Spiritual Films

Over at Beliefnet they had a balloting for best spiritual films and performances. In the best spiritual film category the story of the banning of slavery in England under Wilberforces, Amazing Grace, was the winner. Not a surprise. I haven't seen it yet, but what I know of it sounds like it was a good spiritually based movie. The other nominees were:

• Atonement
• Away From Her
• Juno
• The Kite Runner

As I said yesterday I think highly of Atonement but I am not sure that I would call it a spiritual film. Just because it is about "atonement" or the attempt at making amends, it's premise is more about the spiritual failures we can all fall prey to. Yes, that is a spiritual issue, but I just don't look at it that way. Maybe with time I might. Anyway, I think the winner probably deserves the honor.

Then there's the best spiritual performance. And the winner according to the judges:
Emile Hirsch. Hooray!!! I was taken by his performance. It captures the awe and danger of the spiritual quest, the naivete that can inform it's outset and the peace that comes when one finds it- even by accident and an accident that brings an end to one's life. (No that's not a spoiler. It is a true story after all.) Hirsch was remarkable. The other nominees:

• Will Smith (I Am Legend) (People's choice)
• Ellen Page (Juno)
• Julie Christie (Away From Her)
• Angelina Jolie (Mighty Heart)

I have not seen any but Ellen Page but I am looking forward to seeing some of these others.

Now Christianity Today's excellent film review section on its site talks about "Redeeming Films." They say this about "redeeming films:"

They're all stories of redemption—sometimes blatantly, sometimes less so. Several of them literally have a character that represents a redeemer; all of them have characters who experience redemption to some degree—some quite clearly, some more subtly. Some are "feel-good" movies that leave a smile on your face; some are a bit more uncomfortable to watch. But the redemptive element is there in all of these films.

Their list is interesting. The top one is a documentary that also was the top spiritual documentary at Beliefenet- Into Great Silence.

From there it looks like this:
2. Lars and the Real Girl
3. Juno
4. Amazing Grace
5. Bella
6. Into the Wild
7. The Kite Runner
8. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
9. Ratatouille
10. Freedom Writers

Another good-looking list. After the biggies of this year- No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, a few of these films will go a long way as an antidote to the hopelessness that the other present. There is a need for redemption. That's what many of our journeys of faith are all about in one form or another. It is good to see that there are movies that can challenge us into those areas as well.

Well, it is only a couple days till the Oscars so tomorrow I will review the field and give my thoughts.