- May 26, 2016
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You might want to distinguish "the best" movies from "your favorites." For example, "Somewhere in Time," starring a young Christopher Reeves and a young Jane Seymour, was not critically acclaimed, but it was without question my favorite movie ever. I got so emotionally involved in the romantic fantasy and the beautiful Rachmaninov musical score that I was reduced to a blubbery mess. I've probably seen it a dozen times over the years. Surprisingly, to me, many of my friends agree with my lofty verdict. If you haven't seen it, please get it through your public library or Netflix and let me know if you agree.
I now turn to what I consider my favorite movie on a spiritual theme, "The Mission," starring a young Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons. Based on actual historical events, the movie tells the story of the Jesuit efforts to convert hostile Amazon Indians, while the Spanish and Portuguese compete to enslave them. The inevitable result? Martyrdom and Amazon hostility to all foreigners. De Niro plays a callous Spanish slave trader, whose conversion is the most beautiful and powerful ever put on screen. The missionaries eventually gloriously succeed, but this brings them into conflict with the Spanish and Portuguese. I loved the anguished quest of the missionaries to determine the most Christian strategy in the face of overwhelming odds. The musical score was voted the 17th best of all time by the Screen Actors Guild, a surprising honor since it is not a musical. The British Film Academy voted it the best movie on a spiritual theme of all time.
It didn't fare as well with American critics because it is probably too slow paced for short American attention spans. Some of my friends share my view that it is the best ever of tis genre. What do you think? What is your all-time favorite?
For years, I conducted a potluck dinner and movie night at the church I used to pastor. I did a lot of research to find the best spiritual movies and found this challenge very fulfilling. We had some great discussions of the movies' spiritual themes.
I now turn to what I consider my favorite movie on a spiritual theme, "The Mission," starring a young Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons. Based on actual historical events, the movie tells the story of the Jesuit efforts to convert hostile Amazon Indians, while the Spanish and Portuguese compete to enslave them. The inevitable result? Martyrdom and Amazon hostility to all foreigners. De Niro plays a callous Spanish slave trader, whose conversion is the most beautiful and powerful ever put on screen. The missionaries eventually gloriously succeed, but this brings them into conflict with the Spanish and Portuguese. I loved the anguished quest of the missionaries to determine the most Christian strategy in the face of overwhelming odds. The musical score was voted the 17th best of all time by the Screen Actors Guild, a surprising honor since it is not a musical. The British Film Academy voted it the best movie on a spiritual theme of all time.
It didn't fare as well with American critics because it is probably too slow paced for short American attention spans. Some of my friends share my view that it is the best ever of tis genre. What do you think? What is your all-time favorite?
For years, I conducted a potluck dinner and movie night at the church I used to pastor. I did a lot of research to find the best spiritual movies and found this challenge very fulfilling. We had some great discussions of the movies' spiritual themes.
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