Film Comment: Resources for the Christian in Deciding Which Films to Watch

I recently posted about the film, Megan Is Missing, the message of which I think you should know.  I was extremely hesitant to recommend that you watch the film because it is so intense and savage that it may actually cause psychological damage to the viewer.  Viewing this film would not have been an issue when I was a child because many Christians at that time kept themselves and their children intentionally ignorant outside of their churches. They used their churches as “shelters from the storm.”

Theirs was a “do not” religion.  They adamantly did not smoke, drink alcohol, dance, play cards or games, gamble, watch television, watch movies, read works of fiction, or any other of a long list of things.  There was also a very strong streak of anti-intellectualism.

Many Spirit-led Christians today, myself included, still reject many of the same activities as before but with a different understanding.  From a spirit of Christian freedom, they reject some things because they do not advance the cause of the Kingdom.  They pursue some other formerly rejected activities but always from a Christian worldview.  All activities are viewed through Christian glasses.

In order to have influence on the world, Christians need to be aware of the world. Paul quoted from pagan poets to make some of his doctrinal points. While showing a strong knowledge of the surrounding culture, Paul did not in any way endorse their worldview.  He used their words to advance his arguments. Paul’s attitude can be applied to Christian study in any discipline. We need Christians who have expert knowledge about Islam and other religions. We need Christians who have expert knowledge about ancient languages. We need Christians who have expert knowledge about world politics. We need Christians who have expert knowledge about child pornography and human sexual trafficking. We need Christians who have expert knowledge about modern Western popular culture. We need Christians who have expert knowledge about science and medicine. We need to be able to show the world that we are at the very least their intellectual equals, without any compromise.  We need to be able to show the world the treasure of the Gospel.

This is the attitude from which I do these film comments. Non-Christians have no understanding of the Truth but this does not mean that they have no insights. This does not mean that they have no virtue. This does not mean that they cannot produce anything beautiful. This also does not mean that we should ever compromise the Truth.

  

Below is a short list of Christian websites devoted to presenting a Christian  understanding of films and movies. These sites have several things in common. Most discuss films as a sort of pre-screening for the viewer and especially for viewers with children. Many discuss both the negative and the positive points of the films. Some of the sites rate films based on the presence or absence of God or religion, violence, sex, nudity, bad language, objectionable philosophies or worldviews, extreme political content, hidden messages, or for their suitability for viewing by children. The aim is to aid Christians in discernment about films they may watch.

Inclusion of a site in this list does not mean that I necessarily endorse all statements made on that site. Some of these sites produce screen pop-ups.

http://christiananswers.net/spotlight/

http://www.Movieguide.org/

http://www.crosswalk.com/culture/movies/

http://www.dove.org/

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/

http://www.christiancinema.com/catalog/articles.php

http://www.kids-in-mind.com

http://vidangel.com/watch

http://AmericanCatholic.org/movies/

http://cbn.com/entertainment/Screen/

If a particular film becomes controversial within your church, it might be wise to choose a group of mature Christians to view the film and to give their suggestions and comments to the church.

Acceptance

A humorous Christian film short that actually carries an important message.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChuJ8URx2EU&feature=related

 

The Earliest Biblical Film

Albert Kirchner patented a motion picture camera, but he is historically significant because of his very odd body of film work as a director.  He directed the first known films in two widely disparate genres.  His personal views are unknown.

In 1896, using the pseudonym of Lear, he directed a film, La coucher de la Marie, which was a recording of Louise Willy's striptease stage show in Cairo, Egypt.  This is believed to be the first pornographic film and was prosecuted as such in 1901 in Europe.

After making a series of comedy short films, Kirchner then (1897) shot La passion du Christ, considered to be the first biblical film.  It is a recording of a stage play performed in Paris.

Kirchner died in 1898 or soon after.

Film Comment: Fireproof

A man who is willing to run into a burning building to save strangers is allowing his own marriage to go up in flames and burn to the ground.  He's an accomplished fire captain, respected by everyone, but his personal life is in total disarray.

Him: I work hard and do what is right. At home I just want to relax.  All she does is nag.  She doesn't respect me.  I look at internet pornography because she always says no.
Her: He doesn't care how I feel.   He doesn't understand my emotional needs.  He just married me for sex and cooking.

The man is challenged to try an experiment, to follow a daily plan based on biblical concepts.  To his surprise, and to the delight of his initially suspicious wife, their marriage is saved.  They learn how to make their marriage fireproof.

Fireproof  (2008) is an anomaly, an independent film produced by a local church in Albany, Georgia rather than a large Hollywood studio.  There are only two professional actors in the film; the rest of the cast, who are remarkably competent for non-professionals, are all members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia.

Two other films, Flywheel, and Facing the Giants, were also produced by the same group.  Of the three, Flywheel is my personal favorite.

