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Compiled and annotated by Erin Westmaas
Movie Title List
21 Grams : While using a non-linear narrative to heighten the drama of individual moments, this movie is about three people whose lives become intertwined by a tragic event. All three characters are complex and struggle with the past as well as the future. Benicio Del Toro plays Jack, an ex-criminal whose life has been changed through faith in Christ, though his faith is challenged by the events of the movie. There are two scenes of a small Pentecostal worship gathering, and they help to show the sincerity of Jack's desire to follow Jesus. Though the movie gives a harrowing picture of the darkness and apparent chaos of life, it also shows the unexpected light of redemption.
(ch. 3, 3:20) Pentecostal service-preaching
(ch. 23, 2:05) Singing
African Queen (1951): In the opening scene, the brother and sister missionaries are doing their best to belt out a traditional gospel hymn in a church service of converts, while the natives are singing loudly and cacophonously with there being no resemblance to the melody of the hymn at all.
Agnes of God : This movie explores how God speaks to us through the experience of a Catholic nun. The movie shows the use of incense and singing in the nunnery (ch. 20, 2:10) and a new nun's dedication service (ch. 26, 4:00).
Amistad : Though Amistad avoids any strongly religious themes, the movie includes a scene where a group of Christians come to the prison to sing hymns to the "heathen" Africans (VHS 37:37), and a scene where one of the prisoners tells the story of Jesus from what he understands of the pictures in a Bible (VHS 137:30).
Angela's Ashes : Frank McCourt's story of his early years in Ireland as the son of an impoverished, Protestant alcoholic includes in it his first communion, confirmation, and even last rites in the Roman Catholic Church.
(ch. 5, 1:90) Prayers to Mary
(ch. 11, 1:18) First communion
(ch. 16, 0:20) Confirmation and last rites
(ch. 22, 1:55) Preaching on impurity
Antonia's Line : When Antonia returns to her small hometown in The Netherlands, she is confronted by the hypocrisy of a community that claims Christianity but fails to love its neighbors. Through her resistance to cruelty and commitment to compassion, she and her family reshape and bring together their community. Although not expressly symbolic of the Lord's Supper, the movie includes many scenes of shared meals that help to bring the community together, as well as a few scenes of worship in the church.
(ch. 2, 2:26) Roman Catholic funeral service with incense, chanting, etc.
(ch. 3, 5:21) Singing
(ch. 4, 1:20) Procession outside of the church
(ch. 4, 8:40) Preaching
The Apostle : Sonny has known since he was young that he was born to preach the gospel, so when his violent temper gets out of hand, he runs from the law, baptizes himself "The Apostle E.F.," and begins to gather and preach to a new congregation. When his past catches up to him, the church is thriving, due mainly to his charismatic leadership and honest passion for the gospel. The movie shows a fascinating, sometimes difficult portrait of a complex man, as well as one of the most accurate pictures of Pentecostal worship ever made.
(ch. 1, 0:00) Southern Pentecostal service-provoking the Spirit, singing
(ch. 3, 0:00) Singing hymns at home
(ch. 3, 2:00) Memories of services
(ch. 4, 0:00) Revival Tent
(ch. 4, 2:00) Large revival meeting
(ch. 4, 2:45) Revival meeting in Spanish
(ch. 9, 0:00) Large service, slaying in the Spirit
(ch. 14, 0:00) Sonny baptizes himself "The Apostle E.F."
(ch. 15, 1:10) Riverboat service
(ch. 25, 0:00) First service in the new church
(ch. 25, 5:30) Baptisms
(ch. 26, 0:00) Children in worship
(ch. 32-33) Testimonies, preaching, dancing, singing
A River Runs Through It : In this beautiful coming-of-age tale, the son of a Presbyterian minister learns to experience the wonder and complexity of grace through fly-fishing and love for his rebellious brother. There are several scenes in the church of congregational singing and preaching, as well as many observations regarding God's interaction with nature.
