Anyway, suffice it to say we are movie buffs around here. And here’s something else interesting: God speaks to us through the movies. No, seriously.
When you learn not to compartmentalize God into a certain “sacred format” (i.e., “He just speaks to me in church, or through the word, or in prayer”) you find He’s walking with you through your everydays. For me, that becomes this whole experience of wonder because God can speak through the most surprising things. Now, I don’t mean I go nuts and find prophetic words in fortune cookies or in every bird’s song, or in finding gum stuck under the table. (At least, not all the time.) I just find those moments here and there when my heart resonates, and I know God was in that moment with me, conveying truth to me. (I don’t recommend looking for spiritual truth in fortune cookies, by the way.)
My recent posts on music here and here have generated a surprising amount of interest. Guess I struck a chord. (Collective groan.) When I shared about the different music that is speaking to me (including songs considered “non-Christian”), it seemed like a lot of you resonated with that (another cheap pun–sorry, folks. Force of habit).
So since God speaks to me through the movies, I thought I’d like to ask: What movies have spoken to your heart? Have you ever sensed God speaking to you there?
Here are some of the movies that have spoken to me over time (NOT a comprehensive list):
- Les Miserables (a fantastic picture of redemption and forgiveness)
- Pay It Forward
- National Treasure (especially the part about continuing to believe)
- X-Men 2 (No, seriously. The part when the dam broke was very significant to me. I watched it in the theater 3 times just to see that scene.)
- The Bucket List (living life, not missing the moments)
- The Truman Show
- Chocolat (ouch! the non-Christian acts more Christian than the Christians. Also…I love chocolate. Nothing to do with spiritual truth, per se, but just thought I’d throw that in.)
So…got anything to add to this list? (P.S. Seems like Passion of the Christ and Lord of the Rings spoke to just about everyone, so let’s just check those off the list now. 🙂 What about some others?)
Wayward Son
Musician. Composer. Recovering perfectionist. Minister-in-transition. Lover of puns. Hijacker of rock song references. Questioner of the status quo.
I'm not really a rebel. Just a sincere Christ-follower with a thirst for significance that gets me into trouble. My quest has taken me over the fence of institutional Christianity. Here are some of my random thoughts along the way. Read along, join in the conversation. Just be nice.
View all posts by Wayward Son →
For me, they include:
Dogma (I weep at certain scenes every time)
Last Temptation of Christ (movie and book)
O, Brother, Where Art Thou?
See also here.
Tsotsi! There’s a lot of language, but it’s a great picture of how even the worst among us is capable of redemption.
Two favorites lately:
Rent – for the picture of community that I find myself longing for
Horton Hears a Who – for what abusive power is like and how it tries to control people. (When they go after the kangaroo at the end of the movie, I was saying NOOOOOO!! she needs to repent first.)
Brave Heart…
Gladiator…
It’s a wonderful life..
Nightmare before Christmas..
& Big Fish .
I know that some of these might be odd choices, they are my favorite movies pretty much.
the first 2 For me were more about Facing impossible odds and while neither of them is Spiritual movie really they remind me about How much Bigger God is and how we all do in some sense serve a greater purpose.
The last two are for me more about accepting people( and ourselves ) for who we are . The people who God created us as, I don’t think every part of anyones personality is inherently evil. God gave us desires and passions to become who we were meant to be.
Wonderful life? You figure it out…
Peace
The Matrix.
Into the Wild < -- a must see
Braveheart
Requiem for a Dream < -- omg
Shawshank Redemption – please see this
Schindler’s List
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
The Pianist
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Twelve Angry Men
Pay It Forward
Cinderella Man
Saving Private Ryan
Lord of the Rings – all three
Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood
I know there are more just can’t think of them yet.
Great idea for a post! God speaks to me through films all the time. Film is an excellent story-telling medium like parables were in Jesus’ day. 😉 (Tell your son to go for it!!!)
Recently, God has spoken to me through these two movies:
Micheal Clayton: a story of ‘coming out of Babylon’ and being considered crazy for it. (The movie Fracture has a similar theme).
Goodbye Lenin: an East German movie about the sense of loss when your worldview/paradigm gets shaken and you begin to deconstruct (or try to maintain) what you’ve been taught.
I’m really liking this blog and comments.
I have to chime in on the chorus with “Pay it Forward” – love the song “Calling all Angels.” Song makes me tear up every time I hear it.
and “Defending your Life” with Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep. No fear… Fear is the Mindkiller (no, wait, that was “Dune.”)
There’s a documentary I fell in love with that’s out there in libraries (watch out for the trailers for some not-so savory movies it has on the DVD).
I highly, highly recommend “Let the Church Say Amen.”
The movie follows a church congregation in D.C. Members go through everything from applying to nursing school to losing a son to a stabbing. It’s not just a chronicle of what goes on inside the Church but more importantly most footage involves how the church members carry their faith out into the world between Sundays. The film ranks as one of the better documentaries on this subject.
Oh yeah, that last was from my review at IMDB.com.
If we’re going to get into religious documentaries, then my two absolute favorites are “Amazing Grace” by Bill Moyers, which is about the hymn, and “Say Amen, Somebody“, which is about Gospel music pioneers Thomas A. Dorsey and “Mother” Willie Mae Ford Smith. In fact, one of my favorite lines for rebutting people who don’t think women should preach is in the latter, when Smith tells her grandson (a preacher, and one who doesn’t think women should preach), “If God could make a jackass talk, why can’t he make a woman preach?” Ha! :o)
I like your choices a lot. Surprising, as it appears we come from very different spiritual perspectives. Still, truth can cross many boundaries. May I recommend a documentary: Soul Masters? It is about two modern day spiritual masters and healers from China who have been recognized by the UN and the government of China for their role in stopping the SARS epidemic. I found it deeply inspiring, spiritual and heartfelt. http://www.spiritualmastersmovie.com
1. Fight Club (must understand the meaning in this to love this one)
2. Pulp Fiction
3. Kill Bill 1& 2
4. Rest of Quentins Movies
5. Dark Knight (of course)
6. Blade Runner
7. Most of Scorcese Films
8. Undisputed 2
9. the protector (Ridiculously funny, Tony Jah breaks over 60 baddies arms and legs in a 10 minute span.)
10. Matrix
11. Aliens
12. Most of Christopher Nolan films
I'll list more later, I'm big on sci-fi and horror as well, but the sci-fi in hollywood is rather weak. My focus is story, character, hidden meaning in movies (twists too), visually stunning films, the very different/unique, and dialogue genius.
Oh and dont watch Twilight. It was complete crap. Basically a love movie with some vampire to get the girls to come with the guys on a weak date night movie. Pure Drek. Yes I hate romance movies. uGG! If it dont have unique dialogue or something doesnt get broken or dead it aint a real movie!!