Pan's Labyrinth: Uses make-believe and apocalyptic imagination to show the reality of the kingdom, especially amid a world of violence.
joe troyer
· 1 year ago
well i see "joe dirt" didnt make the list... oh well.
i have seen a couple of those. the woodsman and dogville seem very interesting to me.
Michael Cline
· 1 year ago
In a way, I think Babel could be on this list.
keith johnson
· 1 year ago
HI Mark:
This isn't a film, it's an HBO original series, one that was cancelled. It was called "John From Cincinnati". The story line was about a mysterious stranger who wanders into the lives of a group of misfits who live in Imperial Beach California. John brings redemption to their broken lives, but they all have difficulty understanding and accepting. My wife and I theorize that the reason the show failed is because of the bad language and adult situations--the secularists were uninterested in the clear religious undertones of the show, and a lot of Christians couldn't handle the crude sinfulness of the characters. But the show was quite spiritual, almost a Christian alegory. It;s too bad they didn't get to finish it.
your friend keith
Casey Ochs
· 1 year ago
Hope you don't mind if I add a handful of movies to your list. They're not in any particular order.
1. "Babette's Feast" won an Academy Award for best foreign film and is one of my favorite movies of all time. Set in 19th Century Denmark, the movie tells the story of two single sisters living in a very strict Protestant community and how God's grace intervenes in their lives in a surprising way. Mercy converges with Truth in this remarkable film, and it's rated G.
2. "Brother Sun Sister Moon" is director Franco Zeffrelli's beautiful retelling of the story of Francis of Assisi. The music by Scottish folkie Donovan dates the film, and it will certainly remind those over 50 of the Summer of Love, but the essential message of Francis is clear. The scene of Francis walking thru his father's garment-dyeing plant will bring you to tears.
3. "Sound of Music", OK, I know all of you are thinking, "Sound of Music' subversive?" Think about it. Wealthy, respected, retired naval officer has to sneak himself and his family out of Austria in the dead of nite, leaving his home, friends, position, everything, to avoid being conscripted into the German Navy. Admittedly, the movie/play takes liberties with the true story, but the truth is the Von Trapps had the courage to do what most did not: leave. See this movie again with a different perspective.
4. "Killing Fields" is a movie I frequently recommend about the collapse of the Cambodian government in the 1970's and the rise of the Khmer Rouge. The film recounts the true story of Cambodian journalist Dith Pran. If you wish to get a sense of what it's like to be in a country where war destroys the social fabric of society you need to see this movie.
5. "Salaam Bombay!" tells the story of impoverished street children living in India and their day to day life among drug dealers, prostitutes and pimps. The kids in this movie are truly the "least of these".
jurisnaturalist
· 1 year ago
"Tender Mercies" with Robert Duval.
miketodd07
· 1 year ago
"Man on Fire" is all about flawed human nature and redemption, and if you watch closely is one long Christ metaphor.
Michael Cline
· 1 year ago
Les Miserables (I know it's a musical, but it's a beautiful story of redemption and the struggle between violence and peace both personally and socially)
Andrea U
· 1 year ago
Amazing Grace is a slower movie but a touching picture of the radical nature of a man of God, going against most and coupling with social misfits to abolish the slave trade in Britain.
In suburban Buenos Aires, thirty unemployed auto-parts workers walk into their idle factory, roll out sleeping mats and refuse to leave. All they want is to re-start the silent machines. But this simple act - the take - has the power to turn the globalization debate on its head. Armed only with slingshots and an abiding faith in shop-floor democracy, the workers face off against the bosses, bankers and a whole system that sees their beloved factories as nothing more than scrap metal for sale. With The Take, director Avi Lewis, one of Canada's most outspoken journalists, and writer Naomi Klein, author of the international bestseller No Logo, champion a radical economic manifesto for the 21st century
Wess
· 1 year ago
great list Mark - I've only seen one of these movies. I need to check the others out. Unfortunately, I don't have anything to add to the list yet, but you've got me thinking.
dave
· 1 year ago
Definitely missing Romero on that list.
Casey Ochs
· 1 year ago
Ditto, Romero is a must see.
Mark Van Steenwyk
· 1 year ago
Romero is great...but I think his wit is lost on most people. I added "the Take" to my list of movies to see; it sounds intriguing.
Dave
· 1 year ago
"Magnolia" is one of the most powerful cinematic expressions of the kind of forgiveness and redemption that lead to new life that I know of.
That and "Dude, Where's My Car," of course. Thanks for this great list. It's inspired me to start blogging one of my own!
Tim P.
· 1 year ago
1. Tsotsi 2. The Lives of Others
Jason Barr
· 1 year ago
Kavkazskiy plennik/Prisoner of the Mountains
2 Russian soldiers are captured by Chechnyans and held in a village while an old man tries to negotiate with the Russians to trade them for his son. It's a brilliant film, and really drives home the stupidity of war and national/ethnic conflict.
