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It seems like everyone has been exposed to some form of media that has religious overtones. In the US we know that it's mainly a judeo-christian influence on movies, television, etc.

So, What are some movies you enjoy that have some kind of religious overtone, or are outright in their statements on religion?

One of my personal favorites is a Indian movie called OMG - Oh My God, where a shop keeper sues god for destroying his shop. [Which I hear is loosely based on an Australian film called "The Man Who Sued God" and a similar themed stageplay]

I also really enjoy the Peanuts specials.

Skight 3 May 29
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10

The life of Brian

Oooh that was a really good one. Anything the Catholic Church tried to ban is pretty much guaranteed to entertain

I haven't seen Life of Brian, but one of my favorite scenes in Meaning of Life is the song Every Sperm is Sacred!

@Skight Best song in the movie

I loved welease Bwian!

8

Dogma is I movie I really enjoyed, but I also like Constantine.

I love dogma, it's a classic to me.

5

Owh, religion related, how could I forget Monty Python's Life of Brian! They did ruffle some feathers with that one apparently.

Ohh, YES! , don't forget the "holy grail", as well.

@njoy_life_2 oh yes

4

The Star Wars franchise is replete with religious overtones - Good v Evil, The Force (really?).

4

our whole life has religious overtones. our clocks are timed ad after all.

4

Overtones huh?

Well damn that's a question I could discuss for days. Literally.

When I was a teenager, my parents would send me to a two week bible camp. When you got there you could choose a plethora of activities from sports to crafts and all sorts of stuff. One year I took a class focused on this subject. We'd watch movies and clips and discuss how we could apply the secular content to biblical lessons. Pretty neat class.

Signs was one we watched. Faith is a huge theme in the film. You have a former priest lamenting the death of his wife, whose faith is conflicted... He believes in God, or he used to...but he still wants to. He's just angry, grieving and lost. Meanwhile, aliens are supposedly visiting earth. Now our characters are conflicted because what they know to be true...is changing. They're no longer special in the universe. The most powerful moment comes in the climax.... The alien has Gibson's asmatic son and sprays some sort of poison in his airways. They are determined to save him and discover in the process that water harms the creature. Of course water is everywhere in glasses because Gibson's daughter thinks its contaminated and never drinks more than a sip. Merrill overpowers the creature and Gibson takes his son outside placing him on the ground while holding him in his arms. Merril finds him with his eyes closed as if praying... But he just keeps assuring himself "His lungs were closed" over and over. The film closes with Gibson's character living with a sense of renewed faith.

Planet of the Apes(whalberg), the lion king, Superman, Boondock Saints.... Some things can get interpretive but essentially the most beloved stories all follow at least one of a handful of templates... So if one tries hard enough they can usually find similarities to biblical or other religious content practically in any film or show. Its just the nature of human storytelling. Could possibly be turned into a neat drinking game.

3

A Clockwork Orange. In it Alex, a young murderer/rapist, is jailed and pretends to embrace religion as a scheme to get out of prison. A new type mind control is being tested and he want's to be a volunteer using a 'born again' premise.

I really enjoyed the way Alex read the bible and got off on the sick and sadistic stories in the bible. Shows the bible for what it is. . . .

@NoMagicCookie Magnificent book full of murder, rape, torture, incest, war, love stories, destruction , oh I could go on and on.

3

It's a bit older but Chocolat was one I loved.

AmyLF Level 7 May 29, 2018

love that movie

2

I LOVED ,"The Gods Must Be Crazy", not exactly what you sought, perhaps, but GAWD, do I recommend that movie.
(PS, it wasn't very factual.)

2

Father Ted is an awesome critique of catholic priests - hilarious. Of course, Life of Brian, along with a lot of python takes the piss out of religion mercilessly (spanish inquisition), of course Nuns on the Run. Dogma I have on DVD. simply having a female god in it is enough to cause issues I would have thought. You can't get away from religion in Vampire movies of course and from dusk 'til dawn has the lapsed pastor regaining some faith to fight evil before being turned himself. But there are a lot of epic religious movies that are worth watching. Theres an old version of Joan of Arc that moves me to tears by her sense of honour and commitment. Theres 'the robe' which springs to mind. Of course the original ten commandments is a classic of the genre.

I love Father Ted, it's so damn quotable!

I so loved the Father Ted.

2

I like films like The Matrix because they leave you with so much food for thought afterwards. I liked Logan because it seems based in myth. And some of those anime films like Spirited Away. That's a little gem!

2

The Chosen

Ooh I've not seen that, I'll look out for it.

1

Oh, and Phenomenon was not overt, but really nice!

1

Recently watched King Arthur 2004. That movie painted a rather good (in your face) image of religion as a tool for a/the delusional sadistic (insert expletive here)

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