(ch. 2, 0:00) Preaching
(ch. 5, 3:40) Hymn Singing-"Be Thou My Vision"
(ch. 11, 1:34) Preaching
(ch. 27, 3:20) Preaching
Babette's Feast : The two unmarried daughters of a Puritan minister carry on their father's ideals by holding regular prayer meetings for the members of his ascetic sect. When their maid, a refugee of the French Revolution named Babette, wins the French lottery, she shows them her gratitude by preparing an elaborate French feast for their congregation. The pleasure-denying congregation makes a pact not to discuss the food, and thereby give in to its evil, but the sacramental nourishment of the meal eventually overcomes their best intentions, and they unwittingly begin to forgive each other and renew their love for each other and God.
(ch. 2, 1:35) Prayer meeting-singing
(ch. 2, 3:22) Church-singing
(ch. 3, 5:20) Prayer meeting
(ch. 4, 1:50) Church-singing
(ch. 9, 0:00) Prayer meeting
(ch. 12, 3:35) Prayer meeting-singing
(ch. 14, 0:00) The feast
Black Robe : Similar to, yet darker than The Mission, this movie follows a Jesuit priest's journey through modern day Quebec as he is led by a group of Huron Indians. The movie ends when he reaches the mission alone and baptizes the natives living there. The scene highlights idea of baptism as incorporation into the Catholic Church (ch. 16, 4:00).
Chocolat : A vagrant woman opens a chocolate shop in a small French village during the church's Lenten fast. Though the townspeople are coerced into believing the chocolates are an evil temptation, Vianne's chocolate shop flourishes as she transforms the ruthless morality of the townspeople.
(ch. 10, 6:40) Preaching
(ch. 13, 2:09) Preaching on Satan
(ch. 21, 0:00) Preaching
Cold Mountain : Set during the American civil war, this movie shows a brief scene in a Protestant church, notable mainly for the Sacred Harp singing and simple church architecture (ch. 7).
The Color Purple : In this movie about an African-American woman's struggle for survival, the gospel music in a worship service draws a crowd out of the juke-joint and into church, reunites a people, and inspires a man who has beaten and abused his wife for years to a genuine act of kindness towards her (ch. 14)
The Crucible : This movie about the Salem witch trials shows the local congregation singing in a worship service (VHS 22:00 ) and the girls on trial reciting the Lord's Prayer together (VHS 1:18:00).
Daughters of the Dust : A family descended from African slaves is facing separation as some members abandon their former ways of life and plan to seek new opportunities in Cuba. The matriarch of the family attempts to keep everyone together by calling on them to connect with their African religious roots and their ancestors. Some family members have been influenced by Christianity, however, and it is apparent especially in the children that a spirit is at work, though it is unclear what spirit that is.
(ch. 3, 0:00) Dancing on the beach
(ch. 9, 0:00) Christian baptism
(ch. 11, 0:00) The family gathers before leaving the grandmother to remember her-uses symbolism of the last supper
Dead Man Walking : A nun befriends a murderer on death row, and helps him to take responsibility for his actions before he is executed. There is a brief scene of the nun at a lively church service (ch. 4, 0:20).
Diary of a City Priest : This honest account of an inner-city priest's struggle to find significance in his ministry ends in a scene where he administers the Holy Communion during a wedding ceremony and learns to embrace the mystery in how God works (ch 1, 108:00).
Diary of a Mad Black Woman : When Helen's husband throws her out of the house to move in with his girlfriend, she learns to stand on her own two feet with the help of her grandmother and her faith in God. She eventually learns to trust another man, and is able to forgive her husband and herself.
(ch. 7, 1:20) Singing, gospel choir
(ch. 14, 0:00) Preaching, singing, healing/reconciliation
(ch. 16, 0:00) Singing (the credits)
The Godfather, Part I : This movie shows a very unusual Roman Catholic baptism where the scene cuts back and forth between the baptism (and initiation of Michael Corleone as the Godfather) is interspersed with five simultaneous murders commissioned by Corleone that establish him as the new head of the Mob. The Baptism scene actually serves to show how far Corleone has fallen into evil, for the murders happen just as he renounces the devil and all his works (ch. 21).
Heaven : In this strikingly beautiful movie, the two main characters share a meal of bread and wine the night before they are trapped by the police and ascend to heaven in a helicopter (ch. 13, 2:28).
Jesus of Montreal : A group of actors in Montreal is asked to enliven a Catholic church's passion play. When the Church disagrees with how the play has been changed, the events of the passion begin to take place in the actors' own lives. The movie shows the actual passion play (ch. 6) as well as a brief rehearsal of a Bach Cantata (ch. 2).
