The Renaissance for Christian Movies


“It is the idylic and unrealistic portrayal of life in some Christian movies that can make them ineffective in reaching unbelievers with a positive message.” ― Douglas Beaumont, The Message Behind the Movie: How to Engage With a Film Without Disengaging Your Faith

For a long time, I've struggled with Christian films. I think the biggest issue, for me, has been the fact that the Christian part — the testimony — has been strong, but the filmmaking hasn't matched that. In the Douglas Beaumont quote above, that's certainly a sentiment that's shared by many.

Seeing a "Christian Movie" released doesn't always get me excited. But a funny thing happened in 2014 — it feels like we might have turned a bit of a corner. While I didn't go see these movies in the theater at the time, I spent the last month catching up on some of the wave of Christian films that were released in 2014.

While Biblical epics made by big-time filmmakers — such as Darren Aronofsky's "Noah" and Ridley Scott's "Exodus" — dominated the mainstream movie news, quieter faith-based films dominated with audiences. For once, the shoe was on the other foot. People flocked to see "Noah" and "Exodus," but the poor execution of story and filmmaking led to poor reviews.

Meanwhile, a little movie called "God's Not Dead" was a surprise hit at the Box Office. Why? Because it was a film that focused on story and character, letting that drive home the theology, not the other way around. "God's Not Dead" isn't a perfect film, but it asks some hard questions, invests in real characters, and tells a fascinating story.

The same is true of "Heaven is For Real," based on a popular book. The film asks some tough questions, tells a fascinating human story, and lets that stand for an audience. And it worked.

Even a re-make of a Christian film — "Left Behind" — this time starring Nicholas Cage was better done in 2014. Was it a great movie? No. Was it better than the original? Yes, and it was even mildly entertaining.

For a long time it's been easy to say non-Christians make the best Christian films, but 2014 proved that trend might be changing. And it's about time.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more