Here you go Cineaste, you can comment away on this. I can’t think of too many overtly Christian or xian friendly secular movies out there – I mean besides The Passion and Narnia (not really secular). Some may, however, be friendly to the xian world view.
You could check out Xianity Today’s list of The 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2005. I am surprised to see The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Batman Begins on that list. Sam once said that he thought Saved was a pro-Christian film, but in reading the reviews of its content, I disagreed because I think it went beyond useful parody into 2-dimensional charicatures and one-sided goodness/badness.
That's too bad. I liked "Batman Begins."
Thanks for this post Seeker :) Please don't read any spoilers, I ask that you simply watch this movie. I give you my word of honor that I feel this is an absolutely exquisite movie and wholly appropriate. It's a stunning glimpse of life through the eyes of a 4 year old. If you love children you will love this movie. After this one I have more films that are just as good or even better. I recommend this film to all readers of 2or3.net
You have probably never heard of "Ponette" because is not the typical mass marketed Hollywood dreck. It's a French film and I hope the subtitles are not a deterrent for you guys.
Ponette 1996 (suitable for young children)
Synopsis: An extremely captivating movie on how a little girl copes with her mother's death. She withdraws from all the people around her, waiting for her mother to come back. She tries waiting, and when her mother still doesn't appear, tries magic chants, praying to God, and then becoming a child of God, to have some power over Him. All to no avail. But then, when she is in despair…
Reader reviews:
Nobody watching this film can failed to be touched, moved, transported and transformed by it. Others here have already expressed the enormous power of the movie, and particularly of its star, Victoire Thivisol. If you're reading this to see if you should watch it, I'd say, drop everything and go buy it so you can watch it over and over. But buy a case of Kleenex (TM) too, you're going to need them!
The theology in “Ponette'' is direct and challenging. Given the consolations of the Christian faith, Ponette responds with reasonable questions a child might ask and a philosopher might not be able to answer. -Roger Ebert
I have to second Cineaste's recommendation. Ponette is an amazing movie and the best performance by a child – hell, maybe best performance ever – that I have ever seen.
I tivo ebert and roeper every week, and I remember they positively reviewed it. I just moved it to the top of my blockbuster list.
Millions was good. Winn Dixie was a bit schmaltzy.
Exorcism was done by Christians, I haven't seen it but I want to. I have heard a lot of good things about Ponette. I have been meaning to post something similar to this for awhile. I think my next post should be fairly thought provoking on this topic.