Keeping the Faith : In this comedy, two men who have been best friends since childhood grow up to be a priest and a rabbi, and end up falling for the same woman. The story uses their respective roles to explore both their calling to the ministry and the role of tradition in the church and synagogue. One scene (VHS 20:00) jumps back and forth between the church and synagogue while both men are preaching very animated, interactive sermons. Another scene shows the rabbi bringing a gospel choir into the synagogue to enliven the singing of his congregation (VHS 42:00). The movie also shows part of a Bah Mitzvah and a Yom Kippur service as well as a Jewish mealtime prayer and individual prayer using a rosary.
Leap of Faith : When phony faith-healer Jonas Nightengale brings his revival tent to a small drought-stricken town, he plans to make a few bucks before anyone catches on to the scheme. However, when a crippled boy is actually healed, Jonas and his ensemble are confronted with their own hypocrisy and the miracle of divine intervention. The movie shows quite an entertaining picture of a tent revival, complete with gospel choir, charismatic preaching, and (mostly falsified) healings.
(VHS 29:25) Gospel choir practice
(VHS 40:25) Revival starts-choir, healings, preaching, etc.
(VHS 1:06:00) Service 2
(VHS 1:30:30) Service 3
Liam : This movie tells the story of England's depression through the eyes of a 5 year old boy in Liverpool. While giving a dark picture of society at the time, the movie also gives a grim picture of the Catholic Church, as the boy learns that he will be "damned to hell" if he does not confess all of his sins before taking his first Holy Communion, and is punished for his uncontrollable stuttering.
(?) First Holy Communion
(?) Communion and preaching
Little Big Man : A boy who was raised by Indians is adopted by a minister and his wife, and to exorcise the demons in him he is baptized in the river-held underwater until he almost drowns. The scene illustrates well the death-to-life imagery of baptism (VHS 25:40).
(ch. 6, 2:36) Mass-singing "Panis Angelicus"
The Matrix : Computer hacker Neo is offered a chance to learn about the true nature of the universe by choosing a red pill over a blue one. After taking the red pill, he is thrust into a different sort of existence, washed down a drain as if he were dead, and rescued by the people who offered him this form of salvation. The baptismal scene highlights his progression from death to awareness of a new kind of life (ch. 9, 0:00).
The Matrix Reloaded : In this sequel to The Matrix, Neo has realized his calling as "The One" who will save humanity. He is resting in the free city of Zion when the entire city gathers in a worship-like celebration, including preaching, music, and dancing in a cave that resembles a gothic cathedral (ch. 7, 0:00) (WARNING: scene includes explicit sexual content).
Molokai : A Catholic priest's dedication to the leper colony on the island of Molokai gives hope and joy to the community.
(ch. 4, 4:46) Preaching
(ch. 8, 0:00) Choir practice
(ch. 8, 4:35) Funeral procession-singing
(ch. 12, 2:00) Band/choir in worship
(ch. 17, 4:20) Christmas mass-singing, candle lighting
(ch. 17, 7:35) Wedding-singing the Gloria Dei Patris
My Big Fat Greek Wedding : When Ian Miller falls in love and proposes to Toula Portokalos, he gains acceptance into her large, loud and very religious Greek family by being baptized into the Greek Orthodox Church (ch. 10, 2:30).
My Night at Maud's : The main character in this movie is struggling with the relationship between his Catholic faith and an ethical code for living. The opening scene of the movie (ch. 2) shows him at mass with the priest saying the great prayer of thanksgiving. A later scene shows a Christmas mass (ch. 9, 2:30) and towards the end of the film he is listening to the priest give a sermon on the adventure of sanctification (ch. 24).
O Brother, Where Art Thou? : This modern retelling of "The Odyssey" includes a scene where the three main characters stumble upon an ephemeral congregation on its way to be baptized in the river. Delmar and Pete join the group and come up out of the river saying "All my sins is washed away," (ch. 4, 1:50) while (Ulysses) Everett holds tight to his religious cynicism despite a seemingly genuine prayer when he is threatened with death (ch. 22, 2:50).
Ordet : This 1955 Danish film includes a Fundamentalist prayer meeting including preaching, prayer, and hymn singing meant to contrast with the inactive, unassuming religious beliefs of a Protestant man (ch. 14).