Ron Reed
· 1 year ago
Terrific list! And I'm so impressed with what you've written about the function of Jesus' parables (and life), and the way good art and good movies work to challenge our perceptions and preconceptions - and, perhaps, thereby to "prepare the way of the Lord." David Fetcho published a ground-breaking article on this in Radix Magazine maybe a decade and a half ago. I'm also reminded of C.H. Dodd's definition of a parable: "A metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life arresting the hearers by its vividness or strangeness and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt to its precise application to tease the mind into active thought."
Between your list and the titles suggested by your readers, you've named all three of my most favourite films; DOGVILLE, TENDER MERCIES and MAGNOLIA. And I'm particularly thrilled with your mention of THE WOODSMAN: viewing it was an experience that shook me, stirred my spirit, so much so that I sought out the play it was based on and am producing it at my theatre later this spring (www.pacifictheatre.org). I wish your church was in Vancouver! I'd join! And I bet you'd be at all our shows.
When you ask about films that demonstrate the radical nature of the gospel, that subvert our received ways of seeing things in a way that opens us to new truth, I think immediately of two films I've seen in the past year and a half. Sad to say, both are very difficult to find, but happy to say, both are coming available on DVD if you're willing to pay a few bucks. A Scandinavian film, ADAM'S APPLES, and a South African film, SON OF MAN. Truly astonishing, challenging, subversive films that are (at least, the way I read them) all about the radical gospel of Jesus.
There's more on both those films, as well as a much longer response to your post, at my blog: www.soulfoodmovies.blogspot.com
Well met!
Ron Reed, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Mark Van Steenwyk
· 1 year ago
Thanks for the feedback Ron. I'll check out your site.
By the way, I LOVED Adam's Apples. I was able to watch it through Netflix (they allow you to watch unlimited online movies with subscriptions now). I've never heard of Son of Man...what is it about?
Mark Van Steenwyk
· 1 year ago
Great article Ron! Thanks for taking the time to interact with my choices. I wish more people would think artfully about the Kingdom of God. Following Christ takes such a change of perception. It is sad that most Christians assume that "Christian" films should educate or simply push a worldview (I concede that "To End All Wars" is on the brink of doing that. But I agree with that worldview so much that I'm willing to give it a pass).
I'm convinced that the church needs to spend a LOT more time subverting the imagination while, at the same time, opening up new ways of seeing. I can tell from your website that you're a busy man, but I'd absolutely LOVE it if you would ever share some of your thoughts/writings on Jesus Manifesto. I'm working hard to make this a place where perceptions can change. And based upon the feedback I've gotten, perceptions have changed.
Ron Reed
· 1 year ago
I'm so glad you've seen ADAM'S APPLES. What do you think? A celebration of the divine folly of radical, absolute grace, or a demonstration that the Christian faith is just plain foolish?
SON OF MAN is the life of Christ set in contemporary Africa, townships and death squads and all. A very political - but not merely political - Jesus. I jotted down some observations over at soulfoodmovies, though I've not written it up properly yet. There are links to the film's site, and to the website of the South African theatre company that created the film: http://soulfoodmovies.blogspot.com/2006/10/viff...
If it turns out I write something that seems especially suited to your site, I'll happily pass it along - I'd love to have it appear here. You're right, though, I've got enough on the go that that may well never happen! (Had we but world enough and time...) But listen, anything you see over at my blogs, you're most welcome to grab and post here. I think your site is superb!
Ron
Dany
· 1 month ago
I realise I'm replying to a post published almost two years ago, but with all the comment-tracking, someone might still read this. My two cents:
Lilya 4-ever, by will Lukas Moodysson turn any unsuspecting idiot into a raving radical in less than two hours.
The Son, by the Dardennes brothers. What forgiveness looks like. Jesus meant it when he said we will do greater things than these.
Wings of Desire, by Wim Wenders. All about loving people.
All Comments
i have seen a couple of those. the woodsman and dogville seem very interesting to me.
This isn't a film, it's an HBO original series, one that was cancelled. It was called "John From Cincinnati". The story line was about a mysterious stranger who wanders into the lives of a group of misfits who live in Imperial Beach California. John brings redemption to their broken lives, but they all have difficulty understanding and accepting. My wife and I theorize that the reason the show failed is because of the bad language and adult situations--the secularists were uninterested in the clear religious undertones of the show, and a lot of Christians couldn't handle the crude sinfulness of the characters. But the show was quite spiritual, almost a Christian alegory. It;s too bad they didn't get to finish it.
your friend
keith
1. "Babette's Feast" won an Academy Award for best foreign film and is one of my favorite movies of all time. Set in 19th Century Denmark, the movie tells the story of two single sisters living in a very strict Protestant community and how God's grace intervenes in their lives in a surprising way. Mercy converges with Truth in this remarkable film, and it's rated G.
