The Best Christian Movies of All Time
http://www.christianmovies.biz/
Some of you may not realize that I own a web site dedicated to Christian movies. I majored in film criticism at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, back in the 1970s. Before the days of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Hollywood was starting to look very much like an industry on its last leg; so I switched to art - a far, far more stable profession. 
Then the motion picture industry made its incredible comeback, thanks to independents like Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas. I don't regret my decision to switch professions; yet, film has remained one of my passions, and I have looked forward to the day when Christian films would be able to stand alongside non-Christian films and hold their own. With movies like Blindside and Soul Surfer, I think that day has come.
There wasn't always a need to distinguish Christian films from non-Christian, because most films before 1968 were Christian, in worldview if not in theme, thanks to the Hays Code. There was a genre called "Biblical Epics," which, technically speaking, is what we today would call Christian films. But there was as much Christianity in movies like Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, and It's A Wonderful Life as in any Biblical Epic. It seems unfortunate that this division between what is Christian and what is not exists today. It was The Passion Of The Christ and its $400 million gross sales that convinced us that this may not be a bad thing.
Three well-respected writers take issue with this dichotomous thinking:
My Favorite “Little” Movies
Independent, low-budget, big-hearted, well-written, well-acted, intimate little films that will bring a smile to your face and a tear to your eye.
Twice a year, in the summer and at Christmas time, Hollywood rolls out their big blockbuster movies, full of special effects, including 3D. But you know, I rarely go back to those films. The movies I keep coming back to are what I would call "little films": movies that are full of intimacy, a good story and memorable characters. Those are the films that last, and, if it's possible, change lives.
Here are some of my favorite "little" movies. For the most part they're independent, low-budget films; yet, they're all well-written, well-acted and full of heart. They're the kind of movie that puts a smile on your face and a tear in your eye. I hope you enjoy them. Happy New Year!
The Artist (2011)
5-Star Masterpiece - Romantic Comedy-Drama - starring Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo and John Goodman; written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius - Weinstein Company
Rarely do I see a movie that I would call "perfect"… but this one is. It has everything: a wonderfully touching story, great performances, beautiful cinematography and score. The one thing it lacks is sound. That's right - it's a silent film. Because it is about a silent movie star, the producers decided to make the film itself silent. When I first heard about it, I doubted that a silent film would work today, let alone get to me - but it did. It is the most delightful film I've seen in a long, long time. The details of late 1920s Hollywood, when sound movies were making their debut, are perfect: no film has ever been successful at capturing that period, in my opinion - until now.
With great charisma and charm, French actor Jean Dujardin portrays silent film star George Valentin (loosely based on Douglas Fairbanks), the hottest idol in Hollywood, and someone who really enjoys the spotlight. Then he meets Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), a young woman who wants to break into film herself. George is taken with her and decides to give her a break; in the process, they fall in love. Then sound enters the picture, and movies go from silent to talkies almost overnight. As George, who is unequipped for this change, watches his star fall, Peppy's rises meteorically. It's a classic love story set against the most turbulent years of Hollywood.
The filmmakers masterfully use the medium of silent film to tell their story in a very poignant and very clever way that I predict will take the Oscars this year by storm. (Dujardin has already won Best Actor at Cannes and the Golden Globes for his performance, and the film itself has won Best Comedy and Best Score at the Golden Globes.) There are many nods to Hollywood icons, including Singing In The Rain (which deals with the same time period), A Star Is Born (which, like The Artist, deals with the rise of a young actress and the fall of an older actor), Asta (the scene-stealing dog from The Thin Man series), etc. John Goodman is wonderfully cast against type as producer Al Zimmer. For those who love good movies, this one will steal your heart.
Rated PG-13
Dr. Waitsel’s COMEDY Rx – Part 2
Twenty More of the Funniest, Happiest, Most Entertaining Movies of All Time
Laughter is still the best medicine (Proverbs 17:22), and I think what many of us still need is just to laugh. I have twenty more films that I have seen dozens of times each, all of which have never failed to make me laugh and feel good. I hope they do the same for you. So, forget about the economy, your personal and relational problems, the upcoming elections, and just let the healing power of laughter take care of what ails you. It's all in God's hands anyway. So, while you're waiting for His answers, enjoy these light-hearted remedies.
Before we begin, I'd like to say two things. First, comedy is a matter of taste. I've provided movies from a lot of decades and a lot of comedy styles. Just because you don't like one of my choices, don't think you won't like others. Do yourself a favor and give them all at least one shot. Second, kids and especially teenagers are probably not going to like my black-and-white selections. Unless your kids are especially sophisticated, I would not expect them to enjoy any black-and-white movie, with two possible exceptions: Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers. You can try those and if they like them, try some others. But don't' start them out on a sophisticated Cary Grant or even a family-oriented Frank Capra comedy. Preston Sturges is somewhere in the middle: his work is fast-paced, loud and crazy enough that they may forget that they're watching black-and-white. Whatever you do, ease them in gradually. Remember: you're dealing with people that prefer a hamburger and fries to prime rib, asparagus and potatoes au gratin.
Waitsel’s Best Movies of 2010
Grab your popcorn and let's talk.
The Oscars are less than a week away, and before those "amateurs" in Hollywood pick the mediocre films upon whom to bestow their highest honors, I want to get my two cents in. So here's my "Best of 2010" movie list. Last year, my readers seemed to like it. I hope you will again. It is a labor of love. Among the values I look for in a film are artistic merit; spiritual, cultural and historical relevance; humanity; and just plain good story-telling.
Going in, let me say that the movies this year were a little short on love and laughs; but they made up for it in drama and action. Most of the laughs were in the family arena. After my list of the top ten best movies from 2010, I offer five more that are worth mentioning, and ten films to look forward to in 2010, with some final reflections on the film industry in general. So, without further adieu, roll the film.
The greatest athlete that has ever lived: the horse, Secretariat - greatest Triple Crown winner (1973) in history
MOST INSPIRING - Secretariat
5 Stars
This is The Blind Side for horseracing, with, again, a strong female lead in Diane Lane (Nights In Rodanthe, Must Love Dogs, Under The Tuscan Sun) who plays the owner of racing's most famous thoroughbred. Unlike the unknown company that produced Blind Side and made their budget opening weekend (and ten times that to date), Disney did this one, with less than spectacular boxoffice results. But I really believe this is a dark horse. It has everything that most discerning filmgoers want in a movie: a bigger-than-life hero (there has never been a greater athlete than the horse, Secretariat), a rivetting story (like most movies about athletes, he is discounted by the people who are supposed to know good horseflesh and overcomes incredible obstacles to prove himself), likable characters (with John Malkovich, as his quirky trainer, Lucien Laurin, stealing the show as usual), and a more than satisfying ending. Plus you get some of the finest racing footage ever shot, Seabiscuit not withstanding. What's really amazing is that this well-made, true-life story of the greatest Triple Crown winner in history has been overlooked by all the major motion picture award ceremonies, including the upcoming Oscars. I guess director Randall Wallace, who wrote Braveheart and wrote and directed We Were Soldiers, would agree with his star, Mel Gibson, that the Oscars are a nothing more than a celebration of mediocrity. I certainly do.
If you've never seen Secretariat run, do yourself the favor of looking at the 1973 Belmont Stakes on YouTube.
PG