100 Best Catholic Movies
Fisherman, 1968.
43.Franco Zefferelli, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, 1972.
44.William Friedkin, The Exorcist, 1973.
45.Anthony Harvey, The Abdication, 1974.
46.Joseph Hardy, The Lady's Not for Burning, 1974.
47.Franco Zefferelli, Jesus of Nazareth, 1977.
48.Robert Bresson, The Devil Probably, 1977.
49.Ermanno Olmi, Tree of the Wooden Clogs, 1978.
50.John Huston, Wise Blood, 1979.
51.Francesco Rosi, Christ Stopped at Eboli, 1979.
52.Hugh Hudson, Chariots of Fire, 1981.
53.Charles Sturridge & Michael Lindsay-Hogg, Brideshead Revisited, 1981.
54.Ulu Grosbard, True Confessions, 1981.
55.Martin Scorcese, The Age of Innocence, 1982.
56.Paolo & Vittorio Taviani, Night of the Shooting Stars, 1982.
57.Jerry London, The Scarlet and the Black, 1983.
58.Robert Bresson, L'argent, 1983.
59.Norman Stone, Shadowlands, 1885.
60.Alain Cavalier, Therese, 1986.
61.Roland Jaffe, The Mission, 1986.
62.Wim Wenders, Wings of Desire, 1987.
63.Gabriel Axel, Babette's Feast, 1987.
64.Rodney Bennett, Monsignor Quixote, 1987.
65.Maurice Pialat, Under the Star of Satan, 1987.
66.John Huston, The Dead, 1987.
67.Krzysztof Kieslowski, The Decalogue, 1988.
68.Krzysztof Kieslowski, A Short Film About Love, 1988.
69.Ermanno Olmi, Legend of the Holy Drinker, 1988.
70.John Duigan, Romero, 1989.
71.Denys Arcand, Jesus of Montreal, 1989.
72.Bruce Beresford, Black Robe, 1991.
73.Stijn Coninx, Daens, 1992.
74.Nancy Savoca, Household Saints, 1993.
75.Mel Gibson, Braveheart, 1995.
76.Liv Ullmann, Kristin Lavransdatter, 1995.
77.Lee David Slotoff, Spitfire Grill, 1996.
78.Marta Meszaros, The Seventh Room, 1996.
79.M. Knight Shyamalan, Wide Awake, 1998.
80.Joe Johnston, October Sky, 1999.
81.David Lynch, The Straight Story, 1999.
82.Agnieszka Holland, The Third Miracle, 1999.
83.Patrice Leconte, The Widow of Saint-Pierre, 2000.
84.Jim Sheridan, In America, 2002.
85.Alexander Payne, About Schmidt, 2002.
86.Bruce Beresford, Evelyn, 2002.
87.Denys Arcand, Barbarian Invasions, 2003.
88.Mel Gibson, The Passion of the Christ, 2004.
89.Tommy Lee Jones, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, 2005.
90.Christian Carion, Joyeux Noel, 2005.
91.Pavel Lungin, The Island, 2006
92.Alejandro Monteverde, Bella, 2006.
93.Jean-Pierre Dardenne, L'enfant, 2006.
94.Martin Provost, Seraphine, 2008.
95.Mark Pellington, Henry Poole is Here, 2008.
96.John Patrick Shanley, Doubt, 2008.
97.Klaus Haro, Letters to Father Jaakob, 2009.
98.Xavier Beauvois, Of Gods and Men, 2010.
99.Philip Groning, Into the Great Silence, 2007.
100.100. Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life, 2011.
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Deal W. Hudson is president of the Pennsylvania Catholics Network and former publisher/editor of Crisis Magazine. Dr. Hudson also a partner in the film/TV production company, Good Country Pictures.
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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.
Keywords: movies, Catholic, best, 100, films, cinema, Christian,
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The best two movies (to me) are missing in the list: "The Mission" and "Saint John Bosco: Mission To Love".
