... As a Christian, this movie has had an impact on me like no other movie I've ever seen. It powerfully portrays the potential of a life based on the Sermon on the Mount. Couple that with the power of the Holy Spirit and...WOW!
2. Schindler's List
3. The Color Purple
4. Entertaining Angels
5. A Man For All Seasons
6. The Mission
7. Cotton Patch Gospel
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FROM STAR AMSBAUGH
Here are my top films...
Shadowlands: Fun way to see how C.S. Lewis was inspired by his surroundings and God to write about Jesus as a lion instead of a lamb.
The Spitfire Grill: A story of redemption for a woman who wants to change the evil in her past.
The Shawshank Redemption: A story of grace under fire, finding freedom despite incarceration.
The Power of One: My absolute favorite! Finding freedom despite slavery, incarceration, color, economic status and language.
Titanic: Because of the line in which Rose says early on: "Jack saved me in every way a person can be saved." Not true! She is still going to hell and she still sinned and fell short of the glory of God.
God bless! |
FROM CARRIE KRITCHER
These are some of my favorites please share them with others!
1."Cry The Beloved County"
Its about a black preacher who realized that his children were not perfect. This film takes place in Africa. One of his sons was a politicians against whites. His sister was selling her body for money, but most of all, its about his one son in prison for murder! This movie shows that even the preacher's family gets in trouble and how he deals with it. It was a wonderful movie. I suggest that everyone sees this film!
2. Its a Wonderful Life
3. The Mission
4. Judas Project
About a man named Jessie who is Jesus in our time!!
5. Kings of Kings
6. Jesus
7. Moses
8. Isaiah
9. The Ten Commandments
10. Jesus Christ Superstar
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FROM ERICAO
The Dark Crystal: The theme of uniting the dark and the light to bring peace and to create perfect beings is incredible.
Groundhog Day: Too many spiritual themes to mention here. Phil learns to love himself first in order to love others, he starts to really enjoy life by devoloping his talents and being kind to others, he discovers that suicide is not a way out because he'd keep coming back to life to face his problems, and he learns that life will keep repeating endlessly horrible days until you change your perspective and live the day "right!"
Defending Your Life: This was a great movie and although it didn't have the usual take on life after death, the unorthodox approach to it was incredibly intruiging. And eating the greatest food you'll ever taste without gaining a pound is one of the coolest ideas I've ever heard.
Titanic: A story about finding true love and then having to sacrifice it in order to grow. Rose finds her real self with the help of Jack, which is what real love offers. . .an opportunity to discover ones true self. And then, at the end, it shows us that heaven is a personal experience and is really the greatest experience of our grandest vision of who we've always wanted to be and what we've always wanted to experience. In my opinion, the ending is probably the most touching cinematic pieces in movie history.
other really spiritual movies include: Contact, Raiders of the Lost
Ark, The Last Crusade, and of course, the Star Wars Trilogy.
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| FROM TAWNY ANN P. CORTES
My favorites are:
Heart and Souls
My Girl
Leap of Faith
Sound of Music
Lorenzo's Oil
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| FROM GREER POOLEY
My Top Favorites Films, thus far:
Jesus of Nazareth
10 Commandments
Dead Man Walking
What Dreams May Come (THE BEST!)
Dances With Wolves
City of Angels
It's A Wonderful Life
Ghost |
FROM ELKE HAAS
Hi! I was in the cinema with a lot of friends. After we left the cinema everybody was as silent as they are if something terrible has happened. All feelings and impressions go round and round in our heads. We dreamt and we didn´t say anything for a long time. Then after several minutes, somebody tries to express his feelings. Everybody thought the same thing: "City of Angels" had been a wonderful - probably the most wonderful - film we had ever seen. We talked about it and everybody agreed when I decided to buy the CD. After having bought it, everybody wanted to listen to it, to remember the pictures and the feelings. All of my friends wished that there might be something like angels and we learned something with the help of the film: Just hope, there would be help - somewhere… In fact it was very interesting that these angels didn´t wear white dresses or sth. like that. I think it´s a good decision to dress them in black colours. I think it´s a well-made film, thanks for that…
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FROM KEVIN TULLY
Really enjoyred your site -- good insights, and really helpful, since I like to refer to movies in my preaching... However, I can hardly believe that Elmer Gantry isn't on anyone's list --- what a fantastic movie, in which the matter of "who's the good guys and who's the bad guys" is really not an easy one to decide.
Thanks again, Kevin Tully
Pastor, Church of the Good Shepherd (United Methodist) |
| FROM KRIS CHILDRESS
Some classic films that could use reviews (didn't see them):
Franco Zeffereli's Jesus of Nazareth,
The Mission,
Awakenings,
The Dead Poet's Society,
Chariots of Fire,
Sophie's Choice,
Defending Your Life,
The English Patient,
Grand Canyon,
Crimes and Misdemeanors,
God Bless your work here!
Kris Childress |
| FROM GBY
Powder by Victor Salva
This movie touched me with it's message and it's artfull direction. Normally, I am not that moved by a movie, however, the basic philosophical message coincided so much with my beliefs in the interconnection of all via energy that I looked for the writer and noticed that the writer and director were the same. This heightened my interest. I wanted to know more about Victor Salva and so I searched his name on the net and that's how I found you. I also found several negative comments about Mr. Salva, which were concerning. When I found your sight and your comments on the movie your visions added further support to my original impressions. I am an avid reader of spiritual materials and in a metaphysical way the movie theme reinforced my beliefs concerning energy and the unity of all. I am not a big movie buff, but regardless of Salva's personal worldly issues his portrayal of logical spiritual/scientific principles sends an informative message. I compliment you on your insightful review and agree with your observance that spiritual messages are surfacing at a much needed time.
There are only two other movies that have touched me and I am not sure of the titles. I think one was "Far and Away" were in the end ( Tom Crews??) dies and the camera pans to the sky showing the spirit rising, and the camera pans back down showing the spirit choosing to return to the body. I also thought the "Preacher's Wife" had value. Thanks! GBY
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| From KENT in Houston
A Walk in the Clouds
Just touching base. A while back I wrote you about a movie I had seen called "A Walk in the Clouds". It stars Keanu Reeves. (Speed) I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important it is that you see this movie. It is one of my all time favorites. Check it out and let me know what you think. It is so full of Biblical themes it is unreal. Set just after WWII, Keanu is a returning GI who learns about love, betrayal, faithfulness and family. Truly inspiring movie.
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From SHARRON WILLIAMSON
Jesus of Nazareth by far is the most beautiful movie that i have ever watched. i taped it 20 years ago, and to this day i watch it as many as 3 times a month.
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FROM NICHOLAS KLESZCZEWSKI
My Ten Great Spiritual Films thus far...
Schindler's List
Breaking the Waves
Dead Man Walking
Glory
Hoop Dreams
Lone Star
Get On the Bus
Becket
Spitfire Grill
Men With Guns
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| FROM WARRINER:
Here's my upmost vote for
"THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW:
Volumes 1-4.
My reason for liking these films are accurate account with God's Word, acting and scenery with the Bible times. I especially was touched by Bruce Marchiano's role as Jesus. For me, the Holy Spirit was so strong through out the whole series. I felt like Jesus was actually talking to me! Drawing me closer to Him. Especially right at the end of the last film. His call to follow Him was so profound, I just wanted to go with Him! This is a must see, especially with much prayer and fasting before viewing. Tremendous annointing! I loved it. It drew me closer to Jesus.
Comment from David: Thank you Mrs. Warriner, but what Hollywood films are your favorites? I'll add them on. |
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WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITES?
1999 postings
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