Places in the Heart : This film is about the endurance and reconciliation of several people in a small southern town. The film uses the church bells and hymn singing to enhance the setting, and the final scene of the movie shows a church service where the minister reads from 1 Corinthians 13 and passes the communion elements. As the bread and wine go around the congregation, each character from the movie-black characters, sinners, and those who have already died-is shown participating in communion as a vision of the heavenly gathering at the table of God (ch. 28, 3:00).
The Preacher's Wife : Reverend Henry Biggs is in danger of losing both his church and wife when an angel comes to help him. However, Henry is so caught up in his troubles that he does not recognize this answer to his prayers, and furthermore the angel ends up falling in love with Henry's wife who is the church's choir director. The movie opens by showing and playing the sounds of different churches at worship before zooming in on one congregation, and it later includes several scenes of the choir, preaching, and the (musical) Christmas pageant in this church.
(ch. 1, 1:30) The sounds of different worship services
(ch. 1, 4:30) Preaching
(ch. 5, 0:00) Choir practice
(ch. 9, 0:00) Christmas pageant practice
(ch. 18, 0:18) Singing "The Lord's Prayer"
(ch. 21, 0:00) Pageant
(ch. 22, 0:00) Preaching
(ch. 22, 4:40) Singing "I Love the Lord"
Priest : When a Roman Catholic priest's homosexual activity is exposed, both the Catholic church leaders and the congregation are appalled. After confessing his sin publicly and ending the improper relationship, many are still unable to forgive him. However, the love and forgiveness of some members of the congregation and one sympathetic priest allow him to forgive himself.
(ch. 3, 0:00) Preaching
(ch. 3, 3:20) Non-traditional, Native American service-passing of the peace
(ch. 8, 2:30) A Confirmation and first communion
(ch. 11, 2:28) Communion
(ch. 17, 1:33) Choir practice
(ch. 19, 1:25) Prayer (a different priest)
(ch. 21, 0:00) Preaching on love
(ch. 22, 2:00) Preaching
(ch. 24, 0:00) Mass-candles, vestments, great prayer of thanksgiving
Simon Birch : In this movie, Simon Birch's belief in God's purpose for his life challenges the dying faith of his church and community.
(ch. 8, 1:12) Reading of scripture, announcements
(ch. 17, 0:00) Christmas concert and pageant
Sister Act : Dolores's singing career is fading when she witnesses a crime and is sent to a convent for protection. Disguised as a nun, she is asked to direct the choir and leads the church to an amazing time of growth and outreach by integrating popular music with the traditional liturgy. The movie shows a captivating vision of worship renewal, as well as a view of worship as extending beyond the walls of the church as the nuns reach out to restore their community.
(VHS 30:00) Humorous dinner prayer
(VHS 36:30) Worship service-before change
(VHS 59:50) Service with new music
(VHS 1:11:05) Sermon, drama, music, and dance!
(VHS 1:39:20) Concert for the pope
Soul Food : A family on the brink of falling apart is brought together again by sharing a meal and remembering a departed family member (VHS 62:00)
Stigmata : This gruesome, chilling movie about the Catholic Church's suppression of secret gospels includes a short scene of a Catholic mass (ch. 10, 1:10).
The Sound of Music : This famous movie includes hymn singing and chanting in a Catholic nunnery (ch. 5), and shows the architecture of the cathedral when the children come to look for Maria (ch. 8).
Tender Mercies : After famous country singer and alcoholic Mac Sledge hits rock bottom in a hotel room, he is taken in by the widow who runs the hotel. She gives him work to earn his keep, and he slowly gets himself back on the right track. Soon after he marries her and adopts her son, his past comes back to retrieve him, and he is forced to decide between his two lives.
(ch. 4, 0:00) Choir and congregational singing
(ch. 16, 1:55) Mac and Sonny are baptized
The Truman Show : Truman Burbank grew up in a simulated world created to broadcast every moment of his life on television. When he realizes what is going on, he leaves this world by sailing off the island and nearly drowns in a storm before stepping out into the 'real' world. The scene echoes of baptism imagery, especially in the way it shows a ceremonial passage from darkness to light, ignorance to enlightenment (ch. 20-21).