I'm sorry I must need new glasses but I don't believe I saw The Lord of the Rings on this list...I am positive it is my eye-sight of course, no list of top Catholic films could possibly exclude one of the greatest, if not the greatest work of Catholic symbolism and theological depth ever written...
Lise - thanks for your comment. I agree strongly with you. We don't need to see some of what is shown in movies to supposedly understand better, it has always annoyed me when that is said.
There are many movies in the world now that shouldn't be seen by anyone. (Well, I guess we know whose 'turn' it is right now in our world to turn Christians away from God)
There is a new movie released about a year ago called "The Way " the main actor is martin sheen. I am not a professional critic but thought it told a very good story.
Lisa, My husband and I found your comment weird. We are parents of 8 children, grandchildren to 5, so far. We saw the movie Black Robe years ago when it first came out and found the movie to be powerful. While I wouldn't have a minor see the movie it was appropriate for adults. Were you just as disturbed when the Indians chewed off Isaac Jogues' fingers? The sex scene was quite minor compared to that.
Over the years we have highly recommended to the movie to family and friends, yes, I warn them about the sex scene in case they are as hyper sensitive as you are.
The presence of this listing raises some very good and timely points! We can also use much more video on all areas of the Catholic Arts, such as the Catholic ballet at www.TheDancerBallet.com This would be so exciting to also bring together DVDs on past and present and future Catholic Arts!
Lise Godin, Good reply...I am in total agreement...
I have to wonder if the person who put the movie, "|The Black Robe" on this list has seen the movie. The person may be appalled to read what I will say because he did not see all the movies on the list but took other persons' views on them. I cannot doubt that the author was well-intentioned. I would like to give him a word of advice if I may. In The movie, "The Black Robe," there is a scene that really took me by surprise when I was watching it, So much so, that I shut off the TV and did not watch the rest of the movie. The scene in question is that of the young man having sexual relations with a young Indian woman in the same position assumed by animals. Obviously, it is not the position they took that bothered me but rather that we see and hear them while they are having relations. I would not even want to see this film with my adult children. What does a scene like this bring to the story? Absolutely nothing. Like so many others, the producer of this film adopted the premise that if you want your film to be viewed, it must have sex scenes. Does the author of this list believe that educators should be using this film to educate our young? I know of some Catholic high schools that have a course.in which they study films. There is no justification for the garbage that is viewed by anyone, never mind our impressionable youth. As a parent, grandparent, and educator myself, I believe that we should send film producers a strong message by refusing to view any movie that have overt scenes in them. It is not necessary to see such scenes in order to know what went on between the two. Do you remember the movies in which we knew what had gone on between a young man and a young woman merely by being implied? For example, if the young woman told the young man that she thought she was pregnant? Even then, if this fact does not support a good storyline, we shouldn't be watching it.
I remember when I was young and we got our first television. You would never see a movie in which a woman would remove her slip. Then, gradually, very gradually, a few years later, the slip came off, after all, for many, being in one's underwear was "not worse than being in a bikini." (Thankfully, in my parents' home, the TV was shut off if my parents knew what it was leading to.) A few more years down the line, the bra came off but it was "only the top," And so on.... It was the same for the kind of language used in movies. At first even vulgar language was not used. Then, it was ":just" vulgar, then swearing, and now blasphemy. If more had been shutting off their TVs, we would not be at the point we are today.
There is no need to view movies that are garbage and use them as "teaching moments." Teach what is good and pure. Surround yourself with what is good and pure. The young will learn what they live, what they see, what they hear.
One word to the author of this list of movies. Do not take just anyone's word about how good a movie is. Please view it yourself. Thank you. ..
Lord of the Rings Trilogy, There Be Dragons, The Chronicles of Naria Trilogy, The Left Hand of God, Heaven Knows Mr Alison, An Affair to Remember, AND For Greater Glory are not on this list? even the lovely movies made from John Grisham's novels ie The Client, and A Time to Kill weren't good enough? Although I am glad it lists Stone's version of Shadowlands (see the long version not the chopped up one) and not Attenborough's.