WWJW What Would Jesus Watch?

So Jesus and the gang decide to catch a flick. And of course, being tech-savvy people, rather than going to a theater they are down-loading a movie. The debate begins and we all wonder: What Would Jesus Watch? Well, if I were with them and the gang asked me for a film to enjoy and discuss what would I recommend? I have listed below a bunch of thought provoking movies within which I have found significant religious themes. Bear in mind not all the films are “kid friendly” and most of them are not explicitly “religious” but all deal with one theological aspect or another. Some films are recommended because they are good examples and some are included because they miss the mark so badly it insists that we discuss it. I have not indicated which are which...I’d like to see how you view it.
Check it out and please, add a comment and make suggestions to the list!

Filmography
1. Artificial Intelligence: AI 2001,Warner Bros. Steven Spielberg, director.
2. The Apostle 1998, Butcher's Run Films. Robert Duvall, writer/director.
3. Awakenings 1990, Columbia. Penny Marshall, director.
4. Babette’s Feast (Babettes gæstebud) 1987, Det Danske Filminstitut. Gabriel Axel, director.
5. Being There 1979, BSB. Hal Ashby, director.
6. Ben Hur 1959, MGM William Wyler, director.
7. The Bucket List 2007, Warner Bros. Rob Reiner, director.
8. Casablanca 1942, Warner Bros. Hal B. Wallis, producer; Michael Curtiz, director.
9. Chocolat 2000, Miramax. Lasse Hallström, director.
10. Cocoon 1985, Zanuck/Brown Productions. Ron Howard, director.
11. Contact 1997, Warner Bros. Robert Zemeckis, director.
12. Crimes and Misdemeanors 1989, Orion. Woody Allen, writer/director.
13. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 2005, Walt Disney Pictures. Andrew Adamson, director.
14. Dead Poet’s Society 1989, Touchstone. Peter Weir, director.
15. Dogma 1999, View Askew Productions. Kevin Smith, writer/director.
16. Donnie Darko 2001, Pandora Cinema. Richard Kelly, writer/director.
17. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 1982, Universal Pictures. Steven Spielberg, director.
18. Elizabethtown 2005, Paramount Pictures. Cameron Crowe, writer/director.
19. Elmer Gantry 1960, Elmer Gantry Productions. Richard Brooks, writer/director.
20. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2004, Anonymous Content. Michel Gondry, director.
21. Fearless 1993, Spring Creek Productions. Peter Weir, director.
22. Fiddler On the Roof 1971, United Artists. Norman Jewison, director.
23. Field of Dreams 1989, Universal Pictures. Phil Alden Robinson, director.
24. Five People You Meet in Heaven 2005, Five People Productions Inc. Lloyd Kramer, director.
25. Flatliners 1990, Columbia Pictures. Joel Schumacher, director.

26. Gods and Monsters 1998, Lions Gate Films. Bill Condon writer/director.
27. The Gods Must be Crazy 1980, CAT Films. Jamie Uys, writer/director.
28. Godspell 1973, Columbia. David Greene, director.
29. The Gospel According to St. Matthew 1966, L’Arco Film. Pier Paolo Pasolini, director.
30. Gospel of John 2004, Gospel of John Ltd. Phillip Saville, director.
31. The Greatest Story Ever Told 1965, United Artists. George Stevens, producer/director.
32. The Green Mile 1999, Castle Rock Entertainment. Frank Darabont writer/director
33. Groundhog Day 1993, Columbia Pictures. Harold Ramis, writer/director.
34. A Guy Named Joe 1943, MGM. Victor Fleming, director.
35. Harold and Maude 1971, Mildred Lewis and Colin Higgins Productions. Hal Ashby, director.
36. Inherit the Wind 1960, Stanley Kramer Productions. Stanley Kramer, director.
37. Jesus Christ Superstar 1973, Universal Studios. Norman Jewison, director.
38. Jesus of Montreal (Jésus de Montréal) 1990, Centre National de la Cinématographie. Denys Arcand, director/writer.
39. Jesus of Nazareth 1977, Artisan. Franco Zeffirelli, director.
40. King David 1985, Paramount. Bruce Beresford, director.



41. King of Kings 1961, Warner Bros. Samuel Bronton, director.
42. The Last Temptation of Christ 1988, Universal Pictures. Martin Scorsese, director.
43. Left Behind 2001, Cloud Ten Productions. Vic Sarin director.
a. (Not an endorsement, but what is wrong with this film!)
44. The Matrix 1999, Groucho II Film Partnership. Andy and Lana Wachowski, writers/directors.
45. Memphis Belle 1990, BSB. Michael Caton-Jones, director.
46. Monty Python’s The Life of Brian 1979, Python (Monty) Pictures. Terry Jones, director.
47. Nazarin 1968, Producciones Barbachano. Ponce Luis Bruñuel, writer/director
48. O Brother, Where Art Thou? 2000, Touchstone Pictures. Ethan and Joel Coen, writers/directors.
49. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 1975, United Artist. Milos Forman, director.
50. Ordet 1955, Palladium Film. Kai Munk, writer. Carl Theodor Dreyer, writer/director.
51. Out of Africa 1985, Mirage. Sydney Pollack, director.
52. The Passion of the Christ 2004, 20th Century Fox. Mel Gibson, producer/director.
53. Pay it Forward 2000, Warner Bros. Mimi Leider, director.
54. Picnic at Hanging Rock 1975, Australian Film Commision. Peter Weir director.
55. Quo Vadis 1951, MGM. Mervyn LeRoy, director.
56. The Rapture 1991, New Line Cinema. Michael Tolkin, writer/director.
57. The Robe 1953, 20th Century Fox. Henry Koster, director.
58. Saving Private Ryan 1998, Amlin Entertainment. Steven Spielberg, director.
59. Sampson and Delilah 1949, Paramount. Cecil B. DeMille, director.
60. Schindler’s List 1993, Universal. Steven Spielberg, director.
61. The Seventh Sign 1988, TriStar. Carl Schultz, director.
62. The Shawshank Redemption 1994, Castle Rock. Frank Darabont, director.
63. Star Wars (A New Hope) 1977, Lucasfilm. George Lucas, writer/director.
64. The Station Agent 2003, SenArts Films. Thomas McCarthy writer/director.
65. The Ten Commandments 1956, Paramount. Cecil B. DeMille, director.
66. The Truman Show 1998, Paramount. Peter Weir, director.
67. 2001: A Space Odysseus 1968, COMPANY. Stanley Kubric, director.
68. The Village 2004, Touchstone Pictures. M. Night Shyamalan, writer/director.