Film Comments So far

Up to this point, I have posted film comments on the following films and film subjects: Beauty and the Beast; The Big Picture; Bollywood, Nollywood, Hollywood; The Book of Eli; Duel; Christian Comments on Films; The Christian Film Database; Crash Test; The 400 Blows; God Told Me To; The Greatest Gift; The Green Pastures; Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix; I Am Curious (Blue); I Am Curious (Yellow); Ink; Island of Despair; Island of Lost Souls; Its the End of the World ...; Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter; Juno Whips It; Kike Like Me; The Man Who Could Work Miracles; Over and Over Again, With Variations; Quid Pro Quo; A Quote from Constantine; Rabbit; The Red Balloon; Satan: Prince of Darkness; Screen Door Jesus; Time Bandits; Tremors; Vegas in Space; Video Fireplace; Watermelon Man;  What Does It Mean?: Why Jesus Spoke in Parables; Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?; The Wild Dogs; Wise Advice from Forrest; and, Woman in the Dunes.  Some of them, like Video Fireplace, Vegas in Space, and Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter are really not worth your trouble.  Some, like The Red Balloon, Duel, The 400 Blows, The Green Pastures, and Island of Lost Souls are essential views for film enthusiasts.  Most are available for rental from Netflix or for purchase from Movies Unlimited.  I have no financial connection with either of these businesses except as a customer.  You may have guessed that I am a film geek; I have so far viewed 6306 films.

Most films are made by non-Christians but that doesn't mean that they have nothing to say to us. I believe that a Christian can derive insights even from films made by non-Christians; even from films which are anti-Christian. Films can present positive and negative demonstrations to us of religious and philosophical concepts, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. All of my film comments interpret the films in light of a Christian worldview. Sometimes the interpretation I derive from a film may not reflect the original intentions of the filmmaker.

To access the commentaries, go to “film commentary” in the labels section below this post.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr.: (b. 1954, New York, USA) Actor (2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, 1 Tony Award). Son of a Pentecostal pastor.  In 1995, Washington donated $2,000,000 to build  the West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles (California). Pentecostal.

Prem Singh Gurung: (b. Nepal)  On 18 Oct. 201, Gurung was arrested in Buddhist Bhutan for publicly displaying Christian films in the cities of Gonggaon and Simkharka.  He was sentenced to yjree years imprisonment for the crime of “attempting to promote civil unrest.”

Kang Keke Iew: (b. 1942, Cambodia; aka: Kang kek Iev, Kaing Guek Eav, Comrade Duch, Comrade Deuch, Hang Pin) As a leader in the Khmer Rouge Communist movement, Kang ran the Tuol Sleng prison camp.  In 2010, he was sentenced to thirty-five years in prison.  He is now a lay Evangelical pastor who speaks Thai, French, Khmer, and English.

May Hnin Nu: (b. 1986, Myanmar: aka: Rebecca Win)  Burmese model, actress, pop music singer.  She is fluent in Japanese.

Htee Moo Kee: (b. 1927, Burma – d. 2006; aka: Bo Mya) Karen rebel leader.  Baptist/Seventh-Day Adventist.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Alice Guy-Blache: (b. 1873, France – d. 1968, USA) Pioneering French filmmaker and director.  She was the first female film director and one of the first directors to make a fictional film.  She wrote, directed, and/or produced over 700 films.  In 1906, she made The Life of Christ. Roman Catholic.

Wang Ming-dao (b. 1900, China – d. 1991) Chinese evangelist, Protestant leader.  He founded the Christian Tabernacle in Beijing in 1925.  He advocated separation of church and state.  He was arrested in 1955 for refusing to join the state sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement.  He spent 22 years in prison.  Upon his release he became a leader in the illegal house church movement.  Founder of the Christian Church in Christ. Protestant fundamentalist.

Arizona Drane: (b. 1891?, Texas – d. 1963?; Best known as Arizona Dranes) Blind Holiness Gospel singer and pianist of African-American and Mexican ancestry.

Archippus: A Gentile convert in the city of Colossae, he is mentioned in Colossians 4:17 and exhorted to “complete the work you have received in the Lord.”  Also mentioned in Philemon 2.  He was possibly the son of Philemon.


Conchobar mac Meic Con Caille: (b. Ireland - d. 1176, France; aka Cornelius of Armagh, Cornelius McConchailleach) Irish Augustinian Archbishop of Armagh.  He died in France while returning from a pilgrimage to Rome.

Christian Films

Though not really in any way modern films, Magic Lantern presentations occurred in Europe as early as 1680, when slide projector shows were produced to enthusiastic audience reception. Athanasius Kircher, a Roman Catholic priest, in 680 published Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae about the technique.

The slide shows were adopted by many missionaries, evangelists, and temperance groups who began to switch to short films around the close of the Nineteenth Century. Between 1897-1898 there are at least four Passion Plays known to have been filmed. Some of the earliest Christian films were The Passion Play of Oberammergau (1897 or 1989), Passion Play: Baptism of Jesus (1903), La passion du Christ (1897), La vie et la passion du Jesus-Christ (1897), La vie du Christ (1899), and La vie et la passion du Christ (1906).

The first American feature film was a Christian film, From the Manger to the Cross (1912), a silent film directed by Sidney Olcott. Though you've never heard of him he directed 135 films. Jesus was portrayed by Robert Henderson-Bland and the young Jesus by Percy Dyer.