2. "Brother Sun Sister Moon" is director Franco Zeffrelli's beautiful retelling of the story of Francis of Assisi. The music by Scottish folkie Donovan dates the film, and it will certainly remind those over 50 of the Summer of Love, but the essential message of Francis is clear. The scene of Francis walking thru his father's garment-dyeing plant will bring you to tears.
3. "Sound of Music", OK, I know all of you are thinking, "Sound of Music' subversive?" Think about it. Wealthy, respected, retired naval officer has to sneak himself and his family out of Austria in the dead of nite, leaving his home, friends, position, everything, to avoid being conscripted into the German Navy. Admittedly, the movie/play takes liberties with the true story, but the truth is the Von Trapps had the courage to do what most did not: leave. See this movie again with a different perspective.
4. "Killing Fields" is a movie I frequently recommend about the collapse of the Cambodian government in the 1970's and the rise of the Khmer Rouge. The film recounts the true story of Cambodian journalist Dith Pran. If you wish to get a sense of what it's like to be in a country where war destroys the social fabric of society you need to see this movie.
5. "Salaam Bombay!" tells the story of impoverished street children living in India and their day to day life among drug dealers, prostitutes and pimps. The kids in this movie are truly the "least of these".
Horizontalism at it's best.
In suburban Buenos Aires, thirty unemployed auto-parts workers walk into their idle factory, roll out sleeping mats and refuse to leave. All they want is to re-start the silent machines. But this simple act - the take - has the power to turn the globalization debate on its head. Armed only with slingshots and an abiding faith in shop-floor democracy, the workers face off against the bosses, bankers and a whole system that sees their beloved factories as nothing more than scrap metal for sale. With The Take, director Avi Lewis, one of Canada's most outspoken journalists, and writer Naomi Klein, author of the international bestseller No Logo, champion a radical economic manifesto for the 21st century
That and "Dude, Where's My Car," of course. Thanks for this great list. It's inspired me to start blogging one of my own!
2. The Lives of Others
2 Russian soldiers are captured by Chechnyans and held in a village while an old man tries to negotiate with the Russians to trade them for his son. It's a brilliant film, and really drives home the stupidity of war and national/ethnic conflict.
Between your list and the titles suggested by your readers, you've named all three of my most favourite films; DOGVILLE, TENDER MERCIES and MAGNOLIA. And I'm particularly thrilled with your mention of THE WOODSMAN: viewing it was an experience that shook me, stirred my spirit, so much so that I sought out the play it was based on and am producing it at my theatre later this spring (www.pacifictheatre.org). I wish your church was in Vancouver! I'd join! And I bet you'd be at all our shows.
When you ask about films that demonstrate the radical nature of the gospel, that subvert our received ways of seeing things in a way that opens us to new truth, I think immediately of two films I've seen in the past year and a half. Sad to say, both are very difficult to find, but happy to say, both are coming available on DVD if you're willing to pay a few bucks. A Scandinavian film, ADAM'S APPLES, and a South African film, SON OF MAN. Truly astonishing, challenging, subversive films that are (at least, the way I read them) all about the radical gospel of Jesus.
There's more on both those films, as well as a much longer response to your post, at my blog: www.soulfoodmovies.blogspot.com
Well met!
Ron Reed,
Vancouver, BC, Canada
By the way, I LOVED Adam's Apples. I was able to watch it through Netflix (they allow you to watch unlimited online movies with subscriptions now). I've never heard of Son of Man...what is it about?
I'm convinced that the church needs to spend a LOT more time subverting the imagination while, at the same time, opening up new ways of seeing. I can tell from your website that you're a busy man, but I'd absolutely LOVE it if you would ever share some of your thoughts/writings on Jesus Manifesto. I'm working hard to make this a place where perceptions can change. And based upon the feedback I've gotten, perceptions have changed.
SON OF MAN is the life of Christ set in contemporary Africa, townships and death squads and all. A very political - but not merely political - Jesus. I jotted down some observations over at soulfoodmovies, though I've not written it up properly yet. There are links to the film's site, and to the website of the South African theatre company that created the film: http://soulfoodmovies.blogspot.com/2006/10/viff...
If it turns out I write something that seems especially suited to your site, I'll happily pass it along - I'd love to have it appear here. You're right, though, I've got enough on the go that that may well never happen! (Had we but world enough and time...) But listen, anything you see over at my blogs, you're most welcome to grab and post here. I think your site is superb!
Ron
Lilya 4-ever, by will Lukas Moodysson turn any unsuspecting idiot into a raving radical in less than two hours.
The Son, by the Dardennes brothers. What forgiveness looks like. Jesus meant it when he said we will do greater things than these.
Wings of Desire, by Wim Wenders. All about loving people.